God sucks!

[Y]

Don't forget Sandi Patty. 

Yeah, she's included in the etc., but we certainly can't forget her and her fiascoes. 

She finally moved from here to OK because she could no longer take the pressure.

[libby]

I hate to disappoint, and it's a shame she's dying (but as most folks I've lost several friends to cancer, so it happens and it's nothing special) but it's all schtick.  Just like the Gaithers, it's all about the money and fame, there's nothing 'religious' about it.  'Gospel' music and 'faith' was turned to after other music career opportunities failed and unexpected life situations.

You'd have to live around here and be familiar with the Church of God, Anderson University, and the people like the Gaithers etc. associated with them to understand the corruption and hypocrisy.

'Xtian'/religious music and the industry behind it is a farce, and the people involved corrupt fakes.

Hello Y.  It's good to see you. I've missed you. 

Re: the Gaithers: I enjoyed their programs when they sang old time hymns in unison -- they were the same hymns I heard in the little country church we went to when I was a girl. I discovered them while driving east in the Shenandoah Valley after spending a week in Bluefield helping my sister with some things after our mother died. I had no idea who/what I was listening to on my car radio -- but I drove and cried for the first time.  Then not too long after that I heard that sound again as I was scrolling through TV programs. They've changed so much since then that I seldom tune in -- and when I do it's mostly to try to get a glimpse of Guy Penrod -- I thought he was one sexy dude  back when he was new to the Gaithers. I liked his voice, too. 

I saw him -- and the rest of the group -- in person one time when my son and his girlfriend agreed to go with me to George Mason University, which is not far from where I live, for one of their yearly concerts. The place was packed. Not an empty seat. Son looked around and said, "Good Lord! I've never seen so many rednecks in one place in my entire life!" He was referring to the audience. Lots of pickup trucks. 

[Locutus]

Son looked around and said, "Good Lord! I've never seen so many rednecks in one place in my entire life!" He was referring to the audience. Lots of pickup trucks. 

[libby]

Pickup trucks: Yes, but, not all men who drive pick-up trucks are rednecks. I can think of two right off the top of my head: my first love, who was a college football player, lawyer and prosecuting attorney. He said, "Every boy needs a truck."  And, another manly man and dear friend, high intellect, educated, sophisticated, who also drives a big pickup truck.   

[Locutus]

Here's a little story about God sucking, especially to those who love and serve him.

My dad's side of the family is very religious, but his aunt (the matriarch of her side) and her progeny are especially so.  She was very religious (church every Sunday and all that), and she passed that religiosity down to her children.  They aren't of the Presbyterian or Episcopalian flavor either.  They are of the Bible thumpin', pew jumpin' Pentecostal Holiness type of Christians. 

1.  The matriarch of the family produced three daughters and one son.  The daughters all married preachers themselves, and the son went to seminary and became a Bible thumpin', pew jumpin' Pentecostal preacher as well.  After loving and serving 'the Lord' as best she could her whole life, and producing children who loved 'the Lord' as much as she did, she was rewarded with ovarian cancer and died a horrendous painful death at an early age. 

2.  One of her daughters, who married a preacher, had two sons.  One day, her husband was assisting with some roof repairs on the church where they were serving.  For some reason, known only to 'the Lord,' he fell off of the roof and struck his head on the ground.  He was dead within 24 hours leaving two very young sons behind.  So much for his reward too.

3. The other daughter also married a preacher who spent his entire life serving 'the Lord.'  They went around to remote churches and sang with their daughter and friends in a group called The Calvary Messengers.  Her husband became ill and ended up having gastric surgery that led to a colostomy bag.  Everything was fine with that, but somehow, for reasons known only to 'the Lord,' something went wrong with the colostomy reversal.  It wasn't discovered until a couple of days later when he became violently ill.  He died a horrific, painful, death which included vomiting his own feces through his mouth. How abominably gross is that? But that was all in God's plan according to the family. 

4.  What of her son?  Well, he ended up with stage-IV pancreatic cancer.  He too died a miserable death after preaching and serving 'the Lord' his entire life. 

I said all of that to say this.  Why can't 'believers' see that the whole God thing is just a bunch of bullshit?  An all knowing and loving God doesn't/shouldn't allow shit like that to happen to people who serve him.  You would think that he would reserve such gruesomeness to his enemies.  But yet he doesn't.

If one were to truly think logically about the whole thing, it just falls flat on its face.

Yes, God sucks!   

[The Troll]

   Henry get out your bible and read Joshua 6:16-20.  Read how you wonderful, kind and loving god commits genocide.  Yes, your god spoke to Joshua directly and told him to take and defeat Jericho.     After he over ran it, he was to save one person.  The whore who hid Joshua's spies.  He was to kill all living things in Jericho.  The men, women, children, old people, cattle, sheep, donkeys, yes, put to the sword every living thing and burn it to the ground.  But he was to take all gold, sliver, bronze and iron and bring it back to god's Treasury. What in hell does god need all of the gold, silver, bronze and iron when he can create everything.   

  Yet you claim to be a intelligent man, a smart man.  Yet you want to worship a cruel despot like this.  I can't believe anything you say or do.   

[AbbyTC]

I said all of that to say this.  Why can't 'believers' see that the whole God thing is just a bunch of bullshit?  An all knowing and loving God doesn't/shouldn't allow shit like that to happen to people who serve him.  You would think that he would reserve such gruesomeness to his enemies.  But yet he doesn't.

If one were to truly think logically about the whole thing, it just falls flat on its face.

Yes, God sucks!   

Why can't believers see it's all bullshit?  Because it's easier to believe a lie than the truth.  It's easier to not be responsible for what you are doing and believe a god is going to take care of things for you.  A lot of Christians were brought up in it-so they've been brainwashed into believing it all.  And scared into believing.  Hell!  Eternal damnation!  Wailing and gnashing of teeth!   

[Locutus]

Why can't believers see it's all bullshit?  Because it's easier to believe a lie than the truth.  It's easier to not be responsible for what you are doing and believe a god is going to take care of things for you.  A lot of Christians were brought up in it-so they've been brainwashed into believing it all.  And scared into believing.  Hell!  Eternal damnation!  Wailing and gnashing of teeth!   

Indeed the fear factor is a big part of it. 

It's also about control. 

[AbbyTC]

Speaking of hell and how that threat is used to get people "saved", I wasn't really afraid of hell.  What actually freaked me out was the idea of living forever and having to praise and sing to god for all eternity.  I would actually lie in bed at night with my stomach churning thinking about this.  I didn't want to have to do that.  Where was the fun?  Just singing and praising?  No thanks. 

[AbbyTC]

Speaking of hell and how that threat is used to get people "saved", I wasn't really afraid of hell.  What actually freaked me out was the idea of living forever and having to praise and sing to god for all eternity.  I would actually lie in bed at night with my stomach churning thinking about this.  I didn't want to have to do that.  Where was the fun?  Just singing and praising?  No thanks.

And will god get suddenly bored with all of that?  When/if he does, will he poof everyone away and make a new set of people to screw with?  The bible says he's a jealous god, so if you talk to your friend instead of singing/praising, will he get mad at you and poof you away?

  It just doesn't make sense.  If all you're going to do is praise and sing, what good is eternity for?  Now if you tell me I can go explore the universe, at least that offers a bit more of something interesting to do.     Otherwise, I think it will get boring quite quickly. 

[The Troll]

 

  Yes, just think about sitting around god's feet all day long, all day long, for ever and ever and ever.       Praising him and praying too him all day long for ever and ever and ever and ever.    Taking time out to sit beside him at the dinner table.    Before returning to your own mansion in the sky to    :  Then getting up and walking on god's golden streets.  Who is going to prepare your food, clean your mansion and sweep God's golden streets.  Also how many sides does God have, surly there is going to be more than two people in heaven to sit and stand by him. 

  Billy Graham said in his early days of his preaching.  :preaching:  That when he went to God's heaven, he was going to drive his golden Cadillac   :bike:on God's golden streets.  I wonder what the punishment is for running one of God's golden stop lights.   

  If you believe all of this and it says all of this in your    bible.  I think you should take a close look at the meter below.   



                                                                               

[The Troll]

 

  Yes, just think about sitting around god's feet all day long, all day long, for ever and ever and ever.       Praising him and praying too him all day long for ever and ever and ever and ever.    Taking time out to sit beside him at the dinner table.    Before returning to your own mansion in the sky to    :  Then getting up and walking on god's golden streets.  Who is going to prepare your food, clean your mansion and sweep God's golden streets.  Also how many sides does God have, surly there is going to be more than two people in heaven to sit and stand by him. 

  Billy Graham said in his early days of his preaching.    That when he went to God's heaven, he was going to drive his golden Cadillac  on God's golden streets.  I wonder what the punishment is for running one of God's golden stop lights.   

  If you believe all of this and it says all of this in your    bible.  I think you should take a close look at the meter below.   



                                                                               

Revised addition above.   

[libby]

  I personally think reincarnation sounds better. By that I mean the idea that we can come back if we want to -- or  not. (If at first you fail, try, try again.)

Reincarnation and time travel are my favorite science fiction subjects. I remember when I first read about the concept of time travel. I was working in a Bluefield Hospital while taking college classes part time, and was thumbing through a magazine and read a short story about a young man walking into the attic of a home and stepping back in time. I was fascinated. Still am. Especially since science (quantum theory) seems to indicate that human intention seems to influence the outcome of experiments ... hmmm ... I wonder... am I nutty? I dunno.

[The Troll]

  I personally think reincarnation sounds better. By that I mean the idea that we can come back if we want to -- or  not. (If at first you fail, try, try again.)

Reincarnation and time travel are my favorite science fiction subjects. I remember when I first read about the concept of time travel. I was working in a Bluefield Hospital while taking college classes part time, and was thumbing through a magazine and read a short story about a young man walking into the attic of a home and stepping back in time. I was fascinated. Still am. Especially since science (quantum theory) seems to indicate that human intention seems to influence the outcome of experiments ... hmmm ... I wonder... am I nutty? I dunno.

  Libby, what kind of an animal would you come back as.     I think I would like to be like my cat.    He's loved, he gets the best medical care.  He eats only the best and expensive food, because he won't eat anything else.     He sleep all he wants to and anywhere he wants too.     Let's face it, we kiss his little butt and he gets anything he wants.     Oh, did I say that he is loved.   

[AbbyTC]

  I personally think reincarnation sounds better. By that I mean the idea that we can come back if we want to -- or  not. (If at first you fail, try, try again.)

Reincarnation and time travel are my favorite science fiction subjects. I remember when I first read about the concept of time travel. I was working in a Bluefield Hospital while taking college classes part time, and was thumbing through a magazine and read a short story about a young man walking into the attic of a home and stepping back in time. I was fascinated. Still am. Especially since science (quantum theory) seems to indicate that human intention seems to influence the outcome of experiments ... hmmm ... I wonder... am I nutty? I dunno.

What time period would you like to come back to Libby?