I hate the one where they intimate that breaking away from your family is a terrible thing just because you have different opinions.
Differing opinions: I think beef is best cooked medium rare. My friend/relative might think it's best cooked almost to show leather.
Their opinion is WRONG, but I can live with it. :-)
Differing values: Let's just boil it down to the golden rule - Be kind to others. Treat everyone with compassion. Family/friend members: OK, but what about gay people? They're an abomination in the bible.
Christianity Today is like the evangelical version of the national enquirer. With articles like "Hillsong Founder Awaits Verdict in Cover-Up Case", or "Ravi Zacharias Hid Hundreds of Pictures of Women, Abuse During Massages, and a Rape Allegation"? If I was someone exploring whether or not I wanted to join a church, stories like this would definitely cause me to run the other way as fast as I can!
When I saw those ads, I thought they were intended to remind Christians that Jesus was not bigoted and hateful. He was, for example, a refugee from another land (i.e., an immigrant), and he loved everyone irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, class, political affiliation, etc. Your article was eye-opening, and I very much appreciate it. My hope, however, is that these ads have the opposite effect and push the “middle” to recognize that the kind of “Christianity” being taught/preached in this country is that of the oppressors, causing the “middle” to run, screaming, away from it.
Protestantism: The American Dental Association/Hair Product Manufacture/Human Sieves offering the illusion of possible lifetime employment. True sociopaths are few and far between that's why they have to get their slimy mitts on everyone - one way or another.
"Why would you ever want to join a club that includes those people as members?"
I'd be careful with that argument, given how often theists have used similar arguments along the lines of, "Such-and-such famous bad person was an atheist, so why should you be?" Of course, the obvious response is that such a person wasn't bad because of their atheism, but because of their other beliefs or ideology.
Thing is, plenty of Christians have a somewhat similar counter-argument as well, namely that a lot of people giving Christianity a bad name were not acting the way Jesus said that they should act.
It's even worse than you think. I'm in the midst of writing an expose about the ad campaign, and have learned things like this: One of the major donors to The Signatry, the organization funding the campaign, is Hobby Lobby co-founder David Green. He said so himself in an interview with Glenn Beck, and Haven's president later confirmed it. The "partners" who do things like staff the live chat on the "He Gets Us" website aren't any better. One advised a person posing as a college student confused about their gender identity to tell their pastor and parents and seek counseling from a Christian, "biblical" counselor. Also, it's no longer a $100 million campaign; it's now a billion dollar three year campaign and even that is only the first phase according to Haven's president.
The one humorous thing is that conservatives who share the values of the people behind the ads are outraged by the ads and denouncing them as leftist liberal woke propaganda.
There was a public service announcement on TV about a class-action suit against the Catholic church.
The next ad was "Jesus Gets Us."
My irony meter exploded.
"$100,000,000"
I wonder how many fish, bread and glasses of wine one can buy for those who are hungry.
"Have you been bullied?"
Yes, by Christians.
I hate the one where they intimate that breaking away from your family is a terrible thing just because you have different opinions.
Differing opinions: I think beef is best cooked medium rare. My friend/relative might think it's best cooked almost to show leather.
Their opinion is WRONG, but I can live with it. :-)
Differing values: Let's just boil it down to the golden rule - Be kind to others. Treat everyone with compassion. Family/friend members: OK, but what about gay people? They're an abomination in the bible.
Me: I'm out.
Just checking to see if I'm still registered. Hey, my avatar is still there after a year, OS can't keep one for a day.
Christianity Today is like the evangelical version of the national enquirer. With articles like "Hillsong Founder Awaits Verdict in Cover-Up Case", or "Ravi Zacharias Hid Hundreds of Pictures of Women, Abuse During Massages, and a Rape Allegation"? If I was someone exploring whether or not I wanted to join a church, stories like this would definitely cause me to run the other way as fast as I can!
The pic of the two angry, middle-aged MAGAs yelling for Jesus is priceless. You can't make this shit up.
When I saw those ads, I thought they were intended to remind Christians that Jesus was not bigoted and hateful. He was, for example, a refugee from another land (i.e., an immigrant), and he loved everyone irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, class, political affiliation, etc. Your article was eye-opening, and I very much appreciate it. My hope, however, is that these ads have the opposite effect and push the “middle” to recognize that the kind of “Christianity” being taught/preached in this country is that of the oppressors, causing the “middle” to run, screaming, away from it.
Follow the money, who is the 100million going to and for what services. Sounds like money laundering. Also check their salaries.
Protestantism: The American Dental Association/Hair Product Manufacture/Human Sieves offering the illusion of possible lifetime employment. True sociopaths are few and far between that's why they have to get their slimy mitts on everyone - one way or another.
Hemant, glad to see you back on Substack, doing what you do best. Goodbye, OnlySky.
Am I glad I'm NOT watching the Super Bowl!
"Why would you ever want to join a club that includes those people as members?"
I'd be careful with that argument, given how often theists have used similar arguments along the lines of, "Such-and-such famous bad person was an atheist, so why should you be?" Of course, the obvious response is that such a person wasn't bad because of their atheism, but because of their other beliefs or ideology.
Thing is, plenty of Christians have a somewhat similar counter-argument as well, namely that a lot of people giving Christianity a bad name were not acting the way Jesus said that they should act.
It's even worse than you think. I'm in the midst of writing an expose about the ad campaign, and have learned things like this: One of the major donors to The Signatry, the organization funding the campaign, is Hobby Lobby co-founder David Green. He said so himself in an interview with Glenn Beck, and Haven's president later confirmed it. The "partners" who do things like staff the live chat on the "He Gets Us" website aren't any better. One advised a person posing as a college student confused about their gender identity to tell their pastor and parents and seek counseling from a Christian, "biblical" counselor. Also, it's no longer a $100 million campaign; it's now a billion dollar three year campaign and even that is only the first phase according to Haven's president.
The one humorous thing is that conservatives who share the values of the people behind the ads are outraged by the ads and denouncing them as leftist liberal woke propaganda.