Earlier today, an Evangelical man from Birmingham, Alabama, left the following comment on the post, Things Christians Say: If the Lord Tarries:
Why do you people bother arguing and debating with this guy? He’s spiritually dead as a doornail and always has been. His 25 years in the pastorate was a complete sham. If you doubt that call the leadership staff at any of the churches and ask about his conduct. On top of multiple failed “ministries,” he has hopped from job to job and place to place (22 and 18, respectively). Don’t waste your time reading his blogs. His mind is darkened and his heart hardened by sin. He has nothing of substance to offer you. Above all else don’t make a donation and facilitate his folly.
This man did read a few more posts than the typical Evangelical asshole (9), so for that HSV Counseling gets a gold star beside his name. Atta boy, you sure put that atheist Bruce Gerencser in his place. Here’s what HSV wants readers to know:
- I am presently as spiritually dead as a “doornail (utterly devoid of life).”
- I have always been as spiritually dead as a “doornail.”
- The twenty-five years I spent pastoring Evangelical churches was a complete “sham.”
- The leadership at the churches I pastored will confirm that my work as their pastor was a “sham.”
- The churches I pastored were “failures.”
- I worked a lot of jobs and lived in a lot of places in my lifetime. This is another sign that proves I was a “failure.”
- People shouldn’t waste their time reading my writing. Why? My mind is darkened and my heart hardened by sin.
- I have nothing of substance to offer readers.
- And, most importantly, people shouldn’t make donations me, facilitating my folly.
I find it interesting that Evangelicals — who don’t know me — can read a few blog posts and then, angered, outraged, and butthurt about what I wrote, attempt to psychologically wound me by attacking my character. Years ago, such attacks were quite effective. So much so that I would often stop blogging for weeks and months on end. At the time, I thought, why won’t they just accept my story at face value? Why do they have to attack me personally instead of interacting with my writing? Why are they comfortable with lying about me and distorting the narrative of my life?
I am not sure that I can answer these questions, but I do know that how I respond to such people has changed. I no longer let their words harm me. Sure, much like everyone, I don’t like it when people personally attack me, malign my character, and, on occasion verbally assault my spouse, children, and readers of this blog. I know these Cowards for Jesus® hide safely behind their computer screens, smartphones, and tablets, never fearing the consequences of their un-Christian behavior.
When I have the opportunity, I will track them down and out them, giving a very public face to their hateful words. Years ago, an Evangelical man sent me numerous hateful emails and comments. I eventually figured out who he was. This Coward for Jesus® was using his work computer to email me. One day, while he was, once again, verbally assaulting me, I called the HR department at the company he worked for, informing them as to what this man was doing while on the clock — while accessing the Internet from his work computer. This man never sent me another email. He got my message loud and clear.
The same goes for James Tester, an IFB pastor who sent me a nasty email several weeks ago. Unfortunately, for Tester, he left enough breadcrumbs for me to track him down. (Please see IFB Pastor James Tester Sends Me a Message.) Now Tester has to live with the fact that when someone searches for “Pastor James Tester” on Google, the aforementioned post ranks fourth, right after his Facebook and Instagram pages. Do I find a bit of smug satisfaction when this happens? Yep, I sure do. There’s little more that I can do than publicize their “faith” for all to see.
Alas, for HSV Counseling — bclarkf150 — all my Google search returned was Herpes Simplex Virus Counseling. There’s a punch line there for readers who would like to make the connection.
I will continue to publicizes these kinds of emails and comments because I think it is important for people to see the ugly side of Evangelical Christianity. If nothing else, they remind us of one of the reasons we walked (ran) away from Christianity. It’s hard to argue for the moral and ethical superiority of Evangelicalism as long as Jesus-loving trolls attack and disparage the very people Jesus commands them to love.
Now, let me get back to counting all the donations I received today. Almost enough for me to buy a Lear Jet! All praise be to Loki!
Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 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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Bruce: “There’s a punch line there for readers who would like to make the connection.”
Zoe: 🙂
To those pastors : “You always hurt the one you love”
So, HSV Counseling — bclarkf150, you show that you don’t exhibit the slightest Christian behavior. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I’m no longer Christian, although I consider myself ethical. And I’m going to wish you a hearty “FUCK OFF.” I’m not wishing hell on you as it doesn’t exist, as it is incompatible with a loving god. Come to think of it, you probably do think your viciousness is loving. I know saying “FUCK OFF” is rude. If I met you on the street and you needed help, I would help you. But for tormenting Bruce you don’t deserve kind words on social media.–signed, non-Christian wife of a former pastor who is now an atheist.
I have witnessed enough evangelical Christian “love” to last a lifetime. It’s no wonder that most evangelicals are loud and proud for their Orange Savior – he is everything they want to be.
Punchline… ouch.
One more Southern pooper coming out of the woodwork ! Saying the same old tired tripe, as usual. Small-town Alabama. Isn’t that where they had portable electric chairs at one time ? This isn’t surprising. Living down there probably doesn’t offer much in the way of alternatives to old Southern traditional values. Like kids should be seen and not heard, along with lots of ” whuppins” for no real reasons. Just tradition.
Hi HSV Counselling,
You claim that Bruce has “nothing of substance to offer you.” Well, Bruce’s humanism is much kinder, more caring and much more compassionate than anything you have to offer. Your nastiness for Jesus is well noted. Your arrogance is astounding, yet well known among combative Evangelical Fundamentalists.
You either display the utmost ignorance of Jesus’ command to you to love your enemies, to be kind or compassionate to those that you consider are ungrateful and wicked OR you simply place your arrogant and unkind remarks above those that Jesus is supposed to have said. Your kind of Christianity will never persuade anyone that you think it will. It will simply repel loving and caring persons, no matter what their beliefs are. Give me caring humanism, any day, to your despicable Fundagelicalism.