Recently, a reader using the fake name Teal Tunes (TT) left a comment on Who’s to Blame For the Tragic Death of IFB Missionary Charles Wesco? Best I can tell, this post and Ron and Patti Williams, Hephzibah House and Schizophrenic Women were shared by someone today on Facebook, resulting in hundreds of people coming to this site to read these posts.
Here’s what TT had to say:
Tragedy strikes all kinds of people in all kinds of vocations all day every day. So what???? This is really not anyone’s business or concern. These people were free to do as they please and it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks. Some of the nasty, nosey comments in here about what they were doing with their lives and in their home are just frankly sickening. Its sad and frustrating to see this kind of unkindness and nonessential rhetoric. If your life was made public, there would be others that would “throw stones at YOU” because you’re an idiot. From one idiot to all the rest of you idiots!! Try being KIND and minding your own freakin’ business!! You’ll never understand every one else….so stop trying to manage them!!!
As regular readers know, I am lounging at home recovering from gallbladder surgery. I decided to give TT a short, pithy response:
Yet, you do that which you rage against. Hypocrite.
My comment rubbed the proverbial fur of this Jesus-loving cat the wrong way. TT sent me a blistering email that said:
What a load of crap. I just wasted the last 30 minutes looking over your comments and supposed “beliefs”. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I HAD to stop. For as much as you say you hate religions/religious people/fundamentalists/church-goers/pastors or church leaders/etc—anyone affiliated and living/promoting the opposite of your rhetoric…you’re just as bad at the other end of the “spectrum”. Ugh! Seems you live your life to only call out those kinds of people now. What a waste of everyone’s time!
I am sure you can’t wait to tell the world that I’m the ignorant one. But you “SCREAM” idiot-psycho ignoramus trying to disguise yourself as a better person than anyone else who believes differently from you. You’re an intolerant, prejudiced bigot. No one is better than another just because they don’t believe the same ‘spiritually’.
Get a real hobby and stop playing dirty. Mind your own freakin’ business, dude and stop trying to convince anyone else that “now you’ve been enlightened to the REAL truth now that you don’t believe in a God.” No one really wants or needs to hear your psychological hang-ups. We are all free to do as we please. And anyway, some people are better for following religious ‘rules’ or half-way decent forms of behavior based on Christian principles—otherwise they “might be tempted” to hunt you down and kill you for being such an idiot. Maybe the whole world would have better off if you had never been born. Too bad……hmmm Don’t cry, big boy. Go get counselling to learn to love yourself so you can truly learn to have respect for another human being that finds help/encouragement/deliverence/etc….whatever it does for them….in following Christianity. Leave them alone to believe their “lies”. Whoop de dooo!! It’s not hurting you. It’s actually ensuring that you live in a more decent society and world. People that say that they believe in God and His ‘rules’ are nicer people. Duh. I’ll take that all day….especially compared to what you’re purporting being a humanist/socialist….Hack—-those are selfish people to the max!! That’s what I think of you and what you believe.
No need to respond. You will NOT change my mind about what/who you are. It would just be an outlet for you to vent your obvious anger and self-hatred that is consuming you. Ugh AGAIN!
I’m embarrased for your words!
Damn, so many words expended by TT, just to tell me that she thinks I’m an asshole. You would have thought she would have stopped reading after a post or two. Instead, she continued to read for 30 minutes before determining to threaten me with murder and suggest that I was such a worthless person that the world would have been better off if I had never been born. It always amazes me how hostile some Christians can get towards me, even wishing God’s hit squad would snuff me out.
TT told me there’s no need for me to respond. I won’t, but I thought some of you might want to respond to her thoughtful, kind, loving, Christ-honoring prose.
As far as what she read on this site? TT read:
- Who’s to Blame For the Tragic Death of IFB Missionary Charles Wesco?
- Why?
- About
- Dear Jesus
- Why I Hate Jesus
- Dear Evangelical
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.
ROTFLMAO‼️?
Your pithy reply was very appropriate. Now about all the projection coming from her. I got a job that seems appropriate.
https://youtu.be/ocTKTk7oExk
This hag needs a HUGE dose of self-awareness!! She complains of the very things she herself is doing!! She needs to remove references to you, Bruce, and insert references to herself therein instead. Her letter would read much differently then!!
Apparently she invested much too much of her self-image in ChristInsanity stock and it addled her brains, to the point where she’s taking a stranger’s commentaries personally. What a tragic waste of human life.
Wow, what a piece of work. My summary: I’m gonna send you hate-filled messages because I lack reading comprehension and empathy for other people’s beliefs, because I have to dump on what you believe while demanding that you shouldn’t make observations about Christians’ beliefs, what other people do is none of your business but what you do is my business and I’m going to hate-bomb you about it.
Projection seems like a far too innocuous word to describe her assessment of Bruce (and us nasty commenters).
Oh, and Christians are nicer people than the rest of us. Right. Maybe she doesn’t get out much, and her definition of ‘nice’ needs some refinement, since that was surely what she was being when she wrote that stuff, right?
I rarely wish people ill, but when people write trash like this, I can’t help but wish for them to be (metaphorically) eviscerated by their own sword (pen).
Hey TT, the only thing I got from your rant was that you are full of it. Whatever happened to “love your neighbor as yourself?” Most of your type of Christian hates everyone that isn’t like you. Funny, the Bible depicts Jesus as hanging around the marginalized and outcasts. And he condemned the self-satisfied Pharisees. You know, those smug people who get mad at others who are different.
TT just revealed to us which weeks of Sunday school lessons she missed:
The Golden Rule
Don’t judge others
Be kind to one another
Be a good witness for Jesus
Love your neighbor
And the bonus round that isn’t in the Bible but became popular for Christians, What Would Jesus Do (WWJD)?
Sorry, TT, but if I were on the fence about my Christian beliefs and wondered if I should stay in Christianity or leave, reading your mean words would have shown me that the indwelling of the Spirit, the Love of Jesus, the Joy in our heart, isn’t real. Your words have done anything but show me how Jesus changes us from supposedly vile, broken creatures into children of light and love.
Poor ol’ TT is awfully triggered. Bruce is so much powerful than her weak little god, clearly.
To TT: Thanks for demonstrating how much the truth really hurts. 🙂
Teal Tunes: “I am sure you can’t wait to tell the world that I’m the ignorant one.”
Zoe: No one here needs to the tell the world Teal. You’ve done a good job of that yourself.
Somebody has an anger problem. (It’s not Bruce)
Mr. Gerencser, I am the son of a Baptist preacher, raised in an IFB-styled faith. I am 68 years old and in my life, my whole life, I have never felt more alone than attempting to maintain that Christian life. I finally realized that it was harmful to me and that what my loved ones, my dear parents and others in the faith did for their beliefs was wrong, harmful to the basic innocence of children, disrespectful to people.
Mr. Gerencser, there are not enough places for people like me to feel comfortable and free to be honest. This blog is one of those places and I remain thankful daily that you maintain it as you do, especially when longsuffering patience is required after receiving hateful mail from people who purport to love and who support evangelical prejudice.
Sometimes, the fuming hatred of a TT will appear and remind me how fortunate I am to be among the decent human beings on this blog. It really does hurt to remember the blame and shame, the noxious ignorance of the TT people who have given over their open hearts to harm.
Again, thank-you Bruce Gerencser. May your healing go smoothly, in peace 😉
TT: There is a common presentation evidenced by people who are in pain and denial. It is called black and white thinking. When I read your angry words, it is clear to me, a stranger, that you lack insight regarding yourself. Rather than being patient with yourself, you leap into a rage of denial and spread hatred all around you. Counselling is something you mention for Mr. Gerencser and that is the very best offering you have in all your raging here. In fact, because Mr. Gerencser is serious about his own health, he does see a counsellor and is not afraid of facing himself. He speaks of it here sometimes.
I have a suggestion for you. Instead of name-calling when you are triggered by others (and that happens alot I bet in these troubling times) just listen carefully to what is being said to you and be quiet while you consider why somebody might feel the way they do and say what they say. Do not leap to Idiot! Dumb ass! Stupid! Just stop yourself and wait to see if your heart and mind might offer you something else. The entreaty, love your neighbor, does not always mean agree with your neighbor, does it… Perhaps it means try to understand, to listen and imagine what reasons are behind what is being offered.
You have not represented yourself well here, TT. You deserve better than what you offer yourself. Counselling really does help if somebody is willing to stop that out-of-control train in the head and consider other options.
Please don’t come back here just to call people names. I come here to read what people think about a way of life that has done harm to me and to many others. I don’t believe we are born evil, TT. We are taught it. We deserve better. Sometimes I get angry when people arrive at this blog and read for a minute and then rage. And I continue to wonder what it is that hurts them so much they leap to anger and hateful speech.
Brian, you are kind, patient, and thoughtful. You rock.
Gracious of you, KAREN THE ROCK WHISPERER. You have heard me rage around here and been patient. I appreciate your being here.
Brian, you must be a lovely and decent man. At any rate, I love your comment. 🙂
Thank-you, Carmen. I wonder if my departure from religion@evangelicalism is the only way I could find to embrace the mystery and endless invitation that is breath. I want to care more deeply than what I experienced in my churches, my orthodoxies. I don’t know how exactly that this can happen but being around here with you and Bruce is an encouragement to me.
It does hurt me to see how people sometimes attack Bruce Gerencser. I know they are defending themselves somehow but I am humbled by his honesty. It hurts me too sometimes to hear him telling his truth but it rings true in me and I know I don’t need a God or preeacher to tell me what’s what… What I believed yesterday requires my whole effort today to merely perceive now, today. And I wonder today how I ever ever believed that so fully and so surely.
It’s a bizarre and, I think, wounded screed. I’m guessing that when TT read your writings, it must have cut deep into some of her own insecurities about her beliefs. It’s hard to see what else would have made her lash out so irrationally and at such length.
The Hate, the Vile, spit out by this person is actually a very good start. It merely emphasizes who and what she is NOW. But she has reached out to challenge BRUCE. The vile is just the baggage that fundamentalism has attached to this person’s life. Think nothing of it. This is the way it is in Christian fundamentalism. Not a big deal. It’s an onion that needs to be peeled carefully, layer by layer. Maintaining contact is all important. Don’t dismiss this person! Think like a psychiatrist. Listen. Gently suggest. Gently ask questions. And carry it on professionally. We’re here to gently prod these people to look more deeply into the mirror. Sometimes we have to do the same. It never stops for anybody.
Hope your recovery from the surgery goes well. It seems that you survived so far! Hope you feel better soon.
“People that say that they believe in God and His ‘rules’ are nicer people.”
Honestly? That hasn’t been my experience at all. And for all that you claim that this is true (“Duh.”) your own behavior here rather contradicts your claim. Surely you were raised better than this?
ah, TrueChristians(tm) like TT. She has to beg that no response is made so she can pretend no one can show her to be a failure and a liar.
“People that say that they believe in God and His ‘rules’ are nicer people. ”
those “rules” are to murder people who don’t believe the same as you do. I don’t need such shitty rules or such a selfish failure of a woman.
TT might want to visit my blog and get even more outraged. How about it TT? The safe link to click is:
https://faith17983.wordpress.com/
I find it amazing that TT uses the initials “TT” to go by. Is she some kind of verbal exhibitionist? My late friend Patricia referred to them as “Big Mango Tatas.”
Hi Teal Tunes,
Your religion is not kindness, otherwise you would not be speaking such vileness in your response to Bruce. You may follow the bible, but not some of the passages attributed to Jesus. Didn’t Jesus say, in the Sermon on the Plain (Luke ch.6), that his disciples should love their enemies? Didn’t he also tell his disciples to be compassionate (kind) like their heavenly Father is compassionate (kind) because God is compassionate (kind) to the ungrateful and the wicked? You claim to be a disciple of Jesus, but just reject what he said. So Bruce is correct when he says that you are a hypocrite. Then you become angry with Bruce for telling you the truth.
‘….But you “SCREAM” idiot-psycho ignoramus trying to disguise yourself as a better person than anyone else who believes differently from you. You’re an intolerant, prejudiced bigot. No one is better than another just because they don’t believe the same ‘spiritually’….’
Dear TT, if I reconvert, will your jesus expect me to be as rude, offensive and gratuitously unpleasant as you are online? Do you hope to make jesus sound winsome, attractive, loving? I mean, who goes back to a shop or a service provider whose employee has been unjustifiably and un-neccessarily downright rude to them?
My favourite verse Gal 5v22, ‘The fruit of the spirit seems to be personal attacks, gratuitous rudeness and all round unpleasantness for no justifiable reason.’
Not how I want to live thanks. Do hope you can leave your dark place, like many of us here did and come out into the sunshine, it’s wonderful!
I hope somebody hunts you down and kills you because I don’t like your blog! Get help you loser! I’m a CHRISTIAN and Jesus loves me!!! LMAO
I think you should email her back and show her all these comments.
Teal Tunes writes to Bruce: “And anyway, some people are better for following religious ‘rules’ or half-way decent forms of behavior based on Christian principles—otherwise they “might be tempted” to hunt you down and kill you for being such an idiot. Maybe the whole world would have better off if you had never been born. Too bad……hmmm Don’t cry, big boy.”
Zoe: Amy’s comment brought to mind something I remember reading from TT and sort of skimmed over . . . the subtle threat as well as a suggestion to anyone sick enough to do so, to cause harm to Bruce. Then to insult his humanity by insinuating we’d all be better off if Bruce had never been born and too bad he was. He/she suggests that Christian principles (apparently these principles are on some sort of spectrum not being entirely consistent from Christian to Christian) are keeping Bruce safe. The only threats I’ve seen Bruce get on his blog are from Christians.
Repeat. The only threats to Bruce that I’ve seen on his blogs are from Christians.
Looney Tunes epitomizes the bumper sticker that was popular years ago–“Oh Lord,protect me from Your followers.” Reading her comments, it was as if Lori Alexander had ghostwritten her comments. Of course what befell the Wescos was terrible ! I don’t think they intended harm to the Cameroonian people. But either they were clueless, or were never warned about the fact that unless you’re a tourist with deep pockets, Whites aren’t welcome in Cameroon, and the other West African countries. I think they walked into a hornet’s nest, and didn’t deserve that. Now Mrs. Wesco is a single parent of eight children. Which matters more than Looney’s ire. I had no idea who the Wescos were until reading Bruce’s post the other day. Proceed with caution when visiting the above nations. That should be the message. And Looney can go suck lemons.
These type of Christians are full of self-aggrandizement. They know it all, so they can go anywhere for the glory of the Lord. Um, no, it doesn’t really work that way. I know Christians are big on faith, but I’m more inclined to put my “faith” into that which I can see and understand and experience. So having faith that God will bless a missionary no matter where they go? Well, for one thing the Bible doesn’t negate using wisdom. But fundies don’t care about that. Remember the dude who went to that island south of India, where no foreigners are allowed? The natives killed him, and that was after he was warned. But oh no, instead of being wise he choose to throw away his life. Sad, really.
Love all the comments!!!!
What, me worry? There is vitriol coming from some on both sides of this or many other issues of our day. Come, let us all reason together and discuss our differences, not argue. Thank you. ?
You’re kidding, right? Please point out any “vitriol” in my writing. Please show exactly what it is I said that warrants such a letter from a professed follower of Jesus. This isn’t a matter of difference of opinion. To suggest otherwise says to me that you are either clueless or a troll.
Vitriol coming from both sides indeed! That’s horse pucky. I am reminded of the Orange Twit’s comments that there are “very fine people on both sides” when members of the alt-right, neo-Confederates, neo-fascists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, Klansmen, and various right-wing militias marched on Charlottesville, Virginia, and one of them rammed his car into a crowd, killing one and injuring others.
This is just a form of whataboutism, trying to absolve a rude fundie’s words by saying “Whatabout those people over there?” Really? Why can’t you engage with the actual question Bruce asked?
Dennis, are you serious? I see absolutely no problem in criticizing TT for that vile screed she wrote.
Astreja, Dennis is tone policing. Even though TT was intentional rude to Bruce, our outraged responses are wrong, wrong wrong. Except he’s wrong. Listen, I don’t usually get so mad when I’m attacked, I’ll just block or whatever social tool is available. But when a friend gets attacked…GRRRRRRR. So Dennis, stop with the tone policing. It doesn’t make you look judicious, it makes you look like you want us to tolerate rudeness and unkindness. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.
Dennis,since you bothered to comment here, it makes sense to simply try to answer Bruce’s question. And no one here is making fun of the Wescos. What happened is just straight up not trivial–that said, maybe you can add perspective by doing the above.