74 Christian abuse on a poster

Stephen's Blog

This poster recently appeared on a church notice board in Norfolk.  It has been taken down after a complaint that it was ‘hate incident’.  What cannot be seen on my copy are the flames that are at the bottom of the poster.  This poster perhaps sums up the mentality among certain Christians that is at the heart of this blog’s concern.

Questions that arise.

Who commissioned this poster?

Do the people who approve of it really believe that the people who disagree with it and them will eternally burn in hell?

Do they take pleasure in this terrible example of discrimination against their fellow human beings?

If they do, are they not guilty of murderous sentiments laced with a thick dose of cruelty and bitterness?

Is there really anything distinctively Christian about this poster at all?

About Stephen Parsons

Stephen is a retired Anglican priest living at present in Cumbria. He has taken a special interest in the issues around health and healing in the Church but also when the Church is a place of harm and abuse. He has published books on both these issues and is at present particularly interested in understanding how power works at every level in the Church. He is always interested in making contact with others who are concerned with these issues.

8 thoughts on “74 Christian abuse on a poster”

  1. We have millions starving, we have people in untreated, unnecessary pain, and all that these enemies of the human race can do, is produce a poster like this! I expect God will forgive them, but, I don’t feel much like it! Chris Pitts

  2. This looks like cruel self-righteousness masquerading as the love that guides and teaches. It looks like wielding power to frighten into cowed conformity. It is a horrible corruption rather than “distinctively Christian”. Anything that is truly of Christ imparts the love that gives life and the truth that sets free. This poster is also based on the stereotype and to our minds typically mediaeval metaphor of the flames of hell. Unfortunately though it may not be totally lacking in a grain of truth. It is more common these days to picture God’s judgement in terms of the gulf that must exist between Him and those who refuse to receive his love. Have we really considered at all seriously what torment it would be to be separated from God for ever?

  3. ‘Separation’
    A far, far better way of putting it. Thank you haikusinenomine. As far back as the early 1900’s J Paterson Smyth was saying the same thing ( The gospel of the hereafter). Also King David said ‘If I go down to the lowest hell, behold you are there also’
    Chris

  4. Thank you haikusinenomine, Yes, Psalm 139. 8 Authorized version.
    The word Hell there is of course ‘Sheol’ the place of the dead.
    If that verse is true then at least I’m in with a chance! I feel very dead these days, lost my spiritual glasses at a bible school in Birmingham, don’t go to Spec-savers what ever you do. PEACE Chris

  6. As a fully paid up member of the ‘Inter-Galactic Fish Club,’ I have to tell you that the spiritual equivalent to Specsavers, is not worth entertaining.

    May the full rotational blessings of the I. G. F. C. go with you. Chris

  7. Devil’s advocate. What about the bus poster saying, “There’s probably no God, get over it”! I thought it was funny and clever. But not necessarily true. Also the above? What about Rowan Atkinson doing a sketch as St. Peter checking people off, with a clip board. I paraphrase. “Jews? Ye e es. Baptists, Ri i ight, Catholics, ok. Yes. Anglicans, hmmm, yes. Atheists.” [Looks up] “Ah yes, atheists. You must be feeling pretty foolish now.” Just a thought.

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