I’ve been meaning to post this for a while. Since 17 November 2010, to be exact. (You think I have a memory like an elephant? You should see my database.)
I dedicate this to a frequently furtive fellow freedom-fighter and friend. Why frequently furtive? Because, when you’re taking on the faceless forces of the grey ones, shining a light, Christ-like, in dark places where scuttling Statists sleeplessly scheme to grind our God-given rights into the barren dirt of despotism, anonymity is never a bad idea. (My friend is also no stranger to alliteration.)
This is one of my favourite tracks by legendary Canadian deathcore band Despised Icon. Did I already mention that Despised Icon is the best thing since Slayer? I did.
I expect my friend won’t appreciate the music much, although the anguish in the vocals matches the often anguished tone of his blog posts. But it is the accompanying video which reminds me of him. The man in the video is being pursued. Pursued by whom or by what? By person or persons, entity or entities, unknown. But the IRD is a pretty good guess. Although I suppose it could be his own personal demons. Maybe even the Big G? Well, how does it all end? In victory or submission? Or both? With an enigmatic smile.
Over on my other blog (where I’ve wasted way too much time lately, but that stops right now) it’s often heard said (for example, right here) that
They who believe absurdities commit atrocities.
It’s often heard said to me. Apparently, I’m an apologist for irrationality, the epitome of stupidity and number among “they who believe absurdities”. Which, apparently, puts me on some sort of watch list. I’ll commit atrocities, for sure. It’s only a matter of time. Truly I tell you, I’m a ticking totalitarian time bomb!
In fact, belief in God is absurd. The Christian world view even more so. Tertullian, the early Christian writer who gave us the doctrine of the Trinity (the term does not occur in the Bible) is said to have argued, “Credo quia absurdum.” (“I believe it because it is absurd.”) I disagree with Tertullian. The absurdity (or otherwise) of Christian belief has no bearing at all on its truth or falsity. This is a point I want to return to in an upcoming post. All I’m saying now is, yes, I believe absurdities.
The belief that “they who believe absurdities commit atrocities” is itself absurd! And false. It’s axiomatic that all Christians sin. But few Christians commit atrocities. Most sins we commit are “venial” sins as the Catholics say, or “token” sins or “trifles” as Martin Luther put it. Not atrocities. The wages of sin is death. I sure as hell ain’t asking for a raise!
Charity is both a Christian virtue and an epistemic virtue, so I’m going to be charitable and assess the watered down claim that
They who believe absurdities are more likely to commit atrocities than those who don’t.
It’s an empirical claim. We have reason to believe it only if we have evidence that they who believe absurdities are more likely to commit atrocities than those who don’t. But we don’t. So it’s an irrational belief. (Stupid, too.) End of story.
Time for a quick sequel? The original saying is attributed to Voltaire, and I got to wondering if Voltaire actually said it. After all, he never said
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
either. (That was Evelyn Beatrice Hall.) So I did some research. Here’s what Voltaire actually said.
They who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
And here’s what Voltaire said next.
If the God-given understanding of your mind does not resist a demand to believe what is impossible, then you will not resist a demand to do wrong to that God-given sense of justice in your heart.
Objectivists score own goal! Christians sit on sidelines and drink beer. Sounds good to me.
Time for a quick coda? If you do happen to be in the mood to commit an atrocity, but you’re short of ideas, look no further than your friendly, neighbourhood atrocity vendor. (Psst! Want some atrocities?) (I’m kidding. Thou shalt NOT commit atrocities. I hope I didn’t really need to tell you that. You came here from SOLO? Oh, okay.)
WARNING: The lyrics to the song below rank among the most violent, gruesome and sadistic that I’ve ever set ears on. They qualify as extremely gross even by death metal’s usual lyrical standards. Self-parody? You decide. Either way, the lyrics are testament to Slayer’s pure epicness. As one YouTube commenter remarks, “Wow if this isn’t genius what the hell is.”
Eyes tied tight forever
Mouth wired shut forever
Body parts dissever
You will see no more, never
Lowered into the ground
You will never hear another sound
In your coffin you’re bound
Underground, forever
To the earth you’re now enslaved
To the creatures long depraved
Flesh has now turned to grey
As the larvae gnaw away
As you rot in your smallish tomb
Insects care not how you met your doom
In your casket eternally lie
Many were pleased to see you die
Fester in the crypt where you lie
Victims pass by
They watched you die
Flesh melts off of your frame
Infamous was your name
Years passed since you moved on
Nothing left but carrion
This is a more or less accurate portrayal of the fate of the wicked according to annihilationism. (It leaves out the second death, a brief event which is held to occur between “Years passed since you moved on” and “In your casket eternally lie”.)
I’m currently reading the Book of Revelation, written by John of Patmos. In Chapter 1, John recounts that
On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” (NIV)
Seven churches? Seven Churches is the debut album by death metal band Possessed. It is regarded by many as the first album in the genre. Indeed, it was Possessed’s bassist/vocalist Jeff Becerra who originally coined the term “death metal” in 1983 for a high school English class assignment. I didn’t know that the album was named after the Seven Churches of Asia mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Until now …
The Book of Revelation belongs to a genre of literature known as the apocalypse, a kind of writing that is highly symbolic. As such, its meaning is open to interpretation.
The Zondervan NIV Study Bible tells us that
Interpreters of Revelation normally fall into four groups:
1. Preterists understand the book exclusively in terms of its first-century setting, claiming that most of its events have already taken place.
2. Historicists take it as describing the long chain of events from Patmos to the end of history.
3. Futurists place the book primarily in the end times.
4. Idealists view it as symbolic pictures of such timeless truths as the victory of good over evil.
On an historicist interpretation, we are now living in the era of Laodicea, and approaching the end of history. And spelled out in John’s letter to the church in Laodicea, which Jesus dictates, is the big problem of Christianity and Christians today.
We are lukewarm. We are indifferent. This is especially the case in the affluent West. We feel that we are spiritually rich and need nothing when, in fact, we are spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.
We desperately need to be shaken out of our complacency. And what better way to shake ourselves out of our complacency than to listen to some brutal death metal?
Death metal is seen by many Christians as Satanic. Certainly, there’s no denying that it sometimes seems that way! (Death metal should not be confused with black metal, which *is* Satanic.) Personally, I regard death metal as simply another musical genre. But I would like to lay on the table a theory for your consideration, the theory being that God has had a hand in the development of the genre since its inception. Make of this theory what you will, but I, for one, find it curious that the first track on the very first death metal album, a song about an exorcism, includes the following lyrics.
Possessed by evil hell
Satan’s wrath will kill
He will take your soul
Cast you to hell …
I can see the light
I don’t want to burn
Help me save my soul
Let me live
Your curse is not my fear
Demons within me hear
I will escape your wrath …
Demons in my body gone
Sicken thoughts left beyond
Haunted by evil memories
Nightmares and sin …
Exorcism takes control
Beneath my body help my soul
Save my soul from evil hell
Your spell is lost
