Was Jesus a troll?

[braces_for_impact]

I've had similar observations, Brian63. I've even brought it to the attention of various believers at times that are acting particularly nasty. Time and again we are told by believers that belief in Jesus changes lives. It makes you a better person. Yet, over time, we see Christians as a group (whether that be Christians in general or a particular denomination) are no more capable of behaving in a loving or kind way or seem happier or wiser than the rest of the population.

"By their fruits ye shall know them", indeed...

 

[Lion IRC]

Brian63 seems to prefer wimpy, obsequious Christians whose definition of 'apologetics' consists of saying "I'm sorry I'm a Christian".

 

[Brian63]

Brian63 seems to prefer wimpy, obsequious Christians

No, just consistent and thoughtful ones.

whose definition of 'apologetics' consists of saying "I'm sorry I'm a Christian".

No, just ones who proclaim how nice and compassionate and kind and caring Christianity is, and then behave in ways that are the complete antithesis of that, and then try to excuse and justify those hurtful and mean-tempered and vindictive and bitter acts as being the appropriate acts. If you are going to proclaim how nice Jesus was and how we should all try to be very Jesus-y, and then actually be a jackass yourself, and then defend yourself being a jackass as being ethically appropriate, at least recognize that that is the exact opposite of what Jesus would be doing.



Some years ago I was posting on a particularly right-wing fundie Christian message board, and the posters there of course attached all sorts of sinister, depraved, evil, repulsive, hurtful, immoral, egocentric, traumatic childhood, arrogant, immature, etc. motives to me and other atheists for being atheists, when actually it was just that we did not agree with their bullshit. So I let one of them know:

Again, you are right on the money with all of that speculating on my motives. Well done. Every single word of it is 100% accurate. You are really on a roll when it comes to telling other people what they are feeling and thinking.

It is a good thing too, for the reason I mentioned before. Every time you speculate on the motives of other people, you are taking a huge gamble. If the targets of your motive-speculation, or any others watching, start to think that some of what you say is just a little bit off, they may start to question you more when you claim to also know what the motivations and feelings are of the transcendental, omnipotent, omniscient, mysterious creator of the entire cosmos. Other people would consider that and then show some more restraint when they grandiosely speculate on the motives of others, but you do not. You just run right through it, and it pays off because you are always right and it will never, ever backfire on you.

That seems to apply here too.

Brian

 

[sharon45]

Jesus said if people won't welcome/listen to you, then shake the dust off your feet and leave. (Matthew 10:14)

That doesn't sound troll-like to me.

Troll or not, it is still hateful talk.

 

[sharon45]

There's a Chistian apologist named Lenny Esposito...no wait...Greg Koukl who says the best you can hope for is to put a 'stone in the shoe' of a non-believer. (Maybe there's an atheist counter-apologetic equivalent. I don't know.)

And I want to point out the rock in a believer's sandal.

I just don't want an atheist echo chamber to think that no Christian is willing and able to have their Christianity "crash tested". (1st Peter 3:15)

Okay, where are these so-called willing Christians?

 

[sharon45]

Yet, over time, we see Christians as a group (whether that be Christians in general or a particular denomination) are no more capable of behaving in a loving or kind way or seem happier or wiser than the rest of the population.

They can only learn from their hardhearted master.