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  • THURSDAY JANUARY 4 2007 12:00 AM

Holy Bible Vs. YouTube: Blasphemy Challenge Recruits

Submitted by erin_broadley

Edited by erin_broadley

Tags: Blashphemy, YouTube, God



It used to be that dare-devil youngsters would get together during a sleep-over, dim the lights and scare the bejesus out of each-other while challenging the spirit of Bloody Mary or waiting with bated breath around an Ouija board. Today, however, it seems that the ghost stories of yore are passé and wussy, if you will. Now teens and twenty-somethings are upping the ante by forgoing spooky board games and, instead, firing up their computers and challenging the big guy himself, God.

Newsweek reports that,

More than 400 mostly young people who have joined a [YouTube] campaign by the Web site BlasphemyChallenge.com to stake their souls against the existence of God.
[...]
The Blasphemy Challenge is a joint project of filmmaker Brian Flemming, director of the antireligion documentary "The God Who Wasn't There," and Brian Sapient, cofounder of the atheist Web site RationalResponders.com. Their intent was to encourage atheists to come forward and put their souls on the line, showing others that you don't have to be afraid of God. The particular form of the challenge was chosen because, by one interpretation, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, a part of the Christian Trinity, is the only sin that can never be forgiven.


He forgives me. He fogives me not. The sacrilegious Web site instructs participants as follows:

Record a short message damning yourself to Hell, you upload it to YouTube, and then the Rational Response Squad will send you a free The God Who Wasn't There DVD. It's that easy.You may damn yourself to Hell however you would like, but somewhere in your video you must say this phrase: "I deny the Holy Spirit."

Why? Because, according to Mark 3:29 in the Holy Bible, "Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Jesus will forgive you for just about anything, but he won't forgive you for denying the existence of the Holy Spirit. Ever. This is a one-way road you're taking here.

Once you have shot your blasphemous video, just follow these two easy steps:

1. Go to this link on YouTube to upload your video as a "Video Response" to the Blasphemy Challenge. (You can log in or register on that page if necessary.) Please put the URL http://www.blasphemychallenge.com somewhere in the text description when you upload your video.

2. When the video appears on YouTube, send the URL to this email address: waronchristmas@hotmail.com. Also include a complete United States mailing address* so we can send your free copy of The God Who Wasn't There.


First Amendment rights in full effect? Or just one filmmaker's attempt at cheap publicity at the expense of angsty youth going through their Hot Topic phase? You decide.

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Comments
optimusmime

optimusmime

Campbell, CA
December 2006

JAN 04, 2007 01:21 PM

Wait, wait... it's wrong to make fun of theists?

Shit.

apesamongus

apesamongus

Atlanta, GA
July 2002

JAN 04, 2007 01:27 PM

Wheezy_E said:

apesamongus said:

Wheezy_E said:
In the year 2007 the idea of the "existence" of God really should be quite besides the point, don't you think?


Seems to me that's the only relevant question in the debate on religion. When 44% of people don't think they're going to lift off the ground and literally fly into heaven, then we can start debating metaphor and symbolism. But until then, saying directly that there's no bearded man in the sky is still pretty damned important.

I wish that question was beside the point, because then I could stop caring.


Well, I'm glad you do care. I just don't think there's anything to accomplish by arguing that point, unless you feel (as perhaps many of them do) that getting them to believe what you believe is what's important.


Well, I live in the same country with them. I live under the same laws as them. I'm governed by people they elect with their votes based on nothing but absurd fantasy. So, yes, getting them to believe in reality as opposed to a fairy tale is damned important to me, because it directly affects the quality of my life and my future.

I'd just hate for neighbors to starting not getting along because of each other's beliefs which is where this is all heading.


Because that's a new thing and doesn't describe the entire history of the human race at all.

Lyam

Lyam

Vatican City
May 2005

JAN 04, 2007 03:06 PM

jrave said:
all this talky-talk about the pros and cons of the bible, yet everyone has left one thing out:


Also include a complete United States mailing address* so we can send your free copy of The God Who Wasn't There.



YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE USA TO GET YOUR FREE COPY?

so atheists of other countries don't matter? or the sponsors are just cheap bastards?




Yes.Actually I'm agnostic, and prolly I'm playing the "against" part just because I can't get that fucking free dvd.
biggrin

cmjfoxfyre

cmjfoxfyre

Cupertino, CA
February 2006

JAN 04, 2007 03:56 PM

Wheezy_E said:
[.....
What will really help us all understand each other are hordes of folks ridiculing Starry Starry Night because the sky is not actually swirly and splotchy like that, nor are the stars anywhere near as close to the earth as Van Gogh would have us believe.

the painting is obviously seriously flawed and aught to be removed from it's position of respect and renown to be replaced with a photograph as accurate as is possible.



that is pure genius. biggrin

Flux

Flux

SUICIDEGIRL

Georgia, USA

JAN 04, 2007 05:16 PM

Wraithkiss said:
I've ready prolly 3/4 of the old testament and I remembered it being a lot more explict than that about making a blasphemy against god being unforgivable. Not just denying the holy spirit but actually insulting god himself. He doesnt take that kindly..... so just to make things official and get the whole 'am I going to hell when I die?' question out of the way I told god where he could shove it and got a good nights rest afterwards.



But, you know, Luke 5:37-39 has been interpreted by the majority of Christians as saying that the acceptance of Christ is the only crucial element of the New Covenant and that the need to abide by Mosaic Law is no longer an integral part of the covenant with the Lord. The Old Testament, though still the inspired Word, is no longer Law.

Of course, in practice you still have Christians picking and choosing from the Pentateuch, eating bacon while condemning homosexuality.

MisterGone

MisterGone

Minneapolis, MN
March 2006

JAN 04, 2007 05:51 PM

What I'm wondering is who these film makers work for, the Allied Atheist Allegiance, The United Atheist Alliance, or The Unified Atheist League, because I fucking hate those United Athiest Alliance pricks. mad

Besides, I already sold my soul at 14 so some girl would touch my penis, I'm already screwed.

abracadabra

abracadabra

Seattle, WA
April 2004

JAN 04, 2007 06:15 PM

PaoloM said:

abracadabra said:
"I loved it" ..religion just isn't relevant anymore and the bible is a work of fiction..and yes , it's cool not to believe in god..because , well..it's a "story"



cool,I just don't get why did you put a symbol of god as your personal image on this site tho.



umm , that's what "you" see..it's not though

Bicycle_Samurai

Bicycle_Samurai

York, ON
September 2003

JAN 04, 2007 07:16 PM

MrCrisp said:
so, if i'm reading this article correctly, all athiests or youtube users are angsty youths? surreal



No, you're only an angsty youth if you're an atheist AND a youtube user.

Subrosa

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA
July 2004

JAN 04, 2007 07:26 PM

Flux said:
Of course, in practice you still have Christians picking and choosing from the Pentateuch, eating bacon while condemning homosexuality.



Yes, but you don't understand: Bacon is delicious.

Flux

Flux

SUICIDEGIRL

Georgia, USA

JAN 04, 2007 07:27 PM

Subrosa said:

Flux said:
Of course, in practice you still have Christians picking and choosing from the Pentateuch, eating bacon while condemning homosexuality.



Yes, but you don't understand: Bacon is delicious.



And sodomy isn't?

Subrosa

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA
July 2004

JAN 04, 2007 07:29 PM

Flux said:

Subrosa said:

Flux said:
Of course, in practice you still have Christians picking and choosing from the Pentateuch, eating bacon while condemning homosexuality.



Yes, but you don't understand: Bacon is delicious.



And sodomy isn't?



Well, you got me there.

Stiles

Stiles

Philadelphia, PA
November 2002

JAN 04, 2007 07:31 PM

Flux said:

Subrosa said:

Flux said:
Of course, in practice you still have Christians picking and choosing from the Pentateuch, eating bacon while condemning homosexuality.



Yes, but you don't understand: Bacon is delicious.



And sodomy isn't?



There's a joke in there somewhere about sodomy and bacon...

Subrosa

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA
July 2004

JAN 04, 2007 07:37 PM

Stiles said:

Flux said:

Subrosa said:

Flux said:
Of course, in practice you still have Christians picking and choosing from the Pentateuch, eating bacon while condemning homosexuality.



Yes, but you don't understand: Bacon is delicious.



And sodomy isn't?



There's a joke in there somewhere about sodomy and bacon...



"Have you ever tried an Assfucking-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich? Let's just say that the spread ain't mayo."

Ogdredx9q

Ogdredx9q

Indianapolis, IN
August 2005

JAN 04, 2007 09:36 PM

Wheezy_E said:

What will really help us all understand each other are hordes of folks ridiculing Starry Starry Night because the sky is not actually swirly and splotchy like that, nor are the stars anywhere near as close to the earth as Van Gogh would have us believe.

the painting is obviously seriously flawed and aught to be removed from it's position of respect and renown to be replaced with a photograph as accurate as is possible.



To my knowledge, no one has ever used Starry Starry Night as a tool of subjugation. No one has ever pointed to it and said, "this is why gay people can't marry, women can't have control over their own bodies, and lazy people can't sleep in on a Sunday."

Yes, the Bible contains beautiful poetry and striking images of joy and suffering. It has inspired great works of art, literature, and music -- as well as kitschy knick-knacks, annoying bumper-stickers, and an entire section at the bookstore of shitty bestsellers.

The Bible has compelled many people to peace and many people to war; it has instructed countless souls on how to love and immeasurable hordes on how to hate.

All of this is true. And so what? Who, exactly, is suggesting that we do away with the Bible? I like my Bible just fine, thanks -- it sits on my bookshelf between the Qu'ran and The Selfish Gene. I prefer the King James Version, because it's the most poetic translation, and I cherish this particular copy because it belonged to my father when he was a boy and has his signature, in a grade-school scrawl, on the second page. If I ever have children, I hope one of them will cherish it as much as I do.

Incidentally, my father (who is sixty, retired, and a heathen like me) uses the Bible as inspiration for his satirical paintings of naked women, which he has the gall to enter into competition at the State Fair. They're always rejected in favor of paintings of barns, but that's the Mid-West for ya -- no appreciation of religious satire or tits, and certainly not the two combined.

Anyway, my point is this: apart from a few zealots, no one is trying to get rid of the Bible. Those of us who believe in the separation of Church and State would simply prefer that it not be used as justification for public policy or as a means to undermine scientific endeavor and social progress.

And, really, why are so many people getting their panties in a twist over a few hundred kids posting videos of themselves denying the existence of God? Are you telling me there are no pro-God messages on YouTube? Are Atheists not welcome in the marketplace of ideas?

Having said that, though...as an Atheist, I do get a little tired of being represented by the snot-nosed punks. Just as I'm sure a lot of Christians are tired of being associated with the freaky fringe weirdos. True believers, of all stripes, tend to wear out their welcome pretty quickly.

deathofamartian

deathofamartian

Warrenton, VA
July 2006

JAN 04, 2007 11:15 PM

hehehe i deny the holy spirit...fuck i want some waffles skull

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