Warning! Snark Ahead!
What follows is my response to a comment left on the post Quit Complaining, Your Suffering is Nothing Compared to What Jesus Faced and a comment posted on the Seeking His Kingdom blog.
A Fundamentalist Christian using the Spaniardviii moniker thinks that Satan has taken my “heart” completely away from Christ: which is funny, of course, because the word “heart” in the Bible refers to the mind, and I can assure you my mind is still firmly attached to my decrepit body. And what’s this idea that I will regret my decision to reject the teachings of Christianity every time I close my eyes? I scientifically tested Spaniardviii’s hypothesis — closing my eyes one hundred times. I waited for regret to appear, but alas it never made a grand appearance. Not one time. I think I can safely conclude that Spaniardvii’s hypothesis is false.
According to Spaniardviii I have no “spiritual” insight. How could I, right? I am now an apostate. But, I wasn’t always an apostate. At one time, I was an on-fire, sold-out follower of Jesus. I was certainly “spiritual” for many, many years. People such as Spaniardviii will search in vain for any evidence to bolster their claim that I was never a True Christian®. Since real Christians never, ever walk away from Jesus, and I am now an atheist, it is evident that I was never a member of Club Jesus®.
Several years ago, I posted an email I received from an Evangelical who said I was living a hedonistic lifestyle. And now, here’s another commenter making a similar claim. According to Spaniardviii, I am living a “sinful” lifestyle. What is this sinful life I am living? I ask. I suspect, to most people, my lifestyle would be quite benign and boring. What is it in my way of living that suggests I am some sort of hedonistic sinner? Now, I might want to live such a life. But alas, want and ability are two different things. The Bible says, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. That’s me. I sure want to be a bad, bad, bad sinner, but my body won’t cooperate.
In another comment left on Seeking His Kingdom, Spaniardviii says:
Your [sic] welcome but I know for sure that he will delete it [his comment] but at least he will read it.
Wrong again, Spaniardviii.
According to Spaniardviii’s blog, Spiritual Minefield, his goal is to “help Christians avoid false doctrine.” It’s too late for me since God has most certainly given me over to a reprobate mind, but it might not be too late for some of you. Perhaps Spaniardviii can help get you on the right track — that track being, of course, the one that he is on. Amazing, yes? Every Christian thinks his track (belief) is the right one.
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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I’d love Spaniard to explain this ‘pool of evidence’ in which we all exist.
I look round at the evidence and all I see is that no God exists. The world is much more simply explained by asserting that there is no creator, who would have to be the source of pain, suffering, disease, natural disasters, parasitic insects, and Donald Trump. Of course then there’s no Satan, nor Jesus (perhaps someone once existed who inspired the legend), nor Moses, nor…you get the point.
But of course he won’t be back to explain it because, like others when challenged, he realises he makes no sense whatsoever.
Hi Bruce,
Brilliant, just brilliant!
Shalom,
John Arthur
So, let me see if I understand things correctly: God’s Word was planted in your heart, then Satan came and took it away, and somehow that’s all your fault.
Got it. Wow! Talk about the ultimate victim blaming.
I’m trying to imagine what part of Bruce’s lifestyle is hedonistic. Is it the sports photography? The beard? Christians like this guy never seem to comment on the behaviors of their fellow Christians in the White Collar Crimes posts. Certainly they could spare some of their indignation for this group.
You could ask 10 different Christians from 10 different sects whether Bruce was a True Christian, is still a Christian though fallen, never was a True Christian, is a Follower of Satan, is a pawn of Satan, or some weird combo if these, and you would get at least 5 different answers.
Bruce’s hedonism is obviously apparent by those rainbow suspenders.
Apropos of absoulutely nothing, I now have this song stuck in my head: https://youtu.be/qbLyZkHi_f8
According to Spaniard, and his pal Paul, atheists are living a, wicked life. We suppress the truth. We worship animals and reptiles. We are homosexuals. We are full of covetousness, malice, envy, murder,strife, deceit, craftiness, gossip, slanderers, God haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Neither Spaniard, nor his god Paul, have or had any idea how ordinary folks live. Hey Spaniard, why don’t you spend time having a cup of cofee with a few atheists and get to know them, instead of reading your iron aged text? You might find that some of us are compassionate, considerate and caring people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_rZqypc2Kg I hope I hit the right link. This isn’t Bible based , but what I tried to link to is the song ” Satan is Real” by Charlie and Ira Louvin. Those two could sing some pretty music but it would be best not to imitate the way Ira Louvin lived. He had a history of drunkenness, he was shot ( not fatally) by his wife, and he died in a two vehicle crash in Missouri. Charles Louvin SR. managed to live a fairly long long life but his son Charlie Louvin Jr. died a suicide after a history alcohol-related problems.