The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser

Yet Another Evangelical Asks Me Why I Am So Bitter — Part One

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Bruce Gerencser

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Today, I received the following comment from an Evangelical man named Donald. Based on the server logs, he read all of one Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) related post. My response is indented and italicized.

What caused you to be so bitter?

What makes you think I am bitter? Because my beliefs are different from yours? Because I think your God is a fictional being? Because I think the Bible is an errant, fallible book littered with mistakes and contradictions? Because I think the universe is 14 billion years old, and God had nothing to do with its formation? Or is it because my moral and ethical beliefs upset you? Or maybe, you just don’t like sexy, hot men with white beards and bald heads? What is the real reason, Donald, you think I am bitter? Or is this just a word you use to disparage and dismiss anyone different from you?

Would it matter to you if I told you that I don’t have a bitter bone in my body? Just ask my wife of 43 years, my six adult children, my editor, or my counselor. Bitterness is simply not part of my DNA. I am a pragmatic realist. I accept things as they are. I think you will search high and low and come away empty for one post that remotely suggests I am bitter about my past or present life.

I await your apology, but I won’t hold my breath. Evangelical cars don’t have a reverse gear.

I can somewhat understand your disdain for religion but why the effort to destroy something you don’t believe is real.

Do you really think one little ‘ole atheist who looks like Santa named Bruce Gerencser can destroy Evangelical Christianity? My, oh my what powers I have. Maybe I am Santa. The name of this blog is The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser: One Man’s Journey From Eternity to Here. As the title suggests, this blog focuses on my story, my experiences as a Christian for 50 years, and as an Evangelical pastor for 25 years. I use my story to help others, especially those who have doubts and questions about Christianity or who have left Christianity altogether. I don’t evangelize for atheism. I write, people read, and we discuss via emails, messages, and blog comments.

Evangelicalism is destroying itself. At best Evangelicals-turned-atheists such as myself are picking off strays, people who realize Evangelicalism is a house of cards built upon on a crumbling, rotting foundation. Unlike Evangelicals, I am content to help people where they are, no strings attached. That a number of people, including pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and professors have found my writing helpful in their deconversions is humbling and gratifying. However, I have never coerced anyone into becoming an unbeliever. I’m content to be a friendly, honest voice in a sea of belligerent religious extremism and harm.

Why fight so hard? Why not just let people believe as they will?

Do you fight hard for the “faith once delivered to the saints?” Do you share your faith with others? Are you content to let your family members, friends, and neighbors go to Hell? I suspect not. Why should it be any different for me and my fellow agnostics and atheists?

Surely you believe in the free marketplace of ideas; the public space where competing ideas and beliefs compete for followers? Or, are you one of these Christians who think that only Christianity should have a seat at the table?

I don’t spend anytime attempting to convince people that Bigfoot doesn’t exist, their belief is not a threat to me. Again, why the effort to discredit?

But I bet you spend time trying to convince people your God is real, that the Bible is true, and Satan walks to and fro on the face of the earth seeking whom he may devour. I don’t spend any time on Bigfoot either. Why? Because Bigfoot is a meaningless fairytale. Evangelicalism, however, causes psychological, and at times physical, harm to others. Evangelicals are the primary reason behind the 2016 election of Donald Trump. Who are the people behind the various conspiracy theories infecting our nation? What is the largest group of anti-maskers, unvaccinated people in America? Who is behind the current culture war? Who wants to criminalize abortion, make same-sex marriage illegal, and return the United States to the “good old days” of the 1950s? Who is behind the increasing hostility toward LGBTQ people, atheists, and Muslims, along with people of color? Evangelicals, that’s who. The people who sold their souls to the Devil for a bowl of pottage, people who traded faith and personal piety for raw, naked political power.

So I hope you will forgive me if I openly and forcefully push back on beliefs and ideas that, if left unchecked, will be lead to bloodshed, death, and the loss of our democracy. And If I have some time, maybe I will write about why I don’t think fairies, elves, and liberal Evangelicals are real.

Saved by Reason,

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Bruce Gerencser, 69, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 48 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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Comments

13 responses to “Yet Another Evangelical Asks Me Why I Am So Bitter — Part One”

  1. BJW

    Another dude who has to pretend he has a clue. And he accuses you of trying to stop others from believing what they believe, just by writing your blog. I didn’t know that reading your blog was mandatory in this country now.

    Reply
  2. Avatar
    ObstacleChick

    I live in a country where evangelicals punch way above their weight in the political arena, and they want me to go back to what they consider as my “place”. I have never lived in that place and have no desire to live there. Therefore, I speak out against a system that isn’t a straight white heterosexual male or straight white heterosexual female who accepts their place in the patriarchal system. No f#$%ing thanks.

    Reply
  3. Andrew Hackman

    It is always hilarious to me when Evangelicals question why we share what we believe… meanwhile, they have megachurches, missionaries, and media outlets.

    Hope you are well, my friend!

    Reply
  4. Avatar
    Yulya Sevelova

    Good morning,Bruce,Polly and everyone. I saw what this Donald person has to say about being ” bitter,” which is a buzzword in Christian circles for describing a person who won’t submit to abuse anymore. So I had to laugh when I read that term. And I’d like to address Donald directly here :. Donald, you should know that ‘ bitter’ is not the same thing as ‘ bitterly determined.’. Bruce doesn’t come off as bitter at all. He still has his sense of humor. Bitter people lost theirs. If anything,it describes the dour church- goer !😁. While Bruce does point out what’s wrong with American and Western Christianity, he does NOT say you shouldn’t go to church anymore. He doesn’t attend anymore, as do many readers of this blog. Those who want to go to church, they still go- no harm done. Yes, for the many years I went to the churches, I’d hear that from time to time, about ” bitter children” who won’t go near their abusive parents. Or the ” bitter wife,” who won’t move back in with a violent husband. Or that person who realizes they had a frenemy, instead of a real friend,so they dropped them like a bad habit. Anyone who leaves abusive situations or people, is painted with a scarlet ” B.”. No one is fooled here,Donald. Kindly stop putting words in Bruce’s mouth ! Think you can do that ?

    Reply
    1. Avatar
      Donald

      So all the sarcastic comments directed toward those that don’t agree with You are just fine. The disrespectful way of disagreeing is just fine , and you accuse me of literally taking Bruce’s comments out of context. I don’t need to make silly comments about your way of thinking , nor do I have to defend my God. He’s more than capable.

      Reply
      1. BJW

        If your god is so capable, why does he use angry, smug, self-righteous people like you to represent him? I didn’t Jesus behaving in such a fashion. He encouraged his followers to be humble, kind, and to help the vulnerable. Instead, you all fashion a Jesus who would turn his back on the unfortunate. And you accuse us of being sinners! You all are the goats, not the sheep. Matthew 25:31-46.

        I suspect the God I believe in has little in common with you, who are willing to trash people without knowing what you are talking about. We don’t speak caustically to Christians who come here willing to dialogue and understand people who think differently. But your type is the worst, the type who attacks people without actually knowing anything.

        Reply
      2. Neil Rickert

        So all the sarcastic comments directed toward those that don’t agree with You are just fine.

        Let’s remember that you did make a nasty comment directed toward someone you disagree with (i.e. toward Bruce).

        “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

        Reply
        1. Avatar
          Mark

          I saw someplace on the net, maybe on here, that the difference between an atheist and an evangelical is that an atheist doesn’t pretend he’s following the teachings of Jesus. No matter how well-taken the point, you can’t use verses of scripture to show an evangelical the error of their ways. Scripture can only work for them, not against them. They’ve set it up that way, and it works for them. Scripture belongs to them.

          Reply
          1. Neil Rickert

            But we can still point out the hypocrisy, which is all I was doing.

          2. Avatar
            Mark

            Yes we can Neil, and we should point out their hypocrisy. I am sorry it sounded like I was criticizing your comment. I think I meant instead to point out their hard-headedness, that you can’t reason with them, even using their own scriptures. We cant expect an “A-Ha!” moment from them. My “A-Ha!” moment lasted decades.

      3. Avatar
        Aylo77

        Reading Bruce’s blog isn’t required, ya know. If it bothers you so much, why put yourself through the misery of reading it? That’s emotionally unhealthy behavior. I don’t find Bruce to be bitter in the least. His blog is fun, uses great critical thinking skills and humor too. He says he will reach 750,000 views this year. I celebrate his success with the blog and wish him well.

        Reply
      4. clubschadenfreude

        if you don’t have to defend your god, and its “more than capable, why does it do NOTHING at all.

        Poor ol’ God, all of that smiting in the bible, and the poor thing just can’t get it up anymore since people doubt it.

        Reply
  5. BJW

    PS–sarcasm doesn’t actually hurt people, except for their feelings. Feelings are passing while being smug and self-righteous are ingrained in your character.

    Reply

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