Long Time No Blog! (Super-Duper Asterisk Edition)
If anyone out there is wondering about my absence, olioboy was in town. Mr. olio and I really enjoyed seeing our darling boy again, and we hated to see him go. I didn’t really keep up with current events during his visit—is Anna Nicole still dead?
Anyhoo, I’ve just poured my self a BIG Ketel One and tonic (mmm!) and visited the Christian Newswire,* where I found a review** of The Stockholm Syndrome Eternal Christianity, a new book I can’t wait to read:*** Here’s the crux:
Jim Cronfel believes "conversion comes from the awareness of eternal conscious torment," that "[Christianity] is about fleeing hell and sin."
So Mr. Cronfel and I agree that religious belief stems from fear. I imagine that he would disagree with me, though, when I say that fear of “eternal torment” after death (and therefore any religious belief based on that fear) is irrational or that I think ingratiating oneself with one’s potential torturer in order to avoid torture is a dynamic too perverse to contemplate, much less willingly embrace. I mean, I can understand it, I guess, but it’s still sick.
*Christian Newswire’s “Featured News Outlets” include Drudge Report and NewsMax.
**This book reviewer must’ve been “homeskooled”: Her punctuation skills suck.
***After it appears in my local library, that is—I’d never give this nimrod a dime.
Tags: religion, eternal christianity, atheism
Labels: atheism, religion, superstition
4 Comments:
I don't debate but I thought I would say "HI". I am a Calvinist and I believe in predestination so I am not here to banter or spue hatred toward you. If GOd has predestined you to eternal torment there is nothing I can do about it.
Have a nice day.
In Christ,
Jim Cronfel
Thanks for your comment, Jim. Sorry it has taken me so long to reply, but I’ve been very busy at work this week.
I think I can understand why you don’t debate matters of faith: According to John Calvin, “we should neither scrutinize those things which the Lord has left concealed, nor neglect those which He has openly exhibited, lest we be condemned for excessive curiosity on the one hand, or for ingratitude on the other.”
But, in my opinion, what Calvin is really saying here is no different from what all other religious “prophets” have said throughout history: “Don’t question me.” When people (Mohammad, John Calvin, Joseph Smith, Jim Jones, David Koresh, past and present Popes, etc.) say they speak for a god, their followers must take their word for it—there is no tangible proof of the alleged communication. But in my experience, Jim, when we do in fact begin to question their edicts, we find that they don’t make any logical sense whatsoever—nor do they appear to serve any purpose other than to elevate the “prophet” within his community.
And something else just occurred to me: Wasn’t the concept of predestination “concealed” until Calvin decided to “scrutinize” things? If so, why was doing so okay for him but not for you?
Dear Lee,
I like you and I want to thank you for the free advertising! You seem to be a nice person and willing to learn as well.
To answer your question; I geuss that all depends on whether or not one agrees with Calvin. Or, rather whether he seems to reflect what oneself find in the Bible.
It is one thing to agree or not agree (with the Bible) but at least one can try to see if they truly comprehend the Bible that they might disagree with or agree with.
Harvard and Yale and Prinston where all founded Calvinst seminaries.
Mohammed, Smith, Koresh, Popes etc don't have that track record.
you can find three sample chapters of my book at
www.declaredrighteousness.com
Frankly, I’m not certain what it is you’re trying to say here, Jim.
I do understand your final statement concerning Calvinist seminaries, though, although I’m not sure what point(s) it is meant to rebut. At any rate, I’m fairly sure that Villanova, Notre Dame, Marquette, Seton Hall, Boston U, DePaul, U Dallas, U San Diego, and U San Francisco are Catholic universities. I’m pretty sure that there are dozens more such institutions in the US alone (and countless others throughout the rest of the world).
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