On nationalism. I agree 100%. I'm--at least in the asocial arena of my noggin-- a very picky, granular, find-flaw person, but there's not a thought in that essay I disagree with. 

Anti-entheogens. What? You don't want to see people's lives ruined--at your and my expense-- for the unspeakable crime of sticking hemp seeds in their garden? You are Satan!! Kidding aside, I have a great solution to the "drug problem." Do away with all prohibitions on individual ownership of molecules (except I guess some of the nastier ones that emit radiation or occupy three hundred times their volume in a thirtieth of a second upon being perturbed), and people who have a hard time with self-control regarding the distilled versions will kill themselves in short order (and in some cases die happy, a la a pound of pure smack for thirty-eight bucks plus tax). But that's not an original idea of course. 

Sexy side of life. Well put. 

Junkfood. I'd print it for my sister-in-law if I thought she'd heed it. She lets my 10-year-old nephew subsist largely on sugar, and it doesn't look to me like it's making him any sharper.

The Gospel According to Acharya. Halleleuya! 

You've more interesting links than I have time to look at now (or comment on), but my cursory run-through failed to show anything on nanotechnology. I can't think of any reason your site wouldn't mention it unless you haven't seriously looked into it. A good laymen's' text is Engines of Creation by K. Eric Drexler. For people (i.e., almost everybody) who don't yet understand nanotechnology's full implications, "Engines" is as much a bombshell to technology (albeit in a very different sense) as TCC is to religion. In the unlikely event it's thus far escaped your full attention, prepare to be hit over the head. 

From: GD 
To: Acharya S 
Subject: Thank you. 
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 11:18:26 +0100 

I have spent several months trying to de-christianize a good friend of mine who already hated the institution of the church but somehow could never quite climb over the wall and let go of her beloved Jesus Christ. The material on your site did the trick. She is now 'open-minded' and heading towards humanism, which is what I firmly believe she would have been anyway had she not been brainwashed at an early age. Personally, I have long held quite extreme anti-theistic views, often finding myself in a minority of one (e.g. regarding whether I should have respect for other peoples absurd religious beliefs), and it is a huge relief to find so many people who see the world as I do. I no longer have to wonder whether it's me or the rest of the world who is insane. Thank you 

From: JF 
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 09:10:53 EDT 
Subject: I'm done 
To: Acharya S 

A.S., 

I just finished your book (Christ Conspiracy), and I must say that it was money well spent! You do go into things that are way over my head at times (especially zodiac stuff); but since I was a Christian for 20 years I have had the unfortunate displeasure of accruing that background. I am looking for guidance for further study. Any leads you can give me would be appreciated. 

The Council of Nicea: it is the pride of many Christians that the Bible is the "inerrant Word of God," but if the Council was that much of political free-for-all, then it would expose the pretense of the contributors. Do you know of any books about the Council that includes such info as who was there, what materials did they have to work with and maybe some transcripts of the meetings? 

Another thing that interests me (not in your book) was the Virgin of Guadalupe (it was even on a recent episode of Wishbone). I am interested in the circumstances surrounding the mass conversion and who profited from the ensuing hysteria. 

What other books do you have? Are you going to be out on the East Coast doing the lecture circuit any time soon? 

From: DU 
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 22:03:56 EDT 
Subject: Hello 
To: Acharya S 

Hello, 

In a religious chat room, I met someone who referred me to your website. I found that many of our views are similar. I have begun a religious movement where we look at the world through the eyes of common sense. I am nowhere near finishing our book, but I have attained a state very near complete mental clarity. One of the things that got me started down the path of my religion is the way that people are force-fed information such as the myths of Christianity and Catholicism. I would very much like to speak with you, and I would like you to read what I have written so far. Please write back. 

From: DK
To: Acharya S 
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2000 13:40:05 -0500 
Subject: The Apostle Paul 

Acharya, 

I have not read your book, The Christ Conspiracy, yet... It should be arriving in my mail soon though. This e-mail is not directly concerning your book but I would like to ask you a question. 

First let me introduce myself. I'm 32 years old, an ex-minister (licensed Southern Baptist Minister), and I attended Christian schools from the 5th grade until I graduated. I literally went to "church" 6 days a week and consider myself fairly knowledgeable in Biblical/Christian doctrine. 

About the time of my graduation I wanted to "get serious" with my studies so I removed myself from any outside influences (Pastors, parents, etc. etc.) and started studying the Bible on my own. I was dumbfounded at the inconsistencies that I found, not only in interpretation but in principles and doctrines. 

After many years of study, not only of the Bible but of world history, religion, theology, etc. I have come to the conclusion that Christianity as we know it today is built on falsehoods devised by the Romans to "control" (for lack of a better word) the population... 

Anyway... To my point. I believe that Jesus the Christ's teachings were covered up by the Apostle Paul... Jesus was incorrectly deified by Paul and his teachings were perverted by Paul. I'm of the opinion that Paul was the Anti-Christ and successfully perverted the teachings of Jesus thus ending a movement that might prove detrimental to the Roman control of the region at the time. (Something that Saul/Paul set out to do according to his own words!) 

I'm in the process of accumulating information (mostly from the Bible so far) that shows, without doubt, the Paul directly contradicts the teachings of Jesus. I was hoping that maybe you had information that would help me in that endeavor. 

If you are interested in throwing this poor dog a bone or two then I would greatly appreciate it if you write me back. 

Thank you for your time, 

Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 00:27:40 -0700 (PDT) 
From: BC
Subject: Peter/Paul 
To: Acharya S 

Hi Acharya S, 

Did early Catholic church leaders ever mention a historical Paul or Peter being in Rome to start the Catholic Church? When WAS the first mention of them? 

Or were Paul/Peter just biblical names that predated the church by many decades, which the Church used to try to gain credibility? 

Peter is most definitely based on an ancient god, whose title was "Petra." Or, rather, Petra was one of the numerous titles of "the deity," which often was considered the "God Sun." Paul, evidently, is a compilation of characters, mythical and historical. In Christ Con, I relate Blavatsky's astonishment that Justin Martyr makes no mention of Peter; however, apparently Blavatsky was wrong. It was Paul that he never discussed, which is very odd.--AS

From: IM
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 04:02:25 -0400 (EDT) 
To: Acharya S 
Subject: hello 

Hi, how are you? You don't know me, but I'm a teenager from Florida and I just visited your site... I really liked what I read and had a lot of the same views myself... But your "teachings", if I could say, are very well spoken and true... I found them very enlightening... and I applaud you for having the guts to put something up like that... I hope to hear from you...and look forward to anything new you put out there...let me know...thanks 

Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 21:47:10 -0400 (EDT) 
From: TL
To: Acharya S 

I saw your webpage-and alot of stuff you posted on the page entitled "The Roots of Islam" was just horrible-because it was FALSE. I'm sorry I had the ultimate misfortune of even surfing onto your page... I will quote you on your words. For instance on the topic of the Prophet Mohammad: 

"His dislikes were just as varied. He detested silk-lined clothes, interest charges, dogs, others' lies, Jews and Christians. He hated poets, and said, 'Every painter will be in hell.'" 

He detested silk. In the Quran it just says that men aren't allowed to wear silk or gold because those materials are for women only. Dogs-they were unclean, the same would go for pigs. And saying that he didn't like Jews or Christians is WORSE - I am very hurt that you actually posted that without even doing any RESEARCH - or truth seeking because the Prophet was such an honorable and dignified man. Something that's SO RARE these days. In fact Prophet Muhammad ACCEPTED ALL PEOPLE, blacks, whites, Jews, Christians, Muslims, non-Muslims EVERYONE! He even said in the Quran that Muslims should accept ALL religions. So don't you ever say that Islam is a RACIST religion-because one of Islam is a religion that PROMOTES PEACE. It pisses me off that you'd make a page that SUPPOSEDLY should tell the truth-but is nowhere EVEN NEAR the truth...it sickens me too. 

"He was inordinately vain. A clever woman poet satirized him. She was slain when asleep with her child at her breast, and the vengeful Muhammad praised her murderer. Once he tortured a Jew to find the location of hidden treasure and then had him killed and added the widow to his harem. Strange indeed was the character of the prophet. How could such a person inspire such reverence and devotion? It is one of the puzzles of history."

Torturing Jews?? The Prophet being Vain?? Wow-where do you get this stuff-it's really interesting how me being a Muslim wouldn't even know about this - since it's found NO WHERE in the Quran-but that's no surprise seeing as though Did this "Potter" actually look in the QURAN to prove this???-Or did he just hear it from some Anti-Islam fanatic?? There's much more untruthful content on that page alone-but I'm too sickened to even go there. Because it's all full of lies, and I URGE you to actually READ A BOOK or do some RESEARCH because I REALLY pity you, really.. I pity that you are too ignorant and also arrogant to go and find the truth.the REAL truth too..I'm pretty sure you won't actually find the truth, and that's what I expect too-I didn't email you to change your views on Islam-only to tell you that they're all false and that you are very sad-but hey if you're happy with that-then keep up the good work. 

Sorry, but, like the zealous Christian, you are selectively choosing the "nice bits" and ignoring the brutality (although your forcefulness indicates otherwise). To clear up one of your first misapprehensions, those are not my quotes. The sources are cited. One of them is Charles Frances Potter's The Great Religious Leaders (1958). His work is scholarly. The stories concerning Mohammed are not found in the Koran but in the biographies and legends concerning him, including in the hadith/sunna. The Koran itself is mostly a rant against basically everyone. Try actually reading the Koran It is easy to understand how people who follow it are angry, since it constantly calls for the punishment and death of the infidel. The fanatic chant, "There is no god but Allah; and Muhammad is his prophet," in itself represents cultural bigotry and spiritual fascism of the highest order that has caused horrendous suffering on this planet. 

The following is from the fourth Sura:

Verily those who disbelieve our signs, we will surely cast to be broiled in hell fire; so often as their skins shall be well burned, we will give them other skins to exchange, that they may taste the sharper torment. (Potter, 277)

Here are just a few quotes from one chapter of the Koran, "The Immunity":

9:17: The idolaters have no right to visit the mosques of Allah while bearing witness to unbelief against themselves, these it is whose doings are null, and in the fire shall they abide. 

9.28: O you who believe! the idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year; and if you fear poverty then Allah will enrich you out of His grace if He please; surely Allah is Knowing Wise. 

9.30: And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away! 

4.140: And indeed He has revealed to you in the Book that when you hear Allah's communications disbelieved in and mocked at do not sit with them until they enter into some other discourse; surely then you would be like them; surely Allah will gather together the hypocrites and the unbelievers all in hell. 

The question is, why would anyone follow such a repressive, ferocious ideology?--AS

From: AW 
To: Acharya S 
Subject: Jehovah's witnesses? 
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 23:34:13 EDT 

Hi, 

I happened across your site while searching for arguments on the existence/non-existence of God. To reassure you, this is not a fanatic telling you will go to hell and/or feel God's wrath. I merely require help. Reading through the articles about religion, specifically the "Proof God doesn't exist" article, I am relieved to see that others share my views on this subject. One should obviously see with his/her eyes, and make judgements on evidence, not be told to believe and devote one's life to some crap in a book. 

Currently I am living with a Jehovah's Witness, and must say that he is one of the most ignorant, single-minded and, frankly, stupid individuals I have ever met. As his family were devout Jehovah's Witnesses, he is too. I am informed that his is the true religion, all others are false, and those that don't follow it will be killed when the apocalypse comes. 

I asked many questions such as "if God is real, how can he let the horror that is Ethiopia happen? Why are those people living in a desert with no food?" He informs me that this is man's fault. If we gave them food, they would not starve.

I reply with "ok, but how come they were there in the first place? I mean, before we had food that we can buy from shops, certain countries had fertile farmland, but they end up in a desert. Also, how come there are things like plane accidents, and car crashes? Jehovah's witnesses are killed like the rest of us in accidents." Now his story changes. Apparently the Devil said to God that if God gives him 1000 years where God does not intervene, he can convert all people to his "evil" side. God agrees to this. 

Again, I question this ludicrous answer, "if God is almighty, why should He care what the hell we think, or what the devil thinks. He should just kill the Devil and be done with it. Also, what makes you think WE are so special? We are just bags of water that happen to be at the top of the evolutionary ladder". This appears to annoy him. "God needs to prove that he is almighty, and he should not be doubted, so he agrees to this and tests us" 

"If God is truly almighty, he does not NEED to prove to us or anything that he is, unless he were afraid of us. Also, how can you go through life believing this one book? Do you realise how utterly stupid this is? I could give you any book, and you read it, and then you base all your life on it. That is frankly ludicrous." [His response: "The bible has foretold everything that has happened so far, therefore it must be the word of a higher being, i.e. God." 

This is getting boring now, but basically we argue and argue, my arguments based on what I can see, and observe, his based on a book. I told him I believe the bible was written by a king many ages ago that couldn't think of answers for what his people were asking him. Questions like, "where do stars come from, and where do we come from?" This king made up some shit, and called it the bible. Even though I explain to him that he is a bigot, believing that only his religion is right, and everyone else will be killed.

If he had kids, and they needed to have a blood transfusion to live, he would decide to let them die. A life ended for such a STUPID reason. I CANNOT give a final answer; he has arguments for everything, because this is what Jehovah's Witnesses do. It is more like a cult than a religion. People at your door trying to get you to join this cultlittle childrenbeing forced to believe in some crap they have no choice in. He tells me they have whole books written to argue every possible question or argument a person can give. Me versus the millions of people in this cult, sorry, religion. The odds are not in my favour. 

I would be very grateful if you could maybe give me your thoughts about what I could to shut this guy up. The sensible thing to do would be to ignore it, but I have to live with him for another 3 years (University), and being 2 males, the instinct of competition seems to have taken over. More annoying is the fact that the guy seems to have gone though life with his eyes closed. And when things are explained in class, it's as if he has a 3-second memory and needs me to explain the subject again and again.... Thank you for any help, counsel or insight you can give me. 

From: FPG 
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2000 16:20:58 EDT 
Subject: Truth Be Known 
To: Acharya S 

I'd like to thank you. Thank you for having the words and grit to finally show the world how truly idiotic it is. 

To: "From Sex to Superconsciousness" 
From: KM 
Subject: My thanks to you all 
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2000 23:15:15 CDT 

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