Not So Polite Dinner Conversation – Part 3 of the Bill Keller saga, brave brave Sir Bill

Here are the last bits of the exchange that Mr. Keller and I have has. (part 1 and part 2 are here) Unsurprisingly, Mr. Keller has still refused to participate in the challenge *he* proposed, the altar contest in 1 Kings 18, where the prophet Elijah competed against the priests of another faith, and had his god light a soaked altar by magical fire. Despite Mr. Keller’s claim to be a prophet of his god, to believe that such miracles can occur now, and to have time to do such a challenge in Syria, he has refused my offer of a challenge here in the US at a place of his choosing. I even have access to the meat of “unblemished” animals aka kosher, or if he would think he god would prefer it, tasty prime grade beef (I hadn’t thought of that initially, so thanks to reader Ron for mentioning it).  Those playing along may be able to get their “BINGO” here.

Without further adieu, the end game.

At the end of the last episode, we have my response. Here is Mr. Keller’s (or his minion) responses:

LOL..btw..are you 12?  since you can’t be grown up and still playing such games..LOL!! (redacted blog address)

and what a shock..a United Methodist church hosting your “event”..let me guess..female “pastor”..probably all down with the whole radical homosexual agenda..gay marraige..gay adoption..the whole deal..and is fine with women having the “right to choose”..code language for killing their baby..since that is the only “choice”.. 

..tell me I am wrong????..LOL..enjoy

 ..oh..and sicne you have such a “captive” audience on your “blog”..please include Dr. Keller’s invitation to accept Jesus..I am pretty sure they all could use it.. http://www.liveprayer.com/plan.cfm Know that I am praying for you, be richly blessed,

I’ve redacted it out, but Mr. Keller is pleased that he found a 12 year old (!) mention of me by real name and address on a blog. (as always, if you’re curious, do the work yourself). I had been a member of the SCA, a medieval recreation group. Those are the “games” he’s talking about. Now imagine what the man would say if he knew I still play Dungeons & Dragons? 🙂

My response:

Thank you for responses, Mr. Keller.  I am 48.  I was raised Presbyterian and was a Christian into my 20s.  You can read my history here: https://clubschadenfreude.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/atheist-testimony.pdf

Thanks for the further insults.  It’s great.  I am glad that you can do a basic internet search.  This shows that you know that I am an actual person that has asked you seriously to provide evidence of your claims and to participate as you have asked a Muslim leader to participate.  That blog is of the local SCA group back in, hmmm, 2002.  Yep, I was the group’s treasurer  twelve years ago, though I got tired of the intergroup politics and left.   The SCA is a group that does historical recreation. I wonder, would you call Civil War re-enactors such things, as playing “games”?  Or is this just one more personal insult you are attempting?    It’s great to see you say that other Christians are wrong with no evidence.  I believe it’s called false witnessing.  Thank you so much for showing how much you hate certain people.   We were renting the space from the church and the local group consists of Christians, Jews, agnostics, atheists and some pagans.  I think you should contact the church to find out their views rather than making more false claims.  Here is their contact information. Dr. Scott Alford is now their senior pastor.  You can contact him at salford@colonialpark.org.   Perhaps you would like to come to Harrisburg, PA to do the altar challenge?  Perhaps we can get the folks at the local churches to attend.  Surely you would want to guide the sinners back to the right path with your miracle, right?  It is what prophets of God are to do, correct?

You seem to be interested in the abortion issue.  I find abortion a very stupid answer to pregnancy, when there is very many excellent birth control measure available.  However, I would not tell a woman that she must have a child any more than I would tell a woman she had to have an abortion.  Again, your ignorance shows you to be a liar, dependent on such things to keep his beliefs.   In that there is nothing mentioned in the bible about abortion, except where God approves of it, I wonder where you get your biblical support.  We do have “Thou shalt not kill.”  But we have your god telling many to kill aka murder others and it does say that one should make a woman drink a potion that seems to be intended to cause an abortion if one finds a woman untrustworthy.  Since you are so interested in following the Old Testament laws, can you tell me how many people you have murdered for working on the Sabbath?  How many times have you gone out for dinner on Sunday? And when is the Sabbath?  Saturday? Sunday? Christians disagree on that too.

Please do continue demonstrating how much TrueChristians don’t agree.  I do enjoy it immensely.  Again, I offer you the chance to provide evidence of your claims that you, as a self-proclaimed prophet of God, to show that you can summon your god and have it consume an offering with divine fire.

A “captive audience” for my blog?  Please tell me how people who can leave or come as they please are captive.  How does that work?  Are those who subscribe to your emails “captive”?  They must be if we are describing people who can come and go as they please.    I have many Christian followers of my blog. I know that they do not agree with me but only subscribe to watch.  Indeed, I have some great TrueChristians who have commented on my blog that say you are entirely wrong.  Can you demonstrate that *they* are wrong?   I have included your invitation to have prayers said and other nonsense plus subscribe to your nonsense in my blog.  And it is a real blog, so your scare quotes make little sense.  I do find it interesting that your service goes against what your bible has said.  It says that no one needs to come between God and the believer. Why do people need your staff to pray for them?  Is the bible wrong?  Can your god not hear regular people but must depend on intercession?  That certainly sounds like the Roman Catholic belief that it takes special people to get this god’s attention.  I am glad to know that you share that belief with them.  That would show that at least some Christians agree on some things.

Thank you very much for allowing me to publish your responses.  I couldn’t have hoped for a better correspondent.   I appreciate all of the time you have taken.

 

I’m still being prayed for. I do wonder what he’s praying for me. Alas, we can never know. He replied in three parts to that, complete with ellipses  🙂  :

Part 1

LOL….glad you live in a fantasy world where you make believe Dr. Keller actually cares about anything you would say or do..though I know he would pray for your lost soul like he would anyone who is heading to hell…though..as I suggested..you should call his TV program and talk to him directly ..I know it would be a huge moment in your life..if his program is not on in your market..it is available online as well… 

….and to correct you.you were never a Christian no matter what you may have thought..since being the member of a church doesn’t make you a Christian..only making a conscience decision to ask Christ into your heart by faith does..and people who truly do that..don’t one day wake up and reject their faith..and glad to give you and your fellow “atheists” material to help you justify your rejection of the Gospel and God’s Word..sadly..that won’t help you when you die and stand before God..but hey..if you are correct..than you won’t have anyhting to worry about since all you will do is die and go into the ground..sadly..if wrong..you will get all etenrity to try and figure out how you could ahve been so stupid when the Truth was right there..but you were too intelligent to accept it.. 

btw..please include Dr. Keller’s words and video to lead people to Christ..you never know..in your ignorance..god may actually use you to save someone’s soul in the process..”what man meant for evil, God meant for good”..blessings..

Part 2

you are being responded to..it simply isn’t Dr. Keller..hasn’t been..and frankly..never will be..he simply never would get involved in such emails..simply not a productive use of his time..he is happy to engage the media…people who have a certain standing..no offense..he gets hundreds from people like yourself every day..same drivel..you people really have nothing new..same old tired rhetoric..stereotypes.. 

btw..there is NOTHING whatsoever to support the THEORY or evolution..unless you can be the first to announce who created that drop of pond scum you believe you “evolved” from..LOL!.. 

..glad you have nothing better to do but type endless paragraphs for your won edification..frankly..you are boring..since agian..nothing creative..nothing fresh..same old tired claims all who fell the need to justify their unbelief send us daily..most verbatim.. 

..sorry to disappoint you….but you are nothing but a typical emailer we hear from daily making challenges…claims..acting like you ahve “proven things” when you have proven nothing but your won ignorance…I apologize if we don’t take you seriously..or anyhting you say…but we will pray for you.and your salvation..and thsoe who are part of your little echo chamber..who you can act like you are a hero for calling out the big bad evangelist..LOL!!..blessings…oh..and you might ant to “pray” about wasting time emailing us any longer..we have gone above and beyond what any other ministry would do..in even acknowledging you exist..since you would never hear back from anyone else..that is the level of commitment Dr. Keller has to seeing everyone who contacts us..even those who are sadly challenged..at least be told the truth that without faith in Christ they will die and burn in hell..what they choose to do with that TRUTH is up to them..blessings

Know that I am praying for you, be richly blessed,

Part 3

oh..not surprised you won’t call him and actually talk to the person you would like to address with these issues..people like you never do..lots of courage in an email..in person..like most of your ilk..you melt like an ice cube and are make to look foolish…good move on your part..at least now you can make all kind of claims to your little friends and not have to admit how bad you fared in actually SPEAKING to Dr. Keller and engaging him in a real conversation..LIVE..for the world to hear..:) Know that I am praying for you, be richly blessed,

My response to such a lovely set of posts:

Mr. Keller,

I thought I’d answer the most recent 3 of your posts together.  It’s great to know that somehow you don’t care about me at all but insist that I am somehow a coward for not calling you on your show.  Why should I call when you have repeatedly called me stupid and have said that you do not care about me or what I say? Now, if this is one of your volunteer pastors answering my emails, perhaps is it just their opinion on what you think and I may get a difference response Mr. Keller himself.  I would ask that this volunteer have you personally respond so that I might know what your opinion truly is.  If he is speaking for you, then I do know what your opinion is.

Again, you have not provided what network that you are on to have 300K viewers.  What network is this, Mr. Keller?  I am also waiting for the information on where you got your doctorate from.

It is unfortunately no surprise that you try to claim that I was never a Christian.  Many TrueChristians claim this, and as usual with no evidence at all.  I am sorry you feel you must bear false witness against me.  The attempt to claim that no one but you and those who agree with you were truly Christians is amusing and expected.  You cannot accept that anyone could believe and then not believe any longer.  However, as this seems to indicate that you think that you alone are the prophet and apostle of Jesus and God, this would mean that you think you can do the miracles promised by Jesus to those people.  I again ask you to visit your local VA hospital and heal those who have suffered defending our rights in this country.  This would include healing of physical wounds since Jesus supposedly did this and claimed his followers would do greater miracles than he.  Mr. Keller, I did consciously ask Jesus Christ into my heart.  Again, you are shown to be a liar.

I do appreciate your attempts at claiming that no one but you and those who agree with you are the only TrueChristians.  It does show that Christians don’t agree and it does indicate that Christians are certainly not the majority that so many of you claim.  How many TrueChristians are there, Mr. Keller?  It seems such a small number that your attempts to use appeals to popularity fail drastically.

As usual, your claims are false again.  I did not “one day wake up and reject their (my) faith”.  I slowly lost it, and I prayed to God to keep it.  There was no answer.  I have asked you why this might be, Mr. Keller.  You have not answered.  You have only kept insulting me and threatening me, just like some poor radical Muslim.

I had wondered when you would resort to Pascal’s Wager, where you assume you have the only right god and no one else does, with no evidence as usual.  Mr. Keller, please provide evidence that your god exists and that no others do.  You claimed to be able to do so by the altar challenge, something that you now refuse to do. I have included a link to your website, Mr. Keller.  Anyone can find your words and videos there, correct?  That certainly should be enough for a god.  It’s great to see you try to claim that your god needs humans to accomplish anything.  It certainly enforces the evidence that your god is just like other Bronze Age gods.   That is a great quote from Mr. Lucardo.  I do like his works because he shows again that Christians don’t agree.  He says that his god controls everything.  You say that humans have choices.  Who is right, you or him?

You claimed I wasn’t being responded to and now you do claim that I am.  Which is it, Mr. Keller? You also claim that Mr. Keller picks and chooses what emails he responds too.  How many of those 40K are not deemed “worthy”?  Again, you have claimed that you have engaged the media and “top atheists”, and I have asked for examples.  You have not provided them.  Why not?  You also claim that you only address “people with a certain standing”.  Who are those people, Mr. Keller?  What consists of their “standing”?

You have made more baseless claims, Mr. Keller.  There is plenty of evidence supporting evolutionary theory.  Just because you refuse to acknowledge it does not mean it doesn’t exist.  Wishing it away will not help.  You make the usual mistake of a creationist, conflating abiogensis hypotheses with evolutionary theory.  They are not the same.  Until you realize this, your arguments are meaningless.  We have plenty of evidence that genetics and the environment interact to allow certain living organisms to prosper under certain conditions.  Please show evidence against this, Mr. Keller.

It is wonderful to see you try to insult me again, Mr. Keller.  It seems that you also have “nothing better to do but type endless paragraphs for your won [sic] edification”.  I have enjoyed our discussion.  You are not boring at all and I have no problem taking the time to read what you have typed.   You did start with something very fresh, the offer to do the altar challenge from 1 Kings 18.  It is a shame that you now refuse to make good on your offer and have used some very common excuses and false claims.

You claim that I am a typical emailer that you have heard from before. That’s great, Mr. Keller, because that shows that your claims of 40k emails are repetitive and shows that you should have plenty of time to meet me for the altar challenge.

I am no hero for requesting that you take the same challenge that you publically offered to another.  I am holding you to the precepts of your own religion.  You have chosen to ignore those, Mr. Keller.  I am glad to see that you have also started to try to convince me to cease requesting that you meet me for the challenge.  I do not need to “pray” about emailing you further.  I am not sure what you think that would accomplish, since I prayed to keep my faith and that wasn’t answered at all.  I am grateful that you have deigned to acknowledge I exist, you may feel good that you have joined many others who have done so.  You have joined many who have answered me, debated me and who have refused to do the altar challenge.

Thank you for praying for me.  I will be sure to let you know if anything changes.  What are you praying to happen, Mr. Keller, so that I know who to attribute things to if anything does happen?

It is great to finish up with you claiming that anyone who doesn’t meet someone in person is a coward.  Now, I have asked you to meet me to participate in the altar challenge that you made.  You have refused.  Does your argument make you, or Mr. Keller, a coward?  I have no problem in meeting him face to face.  I am waiting for you to agree to meet me.  I have offered to bring a camera crew to the challenge so the world can see *and* hear what happens.  Again, will you meet me for the altar challenge as you proposed to al-Baghdadi?

Have a good evening,

So many unanswered questions.  Now, can you guess what happened next? Most likely, yes.

BANNED

In caps no less. I guess manual emails saying banned are what a “large” organization that supposedly gets 40k emails a day, including so many from people like me, does. Rather than having a procedure set up to put “offending” emails on a blacklist.

Mr. Keller, it was a pleasure to correspond with you. I am sorry that you have refused multiple times to participate in the challenge that you offered. I supposed this is what one can expect of prophets of God.