INTRODUCTION: Myths and Misbelieving
MYTHS ABOUT RELIGIONS IN GENERAL
All Societies Have Religions
Religion Is about the Spiritual
Religion Is about the Supernatural
Religion Is about Faith or Belief
Worship Is an Essential Part of Religion
Religion Is a Personal Matter
Science Will Eventually Replace Religion
Religion Causes Violence
MYTHS ABOUT JUDAISM, JEWS, AND JEWISH SCRIPTURE
The Ancient Israelites Believed in One God
Moses Wrote the First Five Books of the Bible
The Book of Genesis Is Incompatible with the Theory of Evolution
Jews Believe They Were Chosen by God to Receive Special Privileges
The Jews Killed Jesus
Blood Libel: Jews Use Christian Blood in Their Rituals
Benjamin Franklin Advised the US Government to Expel Jews
The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion: Jewish Leaders Plot Global Takeover
Hanukkah Is for Jews What Christmas Is for Christians
MYTHS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY, CHRISTIANS, AND CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE
The Four Gospels Are Eyewitnesses' Accounts of the Life of Jesus
The Bible Says that When We Die, Our Souls Go to Heaven or Hell
Jesus Was Born on December 25 in a Stable in Bethlehem
Jesus Was a Christian
Jesus Preached Family Values
The Image of the Crucified Jesus Has Always Been Sacred to Christians
The Church Suppressed Science in the Middle Ages
Catholics Are Not Christians
The United States Was Founded as a Christian Country
MYTHS ABOUT ISLAM, MUSLIMS, AND THE QUR'AN
Most Muslims Are Arabs and All Arabs Are Muslim
Muslims Worship a Different God
The Qur'an Condemns Judaism and Christianity
"Jihad" Means Holy War
The Qur'an Encourages Violence
The Qur'an Condones Mistreatment of Women
The Qur'an Promises Suicide Bombers Heavenly Virgins
Muslims Reject Democracy
Muslims Fail to Speak Out against Terrorism
American Muslims Want to Impose Islamic Law on the United States
MYTHS ABOUT OTHER WESTERN TRADITIONS
Zoroastrians Worship Fire
Voodoo Is Black Magic
Witches Worship Satan
Rastafarians Are Marijuana Abusers
Unitarian Universalists May Believe Whatever They Want
MYTHS ABOUT EASTERN TRADITIONS
Hinduism Is a Single Religious Tradition
Hinduism Promotes the Caste System
Hindus Worship Idols
Buddha Is a God for Buddhists
The Laughing Buddha (Budai, Ho-Ti) Is Buddha
MYTHS ABOUT NONBELIEVERS
Nonbelievers Are Ignorant about Religion
Nonbelievers Have no Basis for Morality
Without Religious Belief, Life Has No Purpose
Atheism Is Just as Much a Matter of Faith as Religion Is
BONUS MYTHS
The Bible says, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness," "The Lord works in mysterious ways," "Hate the sin, love the sinner," "God helps those who help themselves," "Money is the root of all evil," "Spare the rod and spoil the child," "To thine own self be true," "This too shall pass," "To err is human, to forgive divine," and "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop."
The Bible Forbids Eating Pork Because It Causes Illness
The Apocalypse Is the End of the World Foretold in Scripture
Satan and His Devils Torture Humans in Hell
Cherubs Are Cute, Childlike Angels
Christians Were Systematically Persecuted by the Romans
There Was a Female Pope Named Joan
Saint Patrick Drove the Snakes out of Ireland