hey rook,

Hello Shawn.  Before we get into your letter, I want to say I’m disgusted in your subject line.  Anybody who claims that simply, one is wrong, without even fully understanding their own positions and beliefs, is beyond arrogant – it’s ignorant. But that aside, let’s continue.

i just wanted to write you a note to let you know what i think of you and you're club is doing is just dumb.

You seem to be under the impression I care what you think?  I will make this easy on you – I don’t.  All I care about are the facts.  What you and I “think” is irrelevant.   What is even more irrelevant is your absurd idea that attacking my “club” (It’s a radio show – not a club, thanks) is somehow going to validate your beliefs. It won’t.  If you think you can somehow mend your faith by calling my radio show “dumb” you only seek to prove your inability to make a logical, defensible argument against us.

if you all are true atheists you wouldn't hold this 'blasphemy challenge' deal.

First, there are no such things as “true” atheists.  That is like saying there are “true” theists.  Do you even know what atheism/theism is?  Apparently not or you’d never have made this silly claim.

Second, your apparent lack of understanding of the blasphemy challenge is not news to me.  We get mail every day from Christians who can’t comprehend the true purpose behind the challenge.  Your next statement proves this:

 for one thing if atheists don't believe in hell, then why would they tell people to commit the unpardonable sin to go to hell supposedly?

Once again, thank you for proving the point that you are incapable of understanding metaphor.  The RRS has several posts and Youtube.com videos out explaining the drive behind the Challenge.  Do your brain a favor please and look into them so I don’t have to waste my time explaining it to you.  Here, I’ll even provide you with some links:

RRS on Nightline explaining the Blasphemy Challenge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_n_UBK_Ex8

Some RRS Members Explaining the Blasphemy Challenge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtyXMDbX378

Brian Flemming on Freethought Live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njNOMpnR-CE

Enjoy, these should explain to you more about what the meaning is behind the challenge.

 it's just not RATIONAL (emphasis on that word for obvious reason) for you to hold something like that. all you're showing is that you dislike/hate Christianity, not that you're trying to decompose it or theism pal.

 

Do you have any idea ho incredibly incoherent your thoughts are being expressed when you don’t use punctuation and grammar correctly?  Just curious.  From what I can make out, however, it seems you are suggesting that because we deny the Holy Spook = Hate Christianity?  If this is how poor your logic is you go beyond the inability to comprehend, but you should consider why that argument is so ridiculous.  If I deny the existence of Santa Claus does that mean I hate 5 year olds you believe in him?  Don’t be silly. 

Just because I don’t hold onto mythological ideas and believe in some mighty sky fairy who will whisk me away to paradise after I die to live with all the other spirits who were whisked away into paradise after they died, because as a RATIONAL human adult I realize it for the cow heap it is, doesn’t mean I hate you or other Christians.  In fact, I feel sorry for you and am trying to save you from your delusional state.  I used to be there too, as I am now an apostate.

one more thing: if your objective is to end theism and the entire concept of God, don't you think you better work on Islam as well? or do you just not have the balls to do that?

 

Again, your lack of research proves your ignorance.  All you had to do was look on Youtube where the Challenge is.  This is why you are caught up in a delusion, because you can’t think for yourself and do your own research.  Instead you have to reply on people like me to do the legwork for you:

Shouldn’t The RRS Spend More Time on Islam?  A reply:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5OSJHxzCU0

Also we have had Muslims on the show.  Thanks for assuming, by the way.  Next time, be sure to look something up first before making irrational and uneducated statements.

it's easy to pick on 14 year old Christians who don't have a rational basis of what they believe yet, but it's hard going after muslims that have studied their scriptures intensely and know what they believe at a young age.

 

I have a Qur’an in my personal library.  I also have some commentaries on it.  As well as a list of errors that are contained within.  I’ve debated Muslims and had no problems.  Theists suffer from the same illogical mentality.  As for picking on 14 year old Christians – have you even bothered to listen to the shows?  We’ve had people on who can defend their faith (at least better then you can) such as Ray Comfort and Steve Gregg, several youth pastors and a few Ministers on.  Why don’t you spend more time looking things up for yourself instead of jumping in and making assumptions?  You what assumptions do right? 

i'm just trying to give you an overall spectrum of what you should be doing if you really want to see this through at all. i know you've already failed friend....mankind has had a belief system in a higher power, deity, etc....ever since the beginning. history describes it and validates it pal.

First loose the ‘pal’.  Friends of mine can at least put together a full, grammatically correct sentence.  You can’t even do that.

Second, your concept of history is poor and your idea of validation is even more limited.  You claim a lot but prove nothing.  Nothing in history validates a God, or even a need for a God.  And you think I’ve failed?  Don’t project – the truth is you’ve failed at making any sort of rational, logical argument at all to defend your position.  Oh sure you’ve successfully proven your ignorance, your inability to do any independent research, and that you have no knowledge of definitions and word usage.  But aside from that, you’re merely pushing your insecurities onto me.  I trust you not to do that again.

you have no stance whatsoever. i'm not going to lie, people like you really test my patience,

More projecting.  The fact is YOU have no stance, not me.  It’s not I who cannot make a valid argument for ones positive claim.  YOU are making the claim, and you have utterly failed to make a stance at all. 

but i want you to know that i'm praying for you rook and your followers.

And I’ll continue to think for you, since you won’t be using that brain of yours independently any time soon.

you have no idea what you're doing and what you are doing is just plain stupidity.

 

Oh nos! You said it so it MUST be true.  Please, make an argument or just walk away.  I’m ten times your superior intellectually, and I’m starting to not take you seriously.  When I stop taking you seriously, our conversation ends.

i say it plainly: i am a christian and i am in love with Jesus Christ. i am flawed, carnal, and full of ignorant sin. you're cute little video says i'll kill people to withhold my faith. i don't have to...nobody could ever take my faith from me....it's embedded in my soul. i would never have to fight for it...i might have to suffer for it. i'm willing to take on that fate though because this is the truth and we are living in the end times.

So says every Christian of every generation.  You are so ignorant it’s starting to border on the magnanimous.  Get a clue. Christ was supposed to return within the lifetime of his followers – yet he was either a liar or not God, or both:

MATT. 10:23. ". . . for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have goneover the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come."

MATT. 16:28. "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."

MARK 9:1. "And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."

MARK 13:30. "Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done."

LUKE 9:27. "But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God."

These passages clearly show that Jesus' coming in power and glory to judge the quick and the dead was to take place in the lifetime of persons living then. Yet they have all died and the kingdom has never arrived. The following is an additional list, the ones with more "*" show they have the most impact.  These are taken from my dear friend, Dennis McKinsey, author of The Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy.

** MATT. 4:17. ". . . Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

** MATT. 10:7. ". . . The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

MATT. 23:39. "For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

** MARK 1:15. ". . . The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."

*** MARK 13:29–30. "So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done."

*** LUKE 9:26–27. ". . . when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God."

*** LUKE 21:31–32. "So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled."

* JOHN 14:3. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

* JOHN 14:18. "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

* JOHN 14:28. "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. . . ."

* JOHN 16:22. "And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, . . ."

* ACTS 1:11. ". . . this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

** 1 COR. 7:29. "But this I say, brethren, the time is short. . . ."

** PHIL. 4:5. ". . . The Lord is at hand."

* COL. 3:4. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

** 2 THESS. 2:2. ". . . as that the day of Christ is at hand."

** HEB. 9:28. ". . . and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

** HEB. 10:37. "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry."

** JAMES 5:7–9. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord . . . Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh . . . behold, the judge standeth before the door."

** 1 PET. 4:7. "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer."

* 1 JOHN 3:2. ". . . but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

** REV. 1:1. "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. . . ."

** REV. 3:11. "Behold, I come quickly. . . ."

** REV. 22:7, 12. "Behold, I come quickly. . . ."

** REV. 22:20. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. . . ."

The passages from Paul such as Corinthians and Thessalonians clearly points to the idea that Jesus would be returning swiftly – not in thousands of years and not long after the death of those he was speaking to.  These letters were written to the communities living at the time – Corinthians and Galatians are no more relevant now then they were two hundred years ago – or even five hundred years ago.  The communities of Ephesius and Galatia are long extinct as they used to be.  It's been almost two thousand years and Paul and Jesus' words have proven to be false, unless you want to claim that there are two-thousand year old individuals walking around?  That would be a site.

you're probably laughing right now but i know i'm right man. it doesn't take 8 hour study-days of the scriptures to figure out what i'm saying.

It only takes one hour and a good book on science to realize you’re wrong.

faith needs reason...i just don't walk blindly ignorantly, i know what i'm saying is real because i have studied and read up on it.

I don’t believe you.

i'm here to tell you i would never do that to another person. i've studied the greek too bud and God's gospel message is a message of unconditional love.

 

Now I REALLY don’t believe you.  In fact, I’m calling bullshit.

if you've been burned by the church...is wrong to take it out like this.

Oh sure, that’s it – something bad must have happened to me in order for me to not be a Christian anymore.  You presuppose too much, arrogant nimrod that you are.  Nothing bad happened to me, I wanted to become a priest in fact – I just studying and used my brain, a commodity you should one day invest in.

 if you really have i want to apologize for the church....we have done a lot of things in the past few decades that are really screwed up and not of God. THERE IS STILL REDEMPTION THOUGH FRIEND. you can still be redeemed and follow the truth.

Don’t kid yourself.  I’ve already committed the unforgivable sin, as per Luke 12:10.  Perhaps you would have realized this had you done any independent research.  Fact is I know more about your religion, your religions history, and your myth then you realize or give me credit for.  I know more then you will ever know, and will always be ahead of you mentally.  I’m happy being smarter then you, and hope that more Christians prove their ignorance to me in the way you have to allow me to enjoy the fact that I’m free of your prison and allowed my mind to be set free from your terror-based system.

 

what's your hope rook? what's your life consist of? what do you have to live for? science?

Um…no.  Same as you – a house, kids, family, job, life - I just do it without a God.  I do it without your delusion of an invisible friend.  Your ignorance as to what science is proves you are not as educated as you claim to be.

 

when you pass away (God forbid that's a long time from now) you think you'll still have science?

No, fool, I’ll be dead.  I won’t have anything – life ceases to exist.  You won’t smell, taste, fell, see or hear anything as your brain unction cease as well.  Stop projecting – just because you don’t understand a concept such as science doesn’t mean you can fill in God with it.  Science isn’t my God or my religion, it’s just a means to explain the facts of life.  The Theory of Gravity is SCIENCE.  It explains why you don’t fly away.  For goodness sakes, man, read something!

 

again, i'm praying for you....

And I’ll be thinking for you.

you know enough of the scriptures to realize that i come in the peace of Jesus Christ....not to physically lash out at you and your 'team.' blessings in Christ,
Shawn

And may the giant snarfwidget bless you with his snot. 

Best regards,

Rook