Tags
Atheism, Atheist, Atheists, blind men, Christian, Christianity, ethiopians, evil reason, God, holy spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lepers, Leprosy, love, Monicks, Opposing Views, Religion & Spirituality, secular, trite phrases, Tweet of the day, Twitter, water into wine
One of the most overrated and trite phrases believers ultimately shout at atheists and skeptics, in their frustration when we retort with our evil reason and logic to their attempts of proselytizing is “Jesus loves you!”
Jesus loves you? What does that even mean?
When someone loves you, they go out of their way to show you their love for you. Think of your parents, your siblings, your closest friends, your life partner. Think of the people you love, you worry about their wellbeing, you do things to please them, you want them to be healthy, content, their needs taken care of, in a word — happy.
What could Jesus ever do for you? Does he look after you? Does he feed you when you’re hungry? comfort you when you’re sad? heal you when you’re sick? or at least if not magically, does he remind you to take your meds? Does he stay up until you get home to heat up dinner for you, and keep you company while you eat? Does he worry about you and give you a call when he hasn’t heard from you in a while? No, he doesn’t.
These are some of the things that anyone would do for the people they care about, and you probably do some of these things for the people you care about. Even if Jesus had existed, and was a real person and demigod two thousand years ago, he can’t do anything for you today. Heck! If Jesus had had the power the bible says he had, he could have done so many amazing things for all mankind; instead of healing a couple of blind men and a couple of lepers, he could have eradicated blindness and leprosy, and done so with much less effort than our scientists eradicated poliomyelitis; instead of turning water into wine for a wedding, and feeding a few hundred people with bread and fish, he could have appeared a freaking river full of fish for all Ethiopians to feed off; wouldn’t that be something awesome and worthy of someone with such powers and love?
If I had the power that the bible says #Jesus had, I wouldn't cure one person of blindness, I'd make blindness impossible. #atheism #atheist—
Monica (@Monicks) December 07, 2011
But Jesus loves you.
According to the Christian doctrine, no matter who you are, whether you believe in him and his heavenly father or not, whether you’re good or bad, if you’re worthy or not of his holy love, Jesus loves you just the same. Deservedly or not, you are loved by Jesus. Jesus loves everyone, and does exactly as much for everyone — nothing.
Love without a single demonstration is not love, it’s just a word. Now is when I should remind you of the millions of people suffering and dying from disease and famine in the world, right? I don’t think I need to.
What makes love meaningful and wonderful is precisely its uniqueness; you are loved because you are special to the one who loves you.
Jesus loves everyone.
Jesus’ love is meaningless.
You think differently? Prove me wrong, and I’ll change my mind.
We love you Monica, we read your tweets, we follow you, keep on.
For some reason telling someone who pisses you off that “Jesus loves you!” is posited as a positive alternative to “Fsck you!” but it amounts to the same thing. I remember tossing that phrase around a few times as a teenager thinking that I was being a “good witness.”
I don’t recall when I decided that it was better to actually swear, or simply say nothing at all. At some point I decided it wasn’t for me, though I still thought it sounded cute for a while when I heard girls say it. (Much later it just made me think that they must be airheads if that was the best that they could come up with. I can be such a dick sometimes.)
As a child, I asked my pastor why Jesus didn’t just eradicate hunger, disease, and all that if he could turn water into wine. He replied, that the miracles weren’t the point. He wanted US to do a lot of that work.
Fine.
But a lot of the conservative churches – and they’re the ones who throw around a lot of that “Jesus Loves You” jazz – focus more on the miracles and recruiting than they do feeding the hungry, standing up for justice, or simply not saying something hateful to someone “on the outside”. It must be easier for them to say Jesus Loves you so they themselves won’t have to.
It’s not “love”, it’s “wuv”.
Hello Monicks,
Along the same lines,, Just watched Clerks two and Jay and Silent Bob explained the electrical power of Christ shields them from relapse. And Silent Bob displays the Holy Bible. At the same exact time, Jay dances to ‘Good bye Horses’ from the motion picture Silence of the Lambs. Silent Bob/Silences of the lambs, how are these elementary Christian themes described?
Thanks
Like Steven says, ‘Jesus loves you’ basically means, ‘We’ve got nothing, f*ck off’.
Jesus never gave me anything so I don’t believe he loves me, but Santa Claus gives me presents every year, so she surely loves me, and I love her!!!
Well said.
Jesus loves us so much he gave his life to torture us forever if we don’t love him back. How deep is your love?
This is how I think of it: Jesus taught by parable, and the Bible speaks as allegory. Corinthians 3:6 says, “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
When Jesus died, he went back to heaven. Since he’s not here on earth, the hands God must use to feed the hungry and touch the sick now are yours and mine. In other words, we are the “hands of God” which Jesus personified. We are responsible for loving one another as the Bible showed Jesus loving and caring for others. Allegory.
Just like religion itself, the phrase “Jesus loves you” is a reflection of both the speaker and the addressed. It can be an extrememly positive or negative sentiment. It can simply mean, “I wish only the best for you”, as “God Bless You” means after a sneeze. Or it can mean nothing.
The actual experience of Jesus’s love, or any love for that matter, can be extremely powerful. It can move a person to be better. It can even move a person to overcome one’s greatest obstacles in life where nothing else will help. For example, surrendering yourself to a “higher power” is an indispensable tool in overcoming addiction (AA and 12 Step programs).
We all experience life differently. I appreciate the ideas and discussion here.
That’s deep and well thought out Chris but I sincerely doubt that most believers give it even a fraction of that much consideration. Rather they take religion at face value. When they say that “Jesus loves you” they think of a literal Jesus person who literally love you and not of some figurative universal love.
That’s why I find it condescending and ill considered to say such things.
I’m not as nice. You’re making an apologist argument for a load of bullshit. Nazarene didn’t even exist when Jesus was supposedly alive.
The word of god, is in contradiction or flat out in error ….often.
What in world would make you think the ethereal Santa exists?
It can only be hope and desire, there is nothing to even to begin to suggest it’s truth or reason.
G. MICHAEL ALSO NAMED AN ARCH ANGEL….ACCORDING TO GOD’S HOLY WORDS OF THE BIBLE……LET ME ASK YOU THIS… WE SEE PICTURES, WE BELIEVE. WE SEE THE BUILDINGS, WE BELIEVE. WE SIT DOWN UPON A CHAIR….AND WE BELIEVE. NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID LET ME REVEAL TO US HOW WE ARE BEYOND REBELLIOUS AND CONTRADICTING IN OUR THINKING! THOUGH WE DIDN’T EVEN WITNESS WITH OUR OWN EYES THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE WONDERS WE CAN ALL EVIDENTLY SEE; WE STILL BELIEVE THERE WAS A PAINTER & A BUILDER. AS FOR THE CHAIR WE EXERCISE THAT THING WHICH IS CALLED “FAITH”, BECAUSE WE TAKE ABSOLUTELY NO THOUGHT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WHEN WE SIT DOWN; IF THAT CHAIR WILL HOLD US UP OR COLLAPSE RIGHT? WHAT’S THE POINT? MY UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S POINT FURTHER THE APPLICATION OF GODLY WISDOM IS THIS! HOW BE IT PERCIEVABLE FOR US TO BELIEVE AND HAVE FAITH IN THESE THINGS; YET HAVE NO INTELLIGENCE TO RECIEVE KNOWLEDGE, GET AN UNDERSTANDING, THEN APPLY WISDOM TO IT’S NATURE TO SEE THAT FOR US AND MULTIPLE OTHER FORMS OF LIFE; TO BE A CREATION, THERE HAD/HAS TO BE A CREATOR!!!!! GOD THE FATHER…..THE SON…THE HOLY SPIRIT…. WHICH IS WHAT WE ALL ARE IN NEED OF IN ORDER TO REMOTELY COMPREHEND WHAT IS THE DEPTH, THE LENGTH, THE BREATH, THE HEIGHT OF GOD…….GET YOUR MIND RIGHT AND GET SPIRIT LIFTED……
P.S ALSO MICHAEL FOR MICHAEL THE CENTURION THAT KILLED JESUS CHRIST! AFTER HAVING KILLED HIM AND WAS SPRINKLED WITH JESUS’ BLOOD SAID AND I QOUTE! ” EVEN I WHO HAS SLAIN JESUS CHRIST THE MESSIAH; HE HAS FORGIVEN IN THAT HE DIED EVEN FOR ME”!….
“the hands God must use to feed the hungry and touch the sick now are yours and mine.”
God didn’t need us, as hands, to create the universe, why does he need us, as hands, now? Can’t he do anything without a human intermediate?
James, named in the Holy Bible of God’s words of TRUTH; who by way was a disciple.
One thing you are accurate in stating is that “God doesn’t NEED YOU/I”. WE NEED HIM, there is absolutely NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR GOD BUT ONLY FOR OURSELVES TO RECIEVE THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN NOT HELL!
THE PURPOSE OF GOD USING US IS TO DISPLAY HIS LOVE AND CHARACTERISTICS JUST AS JESUS HIS SON DID WHEN HE LIVED A DEMONSTRATION OF GOD’S ILLUSTRATION! GOD DOESN’T ASK OF US ANYTHING THAT HE HAS NOT ALREADY GIVEN!!!! IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME HOW THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY REPORT THAT HAS FORTOLD EXACTLY WHAT HAS AND IS PRESENTLY TRANSPIRING IN THE WORLD THROUGHOUT HISTORY… WARS, FAMINES, DEATH, NUCLEAR DISASTERS….HOWEVER, WE PERISH BECAUSE OF LACK OF KNOWLEDGE WHEN WE REFUSE TO TURN ASIDE FROM THE TRUTH AND NEVER STUDY NEITHER PAY ATTENTION TO CURRENT EVENTS IN THIS WORLD….THE WAR BEGAN LONG BEFORE ISHMAAL & ISAAC YET IT IS STILL GOING ON WITH THOSE TWO NATIONS …THE PALASTINIANS/MUSLIMS & THE ISRAELITES/JEWS!!!!!!! PAY ATTENTION HAS ANYONE EVER CONSIDERED HOW SMALL THE LAND/AREA OF ISRAEL, JERUSALEM IS? NOW ONCE YOU’VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK THINK CAREFULLY WHY IN THE “HELL” IS THIS LITTLE AREA OF LAND SO IMPOTRANT BEING THAT IT IS THE SMALLEST PIECE OF LAND IN THAT NATION????????? YES I INTENDED TO USE THE WORD HELL LITERALLY BECAUSE HELL/SATAN HAS FROM THE BEGINING BEEN AGAINST IT….WAKE YOUR MINDS UP GET SPIRIT LIFTED…….
Pingback: Shit Christians Say to Atheists — Let us reply! « Monicks: Unleashed
Unless Jesus’ love is demonstrably meaningless, it cannot be proven meaningless. Therefore you are wrong in making that positive assertion.
If you had said ‘I am skeptical that Jesus loves’ you would be justified. But you did not. You made a positive assertion and thereby reversed the ‘burden of proof’.
The conclusion ‘Jesus does not love’ does not follow the premise ‘People suffer.’ Unless you can prove otherwise, your conclusion fails, and in essence, proves ‘you wrong’.
If you are a person of integrity, you are now required to keep your promise of “I’ll change my mind if you prove me wrong.”
If you’d like to discuss how Jesus demonstrates His love to the suffering, I invite you to e-mail me.
MONICA I AGREE TO DISAGREE WITH YOU IN REFERENCE TO “I AM MY CLOSEST BEST FRIEND AND COMPANION”; AT THE SAME TOKEN THIS SAYING HOLDS TRUTH IT ALSO HOLDS DECEPTION/ LIE. “WHICH IS OF THE DEVIL WHO WAS A LIAR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING”, A IT IS THROUGH THESE VAIN IMAGINATIONS THAT WE OURSELVES ALLOW SATAN TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN IUR LIVES…. THIS GOES BACK TO OUR CREATOR…. NOW ASK YOURSELF THIS ONE QUESTION PLEASE… “DO WE, CAN WE, ARE WE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR EXISTANCE/IN OTHER WORDS ARE WE THE ORCHESTRATOR OF BREATH TO WAKE OURSELVES UP EACH AND EVERY DAY; OR IS THAT ABILITY GIVEN AND THROUGH WHAT MEASURE IS IT GIVEN? BEFORE YOU RESPOND WITH “THE HUMAN ORGANISMS WITHIN THE BODY”; ASK YOURSELF WHERE AND HOW DID THESE ORGANISMS COME INTO EXISTANCE. I GAURANTEE THAT WITH EVERY REASON YOU CAN COME UP WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE LEADS YOU BACK TO THE REALITY OF AN EVEN HIGHER POWER SUPREME THAT IS THE ALL MIGHTY OF MIGHTIES……WAKE YOUR MIND UP GET SPIRIT LIFTED……..
So to conclude from the shouting in the comments. LISTEN TO ME DAMMIT.
I’d find it easier to grasp “Jesus’s love” if the Bible didn’t give the impression of being written by an Bronze age cult member displaying the ignorance of that time, such as countless animal sacrifices to please their God, and treating women as possessions of men (it’s instructions are all aimed at men with reference to “their” females).
Start with the concept of praying. If you can demonstrate that statistically more religious areas suffer less than areas with little or no religion, then I’ll give your other stories more consideration. If this were true it would be very trivial to show.
If you can show me anything in your Bible which shows facts known to the author but not known to common folk of the time, or if you can show anything from any other cult, past or present, which is untrue, or any event of any kind which shows the need for a God to make it happen, then I’ll give your particular religion more mindshare.
If belonging to a group consensus makes you feel warm and fuzzy, it can no doubt be a beneficial thing, albeit a brief effect, just like any other placebo. But don’t expect the rational folk to tiptoe around and not burst bubbles, because facts about the world is what makes *us* feel warm and fuzzy (it’s why scientists are disproportionally non-theistic).
Ultimately, we all have our own ingrained level of happyness which we always settle back to after experiencing blips of highs and lows. It’s down to you whether you’d rather spend that in a deluded state, with the ultimate bitterness which follows from the increasingly educated demographic pointing out to you how vacuous your words are about the modern world.
We value truth highly. As yourself whether the religion you belong to aligns with a) what’s true, or b) the religion you were exposed to at a young impressionable age. If you answered “a” then ask yourself how someone in India would typically answer that question, or people in Saudi Arabia. Is the religion you subscribe to based on truth, or your location?