The Church of the Negative Christ

Or, anyone can be saved here - and you don't have to stop sinning

Published on September 16, 2007 By EmperorofIceCream In Religion

As of approximately fifteen minutes ago I am an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church Monastery. I will shortly be receiving my Ordination Package, including a legal certificate of ordination which I will immediately present to the County Clerk, who will authorize me to solemnize marriage in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

An astounding thing to any European who has even a passing familiarity with the bitter history of intolerance, religious warfare, persecution of heretics, witch-burnings, and general mayhem and slaughter associated with Christianity in Europe is the degree of religious freedom in America.

On production of a valid certificate of Ordination, anyone can found a Church. Anyone. And providing that its teachings don't break the laws of the State or Commonwealth in which its founded, or incite others to break the law, the authorities have no interest in, or say over, the content of those teachings.

So I hereby announce the Revelation of, and the Creation of, the Church of the Negative Christ. It's founding principles are:

Encourage Religious Freedom.
Do What Is Right.
Become Your Own Jesus.

As I have for a long time now been engaged in arguing against the perversions of thought perpetrated by contemporary Christianity, I also announce, publicly and plainly, that from my pulpit will be preached attacks upon these perversions of thought, and demonstrations of their fallacy; in relation in particular to the issues of 'sin', 'salvation', 'damnation', and the nature and role of 'Jesus Christ' in these issues.

Comments

Zydor

on Sep 17, 2007

"An astounding thing to any European who has even a passing familiarity with the bitter history of intolerance, religious warfare, persecution of heretics, witch-burnings, and general mayhem and slaughter associated with Christianity in Europe is the degree of religious freedom in America"

Why astonishing? In most - if not all Western European countries anyone can found a church, many have in UK for example and for a couple of hundred years preached away in Hyde Park, some serious, some frankly quite entertaining. Dont forget that many people fought for those religious freedoms you now enjoy for around 1,000 years and brought them across with the original settlers, Henry VIII having severed the influence of Church over the State in the Act of Supremacy in 1534 - albeit for somewhat chauvinistic reasons

I would suggest you reflect on the fact that intolerence is also displayed by attacking other churches and religions, and most people will no longer tolerate such intolerence, particularly from a church that has Encourage Religious Freedom as the first in its list of aims.

EmperorofIceCream

on Sep 19, 2007

To: Zydor

Nice of you to stop by and patronise me, and I appreciate the magnanimity of your condescion. Do be careful you don't choke to death on it. Because than I'd have to choose whether to die of a broken heart immediately on hearing of your tragic demise - or later. I think I'd choose later.

Onward, through the fog...

if not all Western European countries anyone can found a church, many have in UK for example and for a couple of hundred years preached away in Hyde Park, some serious, some frankly quite entertaining.

This is utter nonsense. There is only one established Church in the UK (for example) the Church of England. While other minority sects are tolerated, allowed to own and operate church buildings, hold meetings and so forth, they are not established and play no public role as the C of E does. Speakers Corner (in Hyde Park) has nothing whatever to do with religion - though the religiously minded do occasionally make use of it to harangue anyone willing to listen. But as an institution in its own right, the privelege of Speakers Corner applies to anyone wishing to speak. It has nothing to do with religion per se.

And as my darling wife has pointed out to you, you need to distinguish between attacking an institution and its members from attacking the modes of thought and opinions of those who belong to such institutions.

Zydor

on Sep 23, 2007

Nice of you to stop by and patronise me, and I appreciate the magnanimity of your condescion.

You are most welcome.

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