This was āAttack Bruceā day. I received two separate messages on Facebook today threatening me with Hell. In addition, an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist man named Victor Justice — who likely used a fake name and email address — left the following comment on my recent repost titled Domestic Violence in the IFB Church Movement. My response is indented and italicized.
Thatās sad. If Steve was a good friend of yours, unfortunately heās very likely in the literal Fires of Hell now, and for all eternity, little Bruce.
Victor Justice (VJ) is referring to a comment I left about my good friend Steve Gupton on the domestic violence post. Steve had left a comment on the post in 2015. As is common with reposts, someone responded to him after I reposted the article. I let them know that Steve couldn’t respond because he was dead. (Please see The Suddenness of Death.)
If Hell is my eternal destiny, I can’t of better company than Steve Gupton. Who would I rather enjoy eternal torture and torment with? Steve? Or a nasty, vile son of a bitch like VJ? That’s a rhetorical question, by the way.
With your health problems, youāll soon be joining him.
VJ goes straight for the jugular — classic IFB behavior. Yes, I have health problems. Yes, it is not likely that I will make it to age seventy. Every day is a struggle for me. I want to live as long as I possibly can, but I know that I am on the short side of life. VJ knows this and attempts to use it as a bludgeon to cause psychological harm. Again, typical IFB behavior.
You see, Almighty GOD is never mocked, never. Just because you decided to stop pretending to be a Bible believing, pastor, and play a victim instead, the fact remains that you will have to make full payment for your filthy sins.
First, there is no God, so there is no “God” to mock. Fundamentalist religion is my target, not a mythical deity.
Second, I was a sincere follower of Jesus.
Third, I AM a victim — of psychological harm caused by a lifetime of involvement with the IFB church movement.
Fourth, I am sixty-four years old. Not once in my life have I ever written a email/comment such as the one I received from VJ. His comment violated numerous Biblical teachings and commands. If anyone is a filthy sinner, it is VJ.
I believe that your suffering will be something utterly beyond human comprehension. I know of no other human being, past or present, that will face what you willā¦at The Judgment!
With all the monumental evil youāve perpetrated on the LORD Jesus Christ and His Church. He would still be willing to forgive you! What an amazingly Good and Gracious Savior He is!
I am one man with a story to tell; one man with a blog; one man whose writing will never be read by 99.99% of the human race. Yet, I am evil personified, worse than Hitler. I have “perpetuated monumental evil” against the dead LORD Jesus Christ and the IFB church movement. Really? I mean, really? Sure, I am well known in some corners of the IFB world. Fourteen years and millions of page views will do that for you. I suppose I am even well known in some corners of the Evangelical world. That said, I don’t have a Wikipedia page, have never been on Atheist Experience, or written a book. I am not a famous (or infamous) person. I do, however, live in the heads of many IFB preachers.
In VJ’s addled brain, I am a tool of Satan, one who has led countless people astray; someone who is causing harm to IFB churches, pastors, and colleges. Pffft. I don’t lead anyone anywhere. I write, people read, and decide accordingly. Has my writing played a part in people leaving Christianity? Sure. But, no one left kicking and screaming with me pulling them into the flames of a mythical Hell. Am I an enemy of the IFB church movement? Absolutely. Proudly so. It will be a good day when the movement dies. So much harm is caused by IFB churches and pastors. So much pain and trauma. I make no apology for trying to smother the life out of what is arguably one of the most harmful sects in America. One need only read VJ’s comment to see how much harm the IFB church movement causes. Look at what kind of man it has turned VJ into. I genuinely feel sorry for him.
Steveās time has run out. Your time is ticking away. Put away your filthy pride, get down on your face and beg Jesus Christ Almighty for forgiveness!
Most sincerely,
Victor Justice
Shit, get down on my face? I can’t even get on my knees. š I plan on dying with the courage of my convictions. I see no evidence for the existence of the God of the Bible. I no longer believe the central claims of Christianity are true. I am convinced that what awaits me after death is the flames of a crematory and a brief baptism in the waters of Lake Michigan before sinking to the bottom of the lake. What will live on is my good works and the memories others have of, I hope, of a life well-lived.
Saved by Reason,
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen 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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Aww, poor widdle Jesus – can’t defend itself against the “monumental evil” of mortals. š
That was a pretty pointed diatribe you shared with us. I get the feeling that Victor Justice wouldnāt actually be happy to see you repent, much like Jonah.
Oh dear, oh dear oh dear, Bruce….another same old, same old trope and another facepalm from me. I loved your recent response that x-tians can’t seem to understand that coming after us with a bloody butchers’ knife whilst shouting epithets (about hell), is going to make us head for the hills, not return to the fold. As a teacher too, I was familiar with the tactics of bullies and this guy’s threats of burning in hell seem much like that to me….maybe I should write a book on the acceptability and worthiness of bullying-for-jesus and his equally imaginary daddy.
Do these guys realise they are virtually guaranteed to deter people from Christianity with their militant views?
Another asshole from the American Taliban.
::yawn:::
This one’s a little more violent, though. He’d be willing to light you on fire himself, I think.
Guys like this one are just more proof that running as fast as you can away from Christianity is a most excellent idea.
Also, doesn’t sound like he’s read his buy bull, nobody’s gonna burn or fly until the rapture.
Which I am sure is just around the corner.
Yet another a$$hole for Jesus, and I would bet that “Victor Justice” is some kind of fake name he likes to use when he is bullying in the name of the Lord and Savior Jesis Christ.
Victor Justice, eh? His name is about as appropriate as “Law” was for a cardinal who covered up sexual abuse by priests.
Bruce: “…have never been on Atheist Experience….”
Me: That’s gotta change, somehow. Hugs.
If there is life after death come back and haunt them. Tell them God commanded you tell them they are a bunch of pricks. That will really confuse them š
Well! Another fundie advertises how horrible his beliefs are. I guess there is nothing new under the sun. I don’t think he’s aware enough to realize that what he says only confirms that his god is undesirable to know. Then again, he does seem to be salivating over Bruce dying and going to hell. I’d hate to be in this dude’s family, whether spouse or child.
Bruce, better keep some garlic above your door…you know vampires. I suppose it is hard to fathom threats that seem laughably childish to anyone who wasn’t indoctrinated with them from an early age.
Steve Gupton…I think of him often. Especially since I recently had a relative pass away suddenly who was near my age. Steve, definitely not it Hell… But probably bored from singing Kum-ba-ya all the time. Miss ya Steve!
Aw, man !! Victor Injustice, you twatwaffle coward ! You secretly take pride in driving potential Christians away daily, with your foul IISIS- like demeanor. What I’d give to meet with you, so that I could knee you in the nuts,several times !! You are so TYPICAL of that uniquely American I’ll, that keep people down at every opportunity. Seen your kind in many churches over the years. A certain soulless zombie drooling over the idea of Hell and those he or she would love to see wind up there. Bruce hasn’t harmed God’s cause in any way, unlike YOU. His blog shows what’s going on with the churches, and makes people actually use their brains before stepping through the door of a church, because a predator or two could be waiting. You strike me as the type who uses glue sticks or wooden spoons on fussy babies anyway.. And to claim that Bruce’s friend Steve went to hell, and wallowing in that idea like you have a ringside dear ?? There is simply something wrong with you mentally AND spiritually ! A sorry piece of work,and a crap example of a ” Christian”, to boot ! But that’s what has been wrong with the U.S. for a long time– too many crazed Southern fanatics like you, quite at home in Iran or Iraq, were you living there instead of here. Lots of people DO convert or re- ” enlist” at the last minute anyway, so you wouldn’t get your jollies anyway, pervert !! Chew on THAT one for a while , you mofo !ššš¤”š¤”
Why can’t these idiots just let other people be different and disagree with them?
Why do so many Christians take such great pleasure in the thought of others being tortured forever? Supposedly they believe they are completely unworthy and only saved by the grace of their god, yet they remain arrogant and judgmental. Their religious claims cannot be proven so all that remains is their ā witness.ā Who would want to have dinner with someone like this much less spend eternity with him?
I don’t get the sadistic glee of the “saved” either. If I thought someone was hell-bound, I’d be quietly praying on their behalf Every. Single. Day.
When it gets right down to it, people like Victor [In]Justice are just manipulative assholes hiding behind faux concern.
Hi Dave. I’d bet you good money that your sentence should actually read as follows, were we able to examine his situation in greater depth:
“Their religious claims cannot be proven so all that remains is there “whiteness.”
What a f*cking jackass. If I believed in hell, I’d expect people like him to populate it.
Also, “Victor Justice”?? Please.
I do enjoy when Christians show that their religion is exactly what I know it to be, a source of hate and ignorance used by cowards and failures.
Not only that, but really,how can anyone who believes in a literal Hell ever want anyone to go there ?? That’s the crazymaker. If you believe every verse in the Bible that describes the place, how can you think that way ? Yet many Southerners certainly get off on the idea. It shows a sick and twisted individual,who belongs in that category.š
Well, ” Victor” everyone is waiting on you to justify your sick comments as a Hell lover. Where’d ya go ??
Victor the Loser seems to have tripped and fallen face-first into the Mighty Ban-Hammer of Bruce. š