Greetings Derek Dalton,

It took me a while to respond to your last letter because we've been quite busy with other things....but I didn't lose interest in corresponding.

First, my name is Greg H.  Randy H (Harold Randolph H.) is my uncle.  He wrote most of the articles in "My Case Against Christianity".  I did add a section called "Greg's Favorite Verses...."....and a couple of documents are by an unknown author (a little boy's letter to God and prayer of the week).  Randy is 84 years old....older than you or I will probably ever become, and he has been thinking about God and the Bible for half of his life now....so he's had time to think things through.  He and I are very much alike and are both rational, thinking persons.  We share the same ideas about religion and superstition....that religion is actually a form of superstition much like all other forms of superstition that have existed since the "dawn of man"...and that it's in our nature....in our genes..to be superstitious.  If we desire a certain outcome.....a healthy childbirth...a good harvest, etc....then we must offer a sacrifice to please the spirits, gods, God,etc.  This is how the superstition of early man worked...they didn't understand the world in which they lived....how to raise a good crop, what caused diseases or birth defects, so they petitioned the imaginary gods or spirits with prayer or offerings in hopes that the great powers would be kind to them.  Over the millenia, these primitive, superstitious beliefs and rituals have evolved into the more complex religions of today's world.  However, all religions serve the same purpose to mankind ...they help us to gain a sense of control over our world, to overcome our feelings of helplessness, and to conquer our fear of death.

So you see, we don't think of religion itself as being the worst thing in the world....it's just a side-effect of ignorance and superstition....(when I say ignorance, I don't mean stupidity, I mean the great lack of knowledge about the universe and our natural world that mankind has had until very recently).   I've often said that ignorance leaves a void in the mind of man that is quickly filled with superstition.

Religion is a security blanket of sorts....  I would truly like to believe that when I die, my eternal soul will pass through the pearly gates of Heaven, and I will be escorted to a reunion with my deceased parents and other loved ones, whom I miss very much.  The promise of eternal life in paradise with God and your loved ones gives most people great comfort.  It is certainly more appealing than the thought of dying and staying dead....just being dead...no eternal soul...no pearly gates...no tearful reunions.  And when our loved ones die before us it is much more comforting to believe that they are in heaven with God, perhaps adorned with angel's wings, than to think that they are just dead and gone...never to be seen again.

So as much as I would like to believe in life after death, an eternal soul, a Loving God, and a Heaven above where we will all be together forever, not only for my own sake but for my loved ones also, I am unable to believe in these things.

The trouble seems to be that I've learned to think rationally about the concept of life after death, the existence of God, the possibility of a Heaven above and a Hell below us.  Not only is there absolutely no scientific evidence for any of these, but they all seem to be highly unlikely.  Recently, a Christian said to me: "Great. A lot of hope and encouragement you offer the world...so instead of having anything to offer...you simply cast stones at the One who died for you."  In response to this comment, I can only say that I personally would rather know the truth, even if it is not comforting, than to be filled with false notions of a kind, loving God who has prepared a place for us in his Heaven.

So why not let people go on believing in their eternal soul, and their benevolent God, and the power of prayer, and Heaven above?  Why should we take away their security blanket?  What is so bad about a little religion in people's lives to help them get through the hardest of times...such as the death of a loved one?  I'll tell you why, it's because overall, throughout history, religions have done more harm than good.  The many articles by Randy Hunt illustrate in great detail the tremendous harm that religion has done to civilization and humanity.  Most of the wars fought on this planet have been holy wars.  Religion has always been opposed to new ideas.  Those great thinkers and scientists who have advanced our knowledge and technology have always had to struggle against religious oppression.  Even now, as scientists are ever closer to finding cures or better treatments for many diseases through the use of genetic engineering, cloning, and identifying the genetic cause of disease, many religious leaders and groups are strongly opposed to such practices on the grounds that they are "playing God".

Religion makes it easier to hate your fellow man....that is, if he does not have the same god as you.  There are many accounts in the Old Testament where God commands his people to kill or enslave the "heathen" that live around them.  There have been many cases of attempted genocide through the ages, the latest of which is occuring in the Yugoslavia region.  One religion is exterminating another.  Many people have died "in the name of God" down through history, including the Great Inquisition, the Holy Wars of Europe and the Middle East, and even today in the United States of America people are killed because they are homosexual, or because they perform abortions, or because they are an atheist, all of which are on God's list of no-no's.

So you see, it's not that I hate the idea of religion.  It's the way religion makes people behave that I despise.  And certainly, not all religious people go around killing and torturing their heathen neighbors.  But on the other hand, one doesn't need a god in order to be a good, moral person either.  There are many atheists who are good, caring people who try to help their fellow man.  They do this because they want to and not because they fear the wrath of Almighty God.

Derek, back to the business at hand, you asked why I sent you the website and why would I like to correspond.  I sent the website to all Christian and Atheist persons or sites I could find.  Why go to the trouble to build a website if you don't want anyone to see it, right? 
I enjoy writing letters and expressing my opinions about religion and science.   Also, I'm curious what a true believer thinks about various topics and scriptures in the Christian Bible...perhaps you can share your understanding with me...now that you know what's in my head.

About the one topic-at-a-time rule....I think that's a good idea because I've been getting a lot of responses to this website and there's only so many hours in a day.   It's hard to address numerous topics in a single letter.

About that long list of noted scientists who believe in a God....I just keep wondering if any of them actually read all of the silly things that are in the Christian Bible and thought about them much, and could it be that they were afraid to admit their skepticism publically?  Even today there are many "closet atheists" in this world.

Your question: who do you think Jesus Christ was/is?

answer: I have no reason to believe that the Jesus Christ of the Christian Bible ever actually lived.  Chances are he is a character in a work of fiction...perhaps the greatest work of fiction that the world has ever known.  Of course, there may have actually been a person who was known as Jesus, the Christ, who's adventures were chronicled by several scribes in Israel and Greece.  However, it seems to me that if a man was indeed crucified and then came back to life, or walked on water, or turned bread into fish and water into wine, or raised the dead, or healed the sick, etc., there would have been some mention of this in many writings of that time.

There were many scribes who regularly recorded the important events of their lifetime....it seems strange that such miraculous happenings could be ignored by so many scribes...if nothing else, you'd think someone would have mentioned the rumor of such things.  Yet, only a handful of religious writers ever mentioned a man named Jesus or the many acts of magic that he performed. 

Ok. It's my turn now, right? Here's my question to you Derek: 
At the end of the book of Mark, the prophet is describing what took place after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is visiting with his loyal disciples, and after he had spoken to them "he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God."  But just before he ascended up into Heaven, Jesus gave them some advice.  Jesus said "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." .....Mark 16: 15-18

One thing is certain, even if Jesus did have a sense of humor, this would be a time when he would speak of serious, important things....just before he left this earth and was received up into Heaven....never to be seen again?  So I doubt that he was joking or kidding around with his disciples when he made this statement.

How, Derek, do you interpret or explain this statement, especially the part I have underlined. What does it mean to you? 

Sincerely, Greg H.