He doesn't actually say "fart demons", but it cracks me up Pastor Claims Gay People Are Possessed By “Fart Demons” That Can Drive Pigs To Suicide Just when we thought we’d heard it all, this guy opened his mouth. Bert Farias (pictured), founder of Holy Fire Ministries, claims to know the “raw, naked truth” about why people are gay: They are possessed by “fart demons.” Yes, fart demons. Oh, but it gets better. Farias also claims that in choosing to be gay, a person chooses to engage in “unclean demonic practices.” Once that happens, they become possessed by “putrid-smelling” demons so stinky they can drive pigs to suicide. In an interview with Charisma magazine, Farias begged gay people to “not get upset with me” as he explained his groundbreaking new theory. “[You] will see that I am actually trying to help you,” he assured them. He continued: “Homosexuality is actually a demon spirit. It is such a putrid smelling demon that other demons don’t even like to hang around it.” He then went on to recount a story from the Bible to illustrate his fascinating point: “There is an account in the Bible where Jesus casts out 2,000 demons out of a man. The demons came out screaming and begged Jesus to send them into the pigs. The pigs didn’t want them, so they ran down a steep hill and were drowned in the sea.” “Pigs have more sense than some humans,” he added. “People embrace homosexual demons, but the pigs would rather die than be possessed with demons.” And how exactly does Farias know all this? One of God’s prophets personally phoned to let him know. “A genuine prophet of God told me that the Lord allowed him to smell this demon spirit, and he got sick to his stomach,” he said. Farias also warned that the growing acceptance of homosexuality in the United States is a sign from the man upstairs that our society is in “the last stages of decay” and that there will be severe “destructive physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences.” In conclusion, Farias said: “Our culture’s acceptance and celebration of gay behavior will never make it right. Wrong is wrong no matter how many people are for it. And right is right no matter how many people are against it. “Homosexuality is not new. It’s been around for thousands of years. It’s as old as the devil himself.”
The church of the HOLY FIRE talking about epic, destructive farts? Maybe they need to stop having their Bible studies at Taco Bell. BTW preacher - nothing a pig eats or smells is bad enough to make it want to cash in it's chips. That's why you can't shoot trap or skeet anywhere near pigs. They eat fucking clay pigeons which are toxic.
This guy looks like my old Algebra teacher who lived in a trailer with 18 cats and wore the same suit every day.
I know this is a lighthearted thread, however... I always thought that Christianity has emancipated itself from primitive "magical thinking"during the last decades. Liberation theology in South America, bright Christian theologists like Drewermann and Küng who wrote about cosmology and have profound knowledge of science ... But now, "demons" are important again. The new Pope, despite being "progressive" and close to Christ's message - just LOVES talking about the fucking devil. Christanity is falling back into the Middle Ages. One could argue that the Catholic Church never made any progress (Diacanu? ) , but this is simply not true. Ok, the primitive branches of Christianity always focused on the "magical" aspects of Christianity. Speaking in tongues, exorcism, etc... But there was a movement among Christians (Drewermann!) which got rid of this bullshit. It seems that their protagonists have lost the battle with the Christian voodoo priests, and now, it is all about demons and the friggin endtimes again. Just for clarification: I am not a Christian. But there have always been very bright minds among Christians who were capable of critical thinking AND understanding the Christian message of love at same time. At its core, the Christian message is a good one.
Here's the tricky part though Jan - if the Christian church gets too far away from it's "fire and brimstone" roots they become a just philosophy. A philosophy doesn't carry the long term commitment and gravity of a powerful institution with accepted dogma. Let's say that the Christian message is one of "love." Hell I can offer a message of "love." Anybody can. It would be great if everyone did. Then why would the Christian church exist at all if anybody can offer this message? The Catholic Church (big man on campus) must stay one step ahead of any and all religions if they are to remain powerful. If other Christian churches get too "progressive" they go old school. If other Christian churches get too "old school" then they get progressive. Bob and weave, bob and weave like a boxer!
I agree. Magical thinking develops into a dogmatic organized religion. Organized religion produces some kind of "scientific" theology during the years. Theology is the mother of philososphy. Philosophy tries to answer questions of ethics. Ethics help to organize a working society in which everybody can live a life in peace. So far so good. Problem is that many religious people are stuck on level one or two. Because they are weak, intellectually and "spiritually". They use their belief system as a crutch to master the hardships of life. Which belief system they choose is unimportant in the end. As long as there is enough "magic" in it to keep the sheep busy. Of course there is the human factor. Abuse of power, greed, etc... It corrupts everything, not only the Catholic Church. It would be great if people could be ethical on their own, without religious superstition, without "magic". However, many people don't like the thought of being a tiny biomechanoid in an unpersonal universe -a soulless machine- that doesn't give a shit. They don't like to live and to die without hope. They are not satisfied with being human. This is why they are "religious"...
My point is: Umberto Eco is possibly the most intelligent individual living on this earth today. (IMO!) He is an atheist. But without studying many belief systems in detail, he'd just be another arrogant, clueless prick like Richard Dawkins! (I like Dawkins, but he doesn't see the big picture.) Ah well, fart demons... Eco in a thread about FART DEMONS....! God hates us all.
Jan - I enjoy being good just because it's the right thing to do in my mind. Technically nothing really matters since the whole human race - then the world - then the sun - then finally the universe will be gone with no record of it's existance. Nothing has any value except what we assign to it.
As Christianity becomes more and more irrelevant and non-belief more acceptable those who were in the church just b/c aren't even bothering anymore. This radicalizes those remaining in two ways. One, those people were a moderating influence, now the crazies make up an ever larger percentage of believers. As their congregations shrink and rapidly age (like the Republican party, churches are facing a demographic cliff) they feel more and more marginalized and are panicking over the future. This is also causing many to retreat to fundyism.
It's sad, because there are more liberal and socially conscious churches out there (we attend one from time to time), but a lot of people seem to think "hey, if they're that liberal, why even going?" Meanwhile there's this great group of people who just happen to be religious.
Of course. However, I doubt that most very religious people follow their specific cult because they need to know what's right or what is wrong. They are religious because they can't live with the rather cruel thought that their existence doesn't really matter in the scheme of greater things. That they are nothing but dust and shadow. You seem to have no problem with this. Good for you!
The idea (or bitter truth... ) that there is possibly no god is horrible and hard to bear, when you give it a thought... This is why I understand religious people and refuse to laugh about them as long as they don't preach.
We as humans should enjoy our place on top of the food chain (as a species) while realizing that the second we die we (as individuals) are at the bottom. Everything will come full circle. Death is the great equalizer. But our existence only matters to us humans and should only matter to us humans. So we humans need to help ourselves, not divide ourselves by religion. Religion gives us the idea that we are aligned with a superior being that in effect makes us superior over other humans. Just my opinion.
Why? What's so horrible about that? You're a ghost driving a meat truck. Once you get out, you abandon the meat truck -- what's wrong with the world consuming what you abandoned?
