Death, an Alp from whose summit all lesser things are the same size

The saying is falsely attributed to Mark Twain.

(source)

A vast multitude of Christians were convicted in 64 AD not so much for the crime of starting fires as for hatred of humankind

". . . to die is gain"

"multitude ingens baud perinde in crimine incendii quam odio humani generis convicti sunt"

Tacitus, Annals 15.44

The progress of religion?

Judaism is replete with sacrificed animals.

Christianity is obsessed with the sacrificial death of one man.

And now Islamists want to fill the world with the blood of all infidels.

It's regressive revelation, not progressive.

"For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings."

-- Hosea 6:6

France's Muslim problem: It has about 1600 "free" foreign imams imported from Morocco, Algeria and Turkey

Reported here in Bloomberg View:

'Many of these imams don't feel French, speak the language well, or understand the lives of many of the second and third-generation immigrants they serve, according to [Abdelali] Mamoun [imam of Alfortville just outside Paris]. Many speak as though their congregations have to make a choice between being Muslim and French. Some just say daily prayers and leave, according to Mamoun, rather than trying to teach and mentor their congregations. Freelance "predators" then mix among the youngsters and draw them away for indoctrination, he says.'

Christ will not save you from the Muslim

Only you will save yourself from the Muslim

Say Jesus rose from the dead: What difference has it made?

The religion of pieces strikes again but the French remain in utter denial

In front of the theatre attacked in Paris last night, a piano is set out front on which a man comes up and plays "Imagine", John Lennon's ode to atheism, and leaves. A French soccer star who lost a cousin to the terrorists tweets that the important thing to maintain is that the horror in Paris last night "has no religion". And a rose and note are stuck in a bullet hole made by the Muslim terrorists asking "In the name of what?"

In the name of Allah, of course.

For a god who doesn't exist an awful lot of French people no longer do, either. Atheism, at any cost.

Image here.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali names religion academics John Esposito and Karen Armstrong "apologists for Islam"

It's about time somebody did.

Here in "Islam is a religion of violence" in Foreign Policy:

'Popular academics such as John Esposito at Georgetown and author Karen Armstrong believe that religion — Islam, in this case — is the “circumstantial” bit and that the real causes of Islamist violence are poverty, political marginalization, cultural isolation, and other forms of alienation, including real or perceived discrimination against Muslims. These apologists for Islam use words such as “radicalism,” “violent extremism,” and “terrorism” to describe the various attacks around the world committed in the name of Islam. If Islam is mentioned at all, it is to say that Islam is being perverted, or hijacked. They are quick to assert that Islam is no different from any other religion, that there are terrible aspects to other religions, and that Islam is in no way unique. That view is more or less the “official” view of policymakers, not only of the U.S. government, but also of most Western countries (though policy changes are beginning to appear on this front in some countries such as the U.K., Canada, and Australia). But the apologists’ position has been a complete policy failure because it denies the religious justifications the Quran and the Hadith provide for violence, gender inequality, and discrimination against other religions. ... [T]he intolerant and violent aspects of the Quran and the Hadith are never acknowledged or rejected.'

The partiality of Jesus: Good news for the lost sheep of the house of Israel

"For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs."  -- Mark 7:25ff.

"And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." -- Matthew 15:22ff.

"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." -- Matthew 10:5f.

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." -- Matthew 7:6

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." -- Revelation 22:14f.

The conversion of Peter to Paulinism

Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ... Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

-- Acts 10:28, 34f.

The stairway to heaven, but the highway to hell

(seen here)