The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser

Welcome

  • Short Stories: The Week the Church Found Out We Were Bad Christians

    We lived in Newark, Ohio, for ten months in 2004-2005. By this point, I was done with the ministry. We decided to look for a church we could call home; one that would embrace our family and give us opportunities to serve. We thought Jersey Reformed Baptist Church in Jersey, Ohio, was that church. Sadly, a few months later, we were out the door, looking for another church to attend.

    Jersey was a young, growing church. Lots of big families. Our family of eight was considered “normal” at Jersey, though we eventually learned that their definition of “normal” was different from ours.

    Most church families homeschooled their children, as did we. Jersey was a family- focused congregation. No Sunday school or children’s church. Families worshipped together. A good idea, even to this day.

    Jersey was Calvinistic in doctrine, Fundamentalist in practice, and Reformed Baptist in affiliation. We were quite conservative at the time, but we learned Jersey, as a congregation, was far more to the right than we were on many issues.

    Most of the women in the church were stay-at-home moms. Many of them had home businesses to supplement family income. Our family was different. I was disabled, unable to work a full-time job. We needed money — such a novel idea, right? — so Polly took a full- time job cleaning offices for Start Farm. The highlight of our time in Newark was Friday nights. We would splurge for two $5.00 pizzas from Little Caesar’s. Fine dining, at its best. 😜

    One Sunday, after church, we were having a friendly discussion with a handful of members, mostly women. The members were curious about us, so they asked us questions about our family. I told them I was disabled, and unable to work. Polly, with nary a thought, happily shared that she worked full-time at State Farm. Immediately, the climate changed, as did their looks. We knew then that we had broken one of the “rules.”

    Around the same time, I attended a men’s prayer meeting. Someone brought up praying for Terri Schiavo, a woman in an irreversible permanent vegetative state. Schiavo was in the news virtually every day.

    Wikipedia states:

    Schiavo’s husband and legal guardian argued that Schiavo would not have wanted prolonged artificial life support without the prospect of recovery, and, in 1998, he elected to remove her feeding tube. Schiavo’s parents disputed her husband’s assertions and challenged Schiavo’s medical diagnosis, arguing in favor of continuing artificial nutrition and hydration.The highly publicized and prolonged series of legal challenges presented by her parents, which ultimately involved state and federal politicians up to the level of George W. Bush (the then U.S. president), caused a seven-year delay (until 2005) before Schiavo’s feeding tube was ultimately removed.

    ….

    After appeals through the federal court system that upheld the original decision to remove the feeding tube, staff at the Pinellas Park hospice facility disconnected the feeding tube on March 18, 2005, and Schiavo died on March 31, 2005.

    The prayer meeting took place before Schiavo’s feeding tube was permanently removed. Every man, except one, was praying for Schiavo’s tube to be permanently put back in, “saving” her life. Saving what life? I thought at the time. The church men disagreed, believing that Schiavo should be artificially kept alive regardless if she regained consciousness and function. Schiavo was an idol worshiped by the pro-life movement. In their mind, she should be kept alive at all costs. To do otherwise was “murder.”

    As I mentioned above, there was one man who disagreed with the rest of the men, and that was me. I made clear my thoughts on the issue: Schiavo had a right to die, as we all do. Unfortunately, pro-life Christians oppose the right to die, even if someone is terminal or suffering.

    Eventually, prayers were offered to the Evangelical God on behalf of Schiavo, but I suspect only one prayer was for her to have a swift, painless death. A short time later, God answered my prayer.

    A few days later I had a discussion with the pastor. He was thoughtful and polite—I always enjoyed his preaching— but by the end, I knew it was time for us to look for a different church to attend.

    This would be the only time that we weren’t conservative enough for a church. Three years later, we left Christianity for good.

  • Chronic Pain, Memory Loss, and Words

    Another day, another fight with pain and my very existence. There’s a new problem . . . Wild swings in blood sugar level. A 24-hour glucose monitor tells a story of a man with gastroparesis and exocrine pancreatitis insufficiency; a man whose pancreas is out of sync with his stomach and digestive track, leading to the abnormal highs and lows he is now facing.

    It is what it is.

    My partner has long since drifted off to sleep. Not me. Sleep eludes me as it has almost every night for 30 years.

    1:00 AM . . . Cymbalta popped

    2:00 AM . . . Cannabis gummy ingested

    4:00 AM . . . Hydrocodone swallowed

    Headphones on, as the sweet British voice of Jon Cohen prepares to sing me to sleep.

    4:20 AM . . . I roll on my left side, pull my legs into a fetal position, and pull a large, firm pillow to my chest.

    Soon after, I fall asleep,

    Finally, sleep. If my blood glucose level drops below 55, an alarm will sound, hopefully waking me up.

    8:10 AM . . . Partially awake, my first thought has earth shattering implications. What’s the correct word for backing up a recording; you know like backing up a car?

    Dammit, why can’t I remember this word?

    Too tired to care. I’ll message Carolyn later. She knows everything. Well, almost, anyway.

    Back to sleep.

    OCD-brain says, Wait a minute, there’s an unanswered question for you to answer!

    Leave me alone.

    Surely you jest. Answer the question!

    Back up the recording?

    Rewind the recording?

    Reverse the recording?

    No, dammit. What is it called when you back up-rewind-reverse, no, no, no! Dummy. It’s . . . uh . . .a time mark? Yes, that will work for me.

    Finally, sleep arrives. All is right in the world, at least until I awake again a few hours later.

  • My Use of Internal Critique and Why I Befuddle So Many Evangelicals

    Typically, I use internal critiques when engaging Evangelicals on this site. If you are unfamiliar with the term “internal critique,” Google defines it like this:

    An internal critique evaluates an idea, theory, or system using its own rules, assumptions, and standards rather than applying outside values. It temporarily accepts a position to see if it is logical, self-consistent, and works by its own definitions.

    Simply put, I assume the Evangelical (or Independent Fundamentalist Baptist) position when critiquing Evangelicalism. This means that I accept their Bible-based theological beliefs at face value. My goal is to determine whether Evangelical beliefs and practices are logical and consistent. Are the beliefs of my interlocutors consistent with the stated theological beliefs of Evangelical Christianity? Are their beliefs consistent with their professed doctrine and interpretations of the Bible; a collection of religious texts Evangelicals believe are inspired, inerrant, and infallible?

    Thus, when Evangelicals say “God is Good,” an internal critique looks at whether this claim is logical and consistent with what Evangelicals say they believe and practice. This, of course, requires engaging what the Biblical text says. The Bible is the foundational text of Evangelical Christianity. My internal critiques always focus on the Bible, since it is, allegedly, the standard by which Evangelicals judge their beliefs and live their lives.

    While some — not many — Evangelicals might appeal to philosophy or external critiques, discussions are best served by focusing on the Biblical text itself, or, to a lesser degree, church history. The Christian church has a 2,000-year history, so there’s much to glean about Christianity itself. That said, most Evangelicals are not well-informed about church history, and even if they might know a bit of church history, their final court of appeal will be the Bible and the history contained therein.

    An internal critique of Evangelicalism requires a basic understanding of Christian/Evangelical beliefs and practices (orthodoxy and orthopraxy). Knowing how to use Hebrew and Greek language tools (dictionaries, interlinears) tools is helpful too. No need to purchase these things. They are readily available on the Internet.

    My use of internal critiques often confuses both Evangelicals and atheists alike, but for different reasons. This leads to them not understanding what it is I do on this site. More than a few atheist critics have told me that I’m still a Christian; a secret believer. They totally misunderstand what I am trying to accomplish with my writing. My primary goal is to help those who have deconverted or are thinking about leaving Christianity. Engaging critics helps with that goal.

    Many Evangelicals also think I’m still a Christian. They read my writing and find it “Biblical” and compelling. Sometimes, they will send me an email thanking me for my faith in Jesus and my stand on the Word of God. Ten minutes later, another email from them will arrive, stating that they are appalled by the fact that I’m an ex-Evangelical pastor, an atheist, and humanist. How could I possibly write such “powerful”words and be an atheist. I love it when Evangelicals send me a donation, only to find they are supporting a tool of Satan. Sorry, all donations are final.

    An internal critique will not work with some Evangelicals. Once they appeal to faith, claim Holy Spirit-given knowledge, or say that the ‘natural man” (all non-Christians) cannot understand the Bible, meaningful discussions end. An internal critique requires both parties in the discussion to play by the same rules. I generally try to focus discussions on the Biblical text itself. Faith claims and personal testimonies have no value when giving an internal critique. All that matters is the Biblical text and how Evangelical Christians interpret it.

    I try to keep doors open and bridges unburned when engaging Evangelicals, hoping we will have thoughtful discussions in the future. Sadly, this will not be the case when dealing some believers. When they find their beliefs twisted into a pretzel, they become filled with anger instead of grace. Instead of considering what has been presented, they display what they hilariously call “righteous anger”; which often is no different from impudently losing their temper. When this happens, I try not to return the same, choosing to remember that I was once a devout, Spirit-filled, passionate Evangelical Christian. I understand their anger, which often is actually fear. Fear that they can’t answer my questions and challenges. Often, such people will say, “We will just have to agree to disagree.” No, we don’t. There can’t be two correct answers. Both of us may be wrong, but both of us can’t be right. And I would think, for all of us, truth matters.

    Do you use internal critiques when engaging Evangelicals in discussions? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comment section. Disagree with what I’ve written? Fire away!

  • Blog Update

    blog news 3

    Some of you have let me know that you are having problems leaving and reading comments. Some of you are getting “nonce” error messages.

    I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.

    I’ve switched to the default theme to see if this fixes the problem. The design is incomplete, but I’m more concerned with fixing the access errors than making the site look pretty. Once I put my finger on the problem, I will design and update the theme/site accordingly.

    Your help testing this theme is greatly appreciated. Please flush your browser cache before doing so. I have a sneaking suspicion that the cache system is not working as it should with the old theme — which is 12 years old.

    One goal is to simplify the site while at the same time improving functionality and page load speeds. Just changing the theme dramatically reduced page load speeds. Yea, a small victory for Bruce.😜

    I’ve been a WordPress user for 20 years. I’m not an expert, but I do know my way around the software. The problem now is that I’m way too sick to spend a day or two trying to figure things out. I’m at that place now where my active window each day is limited. Some days, I never make it out of bed. Two weeks ago, I was in bed for five straight days. Not good, to say the least. These days, I look for small time windows to write and care for my personal responsibilities. Yesterday, was a “good” day. Today is a “not good” day. I’m doing what I can, but I’m losing the battle. No, I’m not on death’s door — I don’t think, anyway — but I am facing serious physical problems which also affect my cognitive functions. This, above all, frustrates the heaven/hell/shit out of me. My once sharp mind has turned into a dull knife, though I have moments of sharpness, and that’s when I write. I hope you’ll understand.

    I’ve had thoughts about hanging it up, but most days I desire to write. I can’t guarantee how things will be going forward, but for today I still desire to write and help as many people as I can.

    If you happen to be a WordPress designer and are interested in helping me, please let me know.

    Please let me know if you encounter any errors or problems.

    Your love, kindness, and support is appreciated.

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  • The “Why?” Question

    Many Americans never asked “why” after Muslims hijacked planes and flew them into buildings on 9-11.

    Many Americans never asked “why” after Hamas killed over 1,200 Israelis on 10-7 — most of them civilians— and kidnapped several hundred people.

    And now the United States is waging war against Iran, and few Americans bother to ask “why?”

    The U.S. government is currently controlled by fascists, oligarchs, theocrats, and technocrats. Donald Trump and his feckless, immoral administration only care about personal financial enrichment and political power. Trump, Vance, Rubio, Hegseth, and company show no care or regard for the American people. These fascists self-righteously say they are protecting the American people from nuclear weapons and Muslim terrorism. Never asked is “why?”

    Robert “I’ve Got a Brain Worm” Kennedy, Jr., has decimated Health & Human Services and is currently promoting distortions, conspiracy theories, and lies about vaccines, COVID, autism, and dietary guidelines. Why aren’t more Americans asking “why?”

    Donald Trump is doing away with federal support of wind and solar power, giving millions of dollars to oil, natural gas, and coal companies. Dare we ask, “why”?

    Americans tend not to be too big on answering the question “why?” Why? 😅 Cuz, we are AMERICANS! We are a people divinely chosen by the Christian God of the Bible. We are a shining light on a hill for all the world to see. Manifest destiny! Might makes right, right? Right? There’s no need to ask “why?” when God is on your side and you are always right.

    Name the last president who admitted to the American people he was wrong. Trump, for instance, has never been wrong. He’s an expert on e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, including swimming pools, ballrooms, and grass. Trump doesn’t apologize to anyone. Instead, he blames others for his mistakes, failures, and errors in judgment. Trump is an impetuous man who cannot and will not tell the truth, even when a lie is not necessary. Does anyone doubt, then, that Trump NEVER asks “why?” (And the same can be said for MAGA in general.)

    Post-Jesus, answering the “why” question has been vital in helping me better understand the country and world I live in. And let me be clear, understanding both is essential to a well-rounded view of the world. If all we wear are Pro-American glasses we are going to have a false, truncated view of the world. This is why the majority of Americans are illiterate about countries, peoples, religions, and politics outside of the United States.

    Sadly, way too many Americans wrongly think the answer to the question, “Why do so many people hate us?” is “We’re America!!!!! And other countries hate the American Dream and our way of life!” Rarely do Americans step beyond the facade and wrestle with the hard questions about what our nation has become and why.

    As an Evangelical-pastor-turned-atheist, I am seldom asked “why?” by my critics, who ignore my attempts to answer the question without them asking. Their minds are made up, so there’s no reason to ask me “why” or read my biographical writing. In their minds, “The Bible says,” end of discussion. What they really mean, of course, is that their churches, pastors, and favorite podcast hosts interpret the Bible for them. Most Evangelicals do not daily read the Bible, and their go-to source for Bible knowledge is their pastors — who rarely preach exegetical sermons and are more focused on “felt needs.” The goal? Make people happy and their wallets lighter.

    If we are going to be skeptics, it is essential for us to ask “why?” even if the answers we receive are painful to hear. Part of the deconstruction process for me required asking “why” questions. I suspect that was or is the same for many of you. Evangelicalism taught us to trust and never doubt, especially in matters of faith. Want to be “happy in Jesus”? There’s only one way: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus.” Of course, the “obey” part is conditioned on obedience to the theological edicts of pastors and churches. Never ask “why,” just obey.

    Over the years, attempting to answer “why” questions has taken me down many paths, forcing me to confront my ignorance, biases, and bullheadedness. When the “why” question arises, I try my best to answer it, regardless of what I might find.

    Motivations matter to me. Personally, anyway, it was not enough to rage against Islam when Muslims flew planes into buildings on 9-11. “Why” did they do this? Is the United States culpable in any way? What about the “war on terror” that followed, to this day? Dare we ask “why” the United States is waging war on multiple fronts, killing scores of innocents with our bombs and bullets? So much so that we are running out of munitions and Hegseth is asking for billions of dollars of additional war funding. Surely you aren’t so stupid as to believe all the violence, bloodshed, and war crimes are “protecting the American way of life.” Do you feel safe? Now that undocumented immigrants are literally running for their lives, are we better off as a nation? Asking “why” about these issues and others is essential if there’s any chance for the “land of the free, and the home of the brave” to survive.

    Please share your pithy thoughts in the comment section. And if you don’t, let me ask, “Why?”? 😜😜

  • Christians Say the Darnedest Things: Science MUST Agree with the Bible

    Excerpt from The Question Every Christian Must Answer, by Dr. David Tee, whose real name is Derrick Thomas Thiessen. The grantor of Thiessen’s alleged doctorate is unknown. Make of that what you will. Regardless, Thiessen views himself as an expert on the Bible, history, science, archeology, LGBTQ issues, and why I’m no longer a Christian. Doubt me? Just ask him.

    If science is pursued correctly and honestly, then science agrees with the Bible. What turns young minds away from biblical truths are the theories, opinions, and conclusions that are generated from unbelieving scientists.

    It is their assumptions, leaps to conclusions, conjectures, and hypotheses that say the Bible is wrong, not true scientific exploration or facts. Once believers understand this truth, then holding on to their faith in the face of the onslaught from secular science becomes much easier.

    It is their assumptions, leaps to conclusions, conjectures, and hypotheses that say the Bible is wrong, not true scientific exploration or facts.

    ….

    When Christians take unbelieving or secular science over God’s words, then they are not exercising faith.

    Instead, they are rejecting what God has said in favor of what unbelievers have claimed to be true. This is not just doubt but clear rejection of God’s words. Since God cannot lie, then we can take his word over what unbelieving scientists, archaeologists, anthropologists, and other unbelievers claim.

    ….

    These institutions need to get back to God and rein in their science teachers/professors and get them to teach the truth, not unbelieving science.

    ….

    The Bible is not wrong. It is the unbelieving scientists who are.

  • Christian Bling and Jesus Junk

    jesus loves me 2015

    Repost from 2015. Edited, rewritten, and corrected. 

    Several years ago, I spotted this t-shirt at my grandson’s tee ball game.  Most residents of rural northwest Ohio are Evangelicals or conservative Protestants or Catholics. Jesus is on display everywhere one looks. There’s at least one church for every three hundred Defiance County residents. Republicans hold every major office. Atheists and agnostics are endangered species. Declaring your godlessness is a sure way to be socially ostracized and marginalized. If there is place where Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, this is it. Why then are local Christians obsessed with wearing Christian bling and displaying Jesus junk?

    Take the woman wearing the Jesus Loves Me t-shirt. Does she wear it to remind herself that Jesus loves her? Or perhaps she wears it to let her fellow Christians know that she is on their team. I wonder if she has thought about who made the shirt, how old they were, how much they were paid? Like American flags made in China, most Christian bling and Jesus junk is made by impoverished people who are paid poor wages.

    My wife works for a manufacturing concern where Christian bling and Jesus junk is on display everywhere one looks. Christian slogans and Republican one-liners are prominently displayed on office walls and desks. I’ve often wondered what the response would be if someone put on their desk a sign that stated There is no God or There is no God but Allah. This will never happen, of course, because doing so would be career suicide. But, knowing how Evangelicals love to whine over having their feelings hurt, I wonder how Christians in the office might respond. Would they demand the offensive signs be taken down?

    Any cursory reading of the Bible reveals that Jesus preached a lifestyle of moderation and simplicity. I wonder if Evangelicals bother to consider what Jesus thinks about their bling and junk. Would the apostles have worn Jesus Loves Me t-shirts or adorned their wrists with WWJD bands? The apostle Paul went from community to community preaching the gospel and establishing new churches. I wonder what he would think of twenty-first-century entertainment Christianity? If Matthew 5-7 — the Sermon on the Mount — is the essence of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, where can one find such followers? Rare are Evangelicals who verbalize their faith in the hope of leading a person to Christ. Even in IFB churches — a sect that puts a premium on soulwinning — most church members never verbally share their faith even one time. If Jesus is the greatest story ever told, why is it most Christians never share it?

    Christian bling and Jesus junk are meant to identify one as part of the club. The purpose isn’t to evangelize, it’s to let everyone who gazes on their bling or junk know that they are part of Club Jesus®. When Christians put on their Jesus shirts and go to the mall, grocery, or restaurant, everyone will know what club they belong to. Granted, atheists can do the same, but most atheists I know are content to quietly live their lives. And Muslims? When’s the last time you’ve seen a Muslim wearing a shirt that says Allah Loves Me or Allah, the One True God?

    It is primarily Evangelicals who are obsessed with public displays of affection for Jesus. It is Evangelicals who co-opt culture and turn it into shirt-worn slogans such as This Bloods for You or Jesus died for MY SPACE in Heaven. Corporate slogans and logos are turned into cute clichés and plastered on t-shirts and bumper stickers. Why? Are Christian bling-wearing Evangelicals over-compensating for something they lack? What are they hiding behind the bling and junk?

    Remember the manufacturing concern I mentioned above? Why is that some of the most hateful, argumentative, and critical people are those who have the most Jesus junk on their desks? Why does the car of the asshole who cuts you off in traffic often sport a Christian bumper sticker? I love to stand back and observe the behavior of God’s chosen ones. While certainly there are many thoughtful, polite, helpful, and humble Christians, why are so many of them arrogant, rude, and unkind? Ponder for a moment the comments left on this blog by warriors for God, soldiers who likely have Bible verse screen savers on their computers and tablets. For every Evangelical who has left a thoughtful, respectful comment, there have been a hundred Evangelicals who’ve left hateful, argumentative, judgmental ones. Why is this?

    While I was still a Christian, I concluded that hundreds of millions of Americans might be Christian, but most of them have no interest in following after Christ. They are more interested in avoiding Hell and gaining political and social power than they are walking in the steps of Jesus. According to orthodox Christian doctrine, the Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Simply put, this means Christians have God living inside of them as their teacher and guide. If this is so, then please explain to me why few Christians behave in a way that evidences this? Galatians 5:22,23 says:

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

    Bruce, the fruit of the Spirit is the goal. God sanctifies the Christians and they grow and mature, evidencing the fruit of the Spirit later in life. Why is it then that so many people who have been Christian for decades behave as if they have never heard of the fruit of the Spirit? Besides, Galatians 5:22,23 says the fruit (singular) of the Spirit is (present tense). Not a future hope or desire, but a present reality. Can one be a Christian and not show any evidence that God lives inside of them? The same could be said of the Biblical qualifications for being a pastor. I Timothy 3:2-7 states:

    A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

    A bishop then MUST BE. Not hope or aspire to be, but must be. I am sixty-nine years old, and I have yet to meet a pastor who meets the qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3. Why is this?

    By all means, exercise your first amendment right to wear Jesus bling and display Jesus junk. But, if you want to convince me that I should be a Christian, you better start living according to the teachings of the Bible you say you believe. Until then, you have nothing to offer the unwashed, uncircumcised Philistines of the world. As long as Evangelicals continue to publicly state that their religion is the one true faith and the Bible is THE moral standard by which Christian and non-believer alike must live, I plan to point out to Evangelicals how hypocritical they are. I’m just practicing what the Bible says . . . judging Evangelicals by their fruit (Matthew 7:16-20). So far, all I see are barren trees.

    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.

    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.

  • Dr. David Tee Says Human Culture Played No Role in Writing the Bible

    dr david tee

    Dr. David Tee, whose real name is Derrick Thomas Thiessen, recently wrote the following about the nature and construction of the Bible. Thiessen denies human culture had anything to do with the writing of the Bible. He even goes so far as to say that “The Bible’s content is from God’s culture, not a Jewish one.”

    Thiessen says he has Bible college education (and a doctorate), yet his writing reveals beliefs that bear little resemblance to Christian orthodoxy. That’s fine, Thiessen can believe whatever he wants, and college educated people can and do believe stupid things. However, Thiessen would be hard pressed to find any of his professors who would agree with what he has written here, or any of his ministerial colleagues who would say, “Fine work, Dr. Tee.”

    I have a lot of Evangelical readers, including preachers. Drop a note in the comment section detailing what you think about Thiessen’s claims. Can you square them with the Bible?

    Here’s an excerpt from Thiessen’s post, The Common Mistake Many People Make:

    This question is related to what our professor said in class one day: ‘You have to understand the culture of that time’ when referring to how the Bible was written. There are two related answers to that question.

    The first answer would be that no human culture shaped the Bible. The second answer explains why that is so. The second answer is that God’s culture shaped the biblical content. The Bible is a divinely written book transmitted through inspired authors who happen to be human.

    There was no human culture involved in the writing of the Bible. Every word came from God and his culture and what he wanted humans to become. Human culture cannot create instructions enabling and helping other humans to become holy.

    ….

    The Bible is not part of Jewish literature. It is part of God’s literature written to provide humans with God’s holy culture so that all people would know how to live in the kingdom of God.

    ….

    There is no human culture involved in the writing of the bible. Every word recorded reveals God and what he wants his people to do and live. The Bible is God’s literature whose content reveals what God wants us to know.

    ….

    The style of biblical writing does not change or influence the message. The style is just the style that is used to communicate important information. Many scholars, etc., feel that the style of writing changes the message, but it does not.

    ….

    The message transcends the style of writing, keeping the Bible a book from a divine culture and not a human one. Once Christians understand this, living the Christian life becomes much easier and less confusing.

    Christians know exactly what they are to do and what God wants them to do. This divine culture origin ensures that everyone throughout history has the will of God at their fingertips. They can also avoid the trap this common mistake leads them to.

    ….

    The Bible’s content is from God’s culture, not a Jewish one. One could say that if the Jews correctly followed the Bible, they would be living God’s culture, not a Jewish one. The same goes for the NT.

    ….

    The NT was not created out of a Jewish culture. It was created out of God’s holy culture.

    — end of excerpt —

    I have read a lot of theology in my almost 70 years of life, but I’ve never read the above before. How do you answer someone who says “no human culture — including Judaism — wrote the Bible? I can’t think of any way to square this with what we know about the nature and history of the Bible.

    I had rules that governed my study of the Bible. If I found myself coming to a conclusion that was not supported by experts in the Biblical text, my interpretation was likely wrong. If Thiessen followed this rule, what would experts be telling him? Of course, he has the Holy Ghost on his side, so he has no need to listen to experts.

  • Bruce’s Ten Hot Takes for August 6, 2026

    hot takes 2

    Bill Maher said he would vote for Sarah Palin before he would vote for a Democratic Socialist. Who is Bill Maher?

    James Carville said he would leave the Democratic Party before supporting someone like Michigan primary winner Abdul El-Sayed. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out, James. YOU, and others like you — centrist Democrats —are choking the life out of the Democratic Party.

    Democratic Socialists are not communists, and anyone that suggests otherwise is a liar. Are some DSA members communists? Sure, but that’s not the official party position. I, for one, am not a communist.

    One more month until the NFL season begins. Will this be the year for my Bengals, also known as the Bungles?

    It’s been a rough year for the Cincinnati Reds, mainly due to injuries and malfeasance by the front office. I hope ownership cleans house. Better yet, sell the team to someone who is willing to spend the necessary money to field a winner.

    I’ve concluded that tens of millions of Americans love Jesus and hate Muslims. And Blacks. And Mexicans. And immigrants. They hate anyone who doesn’t think and look like them.

    High school football starts in less than two weeks. I love high school football, so I’m looking forward to attending as many games as possible this year.

    Trump said today that the American economy is booming. Really? Where? Not in rural Northwest Ohio.

    Most Americans say they wouldn’t vote for a Democrat Socialist. This is not surprising since most of these people voted for Trump three times. They wouldn’t know a good candidate if their lives depended on it. Way too many ignorant voters in this country.

    Monty Fritts, a MAGA Republican gubernatorial candidate in Tennessee, argued that the First Amendment does not apply to state governments. If elected, he plans to ban mosques and non-Christian religions. Go ahead and tell me again why we shouldn’t consider a candidate’s religion when deciding whether to vote for them?

    Bonus: God’s Store House Food Bank in Bluefield, West Virginia refused food donations from LGBTQ people. Why? Cuz the Bible says . . .

    My God, we live in the land of stupid, and we are getting stupider by the day.

    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.

    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.

  • Local Man, Dan Gray, Continues to Slander Me

    Cartoon of Dan Gray, Defiance, Ohio

    Libel is writing what you know to be false, and which hurts a person’s good name or reputation. As I shall make clear, Dan Gray, a local Christian man, continues to make accusations about me that he knows are false. I successfully rebutted his claims years ago, yet Gray continues to spread harmful lies about me and my family.

    In 2020, a man named Michael Kitchens asked the following question in the Fighting for Faith Crew group on Facebook — six years ago. Here’s what he said:

    Has anyone here heard of ex-pastor-turned-avowed atheist Bruce Gerencser?

    No one answered this question for six years, and then, nine weeks ago, someone answered.

    Here’s the conversation so far:

    Joyce: Yes. But no sermons or video of his preaching available. Can anyone verify the 25 years evangelical part of his life? I just want a couple of sermons to review.

    Michael: Joyce Boyd Bruce has (or at least had) a website called “The Way Forward”. If it is no longer active, you might be able to find it via the Internet Wayback Machine. The site may have info on his evangelical years.

    Joyce: Michael Kitchens found nothing so far.

    Michael: Joyce Boyd Hmm okay. He probably wanted his info to be scrubbed. If that’s the case, I’m not sure why.

    Bruce: https:brucegerencser.net

    Bruce: Michael Kitchens, You can’t find anything about me on the internet? Lots of stuff, including media interviews I’ve done and stories I’ve appeared in.

    https://brucegerencser.net/media-interviews/

    Bruce Gerencser

    Daniel “Dan” Gray: Joyce Boyd no such person exists. The closest he ever got to the clergy is when he claimed to be a pastor when he got his fake license from an internet website called the Monastery. A place tha over 45 states refuse to recognize including Ohio.

    Bruce: Joyce Boyd,

    https://brucegerencser.net/2015/12/im-now-ordained-though-church-latter-day-dude/

    You know, you could ask me. I’m an open book.

    Bruce Gerencser

    Polly: Here’s his blog: https://brucegerencser.net

    I’m sure he will answer any questions you might have. I’ve known him for fifty years. We took this journey together.

    Dan Gray: Polly Gerencser a complete pile of horse crap. Why is it that no Baptist sect will claim him or admit he worked as a pastor? Why isn’t he listed on any state licensing registration list as is required by law? Why has he continually refusing to name even one church? Sounds like a major fantasy on his part.

    Bruce: Dan Gray, the only fantasy is in your head. All of this information is readily available on my website. Or, since I’m from Bryan, pastored local churches in West Unity and Alvordton, and lots of locals have heard me preach, I’m sure you can find plenty of people who know my back story. Further, I attended First Baptist Church in Bryan. I was attending there in 1976 when I went to Midwestern Baptist College in Pontiac, Michigan.

    I suppose my wife was lying too? Or maybe you could contact my older children, Jason or Nathan. They attended every church I pastored except the last one in Clare, Michigan. Or are they liars too?

    I have plenty of relatives and friends in this area who also know my backstory. I suppose they are all liars too?

    Not sure why you have this axe to grind with me, Dan. I don’t know you, yet you have repeated these lies for years. I value honesty, don’t you? So much so that I’ll give $100 to your favorite charity if you can find one error/mistake/lie of consequence about my storyline on my website. I’m confident you will find none. And when you come up empty, I hope you will return to this group and admit you are wrong. That would be the honorable thing to do.

    Bruce Gerencser

    Three years ago, Michael Kitchens asked this question:

    Has anyone here ever heard of ex-pastor-turned-atheist Bruce Gerencser? He had (and maybe still has) a website called “The Way Forward”. I happened across it while doing an Internet search several years ago. However, it seems that BG isn’t nearly as well known as say, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Bart Ehrman, Christopher Hitchens, Stephen Hawking, etc.

    Has he been disavowed by other atheists or something?

    Joni: He mainly points out the hypocrisy….
    Black collar crime!

    Polly: He’s still around. I just slept with him last night. 🤣🤣❤️❤️

    He’s a pretty open guy. Contact him, and I’m sure he will respond.

    Dan Gray: Never was a pastor and when you challenge him to prove it, he either refuses or just goes silent

    Never ends. Gray deliberately libels me. Why? What does he hope to gain? Isn’t lying a sin, one that, according to Revelation 21:8 lands you in the Lake of Fire?

    This is so silly, yet damaging at the same time. Worse, it really annoys me when people like him call Polly or our children liars. Of course, Gray does this to try and hurt me. He is a pettifogger extraordinaire, so I don’t expect him to confess the error of his way.

    More posts about Dan Gray:

    Three years ago, I wrote a post detailing the churches I pastored and what happened to them. You can read this post here.