I had the honor of speaking at the monthly meeting of the Atheists of Florida this past Sunday, August 29, 202 After my speech, I answered questions from the crowd. Several friends and family members attended the meeting, including some of you. Thank You! for your support.
My speech is now available on YouTube.
My speech is available on the following podcast services:
For other podcast services, please search for “Free2Think.”
I apologize in advance for my leaning to the right/left in parts of my speech. One explanation: pain, awful pain. I did what I could.
Let me know what you think.
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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that was great fun to listen to
I enjoyed the podcast/interview. Even though I am a serious believer (still) I certainly understand your viewpoint. I also don’t buy into all the fundamentalist dogma that is being peddled. I have a friend who is transitioning from fundamentalism to what I call “Calvinist Lite.” Ironically, it’s not guys like you who even make me ask questions. Like you, I have seen the evil of the Jack Hyles/David Hyles/Jack Schaap types out there. But the one who truly made me question my belief system is my ex-pastor/father in law. I have come to the conclusion that the ones who have the least reason to judge seem to the the quickest to judge. I have become a live and let live guy theologically speaking. While we may be miles apart theologically, rest assured I have no interest in trying to “re-convert” you. I get it. I do feel you understand the Bible better than some preachers I have heard over the years. I am also appalled at the fact that my evangelical brothers and sisters treat Donald Trump like he is the messiah. (Can anyone say hypocrite??) From that aspect I love to read your stuff. Your Black Collar Crime series is a public service and for that I applaud you. Still can’t wait to read your book. I want first dibs on it! Best to you, Polly and the family.!
I almost feel like Jim and I were sitting with you and Polly at Applebees in Defiance again, while listening to this. Greetings from Phoenix old friend!
Really enjoyed actually hearing you speak Bruce. Hope there’s maybe more to come.
I have about another 25 minutes of question and answer time to listen too.
It’s such an odd feeling to hear you and basically be transported back in time to the pews of yesterday. The sincerity of belief. Putting all that we were into it, all the while not knowing what we didn’t know. The Bible is not the perfect Word of God.
I laughed out loud when you dropped the “I’m not slain in the spirit” comment re: sliding in your chair to your left. I saw it happening and I knew and understood what was happening. Of course, the pain is not funny but I so related to your sense of humour while coping with it.