God Doesn’t Need Ole Anthony
28 September 2005 by SeanAfter Dena — my new favorite Christian — posted on the “Love thy neighbor” thread about how she gets so frustrated by some Christians’ ugly behavior in the name of their religion, I thought I’d post this awesome New Yorker piece about Ole Anthony, a Christian activist who has made it his life’s mission to take down corrupt televangelists.
His life story alone is fascinating. He was once exposed to a nuclear blast and doctors aren’t quite sure why he isn’t dead yet. Great stuff. Well worth printing and taking with you if it’s too long to read online:
29 September 2005, on 12:33 pm
What a great story! You know, I can’t help thinking that
if Anthony were a secular humanist or an atheist that we
would ever see such a story. Given the amount of good
works that free thinkers do, there must be a dozen atheist
Anthonys out there.
29 September 2005, on 11:54 pm
Brewer says that he and other born-again Christians don’t mind the opulent lives televangelists lead, and that Anthony is motivated by pure envy. “He had aspirations of high and mighty, rich and famous things, and I think through failure and bitterness he has become a professional critic. The Word says that we will know them by their fruit, and his fruit is shrivelled up and sour.”
My response: I feel that Brewer feels threatened by Anthony’s faith. Anthony bestows what Brewer lacks.
I’m glad that Anthony is out there doing this deed.
Have you ever watched any of these T.V. evangalist’s on late night televison?
It’s sick! All they ask for is money; and they only use bits and pieces of Scripture to mislead the viewers into giving of their money. They manipulate the words in the Scripture for their gain. I have thought about calling their 800 number at times to share my thoughts with them about what they are doing. How I feel that they are using the Bible out of context in order to earn a few extra bucks.
Also in this article I read: “But here’s the test: Can you be at peace when things aren’t going your way? When the healings aren’t working and the riches aren’t pouring in? The danger with guys like this is that they mislead people into believing that suffering is strange. That if you’re suffering you’re not following the will of God. But that’s not the way life works for anybody.”
My response: I couldn’t agree with this statement more. I apologize that I cannot elaborate more on this statement; but it just made total sense to me.
And lastly this: “Peace is really what we’re searching for,” he said, swivelling his fierce gaze around the room. “But a life without suffering is meaningless. We are like hunks of quartz, and our real identity is a vein of gold inside it. Whenever we prefer someone’s interest over our own, whenever we lay down our lives for someone, we knock off some of the quartz and reveal the gold.”
My response: This is what I feel it’s all about. Prefering someone else’s interest over your own.
Not critiquing them for the decisions they have made in their lives. As soon as we place judgement on another person, we are putting up a wall. A wall that may never come down. Wall’s divide.
And this goes back to what I said on another post: Jesus wasn’t about religion. He was about peace and love. He didn’t walk around the streets of villages travelled asking people who was saved. He mingled with them like any other normal person would. Anyhow, I don’t want to get too preachy or weird anyone out more than I already have; since I AM on an atheist site. But I guess what I am trying to get at is that I feel that MAN has created religion. Man has created religion to divide and oppress, to gain wealth and power. And man has, for many many years, used religion for their own benefit. AND most definitely used
::Sigh:: It’s just not about religion.
30 September 2005, on 12:07 am
To add on to what I was saying in my last sentence; Man has for many years, used religion for their own benefit. And most definitely used religion to excuse any heinous behavior.
For example, everyone’s good buddy Dubya.
30 September 2005, on 12:27 am
Dear Dena:
So you obviously have a big heart. Let me ask you, what does organized religion hold for you? In all honesty, it seems nothing much, at least to your core beliefs.
Why not embrace secular humanism, throw your passion into art and human expression, respect some of Jesus’ ideas (in case he was a real person; and, by the way, not without primitive human cruelty, as stated directly in scripture), maybe be an agnostic (because some believe that we cannot, from our ant-like perspective, know anything), love others and get on with life?
Why need an antiquated belief system to interpret our marvelous universe? Carl Sagan always said that he didn’t really understand religion because its ideas were so small, yet supposed to be inspirational… Yet the universe he observed every day was always more majestic than anything humans could dream up.
No offense. Really. I am just curious.
30 September 2005, on 12:38 am
I guess I just don’t know which way to go. How come believing just isn’t enough for people?
I mean, with all the titles and labels we put on everything and everyone these days; I just consider myself a believer.
People can place me into any category they see fit. It’s not worth me arguing over; ya know?
Thanks for your questions Sean. And thanks for not coming off brash. I appreciate it.
30 September 2005, on 1:02 am
I guess to continue this conversation: I just don’t feel that I have an antiquated
belief system.
I believe there is a God. I have tried to disprove this; and for me it is impossible.
I have had far too many coincidences in my life to prove me otherwise.
Sure I see the views of the scientists; but that just doesn’t sit well with me. Something deeper lies within me. I choose to seek it. Art is great; as is human expression. But even with those things in my life I hunger for something much much deeper.
To most of you, you are convinced I worship a magic man, some fictional character. And that’s okay for you to feel that way. Because I can see where you would think this is absurd.
But to me it makes perfect sense. My desire to know this magic man promotes hope and positivity in my life. Attributes that I want to reflect upon others. My desire to know this magic man motivates me to accept others despite their behaviors.
Should I die tonight in my sleep or in some horrific manner only to find out that this magic man is indeed a magic man; I’m okay with that. I’m okay with that because this magic man has created a person who desires something more than which I can see with my own eyes or hold in the palms of my hands.
30 September 2005, on 9:27 am
I promise not to be condescending to you; you’re not a close-minded wacko like Frank (whom I will now refer to as “Snuffles”) and Timmo (now “Sniffles” [props to 2 percent co.]). It would appear you are on the fringe. Let me help.
I believe there is a God. I have tried to disprove this; and for me it is impossible.
Well, one can’t “disprove” God. And with all due respect, one can’t prove there aren’t Invisible Gnomes running around. But in logic, one would apply Occam’s Razor. It goes like this:
Theist: God made the universe.
Atheist: What made God?
Theist: God has always been.
Atheist (applying Occam’s Razor): I see no reason to invoke the supernatural. Why not remove one step and say the universe has always been? At least I can prove it’s here…
OR basically means this: Don’t put magic on top. “My car runs because of the motor. The motor is run by invisible fairies.”
Dena, it may be helpful for you to know I was a Deist for many years. Logic and learning guided me to disbelief in the supernatural.
The next argument is typically cosmological, in the vein of “how can something come from nothing”. This was my CORE belief in a blind watchmaker (God). I don’t feel this way anymore. Just think: space and time are inseparable. So the beginning of the universe was also the start of space and time. See what I mean? There was never “nothing”. There was always “something”. Could there be some type of quantum effect making the universe continue in a different existence infinitely into the past? Or could time prior to the big bang be something we can’t fathom? All more fascinating to ponder than saying “Goddidit”. Even if there is a God, don’t you want to know HOW he didit?
I have had far too many coincidences in my life to prove me otherwise.
Have you eliminated all natural causes prior to invoking magic/supernatural?
Sure I see the views of the scientists; but that just doesn’t sit well with me.
Dena - science is not subjective, nor is it an opinion or view. Science is based on a method all real scientists follow: observation, hypothesis, experimentation, conclusion, peer review, acceptance. There is no other way to do science. “Theories” and beliefs that don’t follow this method are called pseudo-science, and include Creationism/Intelligent Design, Astrology, and the like.
But to me it makes perfect sense. My desire to know this magic man promotes hope and positivity in my life. Attributes that I want to reflect upon others. My desire to know this magic man motivates me to accept others despite their behaviors.
Can I ask you this - why do you need a God to feel this way? I have hope and positivity in my life because of things I control. I once had a Christian tell me that if God didn’t exist we should be killing one another because there’d be no morality!!! My response is typically this:
If the only thing keeping you from random cold blooded murder is a belief in a God/Gods, do me a favor; NEVER DROP THAT BELIEF!
You can email me at rockstarryanATrockDOTcom or leave a comment here if you have any more questions.
30 September 2005, on 9:56 am
I have had far too many coincidences in my life to prove me otherwise.
I hear this a lot from people. But what if it was all you? What if it was all you and the people who cared about you — with maybe a little timing thrown in? Would that really make it that much less than what it is? Seems like you’re not giving yourself enough credit.
30 September 2005, on 2:55 pm
Coincident seems to occur because the human brain is incapable of rationally grasping total chaos and randomness- infinity escapes us; god is simply a way of describing the infinite in terms that are comfortable to the ancient human intellect. You would have as much luck trying to see a tesseract. Thankfully, we are (well, most of us) more mentally advanced than ancient man and have created logical substitutes for god to describe what was once inexplicable- science and math (what we haven’t discovered would easily be resolved by additional advances). Seriously, if you had the choice between prayer and oncology, what would you choose?
30 September 2005, on 6:54 pm
That’s a really great question Marcus. Which would I choose: Oncology or Prayer.
I have marinated in that question for over 24 hours now. And I still am unable to come up with an answer. Ah, hell..I say both. I choose both.
But really I don’t know. I don’t know because I haven’t yet been put in a situation where I would have to make that sort of decision.
Your question reminds me of my decision making process regarding my abortions. Yes. Abortions. Three to be exact. Before becoming pregnant for my first time I swore that I would never opt for that procedure. That was because I wasn’t faced with that situation before.
It’s easy to say you would choose something when you haven’t been affected yet.
To Bob: As far as the coincidences go, I don’t believe that it was about me and a little seasoned timing. I believe that somebody was trying to send me a message or encouragement if you will. To keep on seeking. And that’s the thing about my belief in God; it’s not about giving myself credit. It’s not about me. It’s not supposed to be.
To Rockstar: Thank you for being receptive and cordial with your thoughts and questions. But to answer your question regarding why I feel I have to believe in God to feel motivated and to be selfless is because of His Son Jesus. I don’t feel like I HAVE to believe in God. I choose to. Jesus was the epitome of a simple man with a simple plan. He was a rebel. Who loved. I look at His lifestyle that He led, and I want to be like that. And to be honest with you Rockstar, I have looked elsewhere for peace. It just happens that I have found it by seeking things in which we cannot see. The mystery of it all is completely fascinating to me.
I have to be honest with all of you guy’s though. I am not fully educated on the Bible or go to a church on a regular basis. This is a choice that I have made on my own. And it’s so hard to explain. Especially if you don’t believe. Do you know what I mean? It would be like me trying to explain to a deaf person who has never heard sound before, what a trumpet sounds like. Or trying to explain to one who has never had the ability to see, the color’s of the rainbow.
I appreciate your questions. And I sincerely appreciate your sincere behavior. However, I am really not a good person to debate with simply because I prefer not to argue. Well, arguing is fine; it’s when the name-calling and all that crap starts. I realize that we don’t see eye to eye on Jesus. But I have a feeling that we are all in search for the same thing. Getting along with everyone harmoniously to the best of our being. One more thing: if you haven’t already figured it out, I am comparable to an ignorant child that doesn’t know any better. Oh yeah, and I’m somewhat of a talker.
Keep the questions flowing. I will always to my best to give my perspective; no matter how little it is.
4 October 2005, on 5:14 pm
Hm… I don’t know how I shoud apply criticism…
I go out of my house and would not like to see a street preacher or a jehova witness preaching their belief down my throat, condemning me if i choose to ignore it. Ironic speaking of a “christian” who says judge not.
Second case, i get to an atheist site/blog, and read one person honestly write about from his perspective of life, and others try hard to “convert?” this person to atheism. Ironic speaking of a freethinker who holds freedom above all.
Where is the difference? The theist will tell you you will perish if you ignore salvation, the atheist will tell you you’re dumb or ignorant (with the social connotation it gets) for believing. What has man to choose from? Get confronted from either of both sides?
I say, hey, whatever floats your boat - you don’t need to be a christian, muslim, insert religion, or atheist, to be “in”, I think that whatever it is that works for you…
5 October 2005, on 8:29 am
…and others try hard to “convert?” this person to atheism. Ironic speaking of a freethinker who holds freedom above all…
I can only speak for myself, but can you prove wrong (with evidence) anything I wrote? And I believe I was telling Dena why I do not believe in a god/gods, and asking why she does. I recall no one calling anyone “dumb or ignorant” in these comments.
And no one made you listen/read these comments or this blog. A Jehova knocking on your door is coming to you. Walking by some moron holding a huge cross on a public street who’s telling you you’re going to hell is invading your space. YOU clicked the link to GifS. These are the only “dumb and ignorant” statements I’ve seen here.
So go stand up for freedom somewhere it’s needed…
12 March 2006, on 2:06 pm
[...] Addendum: the asshole in these vids is late-80s, early 90s televangelist swindler Robert Tilton. Turns out, now that I looked deeper, that this bastard was one of the prime take-downs of Ole Anthony, the televangelist hunter (himself an Xian, but a different breed altogether) that I blogged about a while back. [...]
30 May 2006, on 12:14 am
I guess this comment falls under the “evil done in the name of religion” category, though I am still a Christian myself. It turns out that the believer you are so enamored with, Ole Anthony, is little better than the televangelists whom he criticizes. The group he leads in Dallas is actually a religious cult. I know, because I used to be a member. In fact, my wife has just written a book about our painful separation from that group and our disillusionment at finding out that much of what we believed in was not true. You can get the gist of our story off our website at http://www.dallascult.com. I am sorry that I have to be the one to point out that the one person (other than Dena) whom you admired who is a Christian turns out to be not so good after all. There are good Christians in the world, Ole Anthony just doesn’t happen to be one of them.
30 May 2006, on 8:10 am
[...] 2) We heard from a fella named Doug Duncan, who wrote to us in regards to one of the few postings I have ever made that complimented a Christian, God Doesn’t Need Ole Anthony — mentioning an awesome New Yorker piece from late ‘04… The story of Ole Anthony, a guy who runs a tiny East Dallas Xian sect hell-bent on the destruction of televangelists. Doug says that Anthony’s group is a cult (surprise, suprise): Doug Duncan: May 30th, 2006 at 12:14 am e [...]