I received the following email today from an Evangelical named Garry (all spelling, grammar, and irrationality in the original):
A humanist and an atheist…..That’s all I need to know about you to dismiss your opinion! My unsolicited advice to you would be to please state your belief system at the beginning of an article you write. Wouldn’t have wasted my time with your article. To be fair however; CT Townsend is a charlatan and the Holy Spirit warned me against him long ago…..just as He has warned me against you just now.
Instead of judging and evaluating my writing based on its content, Adkins dismisses everything I say because I am an atheist and a humanist. Talk about a closed mind. I read Evangelical content virtually every day. I do not dismiss Evangelical writers just because of their religious affiliation. I try to judge and critique Evangelicals based on what they say instead of who or what they are. What’s important is what people think and believe. Granted, it is sometimes impossible to ignore a person’s character and associations, but I try my best to take a person’s arguments at face value.
I am perplexed by Adkins’ suggestion that I state my beliefs at the beginning of every article. Depending on what device and operating system you use to read this site, you will see an author’s block on the top right of the page that details who and what I am. People using mobile devices won’t see this, but EVERY post has an author’s block at the the bottom. Further, there’s an About page that gives new readers everything they need to know about the man, myth, and legend Bruce Gerencser. If you want to know who I am or how to contact me, that information is easy to find.
Adkins says God spoke to him directly, warning him against me. What did God say? I want to know. I have been asking this same question for almost twenty years. Most people who claim God directly speaks to them about me are unable to tell me exactly what God said. Of course, the reason for that is that God is a myth, and the only voice in their heads is their own. Adkins cannot prove God, in the person of the Holy Spook, said anything to him about the Evangelical-preacher-turned-atheist Bruce Gerencser.
Much like other lazy, indolent Evangelical Christians, Adkins lacks curiosity. Either that or he thinks he already knows everything he needs to know about me.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.
People (like Adkins) who speak to God must be so enthralled that they don’t think to secure some verification. I mean what if it’s just some dang ventriloquist? My Evangelical Niece occasionally “repeated” to me what God said to her. After suggesting the next time she had a holy conversation she should grab her Iphone and get God’s picture and text it to me. Well, I never heard about any more such Godly conversations. I mean, agnostics are nothing if not amenable. I’m open to evidence that God exists. Evidence is all I ask but I guess I ask too much.
Not all Christians are assholes like this guy. But if I had to keep score, I’d say I’ve definitely met more Christians who are than those who aren’t.
And sorry, lol… ‘the holy spirit warned me against you’.
Okay, Buddy.
Reminds me of the fellow homeschool mom who, when she learned I was an atheist, flung her hand up in my face and blurted out, “SatanIBindYouInTheNameOfJesusChrist!” all in one word like that and RAN out the door to her car in the parking lot and actually squeaked her tires in her haste to get away from me. She took her kids out of the co-op, afraid my children would be a bad influence.
Generally speaking, the good Christians I know tend to be liberal/progressive followers of Jesus. Bad Christians? Mainly Evangelicals, Independent Fundamentalist Baptists, and conservative Catholics. As you know, IFB followers of their peculiar Jesus are, by far, the worst. The nastiest emails and comments, along with death threats and personal attacks, come from those people who loudly quote Bible verses from the KJV and threaten everyone different from them with hellfire and damnation. But, bless God their women don’t wear slacks. Standing for truth, baby! 👿👿
I know you’re not lying, but you have seriously had “Christians” send you death threats? I’m sorry. That’s pathetic and vile. Jesus very clearly said if you hate someone in your heart it’s as if you committed murder. Wishing death on an atheist is totally opposite of what Jesus taught (I do believe His teachings myself). Can you expound on this or write an article about these threats? If you have not already.
Thanks for the question, Daniel.
https://brucegerencser.net/2025/07/bruce-did-you-really-receive-death-threats-from-evangelical-christians/
Thank you
Oh Gary, aren’t Christians not supposed to be judgemental? Yet it appears certain breeds of Christian are more judgemental than any other group of people on earth.
What beliefs am I supposed to listen as disclaimer before everything I write? Are these inclusive enough?
Pugs are the best dogs ever, followed by French Bulldogs, Pomeranians, English Bulldogs, Shibu Inus, labs, Golden Retrievers
Obstacle Course Racing is the best sport
Running is awesome
Sushi is amazing
Filet Mignon is the best steak
Marguerita pizza is the best
Pinot Grigio is the best wine
What are some other beliefs I should add?
Seriously, ideas deserve to be challenged, not automatically respected. I’m willing to listen to ideas, and I will engage in a respectful manner. Conversation is good, listening is good, engaging is good. Sometimes we can learn something from another person.
Garry: “A humanist and an atheist…..That’s all I need to know about you to dismiss your opinion! My unsolicited advice to you would be to please state your belief system at the beginning of an article you write. Wouldn’t have wasted my time with your article. To be fair however; CT Townsend is a charlatan and the Holy Spirit warned me against him long ago…..just as He has warned me against you just now.”
Zoe: I wonder why the Holy Spirit didn’t off the top, warn you that it would be a waste of time?
The “holy spirit” warned him?! Pure delusion if not psychosis
I’m at a loss to understand Garry. I was raised in the Christian faith (Christian Church,Disciples of Christ). Jesus never “spoke” to me. Neither did God. Neither did the Holy Spirit. How does that happen? How do you tell the difference between God speaking to you and a delusion? If someone came up to me and said “God told me to kill you”,I would think that he was mentally unbalanced. Was he?
My take is that Garry is using religion to justify his position, relieving his culpability in the matter.
Gary sent me the following “thoughtful” response (three times — one for the Father, two for the Son, and three for the Holy Spook):
Why would I be curious to know more about satan and his deceit through you, or any other apostate?
I have put you behind me,praying that others do the same with you.
You remind me of a saying I heard years ago,” It’s the empty wagon on the road that makes the most noise”
Professing themselves to be wise they became fools. Romans 1:22
Blasphemous and mouthy ol bastard ain’t you?
Garry: I wonder why the Holy Spirit didn’t off the top, warn you that it would be a waste of time? Was God testing you to see if you’d ignore His warning. Clearly He knew the enemy was lurking around here and yet either God allowed you to be here or you disobeyed Him. Which is it? And why are you blaming Bruce for you being here?
So Garry, I’m curious: Would you personally self-identify as the priest or the Levite from “The Parable of the Good Samaritan”? You too would appear to ‘pass on the other side’ by willfully dismissing certain others.