Posts Tagged ‘hypocrisy’

Your Beliefs Are Crazier than My Beliefs

jonah and the whale

photo by Br Lawrence Lew, O.P.

I just enjoyed a talkative lunch with two hilarious, intelligent women. My tummy is jolly and full. Thanks, Qdoba!

Both ladies  are passionate Christians, and eventually our discussion turned to amusing aspects of Mormonism. I admit it took a sort of sarcastic, mocking tone (my fault, perhaps, since I scoff rather openly), but I tried to use the opportunity to bring up aspects of Christianity that are also unbelievable and rather hilarious. For example:

Jonah and the whale. Supposedly, this prophet was swallowed by a whale and lived in its stomach for three days before being spat out. I said to one of my friends, “You have to admit, to an outsider, this seems pretty ridiculous.”

Protesting, she replied, “But at least there’s some scientific evidence that shows that there are big fish out there that can eat animals whole without them dying. Mormons believe weird things like they become gods and that you get your own planet or something.”

I could barely contain my laughter when I said, “I’d love to see those studies! I haven’t read them before.” Honestly, I would love to see the evidence that shows the literal interpretation is true. Who wouldn’t love to chillax in a gigantic pool of stomach acid without oxygen for that long and live to tell the tale?

Funny how one religion’s myth is ridiculous and laughable, while one’s own myth is “logical and scientific.”

Chuckling over her burrito, she concluded, “Sometimes you just have to shake yuor head and wonder, ‘How can anyone believe this junk?’”

My thoughts exactly.

Ted Haggard “Over-Repented?”

ted haggard

Iz just kidding bout teh butt secks! lulz!

So Ted Haggard—former president of the National Association of Evangelicals and pastor of a right-wing megachurch in Colorado Springs, Colorado—had a long-standing affair with a gay prostitute and smoked crystal meth. This was back in 2006. He resigned from his leadership positions and publicly apologized for his “sinful behavior.”

Now, Haggard is working on building up a new church which is, yet again, in Colorado Springs, CO. “In a July 2010 interview he gave to CNN, Haggard claims that his feelings of sexual attraction to other men have miraculously disappeared. Haggard now portrays his encounter with the prostitute as a massage that went awry (wikipedia).” That was one long-term massage, Mr. Haggard!

After changing his story, now Haggard claims he “over-apologized”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK1JigaEwCQ

It seems to me that Haggard may be back-peddling to make his sin sound less awful than he previously admitted it really was.  Perhaps he’s trying to justify his right to preach morality and righteousness. Perhaps he’s downgrading from “horrible sin” to “street cred”. Check out this article on his return to the pulpit where he explains how his public sin has become a great thing for his church.

Oh, what a guy.

August 1, 2010  |  christianity, religion  |  2 Comments