Cal State University Sponsored Smear Campaign on Christ

[ifnot4him]

Well, it’s open season on Christianity and the Bible at California State University-East Bay where I work and go to grad school. The Philosophy Department sent out announcements to view a documentary film that attacks Christianity and to join in a discussion afterwards. I couldn’t resist the challenge.

This unprofessional amateurish film is called The God Who Wasn’t There, a particularly stupid effort on behalf of its creator Brian Flemming, a disgruntled Christian school graduate who doesn’t like the threat of hell standing in the way of living a life of debauchery.


http://www.apostasyalert.org:80/REFLECTIONS/calstatesmear.htm

[ifnot4him]

From the article:
The next 45 minutes was one prejudicial remark after another, followed by my attempts at correcting the false statements. The hate speech included:

No Bible translations can be trusted because they all say different things;
Jesus just taught that we are all gods;
Christians want to kill all homosexuals;
Christianity causes wars.


:twitch :faint :mad

[kenneth]

Not surprised.

California State University, East Bay, kicks off its first weeklong Queerfest today [Feb. 14, 2006]

http://www.queerday.com/activism/

[roadrunner570]

Brian Flemming is a wannabe Michael Moore, as if that is something great to aspire too. But at any rate, he's basically a joke. Here is a review I did of The God Who Wasn't There

Okay, I'm a Christian, I used to be an athiest. I was raised in a strict Christian home, so I don't think I'm too far off of where Mr. Flemming is coming from.

I rented this and tried to watch it with an open mind to see what he said. I have to say, as far as documentaries go, and I've always loved documentaries, this was very disappointing.

First, he doesn't use any biblical or historical scholars. Lots of professors of folklore and literature to argue against Jesus and how the early church formed, but for his counter-point, he uses people on the street. So right off the bat, he's not using a level playing field.

Also, he mis-quotes Hebrews 8:4. Well, he does a few things wrong with it. For one, almost every Christian Bible scholar I know agrees that Paul did not write Hebrews, yet he attributes it to Paul.

Then, he misquotes the verse. He says "If Jesus HAD been on earth." or something like that. Hebrews 8:4 says:

Heb 8:4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.

Now, if you look at that verse in the context with the rest of th surrounding verses:

Heb 8:3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.
Heb 8:4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.
Heb 8:5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
Heb 8:6 But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

So, the author here is appears to be speaking in present tense, as if to say "If Jesus were on earth NOW" not, if he had ever been on earth.

The film wastes a lot of time with cheesy old film clips. Then he talks about the "Bad" christians, and gives Charles Manson, Pat Robertson, the Branch Davidians and the woman who cut off her baby's arms as examples.

Interesting how I've never heard anyone consider Manson a Christian, or the Davidians. Both were bizarre cults...the woman who cut off her baby's arms suffered from schizophrenia, so I can't hardly say what she did was some religious zeal, since the woman is clearly ill and not in her right mind when she committed the crime. She is now in an institution where she will get help and not hurt anyone else. Pat Robertson, well, he's Pat Robertson, I don't vouch for him or some of the stuff he says either. Mr. Flemming here is attempting guilt by association.

Then at the end, the interview with his old Christian school superintendent is interesting. I won't say what happened, but will say it is a mark on his credibility. I thought the superintendent was a very polite and reasonable man.

Anyway, this looked like something thrown together by an angry teenager trying to make his parents mad. The production value is weak, the research even weaker, and presentation not so hot.

I'm a Christian, I believe Jesus lived and died for our sins, and rose again. Movies like this don't scare me. I welcome them as a matter of fact. I was actually disappointed that this movie didn't actually make me think any harder. This seems more like a film for former Christians to make thelmselves feel right. I know, because I used to be one.

[Saint Louis]

...who doesn’t like the threat of hell standing in the way of living a life of debauchery.
:sad Often true I think.
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (John 3:19-20).


And the worst thing about it is that the students and academics who sat in the classroom viewing this reacted with oohs and aahs as if the film hit on something profound.
Blind leading the blind.

[janh7]

The university where I work is also on that bandwagon. Butler University, Indianapolis.
By the way, I had a very close childhood friend, a gay man, that announced to me in 1977, that he was heading to seminary for grad school. When I asked him why, he said that "they" were going to have to change things from "within". This conversation has always stayed with me and I find the implications chilling to say the least.

[kenneth]

The Rev. Donald Cozzens, author of the 2000 book "The Changing Face of the Priesthood," estimates 50 percent of all Catholic priests are homosexual.
Psychotherapist Richard Sipe, a former Catholic priest who has written and spoken widely on the priesthood, says 15 percent of homosexual priests are sexually active.
If all homosexual clergy were to leave the U.S. Catholic Church now, the church would lose one-third of its bishops as well, added Mr. Sipe, whose new book on priestly sexual abuse dating back to the fourth century, comes out Nov. 15.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20041115-124042-2061r.htm