Xopher stands before the golden gates, about to receive the sentence of eternity in Hell. He looks up at God and says...
"I didn't trust the men who told me this book was Your Word, because I found them to be unreliable in other ways: greedy and selfish and hungry for power in many cases, and narrow and foolish in others.
"I did not trust them, because they defended the oppression of women.
"I did not trust them, because they defended the supremacy of the so-called White Race, while claiming that Your Word and Your love was for everyone.
"I did not trust them because they told me that you made me just as I am, and yet that the way I was made was evil because my desire is for men rather than for women. I did not trust them because they told me that I was made by a Loving God who nevertheless wants me to suffer torment and loneliness all my life, and I would not believe that You would do such a thing as to make me for that purpose.
"I did not trust that the text was Your Word when it came to the facts of Creation, because before it existed you gave us a truer Word, which is Nature itself, and the text contradicts what we can observe.
"I did not believe that this text was Your Word as to matters of fact, because it contradicts itself, and that would make You a liar.
"I did not trust that this text was Your Word, because as plainly read in the text You lied to Adam and Eve, while the Serpent told the truth, and You would not declare Yourself to be a liar.
"I did not trust that this text was Your Word, because You made us humans with minds and senses and logic and other great gifts, and not to use them would be shameful; yet those who defend the text as Your Word (as to matters of fact) claim that You created all the physical evidence we've found, from the stratified fossils, yea even to the Cosmic Background Radiation, as devices to fool and deceive us, and I would not believe You were such a Deceiver.
"If I should have trusted these dishonest and wicked men (and some women); if I should have denied my own senses in favor of scripture; if I should have trusted translations that I knew to be false; if You are indeed so cruel as to make me to suffer, and deny me partnership and love my whole life long; if You are such a Deceiver as to demand that we humans forgo the use of our minds and senses which you gave us--then do with me what you will, false and evil god, for I would rather spend eternity in Hell with other good people than one minute in Heaven with you."
Xopher - BoingBoing 5/1/08
"I didn't trust the men who told me this book was Your Word, because I found them to be unreliable in other ways: greedy and selfish and hungry for power in many cases, and narrow and foolish in others.
"I did not trust them, because they defended the oppression of women.
"I did not trust them, because they defended the supremacy of the so-called White Race, while claiming that Your Word and Your love was for everyone.
"I did not trust them because they told me that you made me just as I am, and yet that the way I was made was evil because my desire is for men rather than for women. I did not trust them because they told me that I was made by a Loving God who nevertheless wants me to suffer torment and loneliness all my life, and I would not believe that You would do such a thing as to make me for that purpose.
"I did not trust that the text was Your Word when it came to the facts of Creation, because before it existed you gave us a truer Word, which is Nature itself, and the text contradicts what we can observe.
"I did not believe that this text was Your Word as to matters of fact, because it contradicts itself, and that would make You a liar.
"I did not trust that this text was Your Word, because as plainly read in the text You lied to Adam and Eve, while the Serpent told the truth, and You would not declare Yourself to be a liar.
"I did not trust that this text was Your Word, because You made us humans with minds and senses and logic and other great gifts, and not to use them would be shameful; yet those who defend the text as Your Word (as to matters of fact) claim that You created all the physical evidence we've found, from the stratified fossils, yea even to the Cosmic Background Radiation, as devices to fool and deceive us, and I would not believe You were such a Deceiver.
"If I should have trusted these dishonest and wicked men (and some women); if I should have denied my own senses in favor of scripture; if I should have trusted translations that I knew to be false; if You are indeed so cruel as to make me to suffer, and deny me partnership and love my whole life long; if You are such a Deceiver as to demand that we humans forgo the use of our minds and senses which you gave us--then do with me what you will, false and evil god, for I would rather spend eternity in Hell with other good people than one minute in Heaven with you."
Xopher - BoingBoing 5/1/08
