The Deception Dilemma: Is God's Creation Set Up to Fail?

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Welcome! I think this is one of the most damning aspects of christianity. Stick with me all the way through if you can, as it takes some time to build the case.

[@VictoriousCatholic]

No…you’re wrong as always. If this were a case against Christianity, then Christianity would have died out long ago and atheists would be the majority of the world population. It’s not; it’s the opposite

[@jleewaters]

Speaking of building a case. Have you considered watching kingdom in context

[@MindShift-Brandon]

theres tons of wonderful cases against christianity and the more these ideas have finally been allowed to spread the more christianity is dying. The numbers are in, its on the way out. So kinda proving my point for me. @@VictoriousCatholic

[@VictoriousCatholic]

No..the opposite is proving true. People are realizing how much of atheist claims are empty, hollow lies (which is pretty much everything). Atheists can’t even keep up with world population growth

[@GameTimeWhy]

One of your posts made it sound like you kind of throw these together at the last minute but i always find these scripts to be very well written. You build really good cases and you use the bible to disprove itself. You don't misrepresent or cherry pick.

[@gilgamesh.....]

God is either stupid or evil because he either can't stop literally everything he wants from going wrong or he just enjoys hurting people.

[@bozomori2287]

He enjoys and promises he will harm people. It is us humans who are flawed and keep selling our lives to Gods. The synagogue doesnt apologize fro God The mosque too Their people accept the evil nature of God. Only the post modern church is appologizing for God because the people they are trying to keep dislike the idea.

[@flashraylaser157]

I would argue against "stupid"; rather, it would actually require an enormous intellect and capability TO prevent all suffering. I don't think there's a binary between superhuman AI and stupid. I've tried to lend this argument to apologists, to just drop some of their constant omnis, then to maybe even continue to assert that some sort of helpful god is the smartest and most powerful thing there is but to admit that it's technically flawed all the same and that a lot of bad is thusly still happening, just like happens even with amazingly good human leaders, despite whatever amazing good the theists can just assert the god IS doing, like being borderline eternally busy stopping cosmic impacts from killing us as a whole. It's not hard to make an argument that a god IS helping but is swamped and frankly, yes, has more urgent things to do than cure the cancer of even individual children, or to have prevented COVID-19. It's not hard to make us sound totally unreasonable for even expecting those things. It would help the theists SO much in these debates but they won't even touch it as a hypothetical possibility with a ten-foot pole. Seemingly, they greatly prefer even a demonstrably, incontrovertibly evil but still all-powerful god to a good one who can't quite fart rainbows in their sleep. And I know why: If the god is not all-powerful then one can imagine a situation in which the afterlife they offer is skirted; the entire point of religion is just to mentally bypass the reality of eventual death. All the control stuff was an unfortunate side effect, not the whole point, as many atheists erroneously sense and assert. It's far more about bypassing a fear of death than either a desire to control others or explain natural phenomena. The rest just inadvertently was also tried with it. They just desperately need a "you're never REALLY gonna die though and all your dead loved ones aren't REALLY dead bro". It's sad. Makes me a little misty actually. They simply cannot stand up to reality yet. I empathize with them. It's actually a bit understandable. WE are the abnormally strong ones; nothing weird about them trying to creatively escape death which is "why" evolution gave us intelligence to begin with. Billions of years of evolution have shaped life to fear and avoid death at all costs, and humans are in the unfortunate position of being the only animal yet intelligent enough to understand that death isn't just a possibility but an inevitability, with nothing but our brains to fight back with. It's a horror movie. That immediately makes all that dread and fear of death implode, probably to the extent of making some people act crazy even. Religion was simply the only way out of that horrible realization that the very Boogeyman evolution primed us to avoid at all costs wins in the end no matter what. That kinda sucks and honestly us atheists are coping a bit too when we try to sell that it's almost objectively a more perfect world this way. It's not, but it's reality. When we start doing that, we're just doing a few percent of what the religious people do, taking enough of the copium to survive. It's hard out here. The default state of the universe and our lifespans does not correspond with what evolution "created" us to want, at all. Eventually we'll use our brains to continue fighting death in more effective ways. When science has cured cancer and even aging, we'll see any remaining religiosity begin dropping rapidly like a plane going down over the ocean. It will survive on a few lifeboats, notably occupied only by people who had already lost loved ones before the cures, and by people who still lost loved ones despite the cures to things like accidents. If science could outright raise the dead and it was affordable to all, we could most likely talk almost any Christian out of their faith in like 15 minutes with the Hell problem alone. Desperation for eternal life with loved ones is the only thing strong enough to make most of them justify Hell, at least for the lesser crimes or ones it's difficult to understand the criminality of. Rape and murder make people want some serious revenge, but most people morally understand people like thieves don't deserve eternal fire even if they're not sorry. It's overkill, literally actually, as it's enduring what should be enough to kill you in a few seconds and then just enduring it over and over anyway. The world will learn what religion really was and this will be seen as fact rather than controversial.

[@Volleyball_Chess_and_Geoguessr]

I think "enjoys hurting people" is pretty on the nose. God: "Oh whooooops, guess you'll have to suffer now. It's your fault you know. Now tell me how righteous and good I am!!! Or you will have to suffer immensely. It's out of my hands!!!"

[@VictoriousCatholic]

Here’s another option: Maybe God is waiting for His creation to grow some sense and apply the logic He also has given it

[@sunlightsage2982]

@@VictoriousCatholicPlease display some of that logic and reason you assert God is waiting on, o Enlightened one. Evidently you have the details that nobody else has figured out yet.

[@roc5291]

God, while looking at his creation fail from day one: Option 1: Snap fingers. Delete first attempt. Make earth and humans again. Make SURE they don’t eat forbidden fruit. Get praised forever. Have my creations in paradise in peace and harmony forever. Option 2: Don’t snap fingers and start over again and kick my creation out of the Garden of Eden. Let them create children. Get upset that they don’t worship me after I kicked them out of paradise (can’t imagine why). Get upset about this to the point where I flood the entire world, save one family. Allow anywhere from 40,000 - 80,000 years of allowing my creations to praise false Gods, have endless wars and battles with each other for generations. Allow my main adversary who is the ONLY creation in the universe that would kinda sorta rival me to rule there and manipulate them at every single turn. Wait until 2000 years ago and then send myself, in the form of my son, to sacrifice myself, to myself, to close the loophole of sin that I allowed for thousands of years. Then, after my son (me) is dead and is resurrected, we will land in the year 2024, where 2/3 of my creations do not believe in me or believers in a different God entirely. So, KNOWING THIS, I will tell my “prophets” centuries about to write The Book of Revelations, to let them know that when I come back, I will go scorched earth and then life will just be over. God thinks for a minute…… “OPTION 2, HERE WE GO”!!!!!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

lol, its hilarious and also so very sad!

[@williamcoleman7398]

Oh yeah!!

[@Jersonx3000]

@@MindShift-Brandonwell what’s even more sad is that a Christian reading the op’s comment - due to cognitive dissonance, will twist themselves into a pretzel to justify why god picked option 2 instead of 1. When that Christian is probably a good person otherwise

[@donaldyanson8144]

Yup, I think that pretty much sums it up. A little too ironic, don't you think?😂

[@jmparker78]

I mean, option 3, no tree at all!

[@jshud3]

I think that may have completed my deconstruction.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Happy to be a small part of the final nail in the coffin! I also know how insane that feeling of finally letting go and the hard process to follow. Keep learning and reach out if you need anything!

[@Kassadin8088]

Congratulations! Welcome!

[@brendanhagerty]

This comment made me realize I just finished deconstructing my faith too

[@QuintessentialJenesequa]

The longer you are out of it the more insane you'll see that it is! And wonder how you ever fell for it and regret all of the effort and wasting of your life dedicated to it. This video is really good but you should also check out NonStampCollector who is so funny and is able to show how crazy it is very well. And most certainly will help you be done with it too. Have other recommendations for anyone interested.

[@QuintessentialJenesequa]

I don't see my other comment so apologies if you do. Not going to write the whole thing over again. But the longer you are out, the more insane you'll see that it is and wonder how you ever fell for it. And regret wasting so much of your life on it. Check out NonStampCollector who is a big help too.

[@charleswhite9242]

I find it interesting that a lot of these verses don’t seem odd when you are born into the church and indoctrinated into it all but when you look at it objectively as an adult then all of these verses are total madness

[@MindShift-Brandon]

right?! story of my life.

[@charleswhite9242]

@@MindShift-Brandon mine too the church I grew up in in the middle of England had ‘demons’ being expelled, people being slain in the spirit etc. this is nowhere near the norm here maybe 2% of people go to that type of church. To me it was the norm from being a toddler and now I think that must have quite the effect on the developing psyche

[@chameleonx9253]

"Raise up a child in the way he shall go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it." It's not an accident. These people know how to choose their marks, and just how to keep them sucking on the Jesus juice.

[@Lestat1349]

@@chameleonx9253 its so shameful that I was grown up when I became part of this madness, and I stayed for so long even, but thankfully I am free now

[@jojobizarrelivingstone594]

Yep. Now that im an athiest my dad's analogies when trying to make lessons out of these absurd stories unfortunately are not sound...at all

[@adam2aces]

My pastor asked me during wedding counseling how do I know if I'm being deceived? I shrugged. He said, it's a trick question, you don't, by definition you cannot know, you can only know in hindsight. I didn't understand why he asked me that question but after he married me and my wife he said on my wedding day he was going to quit preaching and build a cabin in the woods. I didn't realize it at the time but I think he was deconverting. The verses you read that instruct us not to be deceived make no sense! If you know that you're being deceived you're no longer being deceived. Thanks again for this🤘🏻

[@magichobbiest3425]

Yep. Unless your like me and I tell people what I do is an illusion or trickery that took lots of work to master from the start. Unfortunately there's people who still believe I do real magic even when I say this. Also sadly,simple physics and sleight of hand methods can decieve us and decieved me before I ever got into magic and once I learned the methods I was so surprised how simple,yet deceptive some tricks were. Most magicians I encounter seem to be atheist and I think it's because we study deception. Only about two religions have I ever got interested in was judaism and Buddhism. Still don't believe either. Buddhism more so. But Islam and Christianity just seem terribly deceptive and use a hell or some sort of punishment. You also have to believe that specific religion or else and they also say if you don't believe without evidence your a fool. Like wtf 😂

[@alphanumericskeptic]

Wow! Very interesting words! Thanks for sharing them.

[@Vman101]

If god was real, he’d be the biggest narcissist to have ever existed. “You succeed only because of me. I allowed it. But if you fail, that’s all on you. Oh, and if and when you fail, you will spend all eternity in hell. Here’s a really confusing book to help you out. Good luck”

[@Vman101]

@@0neMadGypsyyou’re assuming that something created the universe. The universe could have always existed in some form or another, or came out of nothing. The bottom line is, we don’t know how the universe came about. The universe coming into existence out of nothing is no less magical than a creator making it happen. If there’s a creator, than where did that creator come from? And where did THAT creator come from? And so on. If the creator doesn’t have a creator and always existed, then it’s possible that the universe also didn’t have a creator. I’m not claiming that the universe did or did not have a creator. I don’t know and most scientists hold that position because it’s the only honest position one can hold given what evidence we have. Bottom line is, science does not agree with the assumption that the universe had a creator. In order for it to agree with that hypothesis, there has to be evidence, and since there’s no evidence of a creator, it’s nothing more than an assumption taken on faith.

[@hazok4351]

Also, notice that the "father of lies" didn't lie ONCE in the bible, only the "father of truth" did.

[@johntiggleman4686]

@hazok4351 According to "Christianity," the lie was made when Old Scratch told Eve that she wouldn't die (meaning right there and then), but die "spiritually" separated from "god," and then finally when you croak, going to hell/hades/gehenna, etc.

[@Bojan12]

He lied every time

[@brielleanyez7113]

Exactly, this has always bothered me

[@Chuck-se5hh]

Well said!!!!!

[@FoursWithin]

​@@johntiggleman4686 Except their twisted reading is an apologetic lie in itself. neither Adam or Eve died for a long time into the future and separation from a being who is omnipresent didn't result in death either. Just hardship. And hardship isn't death , in fact it's integral to life. Death comes about first and foremost when Yahweh character comes back into their lives and messing with the minds/emotions of their children. Also nowhere does the Bible claim Adam and Eve are in hell. You may be aware of these but I wanted to state the obvious that goes over the head of believers.

[@gilleruadh]

When it comes to the god of the Bible, the dice are loaded and the cards are stacked. You can't win, you can't break even, and you can't even quit the game. I can't worship a god like that.

[@Lestat1349]

Very well put!

[@belkyhernandez8281]

Sounds like the the Cohen song YOU WANT IT DARKER

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

worship is not required....

[@jaydennguyen-xk1yo]

@@gothboschincarnate3931uh then what is

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

@@jaydennguyen-xk1yo nothing....other then completing your lessons here

[@TheDeath138]

"If this is me being deceived, when the whole reason it happened is I read too much of my Bible.." was a pretty good line and I snickered a bit. It's simple and quite accurate in my case as well.

[@aussiedragon]

God: if you eat the fruit you'll die. Serpent: you won't die, you'll just gain the knowledge of good and evil. Eve: eats fruit, doesn't die, gains the knowledge of good and evil. WHO IS THE DECEIVER AGAIN?

[@stefansevcik1877]

If Eve did not die, invite her into discussion!

[@jevonsims900]

@@stefansevcik1877 After you invite a living breathing red blood bleeding Jesus Christ.

[@STaRBG4405]

@@stefansevcik1877 Why is knowledge and eternal life mutually exclusive? These two thing have nothing in common. Why is god purposefully keeping humans dumb? If heaven has eternal life does that mean heaven is full of dumb people?

[@stefansevcik1877]

@@STaRBG4405 Ad. "Why is knowledge and eternal life mutually exclusive? These two thing have nothing in common." On the contrary, they have, as already mentioned in the Bible (1 John 5): "13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." Ad. "Why is god purposefully keeping humans dumb?" - perhaps because the true name of such "god" is Devil and as Wilhem Busch described, "The Devil makes people ungodly, arrogant, and stupid." ans as Bible notifies, J 8,44 "He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him." Ad. "If heaven has eternal life does that mean heaven is full of dumb people?" Not at all, to end up in heaven is not dumb, demb is to aim for hell and that is the place full of dumb people: Psalm 14: The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

[@jakerz0]

The threat of death is perplexing for a few reasons. One, how would these people even know what death *is* in a newly-created, perfect world where nothing has died? Two, if immortality was not yet available to them (via the other tree), then wouldn’t they already be subject to death? And three, if they’re *NOT* subject to death, then the consequences of neither tree make any sense. It’s almost like this story is an ancient myth or something…

[@Venaloid]

Beautiful. I think the best point is simply the existence of false prophets who perform false miracles, and demons who provide false feelings. How is any Christian supposed to know that they are correct? They can't.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

They can't! its really that simple. The bible has simply overpowered both god and his enemy and we cannot do anything but guess in the middle. Thanks, man!

[@Uryvichk]

Note that this very argument is raised in the Gospels: *Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to Jesus, and He healed him so that the man who was unable to speak talked and could see. And all the crowds were amazed and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”* *And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he has become divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? And if by Beelzebul I cast out the demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.* --Matthew 12:22-28 (NASB) This is a terrible non-argument. Jesus is basically arguing that: 1) Satan would never take a minor L on purpose in order to deceive more people afterward; 2) The only other alternative to Satan is God; and 3) If my power comes from God, everything else I say must be true. None of these things work, make sense, or follow from one another in any logical progression: 1*) Why not? That sounds like exactly what Satan would do, and exactly what Satan's agent would argue! 2*) Are we sure about that? People at the time believed in the efficacy of things like Egyptian sorcery; Celsus even claims this is how Jesus did his miracles in his A True History, according to Origen. Maybe Jesus was just versed in Egyptian magic and could cast out demons that way. 3*) This obviously doesn't follow. God could grant a person miraculous healing powers but not necessarily endorse every claim they make about God's wants and desires. One might argue that Jesus would lose his powers if he started lying like that, but God's ways are inscrutable and all that. Maybe the healing and calls to repentance were worth tolerating Jesus's megalomaniac off-script turns.

[@BenjaminEaster-b8b]

@MindShiftSkeptic Even if I embark on an absolutely exodus from Christianity, I won't be hopeless. I just happened to be born in the mid-two-thousands, and this fact permitted me to blossom in a century where I have a more fruitful lifestyle than 99 percent of every human being that has ever breathed 😊🤯❤

[@BenjaminEaster-b8b]

I am less confident than ever ever before in my purportedly undamageable salvation🥲 HOWEVER, even if I embark on an absolutely exodus from Christianity, I won't be hopeless. I just happened to be born in the mid-two-thousands, and this fact permitted me to blossom in a century where I have a more fruitful lifestyle than 99 percent of every human being that has ever breathed 😊🤯❤

[@Chuck-se5hh]

You make a compelling point! Thank you!

[@briansass9551]

I moved to the Bible-belt South. These Sunday videos are a life raft of logic in a sea of theism!

[@mirandabrunty2571]

I’ve spent most of my life in the Bible-Belt. I can’t imagine the culture shock of moving here.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

oh man, hang on tight! I am not too far myself from that area and its insanity everywhere.

[@healthyselfwithkristi7459]

Absolutely! I'm down here in the Bible belt too, married to a southern Baptist, who has a southern has a southern Baptist minister son, and the whole family Southern Baptists. I didn't realize how profound it was until I married in.

[@CommonSense_Skeptic]

@@healthyselfwithkristi7459 sounds like my whole friend group since moving to Oklahoma about seven years ago. Going to play cornhole this afternoon with two pastors one pastor son a different pastors daughter and about seven or eight other Christians. They haven't ditched me even though I let them know within the last year that I don't believe in any of it anymore And they're good people but they refuse to look at any information outside the Bible so we all just Have a good time take turns fixing food and playing cornhole for about four hours every Sunday evening and stay away from the religion topic

[@zenmite2525]

I've lived in the south (Kentucky & Georgia) all my life. Same here...raft of logic in a sea of theism. Great video. Brandon really cut to the bone in this one.

[@trinidadscorpion3835]

Really enjoy your honesty and hidden humor in exposing your knowledge.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much!

[@judethree4405]

Then, it says “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” This implies that all these PEOPLE that everyone really wrestles with, is just an illusion, because all those people are being controlled and influenced by demons. Sounds like a fair fight!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Great addition here.

[@MrRicoruiz]

I’m Christian And I was thinking about that verse today It’s crazy because we do wrestle against other flesh beings We get hurt by other flesh beings

[@MrRicoruiz]

I’m confused about that one

[@jeremywvarietyofviewpoints3104]

Jacob wrestled with God until God squeezed his testicles.

[@BluStarGalaxy]

That poster really ties the room together. 😎

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks! Very excited to do a tour of the other 75% and start filming from multiple angles in here.

[@BluStarGalaxy]

Nice.

[@JasonHenderson]

That's just like, your opinion man

[@agingerbeard]

​@@JasonHenderson nobody F's with the Jesus.

[@BenjaminEaster-b8b]

@MindShiftSkeptic Even if I embark on an absolutely exodus from Christianity, I won't be hopeless. I just happened to be born in the mid-two-thousands, and this fact permitted me to blossom in a century where I have a more fruitful lifestyle than 99 percent of every human being that has ever breathed 😊🤯❤

[@AndrewChristiansen-rx4mx]

Damned if you do, or damned it you don't!

[@cringeLoop]

Literally

[@kyrroti]

This video makes me wonder. With God’s inaction and the large force of enemies, can there be a worse hand dealt to humanity? Hell seems almost inevitable in this system.

[@daraghokane4236]

The story of Edan Exists to answer why is the world so bad when did it all go wrong that's what it exists to answer. God made a perfect world but a flaw existed and his angles betrayed him causing everything to fall apart.

[@kyrroti]

Some god. Two people eat some fruit and your whole plan breaks.

[@jaycahuenga6416]

The simulator deliberately created the glitch...KNEW there was a glitch... continues with the sadistic game anyway and dumped the blame on the game players.... But hey it's their system they can do whatever they want 😅😅😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@sharongillesp]

@@daraghokane4236 That which is perfection CANNOT create imperfection. You can not create a PERFECT world with a FLAW . . . because then it is not perfect, it’s flawed. The God of the Bible does not exist. Or certainly doesn’t exist as perfect and loving.

[@MrDalisclock]

​@kyrroti9921 a snake talked to Yahwehs staff unsupervised for 60 seconds. Yahweh somehow didn't account for this despite creating the snake and the humans

[@russellh9894]

This is why I love your videos. I have thought about the immorality of a god allowing a Satan to be in the garden. But I've never thought of the analogy of a parent deceiving their kid. It wouldn't be the kid's fault even if they have free will. So punishing the kid for being deceived would he incredibly immoral. Great video!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you! I find very often as soon as one compares this perfect god to even a flawed human parent, his shortcomings become astoundingly clear.

[@noracola5285]

That's why it took me until my mid 20s to start deconstructing my Christianity, because my parents were literally like that.

[@SpiritualPsychotherapyServices]

In your own words, define “IMMORAL”. ☝️🤔☝️

[@russellh9894]

@@SpiritualPsychotherapyServices Mostly, if it harms wellbeing. How about you?

[@NightmareRex6]

and resistance is assistance, the devil is doing nothing BUT HELPING God in his attempt to resist God! bible even says the devil cant do ANYHTIN the demons cant do ANYTHIN guess what???!!!1 the demons and satan MUST get permission FROM GOD itself! why God give devil permission to decive? why did God not create another musical angel that made fire music and allows secular music to be "fire" but most worship music is not (theres some good ones) why is "Stanic" artworh so creative? but christain artwork (or atlest here in the west) is the SAME thing a cross, a cross, another cross word "Faith" written everywhere? wheres the creativity fromt he most creative beign in existance?

[@sparrowthesissy2186]

Don't know if you've addressed this topic yet: Why would a good god make anywhere besides heaven? If that's a place with no death, no evil, no sadness... why create anywhere else? Just to allow for all those horrible things to exist somewhere? What a great guy.

[@sparrowthesissy2186]

@@0neMadGypsy I agree, the free will of angels is an interesting problem too. The Bible is pretty clear that God wants obedience above mercy, reason, etc. In the epistle to Jude, amidst a bunch of strange references to non-canonical texts, it says in Jude 1:6 "And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling-these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day." Hey God, why create angels that you know will rebel? Why create something you know will be kept in chains for thousands of years until you get around to "judging" them for what you knew they were going to do when you made them? I can only conclude God just wanted to keep a bunch of his angels in chains, whether or not they had any free will or choice to rebel... because he's a good guy? Free will doesn't make sense as is, it definitely doesn't fit along with the rebellious angel, Lucifer, or nephilim stories.

[@rik80280]

Wow, that analogy to you deceiving your son was really powerful.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to hear. Thanks for watching

[@MarkSheeres]

My Sunday morning sermon. 🙂

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for attending!

[@mr.c2485]

Pot luck dinner to follow 😊.

[@BenjaminEaster-b8b]

Mr. M Sheeres' jovial witticisms is soo profoundly hilarious 😂 This is especially true regarding the fact that I heard a sermon less than 3 hours ago.

[@BenjaminEaster-b8b]

​@@MindShift-BrandonEven if I embarke on an absolutely exodus from Christianity, I won't be hopeless. I just happened to be born in the mid-two-thousands, and this fact permitted me to blossom in a century where I have a more fruitful lifestyle than 99 percent of every human being that has ever breathed 😊🤯❤

[@BenjaminEaster-b8b]

​@@mr.c2485As a Baptist, I relate to this articulation immensely 😊

[@jakegreen5081]

"Test the spirits, God is a spirit, Don't put God to the test"

[@sanjeevgig8918]

Also, if the spirit praises me then that's a good spirit; if the spirit questions my authoritah, then that's a bad spirit.

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

Donna Douglas told me i weighed 167 pounds once... a small but meaningful confirmation.

[@ShaunDibley]

@@gothboschincarnate3931 It confirmed you were average weight or successfully deluded by religion ?

[@katedani6889]

This was so good. Thank you. From a medical point of view, the person who was going mute, frothing at the mouth, and going stiff sound just like a type of epilepsy. Once you have left the church, your eyes are opened to basic stuff that you kind of turned a deaf ear to.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

100%! And thank you very much

[@Nickelodeon81]

that's exactly what I thought. poor kid.

[@auroraasleep]

One of my school friends was epileptic and had these kinds of seizures. Her parents tried to take her to church for a miracle for years. It's amazing how medication eventually helped. Miraculous even. (side eye to the church & the parents).

[@visiontv112]

I talked about this today with my Pastor and she couldn't answer

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Silence is at least a better response than the typical circular reasoning.

[@ShesBearynice]

@neilcarpentergunsnglory1347 more reasons to not be Christian. Weird sexism.

[@James-wv3hx]

I'm here 😁. I asked my Christian friend if he would kill his daughter if God commanded him to and he said absolutely. So I asked him how would he know that it was God who commanded him to and not some Charloton or voices in his head from schizophrenia? He didn't answer me.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

its so sad how this religion can truly rot an otherwise capable mind.

[@Bojan12]

That means He does not know God

[@James-wv3hx]

Former Catholic Priest Alan Watts claimes that everybody and EVERYTHING IS God in his KZbin lecture - On Being God. ​@@Bojan12

[@James-wv3hx]

@@Bojan12 would you kill your child if God commanded you to?

[@QuestionThingsUseLogic]

@@Bojan12 you can't know a fictional character.

[@CoryMartz]

"22:06 - 22:19 ...The whole reason Im deceived is because Ive read too much of my bible". Nailed it. I truly appreciate how you convey all of the issues that are so problematic to this man made religion/deity. Christians are watching you. Its hard for them to break out of their "Echo Chambers". They are good and loving people who are truly deceived. They need help and the way you convey your points with patience and humility really is working. Youre not snarky or arrogant. More flies with honey approach. As always, good job Brandon.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks, Cory! Thats highly encouraging.

[@christophergibson7155]

Incorrect. The Word of God, The Holy Bible is clear who are the deceived ones. "and with all unrighteous DECEPTION among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved."(2 Thess.2:10)

[@CoryMartz]

You sir are a victim I wish you a quick escape from your captors and hope you havent already developed Stockholms Syndrome. Best regards.@@christophergibson7155

[@awkwardukulele6077]

@@christophergibson7155keep telling yourself that I guess, Bud. Maybe someday it’ll actually be true

[@christophergibson7155]

@@awkwardukulele6077 It is already proving to be true.

[@johnhavel7685]

The boy that was demon possessed and had convulsions and foaming at the mouth since childhood sounds a lot like epilepsy

[@katedani6889]

My thoughts exactly. I should have read your comment earlier as I just posted the same thing 😊

[@johnhavel7685]

@@katedani6889 lol I do that all the time haha

[@heatherwoodley8244]

​@@katedani6889 Haha, was about to do the same!

[@robertjohnson2916]

Multiple people have paranormal experiences all the time.

[@robertjohnson2916]

People have paranormal experiences all the time.

[@montanahelton1272]

Thanks Brandon! This has always bothered me. As a Christian I always questioned the idea of deception being our fault.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Right! It makes absolutely no sense.

[@itsROMPERS...]

Lowly humans deceived by the greatest mind in the universe. It's like adults terrorizing babies and saying the babies asked for it.

[@shriggs55]

@@MindShift-BrandonAnd yet,Paul blames Eve for being deceived, but what does that say about Adam? At another time, Paul says that IN ADAM all die?

[@christophergibson7155]

@@shriggs55 I can see by your comment that you have convoluted two different scriptures from the Bible. The issue with Eve was deception. The responsibility for sin was with Adam.

[@robertsandberg2246]

This is one of the most honest channels on KZbin. All categories included.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Insanely kind. Thank you though.

[@Pinkaphrodite123]

Really great video!!! This is a huge reason why i can’t get down with this book anymore. It’s like a lose lose, this god who supposedly loves us so much put every roadblock imaginable in our way so that most of us will end up in the hell that HE created

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes! Too many hurdles and he would have known that! Thank you!

[@daraghokane4236]

Hell wasn't in the old testament when you die good or bad you go to the same place till the messiah arrives. Its kinda unfair to apply that to the old testament.

[@christophergibson7155]

Is that what you think then? It is pretty obvious that you have never known the love of God that is in Jesus Christ the Lord. For if you had, you would have so much of His love, joy, peace in your life, that there would be no place for doubt.

[@daraghokane4236]

​@@christophergibson7155 There can be no Faith without doubt blessed is he who has not seen yet does believe. So Jesus took away your free will and blessing by knowing you a dick move

[@christophergibson7155]

@@daraghokane4236Incorrect. "having not seen" is NOT doubt. A person lets doubt into their thinking when they do not acknowledge and accept every Word of God spoken by Him.

[@VioletWonders]

Cracked me up when you talked about the Armor of God. 😆The yeeeeeears I spent trying so hard to figure them out and put them into action, when all they really are is religious word salad at its finest!! SMH (Oh and Jesus' mercy on the demons is an excellent point!!)

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Haha, very excited to do a whole video on the armor.

[@bobbydobalina]

The outdated armor of god doesn’t seem to fair so well against a barrage of truth bombs.

[@christophergibson7155]

@@bobbydobalinaThen you have no idea what the armor of God is for in the first place.

[@christophergibson7155]

You didn't know how to put on the armor of God? Sure sounds like you didn't even know who The Lord Jesus was then!

[@bobbydobalina]

@@christophergibson7155 Please humor me then. I’ll check back with you after the Super Bowl. We’ll compare notes 😉

[@efi3825]

What always stands out to me about this God vs. Devil thing is how these two powerful and knowledgable superhuman entities are juuust about equal enough in power that it is up to us humans to be the tip of the scale. The story is still putting all the blame squarely on us, even if there are much much larger forces at play. And to make it even weirder, God is still depicted as more powerful than the devil at the same time. It's just a really contrived case of having your cake and eating it.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Exactly. Well said!

[@istvansipos9940]

"...superhuman entities are juuust about equal enough in power..." proving that christianity is not monotheistic. I love when religi0ns debunk themselves.

[@snarfbomber298]

It’s more sinister than that even imo. Us = people of god. Them = people of the devil. It amounts to justification for dehumanization. @istvansipos yea.. it’s mythology not history. It’s mythology not monotheism. To see it as monotheism and as history is just to be intentionally incoherent.

[@Valhan177]

​@@istvansipos9940 This! Living in Greece for me was a prime example of it essentially being polytheism. The saints took over the roles that the demigods and spirits did over certain historically spiritual places, *and for the same reasons*. Like how a "healing spring of Apollo" becomes the "healing spring of [insert saint here]"

[@iluvtacos1231]

Brandon, I think this video, more so than any others you've done, encapsulates why your channel is so good. Your dedication to finding and using bible verses to make your points is awesome. You took verses I've read before and connected them in such a way that is just...eye opening. Thank for for all your work, and keep it up!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lovely feedback! Thank you so much.

[@Chuck-se5hh]

Agreed.

[@dcb99filmz]

18:29-18:38 there's a line in a song from my favorite band: "A planet of playthings, we dance on the strings of powers we cannot percieve"

[@DM-he1ug]

"The Professor on the drumkit" eh? RIP...

[@Grayraven777]

"Not everyone can carry the weight of the world" But you're doing a darn good job so far, keep it up Brandon, this is one of the best deconstruction channels of all time. I think you deserve the title of Doctor even if you don't have a PHD, you've worked just as hard as they have and you do it with heart ♥

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thats is very, very kind. Too much credit but i appreciate the love.

[@ausi6758]

- Be perfect - Create inferior beings - Punish them for being inferior

[@hellboundTX333]

If all Christians would actually read the bible, there would be many, many more atheists.. Glad to find your channel brother!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

No doubt, and glad to have you!

[@Bebopeep]

So very true!!!

[@ziploc2000]

Amen to that. I doubt 10% of them actually read the thing, until they start having their own doubts. Then they read it and deconvert.

[@sundayoliver3147]

Mark Twain said something similar. We're in good company!

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

....and if atheists could leave their body's...... then what??

[@freethinker--]

Well said. The god character certainly exercises all the bad human traits, more ancient dictator than a loving creator.

[@Chuck-se5hh]

You are correct.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Indeed!

[@Kvothe3]

The verses that really pushed me down the path of non-belief were 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-12 In it, God punishes people for having been deceived (problematic for all the reasons Brandon articulates so well). He punishes them by deluding them, specifically so that they will not come to a saving faith. Yikes!

[@sm8johnthreesixteen]

Please note the reason why men perish in 2 Thessalonians 2:10: ...because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is freely offered to all: ...God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (ref. 2 Timothy 2:3-4). Again we read, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). All men are called to repentantly turn to Christ who bore our sins in his own body upon the cross, died, and rose again the third day for his gift of salvation, the forgiveness of sins, eternal life (see Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Acts 17:30).

[@Lestat1349]

​@@sm8johnthreesixteen These passages exhibit a glaring contradiction: they peddle the notion of a universally accessible salvation while simultaneously asserting that failure to embrace this specific truth results in damnation. This dichotomy starkly reveals the inherent unfairness in the theology-a supposedly all-loving deity setting a trap of eternal punishment for those who, for myriad reasons, cannot or do not accept a particular narrative. It showcases a divine ultimatum rather than a genuine choice, contradicting the proclaimed universal will for salvation with an exclusivity clause that is both illogical and unjust.

[@FrostFang86]

The biggest thing that bothers me is how God manipulates peoples and individuals like Nebuchadnezzar and others into carrying out his will against the Israelites as punishment and then proceeds to destroy or punish them afterwards for the result of his own incitement. He let his own creations run loose and then seems outraged that they turned out the way they did.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Right?! So many issues

[@Bojan12]

My mother let me do many things but be sure that if I do what is forbidden I get beat up. Same with God

[@nezz0r]

Let's back that up with some verses: Joel 3:2 "2I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land." Take notice: Whom THEY have scattered among the nations. He himself USED in that book the nations to PUNISH Israel. He brought them IN to trample on his land and afterwards he punished the nations. Let's take an example for this: Isaiah 9:11-12 "11Therefore Yahweh exalts against them adversaries from Rezin And incites their enemies, 12The Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west; And they devour Israel with gaping jaws. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn back, And His hand is still stretched out." Here he is using other nations to "devour" Israel. Joel 3:5-7 "5Since you have taken My silver and My gold, brought My desirable treasures to your temples, 6and sold the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks in order to remove them far from their borders, 7behold, I am going to rouse them from the place where you have sold them and return your recompense on your head" His silver and his gold? As far as I know his chosenites got that from the nations he destroyed. And again who send them into slavery? It was he himself. Let's back that up with a little example: Deuteronomy 28:64-65 "64Moreover, Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known. 65Moreover, among those nations you shall find no relief, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there Yahweh will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul." Yes, it is the Gentiles fault, isn't it? It's so ridiculous. Joel 3:9-12 "9¶Call out this message among the nations: Set yourselves apart for a war; rouse the mighty men! Let all the men of war approach, let them come up! 10Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, “I am a mighty man.” 11 Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, And gather yourselves. There, bring down, O Yahweh, Your mighty ones. 12Let the nations be roused up And come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, For there I will sit to judge All the surrounding nations." Think about it. Why would the Gentiles care if there was not something which provokes them to take this action? If this entity is real then he is the sole actor who made everything this way and then puts the blame on the Israelites if they don't follow his command and on the Gentiles after using them to punish Israel. And according to Christians his commands are impossible to perfectly fulfill which is why they say there is a need for Jesus. Joel 3:17 "17Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. So Jerusalem will be holy, And strangers will pass through it no more." Yes, that is what it is all about. To KNOW that he is their God. Joel 3:21 "21And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged, Indeed, Yahweh dwells in Zion." Will he punish himself then?

[@NightmareRex6]

sems like a gaslighter..... i am God i am Good i am love! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKLGdYt_rZt2d5o but i created hell that over 50% humanity will go! and NO FEAR coems form me...... wait God thats MAXIMUM FEAR!

[@celticbabs3105]

For me it all comes down to this: Why didn't God forgive Adam and Eve in the Garden? If he is a forgiving all loving father God - that was the first opportunity as a parent to forgive the children and teach them and none of the "fall of man" and "original sin" thing would have happened. But instead, he cursed them and all creation and set it in motion and suddenly, it became all our fault instead of the Creator's and there's nothing we can do but suffer in this life and in the next. Cruelty beyond repair. He is not a loving forgiving God. I wish they could see this. It's what completed my deconversion. The Church is lying. They are selling an image of God that is not supported in his holy book.... AWESOME video, Brandon! Love the new look!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much, Barbara!

[@DayE114]

Christian here! I’m totally up to explain this problem if you’d like

[@BlockyBookworm]

@@DayE114 I'd like you to do that Of course, it's not really about the sin- It's YHWH delivering a smackdown In Genesis 3, he keeps mankind from living forever, makes him work hard in order to live, and makes women suffer in childbirth Why? So that Adam may not take and eat of the tree of eternal life, and thus "become like one of Us" God lets Adam and ALL of his descendants die because he doesn't want Heaven to be crowded, I guess In Genesis 6-9, he attempts to wipe out all living beings, including the Nephilim- The demigods of old One of the sins of Sodom was "desiring strange flesh", according to the NT- In other words, the sons of Elohim going in unto the daughters of men (While Genesis 6 presents demigods as an antediluvian phenomenon, they do survive the Flood- The natives of the land of Canaan are described as Rephaim, descendants of the Nephilim, or equivalent- Indeed, the terms are synonyms- "Nephal" means "fallen", and "repha" means "sunken") In Genesis 11, he ruins the Tower of Babel by confusing the languages of the people- Why? Because allowing teamwork would make it so that, and I quote, "There will be nothing that they propose to do that shall be impossible for them" In other words, it's not about "sin" or any such thing It's about keeping us in our place It's about being able to pull rank on us In Job, what does he do? Pull rank to condemn Job (And immediately he betrays his scientific ignorance, but that's another story) Job is supposed to apologise for saying that he did nothing wrong The narrative tells us that Job did nothing wrong, that the Accuser and the LORD were having a little game, but God shows up and expects Job to apologise for BEING RIGHT The narrative ACTIVELY PRESENTS GOD AS BEING WRONG Job may apologise at the end, or he may not, but the thing YHWH is mad at him for is correctly discerning that he did nothing wrong (The translation is apparently difficult, so he may well be defiant at the end- I personally lean towards that interpretation, since the narrative has given us the knowledge to infuse the scene of God's condemnation with a healthy dose of dramatic irony) In Romans 9, there's a whole list of all the times God rigged the game Paul acknowledges that there is the critique of "Who can resist God's will? How then could he condemn us?" You know what Paul's answer is? "How can you, O man, answer back to God?" Paul's response to possibly the biggest faultline in the religion is literally just "Don't talk back to your Father" What a lame excuse And we all know parents only use that one when their kids catch them out And we ALL know they only use it to "cover a multitude of sins", as it were YHWH's WHOLE schtick is literally JUST "Don't talk back to me, I made you- I gave you life, and I can take it away" You know how many toxic relationships follow this DARVO method used by Yahweh here? I've seen them I've BEEN in them I know what the explanation is already The same thing it always is Your God is something that begins with "ab-" and ends with "-user" He's one of those And that's it That's all they wrote (The authors of the Bible, that is, in all of the books where God calls his chosen people his wife, and then tells them what fresh Hell he'll put them through in order to make them love him)

[@DayE114]

@@BlockyBookworm there’s a lot to unpack there, but the main overall premise I feel needs to be addressed is that pride (the desire to be apart from/independent from God) is something that resides deeply in all of us. The reason that this is a problem for God is that because only He is worthy to be praised. This sounds “prideful” at first, but it can’t be, according to the Bible’s definition. Lots of the events you provided are stories of men thinking that they know better/can be equal with God, in one way or another. Hope this clarifies some of the confusion

[@BlockyBookworm]

​@@DayE114 He does explain his rationale, you know In two of three (Exile from Garden, Babel) it's to limit humans In Genesis 2-3, man wasn't prideful- Man was ignorant, and thus easily "deceived" Man didn't know about clothes, or good and evil The Flood is there to meet violence with violence, which is... maybe fair? I mean, except for the inherently unfair nature of collective "justice" via vast cataclysmic events Job wasn't being prideful at all Job was using his brain God was unambiguously in the wrong Even in the Old Testament, the LORD knows the heart, so he doesn't really need to test people, and yet To circle back to the original point, the Garden isn't about forgiveness He didn't want man to be equal to him Like he wants the worshippers to be taken away from the other gods (Who have been known to beat him- 2 Kings 3) He even says his name is Jealous He has a whole long-running conflict throughout the Bible between him and Yam/Leviathan, between him and Maveth (Death) How metaphorical you would interpret that to be is up to you, but the way I see it, it's a king and his power struggle, even amongst other divine beings Not like that's not what happened on Earth, after all, and we know that events in Heaven were seen as the underlying cause of earthly happenings Likewise, he struggles with the gods of Egypt- Exodus 12:12, Numbers 33:4 In that case, the Bible tells us YHWH wins In Psalm 82, he condemns the other gods to death (Not so much to maintain his position; he says it's because they're negligent and have allowed injustice, although he has since done nothing but allow injustice- And of course, there are other places in the Bible that portray him as allowing injustice just because, so it reads like it's an excuse to consolidate power, although the text isn't ACTUALLY univocal and this god doesn't actually exist- But if he did, it really would look that way) He also tells the people not to offer sacrifices to the dead, or to seek answers from them Yes, that's part of accruing all worship to himself, but in the context of the surrounding region, the dead were seen as gods- Compare with the episode of the Witch of En Dor Gods who needed sacrifices in order to be fed, to quench their thirst in the land of dust and darkness And after that point, the shades of the dead are seen as remaining in Sheol forever, denied all offerings or reprieve- They go down to eternal stillness, "unto all generations" And again, if it were real, it would kinda seem like he made that happen- He denied the dead any good things because he was so jealous, and therefore starved them into silence, separating them from their living relatives Overall, we see he really doesn't like competition Not merely notional competition, or false idols that draw worship away from him, but real powers that he wants to bring down So, given the recurrent motif of divine power struggle throughout the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, that's how I make sense of "Stop them becoming like Us, on pain of a cherub with a flaming sword"

[@JDrocks4ever]

“Is Gods creation set up to fail?” This is something that I acknowledged somewhere near my downfall out of Christianity about half a year ago. If God is truly Omni everything and also the epitome of love, then this life is merely a game for his amusement in which he not only knows the fate and outcome of everything/everyone, he orchestrated it. We’re all puppets in which some were fated to prosper and others to be destroyed, by his choosing. If he has all the power to do whatever he wants and all the foresight to know the results in every scenario, then we must conclude that this reality is precisely the outcome he wanted, otherwise he would’ve created differently. This makes things such as “god repenting” (which he does like over 20 times in the Old Testament) and God desiring everyone to be saved patently false. This is exactly how he wanted it because he had the power to make it different, but didn’t. There are clear limitations on this limitless God and this contradiction in his Omni characteristics pushed me over the edge. It just doesn’t make any sense because if he was truly all these things people claim, our world would look far different than it does. I’m convinced that God is whoever the individual makes him to be, whether they’re viewing the Bible in a fundamentalist way or a liberal way.

[@noracola5285]

It seems pretty clear to me that every theist's god is shaped by their ego.

[@sundayoliver3147]

@@noracola5285 Has to be, that's the lens we humans view the world through. All of our ideas are shaped by ego.

[@noracola5285]

@@sundayoliver3147 Maybe but the God thing is more directly comparable and way more transparent.

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

why do people work of the false framework of religion? Atheist need to think outside the box and get out more often...outside their body's that is...

[@noracola5285]

@@sundayoliver3147 anyway I didn't say "idea of god" I said "god". What I mean is, in practice, they're worshipping an idealized or aspirational version of themselves.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

The whole concept of "able to be deceived" and leading of those who are away from god doesn't match with Romans 8:38-39. I saw nothing stopping me from slowly walking away from my faith and then the concept of god all together. Either god lied, doesn't care or he/it doesn't exist.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Well put!

[@DannyS177]

I think that having a break down like this is really important. Often people will bring up one or two of these things but it's often not the primary focus so then Christians will be like "what about..." But this video goes through those things and looks at this topic holistically.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks, Danny!That is indeed my goal. Try to cover it as broadly as possible so we are forced to deal with the issues.

[@scottneusen9601]

Really been enjoying your channel. I see a lot of apologist reaction videos, but this is the first channel I've found to really dive in to the bible head on. Even after reading the book myself your secular bible study has shown me so much I never saw.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

I am so glad to hear all that. Thank you for being here!

[@markgiles3]

Oh, this is certainly rooftop worthy! The truth really does set you free. How easy it is to be deceived. It happened to me! I can't believe it happened to me. But it did. I've been left with many emotional scars. Thanks, Brandon. This is really healing stuff.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

So glad to be helpful. Thank you!

[@J_Mill7]

One of your best videos, Brandon. Thanks! You have an incredible ability to highlight how horribly manipulative the faith is. Being deceived implies being led to do the wrong thing for reasons we thought were right. If God allows us to be deceived, it clearly means that God hasn't done enough to save us.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes exactly! Reasons we thought were right! What else can one do?

[@archbishoprichardforceginn9338]

​@@MindShift-BrandonI Posted Your Video. Excellent

[@J_Mill7]

@rboland2173 I totally agree. The only defense would be to say that once it is the real Jesus, there can be no doubt. But there were plenty of people who met Jesus and a few who met God, and even they didn't seem to be completely convinced.

[@Rhewin]

The core of my deconstruction. Ok, I'll buy the argument that God can't eliminate evil because of free will or whatever. I'll buy that he stays hidden so that we have to earnestly seek him. But he _allows_ us to be deceived by forces we cannot possibly counter? Moreover, being deceived has the same punishment as being willfully disobedient? No. That does not track with an all-loving God.

[@Tony-nu1mx]

My "neutral" opinion as an agnostic of this whole discussion between theists vs atheists is that I have the impression that theists are running out of new arguments; to the point that now they see themselves cornered and they only have to argue the “existence of God”, not even the existence of the God of their (Christian) religion. In this sense, I think atheists have a good advantage in the debate. Personally, I don't even bother to say whether Christianity is real or false; It's just that when I read the Bible I find an extremely unjust God, and if he is real, he is not worthy of worship.

[@somersetcace1]

`You need to test it against the word of God?` Oh, the same word people have been twisting for thousands of years to make it say what they want? The more common one I've heard over the years is `the holy spirit will guide the faithful!` In other words, `if it sounds right to me, it must be! `Either way, it comes down to the Christian believing they can't be deceived, or wrong.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes, what a mess!

[@mr.c2485]

I was always told, it has to “line up” with scripture.

[@sundayoliver3147]

Or, as Susan B. Anthony pithily put it, "I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. "

[@ViiOlet810]

Ive always found that the abrahamic god story becomes a lot more compelling if you picture god as the true antagonist. It's a fun twist when the "good guy" turns out to have been the bad guy all along 😁 like to the point where even satan thinks he's the villain only to discover in the end that he was just another pawn on someone else's evil scheme 😅 this is just a thought that makes me laugh 😊 Nice Sisyphus art btw, your new studio is really coming together now 💯

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you!

[@ViiOlet810]

@@MindShift-Brandon a question if you don't mind 😊 and a pretty random at that. Have you ever watched The Good Place? I really enjoyed that show and in a world where so much of the media I consume comes with religious undertones, it was a refreshing experience.

[@Soneelicious]

@@ViiOlet810I did Yh I loved it

[@tsebosei1285]

6:36 oh my word even the "elect" predestination myth busted

[@MindShift-Brandon]

That verse absolutely cracks me up. These mythmakers overpowered their god and their enemy and its turning into quite the mess!

[@55Quirll]

After the resurrection, the bodies of the dead saints - those who believed in Jesus - arose and then went into town to meet their families again. Not sure if these are the elect too or just believers.

[@BenjaminEaster-b8b]

Even if I embarke on an absolutely exodus from Christianity, I won't be hopeless. I just happened to be born in the mid-two-thousands, and this fact permitted me to blossom in a century where I have a more fruitful lifestyle than 99 percent of every human being that has ever breathed 😊🤯❤ ​@@MindShift-Brandon

[@Sammedi1]

How dare you destroy christianity with their own bible and beliefs?

[@Ex-vangelicalCloset]

😂😂

[@JPX7NGD]

you have done no such thing. you have wrcked secular things though.

[@rajrodrigues3663]

This video is right in every way you fool. You are a Fundamentalist and a fanatic. 😂😂😂

[@nope19568]

​@@JPX7NGDhow so

[@user-vt3vo1yd3v]

@@JPX7NGDYou’re really stupid. I honestly feel bad you’re that blind. You have no response to the actual video or it’s points, you just mindlessly go “uh durr no u!”

[@starpeep5769]

I love how it's posted on Sunday

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for being here for it

[@michaelsbeverly]

Cool studio! Happy Super Bowl Sunday, the day it's okay to miss night church. I don't know if you remember, Brandon, but about 3 months ago, you encouraged me to start a channel. This week I had a live stream with a big name apologist, so I'm on the hunt to get in the game...thank you for your encouragement.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much, and yes, i always loved how sometimes nothing is more important than church, worshipping god, and community, and sometimes football is on. That awesome. I'll have to come check it out!

[@CharlesPayet]

I just looked at your channel & subscribed. Looking forward to watching your content.

[@smilefrownupdown]

❤

[@Mr.PeabodyTheSkeptic]

Love your channel Michael. Wish I could listen more. Keep up the quality work.

[@michaelsbeverly]

@@Mr.PeabodyTheSkeptic thank you!

[@josephschambach6348]

Just wanted to hop into the comments and say thanks, Brandon. I’m in the process of trying to figure things out and your channel has been very helpful in seeing some of the internal inconsistencies as well as recognizing the leaps of logic and excuse-making that I’ve done to justify these errors. So much of the Bible makes sense if you view it as a collection of writings from different people at different times instead of a cohesive book by the creator of the universe. Thanks again.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Very glad to be helpful at all. Thank you!

[@mr.c2485]

It’s supposed to reveal a spiritual morality of sorts. That’s what we’re objecting to in this and all “holy books”.

[@StephanieLi-h1y]

Just stumbled upon your channel. Thank you so much for your content. This is really helping me as I deconvert. I’m dyslexic, so reading all the material I would need to do this is daunting. Thank you for the hard work you’ve put into this so I can digest all of this.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

So very happy to help. Welcome!

[@RupertMay]

Totally awesome 😎😎😎, I'm 58 just deconverted never felt as at peace as I do now I knew all this was nonsense since I was a child but when I asked questions I was told not to question God's word went into an emotional shell it's good to know I'm not the only one who sees how hideously Immoral this mythology is.. THANK YOU

[@SteelSquishy]

Amen brother amen 🙏 You're spitting 🔥🔥

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for being here!

[@jon.skeptischism]

The hits just keep coming. Thanks Brandon!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks, Jon!

[@DannyWJaco]

Brandon, I think the prophet that proclaimed you would “do great signs and wonders” has a better batting average than Daniel...only for the opposite outcome. This is your best argument for the confusion and self loathing we all experienced trying to live the Christian life. I was overcome with emotion when you validated those with mental illness or childhood trauma being more prone to being deceived. There is no nuance in the Christian doctrine.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate that very much.

[@kennethshermock8512]

One of your best contributions. Your channel is so, so helpful. You have been a beacon to me as I deconstructed from my own faith over the past year. This issue, combined with Yahweh’s utter silence, were what really got my deconstruction under way in full force. Thank you for this episode’s piercing and convincing argument; and for all the work you do.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate that so much, Kenneth. Thrilled to be able to help.

[@greg-op2jh]

Great video as usual! I have been struggling with a YEC in my family that I love very much. They constantly bring it up and drives me absolutely nuts. Imo the biggest deception is the "church" manipulating people to keep that TAX exempt money in their pockets. Anywho.... Sending love to everyone!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you!

[@bobbydobalina]

“Wrecking Ball Sunday” did not disappoint Brandon. Well done!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Ha. Thanks!

[@lifeofamanda1031]

i can’t stop watching your videos , they just bring me so much clarity & reassurance as someone who used to be a christian,

[@MindShift-Brandon]

I am so glad to help normalize!

[@adampeters51]

I'm not usually much of a commenter, but I just wanted to say this video and some of your other videos are extremely well done and I'm glad I stumbled on your channel.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

I really appreciate you jumping in then and am so glad to hear it. Thank you!

[@leoaguinaldo65]

This video affirms my conviction that god and the devil are one and the same. This is why god can't destroy Satan because god can't destroy himself. I just love fantasy and myth.

[@starpeep5769]

Real

[@trentonjennings9105]

Ancient Zoroastrianism did in fact have two gods at odds, one evil (chaos) vs. one good (order). Judaism/Christianity borrowed from Z.

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

Very good, Karra says god owns everything....including evil.

[@jeremywvarietyofviewpoints3104]

People would call fairies 'the Good People,' out of fear. In the Bible they call God good, but he rarely does anything that isn't cruel or destructive. Maybe don't trust magical beings and people who claim to talk to them.

[@shriggs55]

"But if the prophet is deceived and speaks a message, it was I, the Lord, who deceived that prophet." (Ezek.14:9)

[@christophergibson7155]

It is speaking about false prophets who have already been deceived to speak what the Lord had not given them.

[@FoursWithin]

​@@christophergibson7155 This is the Bible God doing what he does best , being a braggart.

[@christophergibson7155]

@@FoursWithin So says the sinner who falsely accuses the God who gave them their life in their mother's womb. And because of the deceitfulness of sin will not give God the glory nor will be thankful for Jesus.

[@FoursWithin]

@@christophergibson7155 So you have NOTHING to offer but your indoctrinated cult cliches. Sad man that you aren't out actually helping anyone, and instead you're trolling people with your cult ideology and superstitious garbage.

[@melissalittle4369]

@@christophergibson7155- Shouldn’t you be concerned about your own judgment? Which way are you going on the faith alone/faith + works thing? Seems important. One would think an omnipotent being wouldn’t allow itself to be put in a corner just because one claims to believe in the story and says a few magic words. I tend to think the Jesus of the bible would look unfavorably upon those who criticize others before fixing their own faults. One fault he specifically condemned public displays of piety for admiration, as you’re doing here.

[@edwardtbabinski]

MAY THE HIGHER POWER WIN I cannot find either Satan or Him In this troubled heart. Nor have I found a concrete way To tell the two apart. Through the myths, I hear the legends. Through the songs I hear the praise. Through “Glory God” and “Satan Rules” I still hear but one phrase. Have mercy on my troubled soul, Whoever bids the lot. And may the Higher Power win, If it’s a soul I got. Norbert Thiemann

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

then stop looking.... seek an audience with your higher self.... it has your answers. you have only forgotten.

[@edwardtbabinski]

@@gothboschincarnate3931 It was a poem by a friend. And I don't think he is an atheist, nor am I. But religious doctrines including views like biblical inerrancy make little sense to either me or him.

[@davef6256]

As with all your best videos, you have prepared a full quiver and built your case so very well in advance. These are the best because it shows the viewers that you're not just "reacting" but have thought and arranged your argument with care. Great job!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you very much!

[@Aaron-mj9ie]

One time, my father tried to pose the argument that, "Saying that God could create a stone so heavy, that even he could not carry it is foolish, because he is wise enough not to do so." Well, in hindsight I'd pose the idea that if he created this world, then it was a stone he could not carry... Or at least one that was easily corruptable.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Ahh well put.

[@draxthemsklonst]

If a stone is heavy enough, it will become a black hole and gravitationally pull everything nearby into it. All those things are then indistinguishably part of the black hole, which floats in space like all black holes do.

[@christophergibson7155]

Incorrect. You have not then understood the divine order of God in all of His creation.

[@Aaron-mj9ie]

@@christophergibson7155 Be humble little fella. I'm smarter than you and know infinitely more than you. You are ignorant compared to me. I am big brained, high IQed, giga-educated, and chad-pilled. You are an ant compared to me, and it's obvious to anyone reading this.

[@Aaron-mj9ie]

@@draxthemsklonst I think some allowance for analogy or metaphor is allowed in the case of that argument, right? Like, obviously a huge rock is going to have physical complications outside of just "picking it up". What he's saying is that God wouldn't create a challenge that he isn't able to then perform, because he's wise enough not to do it. It's this dumb paradoxical argument that people get in about God creating something beyond his influence. Either answers means he's not omnipotent, so my dad subverts the argument by saying God knows better than got do that, but this world is sort of proof that he created something that he just let go to shit and doesn't fix.

[@jessiepapabear4272]

Your a good teacher. Thank you for the information.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you and my pleasure!

[@healthyselfwithkristi7459]

Brandon, registering to this one again. You are so clear and so brilliant!

[@studiosandi]

You really do make an excellent case, Brandon. Thank you for your hard work in spreading the word.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much, Sandi!

[@That_Tuning_Guy]

Well done Brandon!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much!

[@VetsrisAuguste]

10:32 For 3/4 of Christian history, the “word of god” was not accessible to the common man. If you couldn’t read Latin, Greek or Coptic, you had take the word of the people in power.

[@stevewebber707]

I always find it fascinating when I come across a Christian trying to explain how to discern whether a message is true to God's word, or a deception from an evil spirit. The methodology is always hopelessly flawed, before even introducing the possibility of being deceived by some superhuman entity. We don't need demons to deceive us, humans need no help in that department. Stacking demons into the equation, makes a creator God look evil.

[@istvansipos9940]

fun discussions. Although they can never define what the g0d is. and if we somehow semi-agree that the g0d is an almighty something, then the all-good attribute is already off the table, for such a g0d would never let evil exist. yes, that's the part when the g0d fans use the argument of "NuH UHH!"

[@stevewebber707]

@@istvansipos9940 I think they can usually define their God. Whether it's a definition other Christians agree with is another story. Defining objective evil, gets much harder. I don't usually like to go to the problem of evil disproving God. Mostly because it's an argument about internal inconsistency about Christian good and evil. And it hinges around their definition of objective evil. And I don't think I've ever heard a coherent, useful and meaningful definition of objective evil from them. When their definition of evil, is essentially some vague idea about things God doesn't like, it's not easy to convince them that their God permits, or is even responsible for it. To sum up my over long explanation, I don't believe they even have objective evil to point to.

[@istvansipos9940]

@@stevewebber707 can you quote any of their best g0d definitions then? I have really not heard any reasonable one yet. Those definitions always debunk themselves within seconds. thanks

[@stevewebber707]

@@istvansipos9940 If you want to tag on that a definition of Christian God needs to be reasonable, that bar might be too high. Most versions I hear end up with so many extreme attributes, that in one way or another they start running afoul of other attributes. They like to say he is both just and merciful, sometimes perfectly so, despite those concepts being in direct tension. The trinity is another classic problem for "monotheism". If they worship only one God, any divine attributes of the trinity that are differing from the other aspects, end up with them worshipping deities with some significant difference. They like to hand wave away determinism so they can speak of free will, despite the God's omniscience, and eternal unchanging nature. Some apologists like to claim God wouldn't know the future, but an unchanging God literally couldn't learn new things, consequently would know all things encompassing throughout all of time. The problem as I see it, is that the definitions encompass so many extreme attributes and claims, that even their definition conflicts with itself. I agree with you that even getting past the definitions of their God, is a problem for most Christians. I am not sure how they ended up with such logical incoherency, but I suspect things changed over time, with the God concept becoming so exaggerated, as to become logically impossible. The God of the Old Testament didn't have all the overblown capabilities, modern Christians seem so enamored of. He had things he didn't know. He made mistakes that he regretted. He changed his mind in some cases. He endorsed laws, that most modern Christians would find abhorrent.

[@CutTiesWithYourCaptor]

I Corinthians‬ ‭3:18‬ Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭14:1‬ The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” Hmmm...🤔 So to become wise you have to become a fool by saying in your heart, "There is no god."

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Haha. Yes. How ridiculous

[@Bojan12]

Yeah that does not work for you

[@CutTiesWithYourCaptor]

@@Bojan12 Ok... 😉 😏

[@Dor-k2x]

lmao whenever i read the there is no god line my mind instantly goes to needlemouse

[@TyTimp]

Brilliant video. Keep up the good work.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you!

[@dans4337]

Always wondered. If demons can possess some of us, why dont they possess all of us?

[@reijishian2593]

I don't think there are enough of them to do that.

[@noracola5285]

They do and we keep electing them every 2 to 4 years.

[@Bojan12]

@@reijishian2593I was possessed by many and did not even knew about it just knew something was very wrong with me

[@dans4337]

@@noracola5285 😆 yep!

[@potiphajerenyenje6870]

Very good premise

[@ShatteredWindowpane]

Brandon your studio game has really gone up since I started watching you last year, keep going bro

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate that!

[@teresasmith4383]

All this time, I thought I was missing something or was just unable to connect the dots. There is so much that really doesn’t make sense or is totally contradictory. Thank you for the work you put into this video and for pointing out the deceptions and contradictions.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to help out it all at ease!

[@Lestat1349]

Hey there love :) hope you are doing well :) how are things?

[@Lestat1349]

Oh sorry about the love thing, it's a thing I say without thinking, I know some people find it a bit much so feel free to tell me to put a sock in it😅

[@teresasmith4383]

@@Lestat1349 it’s fine to say that. I spent some time in Britain and was called that a lot. It’s kind of reassuring. I’m fine and doing well. I’m getting a lot out of this new way of thinking and seeing things. If I do something nice for somebody I know it’s because I wanted to and not because I’d feel guilty and worry about burning for eternity if I didn’t. I actually feel like a better person for thinking this way. I feel like I’m not so bad after all. How are you doing?

[@Lestat1349]

@@teresasmith4383 I to feel it really liberating to think this way, makes me proud of being who I am when I choose to do something nice for someone else, like you point out it comes from me :) a nice, I always wanted to go to Britain, really want to watch some musicals :) good to hear you are doing good, also the time I have talked with you I have never once though you where a bad person so I think you can push that out of your mind :) if I am gonna do a quick analysis I think you might be suffering from being to nice from time to time :) I am doing good, spending some time writing some comments on Brandon's channel to boost his ratings and having a nice cup of tee :D

[@NYKim_NY]

You're a gifted teacher. Keep up the good work!❤

[@rizwanrafeek3811]

Yes, indeed he is good at connecting the dot and putting perspective into words, mashallah.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Really appreciate that, thank you!

[@wallyaduessem8100]

As the saying goes the truth always comes with a load of pains... I hear the truth and believe me it's really shifting my mind... Keep the fire burning..

[@FGuilt]

This video is excellent! Good luck on your channel.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much!

[@emilyevans6359]

thank you for the video, brandon ! 🥰❤️

[@MindShift-Brandon]

My pleasure!!

[@Benny_Boy402]

That Sisyphus painting is amazing. Poor guy is gonna get that boulder over that hill one of these times!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

I love it so much! The eternal hope

[@alexandralanier390]

Brandon, your videos blow my mind. I can’t believe how many things I never noticed and how much I was brainwashed into blindly accepting. At the same time, your personal stories make me feel seen and understood. Thank you so much for doing this!

[@dmsdad6866]

I'd never considered or heard half of this. Well laid out. Thanks for introducing me to fresh ideas

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Happy to help!

[@lifeofamanda1031]

i laughed so hard when you said “ how am i supposed to just put on this belt of truth?” 😂😂😂😂

[@wannabe_scholar82]

I love the myth of Sisyphus!!! And when u mentioned the poster I remember mentioning to myself how I also love the myth of Prometheus stealing fire from the Gods and then later on you mentioned him in the video! This channel is awesome.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Haha kindred! Prometheus is my absolute favorite greek myth!

[@benleonheart]

Thank you Brandon, what a wonderful video.

[@Lestat1349]

Hey man, good to see you are holding on =) have seen you commenting on almost every video :) hope you are having a great night

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Many thanks!

[@benleonheart]

@@Lestat1349 I'm doing the best I can. Gotta keep holding on. Brandon's videos have been incredibly insightful in my deconstruction. Thanks for replying 😅 Stay safe, friend!

[@Lestat1349]

@@benleonheart anytime brother :D need to shout out the nice people out there :D

[@zachariahad7978]

You're killin' it man!

[@healthyselfwithkristi7459]

Excellent! You are so clear and concise, I think I speak for many , that when you say there are more troublesome verses...let's do them all! So many youtube videos drone on too long but I could always listen to your knowledge for much longer.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Always the kindest, Kristi! Thanks for all the support.

[@darbymori350]

Yes! I'd watch a longer video because you are such a good presenter.

[@shanederry2691]

Incredible points, Brandon. Mentally provocative. Great work.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks, Shane!

[@GameTimeWhy]

I love how you elaborate and eloquently put all of the thoughts, arguments and questions i have. This whole thing about the devil having all of this power made me fear i had the wrong interpretation when i was a Christian. When i asked about that i was told about divine revelation or other things like that. Me bringing up how many denominations there were and how we didn't see many of them as "true" Christians also didn't seem to get me answers I found reasonable. I was roman catholic. Evangelicals were weirdos. Mormons weren't Christian at all. Some of the other denominations were kind of borderline but depending on the context or conversation could be not Christian as well. But Divine Revelation, right?

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lol exactly. And thank you for the kind words. Its amazing the excuses that get made that simply have no merit.

[@JNMeiun]

That angel of light thing is something I always thought was a pre-prepared apologism for when powerful members of a church like pastors, elders, prestigious members of the community, etc. did something terrible. The ancient version of, what was it? Something like, "We can't know what is in his heart" when talking about church scandals amongst the same individuals; and of course how they have been "rehabilitated" and are ready to return to their old positions.

[@Hitoshura844]

On the subject of general confusion about what should be accepted as genuinely from God, Have you considered doing an episode about any of the gospels that were widely accepted for a time, but didn't make the list for inclusion in the Bible? The gospels of Thomas and Judas come to mind.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes for sure. Its a great point and ill be covering them each after SBS is over

[@Bezaliel13]

The Serpent: "You will not die." Eve proceeded to not die. The "Father of Lies" everyone. Note: I know the fruit made her mortal in some or even all interpretations, but that is not just a reach, but clarifying that it is not immediate should not be on the snake, AND a tiny mistranslation of "you will not IMMEDIATELY die" would make it completely true.

[@2pacaveli257]

Another theory is God cursed the serpent who transformed into a snake that talks 😂

[@Bezaliel13]

@@2pacaveli257 What kind of curse before the transformation?

[@2pacaveli257]

@@Bezaliel13 its supposed to be Luficer/Satan, some believers don't, do u see how stupid this story sounds 🤣, all knowing, all-seeing perfect God watching the set up with Adam and Eve and never forgive them, God does not forgive ! Also how can a war in Heaven theory happen, how's a perfect God create an imperfect Angels all because of the lame free will choice, especially Luficer !

[@Bezaliel13]

@@2pacaveli257 Really feel like that could have used some proofreading. Also, no clue what "war in Heaven *theory"* meant. Here's a thought, if God made Adam in his own imagine to take care of the world with the dominion given, like God's dominion over us, we were basically the exact opposite of a success and what was the deal with everything else in the Bible? God: "I have made you in my own image and I grant you my dominion over nature, now go forth and name my animals for me." later God: "OK, I just transformed the snake for tricking you, but you have to leave. Remember to worship me though. Actually, start giving me offerings, like crops and animals, people, and back to animals again until I get tired of it." Adam: "So, do we still have dominion over the Earth?" God: "OUT!"

[@BlockyBookworm]

It didn't make her mortal She was mortal Yahweh kept her from the fruit that would have made her immortal So yeah, "Father of Lies" indeed Although admittedly, it's supposed to be a literal snake It's an etiological myth explaining the unfortunate state of the world- Why childbirth hurts, why we have to work hard to live, why snakes live in the dust