Get out of my walk, fundies!

I did the Walk for Hunger today, in Boston. More info about it here, if you're interested. This walk is about as old as I am, and while we do get the occasional loony pamphleter passing out tracts, it's usually pretty harmless.

Until today.

They had a couple of volunteers passing out sealed white envelopes to all the walkers. I took one, expecting a yard-sale flyer or pizza coupons. Instead, I read this:

Quote :

Is this the work of God or not? This event was started by a group of religious leaders in 1969 possibly the Catholic Church. The Catholics believe that they are God's people. The Catholics believe that they should make an effort in feeding the poor and hungry even though no Christians in the Bible were told by Jesus to go into all the world and feed the world. What these religious people are doing is changing the real reason why Jesus came into the world.

(Note: underlining is part of the original text.) So . . . Jesus doesn't want us to feed the hungry? Is that what you're saying?

It gets better:

Quote :

You think that you are doing good, but Jesus said in the scriptures that the day will come when you will say "Lord Lord look at the wonderful things that we have done in your name". You people are in for a big surprise. You believe in the lies of your false ministers

Yeah, because every one of the people doing the walk, all 40,000+ of us, are the same religion. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Quote :

This is going to be a witness against you because Jesus never told the people to go out and feed the world. He told his people to take care of one another. And you people are certainly not the people of God.

I really, really, resent the "you people". Walkers come from many different age, ethnic, and yes, religious groups, and lumping them all together under "you people" is really unfair.

Quote :

Many people will dislike what we say

Which explains why an entire mile of pavement was littered with white envelopes and pages of this hate mail.

Quote :

The Catholics believe that they should make an effort in feeding the poor and hungry even though no Christians in the Bible were told by Jesus to go into all the world and feed the world. What these religious people are doing is changing the real reason why Jesus came into the world.

Because charity and loving one's neighbor as oneself has nothing at all to do with Jesus' message. Newp, not at all. Not one little iota. Good Samaritan? What's that?

So... what are you people supposed to do instead of helping the poor and feeding the hungry?

I figured most decent people would be for something like that, regardless of denomination...

I'd like to know what version of the New Testament these people are reading. My remembrance of Bible verses is sort've iffy, but I know for a fact there are numerous times in the New Testament that Jesus tells the disciples to feed the poor, clothe the naked, house the homeless, and generally treat all others as they themselves want to be treated.

I can't think of a single Christian religion (and a good many non-christian ones) that don't emphasize helping those in need. To suggest that Christians are supposed to draw their wagons into a circle and not give a crap about anyone but their own little clique does NOT jibe with what the scriptures say.

Rabid Badger wrote:

I'd like to know what version of the New Testament these people are reading.

One with a hell of a lot of missing pages, I'd suspect. I've had the misfortune to read the offending tract, and I can assure you it's every bit as bad as it sounds. The web address for the authors is hear-the-truth.com...raise your hand if you agree with me that these bastards deserve to be spammed within an inch of their lives.

Nightboomfer wrote:

So... what are you people supposed to do instead of helping the poor and feeding the hungry?

I figured most decent people would be for something like that, regardless of denomination...

Unconditionally Worship "Supply Side Jesus" of course, as Al Franken would have said...
Note: many "Fundamentalist" Christian groups believe that any other Christian Group's, such as The Roman Catholic Church, are NOT "True Christians", unlike themselves, & themselves alone...
I suspect this harassment happened, because the event was scheduled for a Sunday, & any "True Christian" (tm) would be spending the "Holy Day" worshipping Jesus at their local church all day, rather than walk for charity...

They must be using the same bible as Jack Chick, because he made the same point about good works. Here's a hint: they've taken the quote completely out of context.

Other than that, they seem to be operating on the assumption that everything that isn't mandatory is prohibited, or something. I can't think of any other logic that would allow for feeding the hungry to be evil. Except that's only logical in the sense that it isn't. As in, Jesus specifically says we should feed the hungry and clothe the poor, etc.

Leeny wrote:

I really, really, resent the "you people".
Walkers come from many different age, ethnic, and yes, religious
groups, and lumping them all together under "you people" is really
unfair.

He means Red Sox fans. And I agree. You spit in the face of God.

Chris91 wrote:

I've had the misfortune to read the offending tract, and I can assure you it's every bit as bad as it sounds. The web address for the authors is hear-the-truth.com...raise your hand if you agree with me that these bastards deserve to be spammed within an inch of their lives.

I've just had the misfortune of listening to 'Prophet Andre's' podcast... It's a half-hour incoherrant, brainless, warbling rant. Occasionally he'll read from the Bible, but none of his quotes have any relevence to what he is talking about, nor do they do anything to add weight to his arguement.

The arguement in question, BTW, is that TEH DEVIL has distorted Jesus' message causing people to only 'think' that they are doing God's will, but are actually doing Satan's... But at no point does he articulate exactly what it is that Christians are doing wrong... Unless you count this:

Quote :

Tellin' all kind of lies... Saying that Jesus is the son of God, and is only... a way... that they're talking about. To serve Jesus is to beleive that he is the son of God... But Jesus is God. When it talks about the son of God it's only talking about his body. His word. But Jesus is spirit. And he was in the word. And he was in that body. But they don't know this...

I think what he is saying is that the idea of the Holy Trinity is wrong. Jesus wasn't the three-in-one, because he actually was one person who was God in a human body...

... Yeah...

Also this gem:

Quote :

And you set up these days. These false days. Christmas and Easter and Thanksgiving [...] Jesus never told anybody to celebrate a day called Easter, or a day called Christmas... Flyin' raindeers and Santy Claws and Easter Bunnies. Jesus never told anybody to do that BUT THE DEVIL DOES IT!

I'd like to know how he is so sure that he is right and that everyone else is wrong...

He does mention your walk...

Quote :

They're involved in this marathon. Showin' how great they are and how smart they are and how they can run 26 miles. Spending all this time, wasting, runnin' down the steeet, instead of taking the time to serve God and to seek what God wants...

Quote :

We passed out flyers to them, tellin' them that they god bad spirits in them and they took them and tear them up. Threw 'em away, threw 'em at us. They are some naughty people!

I swear, it is because of people like this, and the gibberish they spout that I am sometimes embarrassed to tell people that I'm Christian and I beleive. It's fucking shameful.

So..are we supposed to ignore the "Lord when have we seen you hungry" passage? Isn't that kind of like letting God starve?

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Leeny wrote:

I really, really, resent the "you people".
Walkers come from many different age, ethnic, and yes, religious
groups, and lumping them all together under "you people" is really
unfair.

He means Red Sox fans. And I agree. You spit in the face of God. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

DIAF, Mikey.

Chris91 wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Leeny wrote:

I really, really, resent the "you people".
Walkers come from many different age, ethnic, and yes, religious
groups, and lumping them all together under "you people" is really
unfair.

He means Red Sox fans. And I agree. You spit in the face of God. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

DIAF, Mikey.

Log in.

Get verbally assaulted by manbaby.

wat do?

"Satan" has five letters.

"Mikey" has five letters. So does "WOOGA".

I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Quote :

They're involved in this marathon. Showin' how great they are and how smart they are and how they can run 26 miles. Spending all this time, wasting, runnin' down the steeet, instead of taking the time to serve God and to seek what God wants...

Because God hates exercise, obviously.

WD40 wrote:

Quote :

We passed out flyers to them, tellin' them that they god bad spirits in them and they took them and tear them up. Threw 'em away, threw 'em at us. They are some naughty people!

I swear, it is because of people like this, and the gibberish they spout that I am sometimes embarrassed to tell people that I'm Christian and I beleive. It's fucking shameful.

No, don't feel ashamed of being Christian. These people should feel ashamed that they completely ignore all the passages in BOTH Old and New Testament that talk about feeding and helping widows, orphans, the poor, and strangers. I mean, there's a whole epistle (James) that talks extensively about how one's treatment of others should reflect charity and concern.

I personally think there is this incredible false dichotomy in a lot of evangelical Christianity today between what they call the "social Gospel" and what they preach. A lot of the time it just seems to lead to evangelicals throwing the baby out with the bathwater when they reject what they see as wrong in the social Gospel message.

EileenK98 wrote:

"Satan" has five letters.

"Mikey" has five letters. So does "WOOGA".

I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Can I draw in pencil? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

You know, I've seen the claim that Christians are only commanded to be kind to each other before. The guy making it was a geocentrist young-earther who believes Jews are the synagogue of Satan.

Chaltab wrote:

You know, I've seen the claim that Christians are only commanded to be kind to each other before. The guy making it was a geocentrist young-earther who believes Jews are the synagogue of Satan.

Parable of the Good Semarawhatnow?

EileenK98 wrote:

"Satan" has five letters.

"Mikey" has five letters. So does "WOOGA".

I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Well, my full name is Michael Go Woogington.

Malganis wrote:

WD40 wrote:

[I swear, it is because of people like this, and the gibberish they spout that I am sometimes embarrassed to tell people that I'm Christian and I beleive. It's fucking shameful.

No, don't feel ashamed of being Christian. These people should feel ashamed that they completely ignore all the passages in BOTH Old and New Testament that talk about feeding and helping widows, orphans, the poor, and strangers.

Seconded.
If that is of any help, WD, there are gibberish-spouting atheists who make me feel ashamed and embarrassed to tell people I don't believe.

You mean the ones who get all worked up and furious that somebody, anybody, has the nerve to believe in something you can't prove, and they go on a personal crusade to talk them out of it?

grmblfjx wrote:

You mean the ones who get all worked up and furious that somebody, anybody, has the nerve to believe in something you can't prove, and they go on a personal crusade to talk them out of it?

Yep. You can tell them by a statistically abnormal use of the word 'brainwashed'.
Hey, some people claim that they can feel the presence of God next to them. Who am I to disagree? I only get into argument with those who tell me that I would too, if I only tried hard enough.

The Unoriginal wrote:

grmblfjx wrote:

You mean the ones who get all worked up and furious that somebody, anybody, has the nerve to believe in something you can't prove, and they go on a personal crusade to talk them out of it?

Yep. You can tell them by a statistically abnormal use of the word 'brainwashed'.
Hey, some people claim that they can feel the presence of God next to them. Who am I to disagree? I only get into argument with those who tell me that I would too, if I only tried hard enough.

I know Richard Dawkins falls into this category! Theres a comedian called Andy Hamilton who constantly refers to him as a "Jehova's I never saw nothin'"

The Unoriginal wrote:

grmblfjx wrote:

You mean the ones who get all worked up and furious that somebody, anybody, has the nerve to believe in something you can't prove, and they go on a personal crusade to talk them out of it?

Yep. You can tell them by a statistically abnormal use of the word 'brainwashed'.

I suspect that has to do with the emotional high of an epiphany and the overwhelming desire to share this realization with everyone they know. After all, this is big life-changing news! Recent converts to any creed or cause tend to get pushy and argumentative, as they believe the "truth" they have discovered is the most important thing ever. Ever talked with someone who only just recently learned about global warming or rain forest destruction? Strong believers in a political party? Advocate for US prison reform, maybe? Find any similarities between how they act and how evangelicals or "militant" atheists act?

WD40 still has it worse, though. I'd take being associated with people being snarky on the internet over being associated with the homophobes, faith healers, Left Behind readers, and all the other crazies who claim to be Christian any day.

TheHermit wrote:

Recent converts to any creed or cause tend to get pushy and argumentative, as they believe the "truth" they have discovered is the most important thing ever.

This is a good point.

WD40 wrote:

The Unoriginal wrote:

grmblfjx wrote:

You mean the ones who get all worked up and furious that somebody, anybody, has the nerve to believe in something you can't prove, and they go on a personal crusade to talk them out of it? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yep. You can tell them by a statistically abnormal use of the word 'brainwashed'.
Hey, some people claim that they can feel the presence of God next to them. Who am I to disagree? I only get into argument with those who tell me that I would too, if I only tried hard enough.

I know Richard Dawkins falls into this category! Theres a comedian called Andy Hamilton who constantly refers to him as a "Jehova's I never saw nothin'" [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I presume this is the guy you're talking about?