"The devil pulls the trigger."

Davka · March 12, 2013, 04:04:27 PM

I live in the Babble Belt, where there are more churches than people, and the churches are all competing for members. One way they do this is by having those changeable signs out front, and vying to have the most clever saying on their sign.

Today I drove past a church with the following sign: "The Devil may be pulling the trigger, but God is calling the shots."

This is a huge WTF for me. I've spent years telling Christians that the Book of Job makes it crystal-clear that Satan is God's hit-man, something they always deny. Now this church is openly admitting that every time the Devil takes a pot-shot at someone, it's because God told him to???

The level of intellectual disconnection is staggering. "God is all-powerful! He would never hurt you! And even when the Devil hurts you, it's only because God let him!"

What.
The.
Fuck, Christians?

aitm · March 12, 2013, 04:17:12 PM

Quote from: "Davka"The level of intellectual disconnection is staggering.

Yes, yes it is,

Poison Tree · March 12, 2013, 04:19:11 PM

I doubt your take on the sign was the intended one, but it certainly does sound like they are suggesting that Satan is just following orders--from god

GurrenLagann · March 12, 2013, 05:07:59 PM

There's a stupider one in my home town right now:

QuoteGod sent the first text message: the Bible!

Huh, I guess that's why it's so shitty and nonsensical, to say nothing of the incorrect historical statement.

Last week, they had an even more idiotic one:

QuoteGod doesn't question YOUR existence.

What is this, I don't even......

Aroura33 · March 12, 2013, 05:25:18 PM

Oh my goodness, that is a funny one! It really does sound like the Devil is God's hit man.

I wonder what the hell they were actually trying to say??

Brian37 · March 12, 2013, 05:50:25 PM

Well look, it is hypocrisy and full of contradiction even before you get to word one of that book of myth, to claim "all powerful" and then claim that that being couldn't have set it up differently. So if it was set up that he allowed a tempter, then only this claimed being can be held responsible for something he did not have to set up in the first place.

But even the garden story is a set up. He didn't have to put the tree there, and he didn't have to have a snake tempt eve. And on top of that neither Adam or Eve had knowledge or were capable of any type of mutual consent to that set up. So it was a rigged game from the start.

In both the garden story and the story of Job, they are mere pawns, lab rats, toys.

Think of it this way, what if someone made a bet with your neighbor that they could burn down your house, that neighbor took the bet and burned down your house? It is insidious not to charge the person making the dare as part of the complicity and crime.

The entire bible is a emotional ponzy scheme. It promises you a utopia, robs you at the same time and still gets you to give more even though it bankrupts you.

Thumpalumpacus · March 12, 2013, 05:59:56 PM

Quote from: "Davka"I live in the Babble Belt, where there are more churches than people, and the churches are all competing for members. One way they do this is by having those changeable signs out front, and vying to have the most clever saying on their sign.

Today I drove past a church with the following sign: "The Devil may be pulling the trigger, but God is calling the shots."

This is a huge WTF for me. I've spent years telling Christians that the Book of Job makes it crystal-clear that Satan is God's hit-man, something they always deny. Now this church is openly admitting that every time the Devil takes a pot-shot at someone, it's because God told him to???

The level of intellectual disconnection is staggering. "God is all-powerful! He would never hurt you! And even when the Devil hurts you, it's only because God let him!"

What.
The.
Fuck, Christians?

You'd better ask MR whether it's okay for you to make a point using the Problem of Evil.

Davka · March 12, 2013, 06:29:06 PM

^^I'm new here, I don't have to ask permission from crusty old farts. :-D

aitm · March 12, 2013, 06:30:47 PM

Quote from: "Davka"^^I'm new here, I don't have to ask permission from crusty old farts. :-D

APA, don't let this little whipper snapper talk about you like that!

widdershins · March 13, 2013, 03:53:08 PM

I think you're reading too much into this sign. It's nothing more than psycho-babble, very popular today amongst those who wish to sound smart and superior. It sounds smart and prophetic, but when you peel it away to it's actual meaning you'll find it has none. It's like "There is no I in TEAM". Completely meaningless. A team is made up of individuals who are not a part of a collective. They are individuals attempting to work with the others. But the team doesn't make the winning shot, an individual does. The team doesn't kick the ball record distances. An individual does. They are not the Borg, they are individuals trying to work together. Of course the "meaning" is that you have to work together to be part of the team, which is pretty fucking obvious. The saying itself, however, is meaningless gibberish made up by people trying to sound smart, used by people tricked into thinking it was smart. Ultimately all these one-liners which attempt to sound "deep and thoughtful" are nothing more than devices used by people attempting to make others think that because they delivered a nearly undecipherable message in a mysterious way it has some mystical meaning more than the base message they are cloaking within it, a message which, for many of these dumb ass sayings, I would bet a great many people could not describe, even though they think it wise and insightful.

Sleeper · March 17, 2013, 06:17:07 PM

Quote from: "ChurchSign"iPod? iPad? iPray!

Quote from: "ChurchSign"Prayer doesn't requite internet service

Quote from: "ChurchSign"God reads knee-mail

I actually thought this one referencing the rapture was funny...

Quote from: "ChurchSign"Get right or get left!

And of course, there's the classic...

Quote from: "ChurchSign"What's missing in ch--ch? U R!

They really don't want us to take them seriously.

AllPurposeAtheist · March 17, 2013, 09:32:37 PM

QuoteWhat's missing in Ch__ch? ee? Chong is too, but they broke up.

<-- my lame version

Thumpalumpacus · March 17, 2013, 10:06:09 PM

Quote from: "Davka"^^I'm new here, I don't have to ask permission from crusty old farts. :-D

Hahah, you're gonna give him a conniption, and it'll be only your fault ...

Sleeper · March 19, 2013, 07:54:43 PM

Quote from: "AllPurposeAtheist"
QuoteWhat's missing in Ch__ch? ee? Chong is too, but they broke up.
<-- my lame version

"Hey... hey... How'm I drivin'?"

*looks around*

"I... I think we're parked, man."

Seabear · March 19, 2013, 08:28:01 PM

Quote from: "Davka"I live in the Babble Belt, where there are more churches than people, and the churches are all competing for members. One way they do this is by having those changeable signs out front, and vying to have the most clever saying on their sign.

Today I drove past a church with the following sign: "The Devil may be pulling the trigger, but God is calling the shots."

This is a huge WTF for me. I've spent years telling Christians that the Book of Job makes it crystal-clear that Satan is God's hit-man, something they always deny. Now this church is openly admitting that every time the Devil takes a pot-shot at someone, it's because God told him to???

The level of intellectual disconnection is staggering. "God is all-powerful! He would never hurt you! And even when the Devil hurts you, it's only because God let him!"

What.
The.
Fuck, Christians?

I'd like to hear more of your thoughts on Job.

News:

"The devil pulls the trigger."