Abusive Apologetics: Unmasking Manipulative Tactics And Strategies

Today's episode quickly reacts to American Theologian R.C. Sproul's defense of god's "divine" wrath. Does he have a solid case or will he just resort to abusive and harmful tactics to make excuses for a holy god?

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Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:16 Intro
0:36 Clip Part 1
0:45 Adding To The Question
2:50 Clip Part 2
3:35 Gaslighting
4:25 Demonizing
7:03 Shaming
9:39 Compensating
10:41 Blaming
11:36 Final Thoughts

#rcsproul #godswrath #abusiveapologetics #atheism #mindshift #atheist #exchristian

[inwyrdn]

If Yahweh/Jehovah/Allah is so amazing and powerful and perfect but his entire creation can be thrown into chaos by two naked vegans and a talking nope-rope, maybe he's not as impressive as his fan clubs think.

[_Omega_Weapon]

No omniscient being would have to "test" anything.

[MrMattSax]

I feel that if you really wrap yourself around the concept of hell (infinite, unending torture, pain, sadness, etc) for any number of finite crimes, it reveals itself as the most immoral concept ever invented by man. And Christians are commanded to call it good.

[THFLCNx]

I love how he just tosses the word Thanatos out there for effect. Like when I tell the waitress at the restaurant, "Here's your emolument." 🤣🤣🤣

[jerryhayes]

It's the battered spouse syndrome. She stays with him because she thinks she deserves the beatings . Christians think we deserve the beatings god gives us

[therhapsodist]

Fundamentalism thrives on a misanthropic curriculum; it's self-depreciative conditioning.

[billcoady]

This is the first video of yours I have seen. Total props and kudos, your analysis and delivery is spot on. Fantastic. One thing I would mention about this as well, which I have considered before, but is so clear here. So, if we humans are "lowly dirt" compared to god, how can we possibly hurt or offend him? It would be like a human being taking a gnat personally. "Oh terrible gnat, you flew near my face after I warned you not to, I curse you and your offspring for a thousand generations!" And this is god we should love and worship?

[peterbalholm]

The questioner's offense was not in forgetting "who God is, and who we are" as Sproul said. It was to read a Bible verse describing God, and taking it seriously.

[lisaspikes]

I really like how you go deep into these subjects. Most people aren’t deep thinkers. Some people call it overthinking, but I don’t believe you can overthink some things. Christianity has all these rules, but when you look at them and break them down, they are garbage.
Keep up the good work!
You’ve become one of my favorite YouTube channels!

[scrider]

Brando, I recognized the applause from the congregants as core to religion: you are dirt, you are worthless, you are trash and they love it. As if congregants say, "Yes! Tell me more! I am worthless, I sin, I define the Almighty! I deserve hell! Not just a time out, not for a weekend, not for 1000 years, but forever." But luckily, I know Jesus and I am saved. At least, I think I am.

[zacharylehocki]

Brilliantly and effectively done Brandon. I love the way you are able to break down an apologists rhetoric like this so calmly and precisely one piece at a time.

[elainejohnson]

Maybe this god should know not to put a couple of forbidden trees in the middle of a garden with people who don't know right from wrong yet, and a talking serpent that they will actually listen to instead of running away from it scared sh*tless since serpents can't talk.

It is like a parent putting a baby in a crib with a loaded gun, telling the baby not to use the gun, and then putting their sibling in the room to show them how to use it. Whose fault is that when they get shot?!?!?

[tobymartin]

The ultimate fallback for apologists when it comes to questioning the actions of their god is relying on God's holiness, his power, his divinity, his eternity - it's nakedly a might-makes-right mentality, and it is irritating in the extreme for none of them to just admit that outright.
I really like Number0neson's analysis of Genesis 3, how God was willing to prevent Adam and Eve from eating from the Tree of Life by banishment and then guarding it with angels and an all-seeing flaming sword, but the Tree of Knowledge (which, according to Christian theology would introduce suffering, death, and damnation) was completely unguarded, right in the middle of the garden. It showcases the priorities of such a being in the extreme - and indeed, that was his primary motivation for banishing the pair from the garden, according to verses 22-23, that he didn't want the two of them attaining eternal life the easy way.
Of course, an implication here was that mortality was humanity's default state, rather than a consequence of the Fall, making the whole story more Promethean and much less Christian. And honestly, the more you read of Genesis, the less sense it makes within a Christian framework - if Jesus' death and resurrection was meant to deliver us from sin, death, and damnation, why did it take so long for him to arrive? Why not have him be Eve's firstborn? Why, when he's reached the end of his tether with humanity's sinfulness in Genesis 6 did he not put his plan into action then, instead deciding to (almost) entirely wipe the slate clean? Why, if all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all our good works are like filthy rags, how come God distinguishes righteous people (Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Lot) and either rewards them or spares them from destruction? I increasingly feel that the main narrative Christians derive from the Bible is ultimately not one the text supports, at least for the most part.

[roberthawes]

It's interesting to me that he couldn't answer the question without starting to sermonize. Then he scolds the audience, which applauds him for it.

[michaelhenry]

Wonderful video.

I have not listened to or heard about RC Sproul in 20 or 25 years. He was a god in my Presbyterian circles. I remember a seminary student carrying his Geneva Study Bible and quoting RC Sproul.

He sounds so angry and aggrieved.

[BookishChas]

Excellent breakdown of this topic Brandon!

[elicaraballo]

I love the way you break it down… so glad I have found your channel!

[johnloftin]

You never disappoint. Great presentation. I can't stand RC Sproul. He and really every preacher I can think of in my life use cheap easy answers with broad blessings and a wimpy Christ with broad judgements. I used to like the Apologist crowd, but I'd rather hang out with fleas than indulge their foolishness.

[Gamet]

This was one of the many question I thought of as a believer that didn’t make any sense to me.

And the answer I got from other believer made me question god.

And once the pebble gets into your shoe it is very hard for it to not grind against you.

[YYMe]

The funny thing is, nowhere in the story does it say that A&E were immortal, or that the serpent was anything other than a serpent. Those were added to the story to make it fit the christian narrative.