Shown: Two Judgmental fundies - who condemned their brother to Hell- are now sent to that abode for their transgression. This is part of the "measure for measure" edict.Even as news of the new pagan- Earth -nature worship site at the Air Force Academy came to light (see earlier blog, 'Kudos to the Air Force Academy') we now learn that the special site has been defiled and desecrated by a cross placed upon it. Readers can see the image of this atrocity in this latest story:
http://www.gazette.com/articles/academy-93565-longcrier-worship.html
The image of the cross defiling the pagan site was made by Tech. Sgt. Brandon Longcrier. Of course, this brings enormous pain to the many pagans, Druids, Wiccans and others who thought that for once they had been liberated from the small minds of their fundie peers, but evidently not.
Meanwhile a top official at the AFA has warned cadets that religious discrimination “will not be tolerated". Others have intimated it may not have been a cadet, but this is hard to believe. The Academy is ringed by security perimeters and guards and no one can just sashay in there. (Having gone to attend one function three years ago, where our entourage was searched at least three times. This was for a 'Jay Leno' appearance at the AFA Hall). So in all probability, let's cut the distractions and admit it was plausibly a disaffected Christian Fundamentalist cadet who felt it was his bounden duty to place a cross at the sacred pagan worship cite. He probably never remotely processed or thought how he'd feel if a Satanist - for example - placed a large Pentagram inside his church- or hung it over a cross therein.
What all this shows is that religious tolerance is a principle that can't be allowed to be an exception for some - like the Fundies - while all others must oblige. ALL religious believers must subscribe to the principle, or ALL are at risk of whatever violations and desecrations may occur. And, believe me, these sort of things can easily get out of hand and lead to a cycle of violence. Look at what's been going on in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Indonesia - with Muslims burning Christian churches (just because they wanted to use the alternative name of "Allah" for their God), while Christians retaliated by dumping pork carcasses and heads in Muslim mosques. Of course, to the Muslim this is an insult of the highest magnitude.
The problem is that the Christian Fundamentalist zealots - and probably many of their Islamic Fundamentalist cousins, demand special dispensation from having to practice tolerance toward others - to refrain from judging and condemning beliefs and practices they don't like. But it doesn't work like that! Unless all deity-believers (because each of their god-concepts is relative to all others) partake in the exercise of tolerance, all are subject to reprisals, attacks and responses from those that they condemn or judge. No one can be an exception to the rule, therefore, no matter how twisted their interpretations of scriptures.
Another aspect of this, is that IF the Fundies' deity does exist, He will be extremely upset at them for violating one of His over arching laws - NOT to judge. We see, for example, from Matthew 7: 1-5:
"Do not judge that thou be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you measure it shall be measured unto you.
And why do you look at the splinter which is in your brother's eye, but the beam in your eye you do not consider? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the splinter from your eye', and behold the beam is in your own eye.
Hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye!"
Of course, to try to justify their condemnations and judgments the Fundies have resorted to all manner of twisting words and interpretations. They will do anything to try to escape not being able to condemn those that they despise. One of these tricks is to limit the definition and say that judging is allowed "if done from righteousness". In other words, if they "get right" with their Lord - or so they imagine, they can judge to their heart's content.
But Oxford religious scholar Geza Vermes isn't having any of this nonsense, as he notes in his monograph (The Authentic Gospel of Jesus, p. 83) wherein he clearly references that an ancient Jewish maxim is being cited that - "to avoid being judged for one's own misdeeds, one must avoid judging others". No one can claim a superior righteousness to judge others, because that would effectively usurp an ability alloted only to God. (Since to judge in absolute certainty of righteousness requires an absolute insight and certainty into ALL human actions. Something no human can have, even if "saved" a billion times over. A point Christ himself made when he warned those who were aiming stones at a prostitute: "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone". Subtly reminding these hardheads that only the deity could be in such a position of full rectitude- required for judgment).
So in this respect, the trenchant words of Matthew are extremely clear and there is no getting round them by any verbal elastic trickery or deceits. If one attacks his brother ....for whatever....without being fully righteous himself (e.g. removing all 'beams' from 'eyes'....e..g. becoming God) then he cannot judge. If he then condemns or asserts his brother will go to "Hell" because of his belief system or lack thereof, then he himself will be judged by the God he worships who will dispatch him to Hell.
The image shown depicts two judgmental fundie believers who perhaps learned that lesson a bit late! Now, they shall have eternity to repent!
http://www.gazette.com/articles/academy-93565-longcrier-worship.html
The image of the cross defiling the pagan site was made by Tech. Sgt. Brandon Longcrier. Of course, this brings enormous pain to the many pagans, Druids, Wiccans and others who thought that for once they had been liberated from the small minds of their fundie peers, but evidently not.
Meanwhile a top official at the AFA has warned cadets that religious discrimination “will not be tolerated". Others have intimated it may not have been a cadet, but this is hard to believe. The Academy is ringed by security perimeters and guards and no one can just sashay in there. (Having gone to attend one function three years ago, where our entourage was searched at least three times. This was for a 'Jay Leno' appearance at the AFA Hall). So in all probability, let's cut the distractions and admit it was plausibly a disaffected Christian Fundamentalist cadet who felt it was his bounden duty to place a cross at the sacred pagan worship cite. He probably never remotely processed or thought how he'd feel if a Satanist - for example - placed a large Pentagram inside his church- or hung it over a cross therein.
What all this shows is that religious tolerance is a principle that can't be allowed to be an exception for some - like the Fundies - while all others must oblige. ALL religious believers must subscribe to the principle, or ALL are at risk of whatever violations and desecrations may occur. And, believe me, these sort of things can easily get out of hand and lead to a cycle of violence. Look at what's been going on in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Indonesia - with Muslims burning Christian churches (just because they wanted to use the alternative name of "Allah" for their God), while Christians retaliated by dumping pork carcasses and heads in Muslim mosques. Of course, to the Muslim this is an insult of the highest magnitude.
The problem is that the Christian Fundamentalist zealots - and probably many of their Islamic Fundamentalist cousins, demand special dispensation from having to practice tolerance toward others - to refrain from judging and condemning beliefs and practices they don't like. But it doesn't work like that! Unless all deity-believers (because each of their god-concepts is relative to all others) partake in the exercise of tolerance, all are subject to reprisals, attacks and responses from those that they condemn or judge. No one can be an exception to the rule, therefore, no matter how twisted their interpretations of scriptures.
Another aspect of this, is that IF the Fundies' deity does exist, He will be extremely upset at them for violating one of His over arching laws - NOT to judge. We see, for example, from Matthew 7: 1-5:
"Do not judge that thou be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you measure it shall be measured unto you.
And why do you look at the splinter which is in your brother's eye, but the beam in your eye you do not consider? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the splinter from your eye', and behold the beam is in your own eye.
Hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye!"
Of course, to try to justify their condemnations and judgments the Fundies have resorted to all manner of twisting words and interpretations. They will do anything to try to escape not being able to condemn those that they despise. One of these tricks is to limit the definition and say that judging is allowed "if done from righteousness". In other words, if they "get right" with their Lord - or so they imagine, they can judge to their heart's content.
But Oxford religious scholar Geza Vermes isn't having any of this nonsense, as he notes in his monograph (The Authentic Gospel of Jesus, p. 83) wherein he clearly references that an ancient Jewish maxim is being cited that - "to avoid being judged for one's own misdeeds, one must avoid judging others". No one can claim a superior righteousness to judge others, because that would effectively usurp an ability alloted only to God. (Since to judge in absolute certainty of righteousness requires an absolute insight and certainty into ALL human actions. Something no human can have, even if "saved" a billion times over. A point Christ himself made when he warned those who were aiming stones at a prostitute: "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone". Subtly reminding these hardheads that only the deity could be in such a position of full rectitude- required for judgment).
So in this respect, the trenchant words of Matthew are extremely clear and there is no getting round them by any verbal elastic trickery or deceits. If one attacks his brother ....for whatever....without being fully righteous himself (e.g. removing all 'beams' from 'eyes'....e..g. becoming God) then he cannot judge. If he then condemns or asserts his brother will go to "Hell" because of his belief system or lack thereof, then he himself will be judged by the God he worships who will dispatch him to Hell.
The image shown depicts two judgmental fundie believers who perhaps learned that lesson a bit late! Now, they shall have eternity to repent!
This is excellent, but from just checking over on your brother's blog - looks like he's been sucking the stupid sauce again. He claims your citing Matthew 7:1-5 is like him citing Dawkins or Hitchens! He wonders why any atheist would quote a bible passage if they don't believe in it.
ReplyDeleteCan he be this stupid, or is it something in the water where he lives? Doesn't he get it that you are only referring to the frame of reference that binds HIM? That IF HE accepts his bible as the final word then HE IS BOUND TO LIVE BY IT? And all YOU are doing is using quotes in HIS good book to show him how he is flouting it? I mean, this isn't the like the quantum electron spin mechanics in your last blog!
The other laugher is when he then switches gears to show Jesus wasn't tolerant or accepting of tolerance! But this is a disconnect because you weren't referencing Jesus in terms of judging (since he's presumed to be God or at least one part of the Trinity).
You were referring to ordinary HUMANS doing the judging! Of course, he then tries to get around that one by saying they (Fundy Chtristians) are entitled to judge "outward appearances". Because only God can know the "inner".
Again, is he dopey or what? Any Psych 101 bozo freshman knows the inner determines the outer. (I.e. one's interior thoughts always determine actions) So, he is really saying he can judge both the inner and outer at once.
I'm glad you exposed these hypocrites for what they are. The other amazing thing is they condemn by saying "Tiller the killer" -but THEY are the ones killing (e.g. Scot Roeder) to try to stop others fromm "killing". Is there not a disconnect here or is it just me?
Do they not see the irony here? Oh wait, they're probably too stupid to be able to!
Great article anyway, and the mere fact Pastor is responding to what's obviously on it shows he's agitated. At you.. but it ought to be his own dumb and dishonest responses. Picking and choosing the sections of the bible he will take literally (like Noah getting swallowed by a whale) but dancing all around the other parts that point to his failings!