http://biblicalthought.com/blog/satire/
On one hand I feel revulsion for his ignorance...
But on the other hand I feel elated - I have one more reason to show people, why I left this path.
Let's review this article and talk by one, Dr. Robert Morey:
http://biblicalthought.com/blog/satire/
He's talking about the use of satire in Christian responses to non believers. You know, the quant little whips of wisdom like, the bumper sticker of a Jesus Fish (ichthus) eating a Darwin Fish... or those little jibs you might hear in conversation. They usually start after a Christian feels the strong arm of Logic, Reason and Rejection - then comes the emotionalism that Dr. Morey defends.
But lets get to the heart of the matter... or in Dr. Robert Morey's case, the lack of his heart. He begins by explaining that Jesus, the Apostles and great Christians throughout history have used ridicule and angst in their responses to opposition.
He might be right... if he is, it's one reason to Reject Christianity outright.
But, if I might offer an apologist view here... I think Dr. Morey is off base in interpreting Jesus calling of Hypocrites as satire or jest. I never thought it was meant that way, but a way of calling someone out who was in error. Satire, is more like saying, "You're god is stupid," or "Why follow a fat man with a shaved head?" Which is the muddy mirky waters that Dr. Robert Morey swims in.
In that article Dr. Morey writes, "I spoke at Biola University on Islam and young girl came up all upset because I said that Muhammad was stupid as well as evil. If getting people mad, making them cry, and hurting their feelings were sins, then hell is the greatest sin God commits! God does not give a rip about your feelings. He wants you to be holy, not happy."
Let's break this down. According to Dr. Morey:
A. It's ok to call a religious icon of another "stupid" and "evil"
B. If people get mad, cry, or have hurt feelings - so what?
C. If hurting people's feelings was a sin, then hell is the great sin God commits (more on this later)
D. God does not give a 'rip' about your feelings
E. God wants you to be Holy, not Happy
Five good points. Let's run through them one by one, logically:
Point A: Is it ok to call some religious icon of another "stupid" and "evil"? Well would you want someone to do that to your religious icon? would you want someone saying something bad about Jesus? The whole Christian persecution complex is due to what they send out - this negativity. Remember, by your own faith Dr. Morey, "As you SOW, so shall you REAP." If you don't want the world's ire pointed in your direction, don't draw it out.
Point B: What's wrong with hurting people's feelings? Because it's hurting. To the point of personal ethics and responsibility, what's the difference between a slap in the face, or a spiteful word? NOTHING. To the recipient it's different in degree, but you, the individual have this dark cancer in your heart - it's called "harming others" and Christians like Dr. Morey here, love it. They feel that dark evil course in their heart and they mistake it for Godly Ire. The speak their hateful thoughts and shirk the responsibility saying "it aint no thing." But a true spiritual person (of any religion) would know two things: a) First, there is a return for all thoughts and actions and b) Second, you shall know them by the fruits of their tree.
Point C: Dr. Morey got it right... from his personal perspective, Hell is the biggest Sin God Commits... and the God of the Christians certainly commits sin. Throughout the Old Testament, God promotes War, Jealousy, Hate, Angry, Destruction and even Rape. Maybe that was Dr. Robert Morey's subconscious speaking some truth there for a moment.
Point D: So God doesn't give a Rip about your feelings... so the return should be, mankind doesn't give a rip about God's. But more to the point, what kind of concept of God is this? why follow it? If a person can find a reason to believe in different religions, why pick this version of this religion? Dr. Morey is worshiping the archetype of the Devil.
Point E: You heard it... God doesn't want you happy, he wants you Holy. Fascinating.
To take a respite for just a moment, let me quickly add, that I actually believe in God. But when I read this nonsense of Dr. Morey, I realize how glad I am I left that nonsense behind me. I feel sorry for him, and those who follow after him... they know no peace. What they call peace is just the bonds of cruelty they share amongst themselves.
Dr. Morey gives us a great chance to practice patience. It is ignorance such as his, that we can use in meditation to learn to forgive even such as these. I'm going to post a Buddhist meditation in a later post that will give an example of visualizing those that frustrate us, and seeing how they are actually very similar to those we love, and thereby we can achieve a more peaceful state of mind.
Back to the post of Dr. Robert Morey: From this point, Dr. Morey condemns the apologists who say Christians should be nice and caring - reaching people with compassion and kindness... not with cruelty. In fact he states (regarding the person who was upset over the remarks against Islam), "... she agreed that the prophets, the apostles, Jesus and God the Father ridicules and mocked people and called them names such as 'stupid' (ex. Jer. 10:8-21). She replied: 'BUT WE SHOULD NOT FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE BUT BE NICE!' Such ignorance! Such stupidity is only rebellion covered up in the name of being nice."
So you now have one more reason to not trust the Fundamental Christian Path. After all it's all the angst, animosity and torment that is in the "evil" they condemn. No wonder more people are looking for alternative religion and beliefs these days.
What we can learn from this:
If you hold animosity towards others - it will eat you up. Holding in anger and resentment long enough - you'll become just like this Dr. Morey. We need to let go of these fetter emotions, before they drag our spirits down into the real hell of inner gloom and desolation in our hearts.
Next up... Mary Baxter on my Chopping Block
Then later... More on Dr. Robert Morey (on the Occult)
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