I love those images of Athena!
If I had to pick a deity to worship, I suspect it would be her. Truly. The goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill, a powerful woman who is beautiful because she is intelligent at least as much as she is lovely to look on. A mature vision of womanhood rather than the Aphrodite-type youthful beauty. Oh, now that, sir, is a deity!
Jehovah/Yahweh, on the other hand, represents pretty much everything I find despicable in humanity. Not even remotely a palatable option.
If I had to pick a deity to worship, I suspect it would be her. Truly. The goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill, a powerful woman who is beautiful because she is intelligent at least as much as she is lovely to look on. A mature vision of womanhood rather than the Aphrodite-type youthful beauty. Oh, now that, sir, is a deity!
Jehovah/Yahweh, on the other hand, represents pretty much everything I find despicable in humanity. Not even remotely a palatable option.
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
