Holy Blasphemy

This may appear at first as a trite, inconsequential or supercilious category. It may seem angry, spiteful or vindictive. However, let me be clear, the purpose of this category (and to a large extent, this website) is education. Atheism or criticism of organized religion are too often seen as a modern problem; the breakdown of the fabric of our lives, related to the disintegration of the nuclear family or a loss in ethical values.

It is pointed out that most great historical figures and writers were spiritual – they did not doubt the existence of some kind of transcendental reality; this is mistaken for a tacit belief in a supernatural, divine power. However, great writers cannot be labeled “Deists” and then swept under the fold of religion – when in fact many, if not most were passionately outspoken and critical of Christianity.

The purpose of this category is to gather the arguments, the complaints, criticisms of the world’s greatest writers; our novelists, philosophers, essayists and poets. Those great humans whose insight and inspiration have sewed the quilt of modern democratic, free societies around the world, and to give them a voice. Have they not earned the right to let their voices be heard, above all others? Should we let their beautiful words fill our minds with hope and love – and then tune them out when they warn us against the dangers of Christianity?

The courage to go beyond religious prohibitions and think freely is universally a prerequisite to genius, creativity and the evolution of ideas – is it any wonder that compiling this list of authors and writers against Christianity is basically as easy as picking up an anthology of British and American literature and adding every entry? Every passionate soul, devoted to life, love, the pursuit of happiness and the empowerment of mankind, since the beginning of time, has been anti-religious (as in against organized religions, which is not the same as being spiritual or believing in God.) Should not the weight of their combined testimonies bear heavily on our own dispositions towards the belief systems offered to us by our predecessors?