This edition of Debunking Christianity ( http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com/2006/09/irreverent-musings-of-harry-mccall-and.html ) has several nuggets of the absurdity if religions’ ideas regarding God’s love and forgiveness. Below is just a few I liked most:
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Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans “Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us” in heaven. (Romans 8:34, NIV) While Romans 14:12 tells us that each person is going to have to step up and “give account of himself to God” even though God already knows all the thoughts of our hearts (Romans 8:28). (Not that “heart” is necessarily being used as a scientific term by Paul, though it also can’t be denied that in Paul’s day many did believe that “hearts” had “thoughts.”)
But returning to the image or metaphor of “Jesus at the right hand of God interceding for us” in heaven. Not to be coy, but how exactly am I to imagine the need for incessant “intercession?” Didn’t Jesus suffer, “become sin,” say “it is finished,” then die and rise from the dead, and ascend into heaven? But after he got to heaven he was assigned yet another job, which is to “intercede for us” to the Father–who apparently is still highly prone to yet more anger? Or forgetfulness?
Scene: Heaven
God: “That Christian down there is really starting to p*ss me off! I should let him slip into sin further, send him strong delusion that he might believe a lie, send in some lying spirits, and let Satan have his way with him–but save some for me to punish eternally.”
Jesus: “Forgive him father. I died for him.”
God: “Oh, yeah, I remember. O.K. But what about that other Christian right there who is…”
Jesus: “Forgive her father. I died for her.”
God: “Oh, yeah, I remember. O.K.”
And Jesus after 2,000 years and for the sixtrillionth time: “Forgive him father. I died for Him.”
And God for the sixtrillionth time: “Oh, yeah, I remember. O.K.”
Little wonder neither God nor Jesus has time to answer prayers since both now find themselves in a Catch-22 situation; one of eternal intercession:
“Blaugh, blaugh, blaugh: O.K.”
“Blaugh, blaugh, blaugh: O.K.”
F-O-R-E-V-E-R!
Maybe this is why churches must repeat prayers over and over again in liturgical rotation from Sunday to Sunday. In a similar fashion advanced Alzheimer’s patients must also hold to a repetitious stablized environment.
Or maybe Jesus at some point will get tired of begging God to have mercy, and turn toward the earth, and shout, QUIT sinning you guys! I’ve interceded enough! Give me a break! I need some “down time!”
Of course the idea of Jesus continually interceding for us also reminded me of something that St. Ansalem (sp?) wrote, that Jesus’s love was so great he was going to “remain on the cross” until the last sinner was finally sprung “out of hell.” THAT kind of interceding makes sense if God truly “is love.” Because God and time are the best teachers.
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I sometimes reflect on the way God/the Bible/a church/a theology blames its problems, difficulties and evils on humans. At the same time, we humans are never given any credit should we do something good. In short, if there is a problem, it’s the fault of humans, but if a human being does something good, God alone gets the praise. People trained to view themselves in such an untterly “unworthy” manner will tend to assert the perfection of their particular religion’s doctrines, and assert how utterly wrong everyone else is if they dare question the Bible or even their church’s interpretation of the Bible. In effect, they learn never to trust themselves, and get sucked into trusting their church, and their church’s particular doctrines and interpretations of its holy book, everyone else be damned.
Compare that with, say, a theology that teaches there is a spark of goodness already inside everyone, and people’s “job” is to blow on that spark and brighten it further?
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Jesus loves you unconditionally, and if you do not believe it you will when you are in hell.
Source unknown
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As a tot I was given the usual terrifying mixed message: a) God is love; and b) If you don’t believe how much he loves you, you will stand in the corner for eternity.
James Lileks, “God Has Call Waiting,†Notes of a Nervous Man
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Conservative Christian theologians teach that if you make the wrong choice and believe the wrong thing, you will be tortured for eternity in hell. That’s not a “choice,†it’s more like a man telling his girlfriend, do what you wish, but if you choose to leave me, I will track you down and blow your brains out. When a man says this we call him a psychopath.
William C. Easttom II [Edited by E.T.B]
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