The Manipulative Nature of the Gospel Message

Unravel the layers of the gospel message and explore how it can be used to control, guilt, and manipulate those within and outside the walls of your local Christian church.

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*Please keep in mind that all everything I say here is my subjective opinion, and is intended to deconstruct fundamentalist/evangelical/conservative Christian ideologies from an ex christian perspective*

Outro Music | "Pixels" by Jeff Kaale

tags | Ex christian, deconstructing christianity, exvangelical, former fundie, leaving christianity, gospels, jesus, bible, god, christian, evangelism, apologist, atheist vs christian, agnostic, recovering from religion

keywords : Christian vs atheist, atheist response, deconstructing christianity, deconversion, ex christian, exvangelical, jesus, gospel, the good news, sin, salvation, grace

[kristiemelendez]

Dam she said, “it would have been more merciful for Him not to create us”. That hit hard. It’s true,

[starringsadie]

"if god is mad at you for asking why then he didn't make it easy to understand and that isn't your fault" so spot on

[shanejohnson]

“You make them sick then sell the cure…”
This is like the fireman who set the fire and then seeks credit for putting it out.
Spot on, Kristi.

[BillSklodowski]

You just spoke perhaps the best bumper sticker line I’ve ever heard about this topic… “No one needs a savior, unless they feel they need to be saved.“ Honestly, brilliant! 😊

[tuwuesday]

during a church service i attended when i was still pretty young, the sermon included the topic of inherited sin. i learned that my parents had to sin to make me, and that meant that i was born as a sinner. on the car ride home, i asked my parents about heaven and hell. their answers for what it would be like were contradictory and unsatisfying. i asked how long forever was, and they told me that it was a greater length of time than i could ever imagine or comprehend. then i asked, "so i'm going to suffer forever after i die because you had to sin to make me?" and my parents said, "maybe. god has already decided who's going to heaven and who's going to hell." i asked how he determined who went to hell, who went to heaven, and they told me it was pretty much just up to god's will, that it didn't matter how good or bad a person was, and that i wouldn't know where i would end up until i was facing my judgement. my mom told me that she wouldn't be able to miss me if she went to heaven and i went to hell, because she would be too wrapped up in the praise and worship of god, and said god took away all pain and suffering, including the pain of mourning or missing someone important. "you'd let god send me to hell?" i asked. "if it's his will, i can't stop him." in one conversation, i figured out that their god was a monster, and i was too old to believe in monsters anymore

[christopher]

You nailed it. It’s all fear and guilt. I remember learning about Jesus in kindergarten and only asking Him into my heart because I didn’t want to go to Hell. And I felt weird for not loving a man I had never met, but everyone else seemed to love Him.

[egxvue]

Questioning beliefs and ideologies is a sign of intelligence and open-mindedness. Those who shy away from 'why' questions may be limiting their own growth and understanding of the world around them. More people ought to strive to broaden their perspectives and embrace curiosity.

[LORELLism]

My first wake up moment? God created me with an inquisitive mind but then the church/god tells me NOT to question. I love the “WHY?”

[MG-otyr]

I've often described Christianity as similar to a cycle of domestic abuse. The abuser will tell the victim they're bad, the cause of the abuser's anger, and they have to punish you because they love you! And you should be grateful for this and worship them. Wash, rinse,
Or the "free will" thing is like your abuser telling you you're free to leave but if you do they'll blow your brains out

[tsuritsa]

THIS is the essence of something I have been trying to say to people for years. A Tri-omni god creates the preconditions for what sin is and how it is forgiven...so that god could decide how forgiveness is earned. It falls apart right there.

One of the most shocking things (by the lights of the people I was talking to) I ever said to my church before I left was that I didn't want someone else to be responsible for my mistakes; I was comfortable being held to account myself for anything I did. I have never done anything so awful I felt like a just god would condemn me forever for it. I can't wrap my head around the idea that any transgression, no matter how minor is a "stench in the nostril of the lord" equal to murder. It doesn't work.

Now, I just go with this:

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” - Marcus Aurelius.

[metamorphosis]

You put into words exactly what I've been thinking for a while. But here's another layer for me personally. About 6 years ago, I left a 12 year abusive relationship with a man who was very manipulative, controlling, and psychologically abusive among other things. As I have reflected on my faith in the past few years, the sad thing that has stood out to me is that the Christian God sounds so much like my abuser. For years and years, I poured out all of myself for him thinking that if I loved him enough and didn't make "mistakes, he would treat me with love, respect and compassion. But I was punished constantly, and for typical human errors not any grand offenses (e.g. forgetting my cellphone at home, taking too long to drive home because I didn't take the route he suggested and ran into traffic). I eventually left because I realized I deserved better and there was nothing I could do to be good enough. I also began to reject the idea that he pushed that I was a terrible person. I now see parallels with God-- I ask why he sets us up for failure? Is it a sadistic game? What a human-like trait... If there is a loving God, I don't think humans have this explanation of him right. And if God is really like this, I feel like I should not worship him. He is cruel and too much like the worst humans. But ultimately, I don't believe there is a God now. I think this is just a manipulation tactic humans developed. There are also many religious leaders just like my abuser as well...

[Master_Blackthorne]

One of the first rules of marketing is to create a need so you can sell them their product.

[jarodcarnarvon]

After being in Church for 40 years, I have realized that Christianity really tells you that you cannot truly be a free thinking individual.

[snoopy]

I recall going to sunday school with my aunt, uncle and cousin whilst I was staying with them. I wasn't raised religious and was always encouraged by my parents to ask questions if I didn't understand something growing up. I was ten years old the first (and only) time I attended Sunday school. It all seems baffling and illogical so naturally I wanted to ask questions about what was being taught. Within 10 minutes, I was asked to stop asking so many questions (I was curious but polite and respectful at all times and raised my hand until I was prompted to ask) and I was moved to another adjacent room and given some colouring books and crayons to use whilst they finished up with the other kids. I always felt that was highly suspicious.

[oswaldomayberry]

Going from a 5 point Calvinist to a hopeful agnostic is something I never thought would happen to me. You put it perfectly: you can’t put those pieces back together once it’s deconstructed. I can never go back to my old beliefs. I honestly want to believe because I miss the security i felt as a Christian. But my brain simply won’t let me.

[anthonysoares]

Love, love, love the message!! 🧡🧡 Thank you, Kristi!!

[iMilhouse]

“You make people sick so that you can sell them the cure - this is manipulative”. Very powerful, and unfortunately very true ☹️

[MinasMagic]

If god gave people the "gift" of freewill, yet punishes those use their freewill to question religious teaching, that's not really a gift. Sounds more like the conditional love of a manipulative abuser. Thank you for this video. You said the things I've been thinking, but struggled to express.

[shellgun]

This is so beautifully put. You literally put words to the thoughts I've had for decades.

[daveskipt]

Your deconstruction of these subjects is so clear and rational, yet done in such a kindly, non-confrontational way. Makes me mad with myself I fell for this stuff for so long! But such is the power of cult manipulation and why we need people like yourself to help people think critically and see behind the curtain. Thank you for the great work you are doing.