Positively Non-Religious

This comes from a great post over at the Rationalists’ Blog.  Since tomorrow is Good Friday, the supposed day of Jesus’ crucifixion, they point out that Christians don’t really understand what Jesus’ death meant, and how absurd it is if you actually stop and think about it.  Here’s an excerpt:

“It is Mark’s view that Jesus’ death was for atonement.  (Mark 10:45) Whereas his fellow Gospel, Luke believed it to be for forgiveness.  (Acts 2:36-38) Atonement and forgiveness may look similar in meaning, but I can assure you they are most certainly not. Therefore, both cannot be right. And I will have Bart Ehrman, arguably the most prolific modern day New Testament scholar, explain it:  ‘Suppose you owe me a hundred dollars but can’t pay. There are a couple of ways the problem could be solved. Someone else (a friend, your brother, your parents) could pay the hundred dollars for you. That would be like atonement: someone else pays your penalty. Or, instead of that, I could simply say, “Never mind, I don’t need the money.” That would be like forgiveness, in which no one pays and God simply forgives the debt.’”