Reformed Christian Apologist Renounces Christianity

#TCS #TheChurchSplit #BST #BlackSheepTheology

In this episode, Will discusses Tyler Vela's announcement that he was no longer a Christian. Tyler was the host of Freed Thinker Podcast.

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[scottthong]

Vela has ditched Jesus but kept Calvinistic thinking? This is actually basically the same as other Calvinists-turned-atheist who rejected God because of things God does only in Calvinism (unconditional damnation, causing evil and then punishing people for it) - people like Megan Phelps, Edwin Curley, Derek Webb, Matt W Cook.

[TheProvisionistPerspective]

Yeah this situation wouldn’t be as bad as it is if Tyler wasn’t actively *teaching* his position as though he believed it was true *during* the last 7 months that he said he “quite consciously” had no faith left 🤨 👎🏻m

[R.L.KRANESCHRADTT]

The next thing to come is for remaining Calvinists to affirm Tyler never really understood Calvinism after all.🤣🤣🤣🤣

[roddyk]

I take no pleasure in this whatsoever, I hope that he will return to Christ under some system other than Calvinism... That being said, Tyler Vela is making it awfully difficult for me to have sympathy for him, taking shots at non-Calvinists like that. And you're right.. his explanation makes no sense in light of his Calvinism, he shouldn't be upset with God because God determined his divorce for His Glory and/or Tyler's non-belief should mean he's not "elect/chosen/regenerated". Anyway, it's a mess and I'm sorry for him. I hope he turns things around.

To illustrate your point you were making at 36:00 about the difference in the Reformed/Calvinist reactions to Tyler Vela vs Cameron Bertuzzi... I saw the headline about Tyler Vela on a news aggregation site. It took me to the story about Tyler Vela on a "Reformed/Calvinist" website "Protestia.com". The article right after the article about Tyler Vela was about Cameron Bertuzzi. Now, I'm not Catholic and have no desire, for obvious reasons, to be Roman Catholic, but I don't see Cameron Bertuzzi join the RCC as him leaving the Faith, I just see it as him changing churches, a church I have disagreements with but a Christian church none-the-less. Anyway, I just found "Protestia's" difference in headlines for Tyler and Cameron hilarious. Here are the headlines:

"Christian Apologist Tyler Vela ‘Deconverts’ from Christianity Because God Did Not ‘Comfort Him’ After Divorce"

"Apostasy Alert! Protestant YouTube Apologist Announces He’s Converting to Roman Catholicism" 🤣

And for what you were saying at 51:00 - 55:00 about Calvinists liking his comments dunking on Provisionists... That right there illustrates the fact that Calvinist are loyal to John Calvin and his ideology and not Jesus Christ.

[peterfox]

His own statement, just like his Calvinism...filled with contradictions

[ravissary]

I've had some informal interactions with Tyler over the years and none if this is any surprise. He's hyper tribal and in casual debate, VICIOUS, everything is personal, everything is fallacious. I've never seen one ounce of grace or mercy from him, and zero benefit of the doubt.

After listening to more... wow... his apostasy is indeed TOTAL. How could he ever have "known the Lord"... like in his heart, and be so flat while not merely entertaining, but flatly stating that Jesus was essentially crazy.
How is he at peace with this mess?

Yes in my flesh I'm actually glad to hsve this exposed and cleared up, he should NOT have been out there representing Christ. This is indeed tragic, but not because this news reflects some new change. He's pretty clear that this has been true for about a year. No Christian just starts thinking Jesus isn't God out of the blue.
Maybe just maybe he'll start to notice that those he attacked the most seem to enjoy some aspect of mystical experience, even if small.

[RyanDavidFerguson]

It is super ironic seeing Calvinists liking Tyler Vela rejecting Christ so long as he rags on open theists.

[MrJimMac]

Good stream. I wish people would be more comfortable exploring "heresy" before they jumped headlong into apostasy.
I hope Tyler repents and finds God.

[R.L.KRANESCHRADTT]

It sounds to me like he still accepts Calvin's portrayal of God as correct because he cannot deny the doctrines to which he tied his leg and defended to his own satisfaction for so long. But, in all honesty, he is no longer willing to endure the cognitive dissonance which Calvinism requires and he is rejects the cowardly refuge most attempt to find in the argument of "mystery".
It seems ironic that when asked to describe their understanding of God, many, if not most, atheists do so in Calvinistic terms. Perhaps they have only seen the portrait of a god which Calvin paints. Sadly, believing it to be accurate, they throw God out with the portrait.
John Piper's eldest son seems to have "chosen" this path. It is so unfortunate; his father believes it was ordained to be so by God before he was ever conceived. And he wears his acceptance of this kind of as a "Badge of Courage", which also sends another devastating message to his son. The question I have is if God doesn't truly love his son, and hated him from before he was born, for no reason, as Calvinism claims to be the case with the reprobate ... why would John Piper choose to love that which God does not?

[sharonlouise]

I am always deeply saddened in my heart when I hear these testimonies of those who abandon their faith. I believe you are correct in stating that while he states that his Calvinism had nothing to do with his departure, it really is the reason for his departure. Over and over again I have seen well known Christian folks who held to Calvinism leaving Christianity. What grieves my heart the most is that they are so totally possessed by an ideology that they are never open to another way of interpreting and understanding the scripture. They have moral certainty that it's the truth and rather than leaving Calvinism and seeking to explore that they may have been wrong, they abandon Christianity all together. Calvinism isn't the Bible. Calvinism isn't the gospel. I appreciate what you told folks at the end.

I understand his need to exercise his will for himself. He's been in a system that doesn't require faith at all. He's been in a system that abuses you with determinism. He hasn't understood that he has a relationship with God that he's pushed aside for his ideology. Sad, sad, sad. May God convict his heart about Jesus.

[cluny]

Reform minus Christ. If it is so easy, maybe love and relationship with Christ was missing all along. R-word seems to be marketing and framing. A way to mark territory.

[say..]

9:20 I would not say he was disingenuous or lying. Leaving the faith is a process. You don't wake up one day and deconvert. It happens over time. Anyone in clergy or apologetics that leaves the faith will probably spend some time going through the motions while trying to figure out how to proceed.

[scottthong]

RE 'heresy'... If heresy is defined as 'that which causes division', then the very concept of "HERESY!" is itself the biggest & most prolific heresy.

[AtomicApolo]

It wasn't his Calvinism that stripped him from the faith. It was his desire to continue in his sin.

[joshuamartinpryce]

Seeking God and Christ has trauma attached to it, not because its not true and false but because every person that becomes a Christian and starts the walk and walks, even with a weak faith, begins to become attached to the message which has an eternal impact. Whether we like it or not everyone is attached to the message of Jesus and that starts emotional wars. Its either all in or all out with Christ. This proves that Jesus message is true.

[LindsayJackel]

Tone policing, like playing the victim, is a tactic used to control others.

[bryanlovesjesus]

This is why Calvinism is so dangerous IMO, it doesn’t actually lead to a true conversion because it teaches a weird/different gospel and twists Gods character. Calvinism leads to Atheism. Surely if he was not a Calvinist it would maybe be better.

[TheChurchSplit]

Hey everyone, I forgot to include his comments in a live stream discussing this.

Tyler said,

"Hey ya'll. The thought isn't that if we do X then God ought to do Y. It's more that abductively then if God is our Heavenly Father and loves us and is our comforter...we seeming should not have to beg for that. I kept running against the proverb of giving our sons fish and not serpents because we give good things. Surely a Heavenly Father would show us love BETTER than we do. I wouldn't hide my love or presence from my children, especially if they were losing their love for me over it. Btw I'm not a Christian anymore and I STILL think Open Theism is a mega Zeus ;)"

This clearly shows even further that Calvinism really was a problem as he is dealing with the moral conundrum of how God can decree all things, claim He loves His children, but still damn many of them to hell, hide His presence from them, and stay hidden. This is why theology matters and, I think, Calvinism fails utterly as it teaches a distorted view of God.

Also, apologies for being scatter brained. I was tired from a long week and a long day but really wanted to talk about some of these things.

[LindsayJackel]

Tyler Vela has not only apostised, he is going one step further and is actively and positively promoting his apostasy. Essentially promoting it.

[brendansaltvick]

This is what happens when you make an idol out of your theological system.