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smarti22 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 06/13/2012 at 12:01
 
It's interesting to me that this guy started preaching at such a young age, and changed his views as he got older.  I think that's a recurring phenomenon I've seen referenced many times around here.
 
Also, nice shunning, former congregants.  Guy can't even go to the post office without feeling ashamed.
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I hope this happens to Joel Osteen & Creflo Dollar. Actually i would just want them to shut up altogether.
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Interesting article, even if not read all of it. I would say one word regarding this; Immanence.
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I've said before, "If you don't believe now, you never really did."
 
I'd never heard of anything like Recovering from Religion or the Clergy Project before.  Very interesting.
 
I have participated in many religious services, and encountered many religious groups in my life.  I've always been rather leery of charismatic leaders like Jerry DeWitt--those that feel called to preach, and just start doing it, and then before you know it they and everyone around them refers to them as "pastor" or "minister".   I know a "Rabbi" who never went to college, and a handful of reformed-gangsta "street preachers"...  and I never have referred to any of them using the word "pastor" or any other such honorific. 
 
As much as people criticize the elitism of churches who allow only seminary-educated clergy, I think that this requirement helps to prevent the kind of tragedy that DeWitt has suffered.  I am curious about the education levels and denominations of those religious leaders who are part of the Clergy Project.
 
Originally posted by smarti22 smarti22 wrote:

 
Also, nice shunning, former congregants.  Guy can't even go to the post office without feeling ashamed.
 
How many of them don't believe, or don't even know what they claim to believe in?  And before we throw too much of a pity party for Mr. DeWitt, how many of those monsters did he have a hand in creating?
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Originally posted by punkrockjustin punkrockjustin wrote:

And before we throw too much of a pity party for Mr. DeWitt, how many of those monsters did he have a hand in creating?
 
So basicly you're saying he might be an atheist now but he's still trying to repent about the past and probly cash on it and his preaching. Approved.
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Originally posted by smarti22 smarti22 wrote:

 Also, nice shunning, former congregants.  Guy can't even go to the post office without feeling ashamed.
 
What's funny is that I'm sure most of his former congregation thought of him as being very close to God and having a much more personal relationship with God, given his education and devotion to it. But rather than take his loss of faith as a wake-up call, they just ignore him or discount him all of a sudden.
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Originally posted by SayYourPrayers SayYourPrayers wrote:

What's funny is that I'm sure most of his former congregation thought of him as being very close to God and having a much more personal relationship with God, given his education and devotion to it. But rather than take his loss of faith as a wake-up call, they just ignore him or discount him all of a sudden.
 
I was thinking his former congregation might be a lot like the "Christians" who posted comments in response to the CNN article.  Scroll down to the bottom of that page and read a few... nauseating commentary from both factions.
 
@Fatal: yes, it does seem that he was--perhaps unwittingly--preaching a false gospel and is now preaching to secularists about how false that gospel is... he is now preaching to the choir, if you will.  I'm guessing that after spending twenty plus years as a charismatic speaker, he just finds it natural to continue in that career.
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Originally posted by punkrockjustin punkrockjustin wrote:

How many of them don't believe, or don't even know what they claim to believe in?  And before we throw too much of a pity party for Mr. DeWitt, how many of those monsters did he have a hand in creating?
 
Well, that is a good couple points.  My understanding is that Jesus preached a great deal about forgivness, this behavior just doesn't seem to be in line with that teaching.... 
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Originally posted by punkrockjustin punkrockjustin wrote:

@Fatal: yes, it does seem that he was--perhaps unwittingly--preaching a false gospel and is now preaching to secularists about how false that gospel is... he is now preaching to the choir, if you will.  I'm guessing that after spending twenty plus years as a charismatic speaker, he just finds it natural to continue in that career.
 
Yes, the thing is, when you understand what atheism is, you don't need to go to meetings to get confirmed that it's what you think, and when you don't believe in religion, you don't try to preach. A thought process without gods or paranormal is still a thought process. When a thought process is preached, it's a religion, god or not. And yes, I know that saying all this is a contradiction to itself, but I'm not charging an entrance price to a meeting room, am I ? ;)
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Originally posted by -Fatal- Apocalypse -Fatal- Apocalypse wrote:

Yes, the thing is, when you understand what atheism is, you don't need to go to meetings to get confirmed that it's what you think, and when you don't believe in religion, you don't try to preach. A thought process without gods or paranormal is still a thought process. When a thought process is preached, it's a religion, god or not. And yes, I know that saying all this is a contradiction to itself, but I'm not charging an entrance price to a meeting room, am I ? ;)
 
Very interesting.  I don't think you've contradicted yourself at all.  I've mentioned a couple of times on this forum that I consider atheism to be a religion.  You seem to understand where I'm coming from, even if our thoughts are parallel.
 
Edit:  I think it's cool as hell that I'm not the only one here who sees this.
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Originally posted by punkrockjustin punkrockjustin wrote:

Very interesting.  I don't think you've contradicted yourself at all.  I've mentioned a couple of times on this forum that I consider atheism to be a religion.  You seem to understand where I'm coming from, even if our thoughts are parallel.
 
Edit:  I think it's cool as hell that I'm not the only one here who sees this.
 
It's a contradiction because by defining my point I did exactly what it was theorically condemning.
 
And we're not alone thinking such things. There's some guy called Greg Graffin who does too. He mentioned it in some old issue of The Bad Times.
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