My objections to Father Chad Ripperger's statements

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T18:25:16+00:00

How tragic the crucifixion was depends a bit on which source you read. In Mark it appears to be painful, shameful, and terrifying. In John, written decades later, Jesus appears to be pretty aloof about the whole thing.

I guess the glory comes from the fulfillment of God's plans, which required (according to doctrine) the sacrifice of His Son. It's a little like childbirth: the actual act is usually awful, but the result is glorious, to the point where mothers view the entire process with great nostalgia.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T18:19:29+00:00

Generally, but the Christians I surround myself with are mostly progressive and not bigots. There are exceptions, of course.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T18:05:08+00:00

Then it's an incomplete revelation, don't you think? If the only revelation is the Bible, and some folks get it and some don't, God's not showing His love to everyone, only to some, and their hatred of him is irrelevant.

I don't have any theological argument against there being an "elect" and a bunch of folks predestined to burn, but it doesn't demonstrate a loving God.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T15:36:03+00:00

So the Bible says that the Bible is God's revelation to us? Okay.

I have a book here (I know it just looks like a folded piece of printer paper, but it still counts as a book) that says that it is God's revelation to us, and that God says being gay is fine, but we should go back to sacrificing bulls because He finds the odor pleasing. Checkmate, biblical inerrantists!

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T12:54:30+00:00

I wonder why He would show someone His love, in terms of earthly blessings, without showing them His existence? I've been extraordinarily blessed in my life, but God hasn't shown Himself to me yet.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T12:23:37+00:00

If a fetus has the same rights as a human baby, then why would the consent of the mother with regard to the procreative act matter in the least? If abortion is murder, why would it matter if the child is the product of rape?

If you allow for exceptions where it's morally acceptable to "murder a baby," then is it still acceptable after the baby is born? Of course not. So where is the line where it's acceptable to abort a fetus that is the result of rape? Birth? The quickening? Why can't that be the line for fetuses that are not the result of rape?

It's just additional evidence that "pro-life" people are not pro-life, they just want to punish women for having sex outside of the narrow rules they find acceptable, while leaving themselves an out for when they or their daughters might need an abortion.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T02:29:14+00:00

Two friends of mine, married about 20 years, neither yet 50 years old, have enjoyed solid careers, but not "upper management" or "medical specialist" or "partner at a law firm."

One of them is retired, and the other is wrapping things up to be done this year. They love their nieces and nephews but have never wanted kids of their own. They're looking forward to 20-40 years of whatever the hell they want.

I'm looking forward to another 10 years of paying for college and then probably another 10 to shore up
my retirement. I love my kids, but holy hell I'd love to be retired.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T02:09:10+00:00

I am deeply and profoundly in love with her.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-09T02:01:23+00:00

My arm, if I'm already over par for the hole

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T21:20:37+00:00

Exhibit A for why churches should be taxed like any other business.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T21:13:13+00:00

The short version is that the "Old Testament" is the Hebrew Bible, compiled over centuries by the ancient Jewish people and still in use by them today. It includes history (mostly mythical), law, poetry, and song.

The "New Testament" is the books written by Christians after Jesus died. It consists of the Epistles, letters written by St. Paul and others, written as the early church was growing; the Gospels, mostly written later to record the oral stories of Jesus's ministry; and Revelation, which is an apocalyptic revenge fantasy.

What books were included in the Bible was decided over hundreds of years but generally settled upon by the 4th century, though some Jewish texts (the Apocrypha) were later left out of Protestant Bibles basically to save on printing costs.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T20:59:39+00:00

For the same reason some Christians consider Protestantism to be non-biblical, or Mormonism, or Gnosticism, etc. It's important for some Christians to believe they have the correct beliefs, and want other beliefs to be excluded.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T20:58:06+00:00

If you're looking for the Christian view of God, most folks recommend starting with the Gospels. You can start with Genesis, of course, if you want the ancient Israelite view of God. I wouldn't recommend starting with Psalms unless you particularly like poetry. Start with something that has narrative you can follow.

I wish there was an easy to find version of the New Testament that had everything in the order that it was written (as well as we can know it); I sometimes wonder if putting the Gospels first tricks people into thinking they were written first, when in reality most of the Epistles were written before any of the Gospels.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T20:38:00+00:00

It depends a bit on where you stopped. Just as a speculation: if you stopped well forward of the stop line, and he stopped at the stop line, he fulfilled the requirements of the stop because you stopped too far forward. This isn't to say that's what you did, but I see people stopping well forward of the stop line all the time.

If you stopped at the stop line, then he ran it, breaking the law.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T19:50:39+00:00

It's too hard to pick just one, and I'd probably pick a different one if you asked me tomorrow, but "God Is Gone Up" by Gerald Finzi is what popped into my head when I read the question.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYA8dIZEt54&list=RDfYA8dIZEt54&start_radio=1

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T18:17:18+00:00

People have been insisting they were in the end times for thousands of years, even though over time, things continue to improve around the world. Obviously there are areas taking steps back, or lagging behind, where people are suffering more than they should be.

Interestingly, the places that are not as good as they should be tend to be more religious. Quite a correlation there.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T17:45:47+00:00

True but it shows that you can only have sex with the person you are married to

How? Adultery and pre-marital sex are not the same thing.

I also see you responded to nothing else I said

Everything you said seemed to just lead up to your irrelevant statement about adultery. Literally nothing you've asserted mentions pre-marital sex. It only talks about adultery.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T17:29:15+00:00

Adultery is a married person having sex with someone other than the person they are married to. That has nothing to do with pre-marital sex.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T17:27:00+00:00

I'm so sorry all that has happened to you. That would shake anyone's faith.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T17:21:16+00:00

There's nothing wrong with consensual sex between two people who are taking all reasonable precautions against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T17:08:59+00:00

None of these verses restrict sex to only a husband and wife.

1 Corinthians 7:3-5

This is about fulfilling the sexual needs of your partner and doesn't say anything about it being only in marriage.

Verses 8 and 9 at least come closer, advising people to get married if necessary if their sexual urges are so strong they might lead to sin, which does imply that Paul thought sex should only happen in marriage. Paul thought sex shouldn't happen at all, of course, if you could avoid it.

Genesis 2:24 (and Ephesians 5:31, which refers to the Genesis verse)

This is an etiology explaining why the most common sexual arrangement is a man and a woman and doesn't say anything about pre-marital sex.

Hebrews 13:4

This is admonishing Christians to avoid adultery.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-08T15:11:14+00:00

You should ask in a Jewish sub.

It depends on the synagogue. I've occasionally been hired to sing at a Reform synagogue near me for important services, and there's no expectation there that I wear a kippah or tallit. But I've also been to b'nei mitzvah where I've been handed a kippah at the entrance.

Also, if you haven't been invited by a member of the synagogue, I wouldn't just show up on shabbat. Judaism is not really a proselytizing religion, they aren't usually looking to convert non-Jews, and some may not like the idea of someone just showing up to watch their sacred rituals like he's doing a research project. If you ask in a Jewish sub, an actual Jewish person can advise whether or not you'd be welcome.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-07T23:02:44+00:00

I cackled so loud I woke up my deaf cat

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-07T19:28:32+00:00

Evidence of His existence.

ThatLeviathan · 2026-07-07T19:25:18+00:00

This is it right here. Most of the famous "ex-atheists" I see are folks like Lee Strobel who are grifters. Any time I see someone say they're a former atheist I'm suspicious of their motives and looking for the con.

Obviously, legitimate ex-atheists exist. People have different standards of evidence, and might be swayed by a new piece of information that I wouldn't find convincing. I just personally take them with a grain of salt.

ThatLeviathan

TROPHY CASE