Supposedly there's a book that's been around awhile called The Purpose Driven Life that many Christians seem to have gone all nuts over. I've seen it in the bookstore and I've flipped through it a little bit. From what I could tell, it's a bunch of feel-good pablum about how some all powerful being has put you on the Earth for a purpose. Whatever. I don't need a deity to give my life purpose, so it has little appeal for me.
Then I saw the author on the Colber Report. Here's a clip:
Then I saw the author on the Colber Report. Here's a clip:
He seems like a nice enough of a guy, and his ideas aren't as out-there as guys like Pat Robertson, from what I can tell. Still, and maybe it's because I read Christopher Hitchens' book, God is Not Great, but I couldn't help but feel somewhat bewildered and slightly outraged even at what the guy was saying.
First of all, I don't know how a grown person who has actually read the Bible can say that it's inerrant. Yeah, a donkey once talked. And even though the Gospels give contradictory accounts of Jesus' last days on Earth, they're all right. Come on.
That wasn't the worst though. His whole thing about what makes "God smile" is just outrageous. Where the hell is he getting this stuff from? I'll tell you. He's making shit up. It stuff that sounds good, and it makes people feel good, so nobody wants to call him on it.
I realize that this is hardly an original way of looking at things on my part, but let's just say that we all accept that there IS this all-powerful deity out there that created everything, okay? Now, to presume to say that YOU know what that being wants is the height of arrogance. And to think that such a being cares about the trivialities of your life is the height of head-up-the-assness.
And don't even get me started on the whole bit about how God put the Earth on its axis so life could exist. He's flippin' GOD, isn't he? He can do whatever he wants, right? Why couldn't he create forms of life that could survive on a planet that DOESN'T tilt on its axis? Geez, is this guy really talking to adults, or are most adults a lot like children?
6 comments:
This isn't for you, Lance; I just have to vent.
NOT ALL CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE THIS!!!MANY OF US READ ACTUAL GROWN-UP BOOKS AND THINK FOR OURSELVES AND VOTE FOR LEFT-WING CAUSES AND LOVE PEOPLE WHO LOOK AND ACT DIFFERENT THAN US!!! PLEASE DON'T BASE YOUR VIEW OF RELIGION ON PSEUDO-SPIRITUAL CAPITALIST DOUCHE-BAGS LIKE THIS!!!
Too true. Even though it wasn't for my benefit, I should be sure to add disclaimers.
I agree with Pepperjack, and I am trying to figure out how to use your answer on your new blog.
Of course I meant how to answer.
Rick Warren's church is near own home and we have been there a couple of times. He does a lot of good work, but I fear that he is so famous now that it may go to his head.
I think a lot of folks who have a grudge against the religion get a lot of their negative vibes from seeing the TV evangelists on Tv, with all their money and so on.
Don't forget all the little churches across America that don't get all the attention. That is a much better face of Christianity.
Most definitely, and as much I hate to put it in these terms, some of my best friends are Christians!
My friend Joel (Pepperjack) finds himself to be just as annoyed with guys like this as I do. It's all a bunch of feel-good claptrap.
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