Blasphemy Challenge ramblings

A group called RRS the rational response squad issued a very expensive campaign (The blasphemy challenge) I am not going to put a link here- google it if you want to see the sad videos of young people who believe they are committing the unforgivable sin- It’s a challenge to or a solicitation of young people to blaspheme the Holy Spirit- publicly on u tube. They get a video- Yes a DVD (approximately worth $ 25.00) What is their cost?--- oh- easy- just- their soul. Hmmm-disturbing- The distributor of the video – a documentary- The God who wasn’t there-- is said to have donated 1001 videos to the Blasphemy challenge.

I have been disturbed about this for a while- ever since I heard about it.
I haven’t blogged on it yet, because quite honestly, I wasn’t sure what to say.
It just makes me really sad. There was a point in my own life that I worried about the sin I had committed but it wasn't anything as direct as this.

Last week, a family friend shoved something under the door to keep people from coming in, cut the phone line in the house, and shot himself. He’s far from the first person I’ve ever known to kill himself. In fact, I can not even count on one hand the number of people I’ve known to give up hope like that. Now, these young people believe and perhaps some even worry- that they have done the most unforgivable thing – so they probably think- what’s left to live for or think nothing else I do “bad” really matters. Why??- Well, because they think they committed the unforgivable sin.

This week, I had to travel and work with someone – who denies the existence of God. There are a couple of people that believe that way at my job. Have they seen this? I don’t know- but the girl this week and I ended up talking at length and by the end of the conversation, I told her I believe she is really closer to believing like me then we both had realized-- She’s just one of many people who for whatever reason have been hurt by toxic faith- or religion in extreme hurtful forms. Prior to the conversation today and if she was a bit younger, I’d see her responding to the challenge-

I don’t necessarily believe that what is going on at the web site is always blasphemy-I think to commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, you have to believe first-many of these youth just don’t believe-and I'm not really sure that it is blasphemy unless miracles of God - or God's work is being called/credited to the work of Satan. I think the web site for the Blasphemy challenge takes Mark out of context and adds a spin.

Why is the founder of the Blasphemy challenge taking away the kids’ hopes and manipulating them?? They say that religion (Christianity) has caused mental torture on these kids- yes – perhaps some toxic controlling faiths have- I don’t believe it is healthy for Christians to go around telling kids, they are going to hell- but now look at this- These people/atheists are doing the same thing- telling young people they are going to hell-But, the question I have for the atheists is why the focus on this unforgivable sin if you don't believe??and--talk about mental torture- what mental torture is being committed by these atheists??—the young people will go through mental anguish the rest of their lives after believing they have committed the unforgivable sin.

Is it the unforgivable sin- is it blasphemy? For me it’s like the debate of pre-tribulation rapture or post –I just don’t get into the debate- I’m no theological scholar- so I just know I’m gonna’ do my best to be ready either way- and I know if you are a kid and you are considering this challenge…Why play Russian roulette--- don’t risk it. If you don’t believe in God, I love you anyway.

Too often the youth today- see the extremes- Extreme fundamentalists-literalists who see in black and white and the extreme atheists – who must be religious in spite of them claiming they are not- because this blasphemy challenge sure seems like extreme evangelism for their own cause. Unfortunately, a lot of Christians don’t get it- I try to understand more than to be understood and if you are one of those people considering taking the challenge- I promise you- I will make all efforts to live peacefully despite our differences. To Love you. Not to condemn you to hell. Not to force my views on you- to love you and share my views with you – and to listen to you- just as you are…

That’s the challenge I put out there for all Christians- to not judge anyone- not even atheists- who are we to judge? Let’s pray we learn to love as Christ loved.