His religion: he's doin it rong.

[visgoth]

As an atheist, I feel compelled to point out that Seej500 (as made famous by Katie West) is a heretic and blasphemer, not a Christian. He either doesn't know or chooses to ignore what makes a person a Christian, in favor of his own mushy feel-good version.

He says "I can’t quote from The Bible, nor do I own one, but I’m passingly familiar with

Comments

[prester_scott]

So who is this person anyway?

Now that is a funny sketch. It is very popular amongst clergy.

[visgoth]

No idea who he is, but I've seen several laudatory responses to his recent blog entry, and felt compelled to comment on it.

I get offended when I come across nonsense like that, at least in part because of people like yourself, who actually struggle to live up to the standard they've chosen.

Fortunately, being a blasphemer and heretic myself, it's pretty easy to recognize others, AND nobody can pull the "judge not" card on me when I point out their bullshit, 'cause that card has no power over me. :)

[prester_scott]

I don't know that I'd classify you as a heretic. Heresy is counterfeit faith, and you make absolutely no claim to be a believer. And blasphemer? Well, in the same sense any atheist is, I guess, but I don't recall you going after God, religion, or religious people with malice. It seems to me there is a qualitative difference between that and simple unbelief.

But if you're going to criticize a belief system in a credible manner, yes, you have to start with an honest recognition of what its beliefs actually are. That guy's essay is the most grievous No True Scotsman I've ever seen.

Addendum. Oh yeah, just wanted to say: "Judge not lest ye be judged," does not mean, "You can't ever confront people for doing something wrong or asserting something false." It would be stupid if it meant that. Christians are not "lawful stupid."

[new_iconoclast]

I don't know that I'd call you either a blasphemer or a heretic. Well, maybe a heretic, but that's subjective. To prester_scott, I'm a heretic; to me, he's got some heretical views (although I wouldn't phrase it that way).

You can't be a blasphemer, in my view; that implies a belief in the god you're blaspheming. Otherwise you're just making noise. I actually think of you as one of the few "honest" atheists I know, in that 1) you're not constantly setting up a straw-man Christianity to place your beliefs in contrast to, like so many do (including that ass, Richard Dawkins); and 2) you've told me that atheism is a matter of faith quite as much as my belief in God. You're not wearing it as a chip on your shoulder, but it's a genuinely-held position. I've always liked and respected that about you.

[skreidle]

I think he's guilty of a) oversimplification and b) stating opinion as Gospel fact, but I'm inclined to agree with i) his summary of Jesus, and ii) the general message of "learn from Jesus's teachings, not necessarily those of 1) the Church or 2) those who hypocritically claim to follow his teachings while doing anything but."

[visgoth]

What he's guilty of is ignorance of his subject matter. He isn't just oversimplifying, he's either ignoring or unaware of critical components of the text he is "passingly" familiar with.

That may allow for a good person who is an asset to the community, but it doesn't make for a Christian.

Don't get me wrong, I think he is following a fair model for keeping civilization moving right along, but he's more a Wheatonist than he is a Christian, since his beliefs could pretty well be rephrased as DBAD[1], and don't include any of that awkward "faith" stuff.

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[1] A creed I rather like, and (sometimes unsuccessfully) struggle to live up to.

[new_iconoclast]

His summary of Jesus is way off. Jesus is just Gandhi with a beard and without the fixation on fecal elimination if he doesn't claim to be the Son of God and the Messiah. That's the part this gentleman is apparently unfamiliar with.

[individuation]

Interestingly, his dogma makes him closer to a Jew (said an atheist Jew)

[visgoth]

OOH! Nice point! I hadn't made that connection.

[beckon]

I find it interesting that you manage to do a post, referencing two people, and including a scene from a skit show. All of whom I have never heard of before.

[visgoth]

That Mitchell and Webb Look

Available on Netflix. Strongly recommended.