"Not a Sermon; Just a Thought" -- aaaaaarrrghhhhhhh!!!!!!

[dawgmom]

DC-area radio stations regularly run a spot from the local McLean Bible Church which has the annoying tag line "Not a sermon, just a thought." This month's spot contends that we have replaced God with science and technology.
Listen here: http://www.notasermon.org/
Note: the radio spot content is not the same as the content at the "read this thought" link.

This website is slippery. The pastor describes himself as a scientist, and there's a lot of content about God and science which is pretty wishy-washy as to a clear stance.
http://www.notasermon.org/article.aspx?articleId=73
However, if you look at other content on the sight, it's pretty clear that he believes in a literal interpretation of the bible (which one would expect from a church that calls itself McLean Bible Church.

P.S. -- these radio spots annoy the hell out of me. I always find myself saying "Sounded like a sermon to me!" after they say the tagline. Any other DC-ers know what I'm talking about?

[dawgmom]

1. Self-Reply -- this was a bad post, dawgmom

It's of little interest to others here, because it's sort of local, and there's nothing really stand-out outrageous about most of what's on that site, unless you really dig. Plus, it's probably not really on topic.

Bad dawgmom. Bad, bad dawgmom.

[TZ]

3. No its on topic

Maybe it would have been more relevant to the atheists and agnostics group but it works here.

[Orrex]

9. Yeah. Way to cheapen the forum, DM

But on the bright side, now I won't feel so silly posting boob and fart jokes here.

[dawgmom]

11. Oh, dear...what have I done?????

Cry 'Havoc', and let slip the dogs of war....

By the way, I think I just wanted to complain yesterday, and this was part of that mood. My only other post was in the Lounge, and it was a rant about some bad customer service I received.

I definitely had my cranky pants on yesterday.

[TZ]

2. Yes I do.

I've thought about posting about them myself. Utter bullshit. Its a sermon. Its probably the most disingenuous if not downright dishonest commercial out there in this way. Obviously trying to aim at the secular type Washingtonian--because you know us godless heathens here all live empty and meaningless lives and need to be saved..:sarcasm:

[dawgmom]

4. There's something dishonest and slippery about that whole group

As I said, he's hard to pin down -- tries to present himself as a scientist, tries to wiggle out of a clear stance on creationism, etc., namedrops Francis Collins (shut the fuck up about your religious beliefs, Francis) -- etc. Methinks it's all a ploy to get people in the door, and then WHAM....pictures of Adam and Eve riding dinosaurs. ;)

[Random_Australian]

5. Argh, I think I spot the same mentality that leads people to ask you to be

'open-minded' about what they are saying, when they have no intention of considering or even listening to the opposing view. Asking you to do something you are already doing, when they have no intention of doing the same.

Intellectual dishonesty, that is what it is.

Though I do wonder if it is ultimately counter-productive; as soon as someone spots that it is bullshit, it won't leave them with a good impression of the church.

[dawgmom]

12. Yup.

I think you put your finger on it.

[lizerdbits]

6. I heard those on WMZQ

back when they had a radio program I liked. They annoyed me too. It's a mini sermon, not a thought. I rarely listen to anything but NPR now so I didn't know they were still on.

[TZ]

7. They are on WTOP n/t

[dawgmom]

14. They must be everywhere

I hear them on 94.7 The Globe.
They must have loads of cash, if they can afford to put them on multiple stations. I'm thinking "mega-church."

[dawgmom]

13. I think they must be everywhere

That church must be one of the mega-churches, and they must have loads of cash. TZ says they're on WTOP -- but I hear them on 94.7 The Globe.

[conscious evolution]

8. For some reason

those ads remind me of a UM Church in my nieghborhood.
For some reason they have been advertising as having 'alternative' worship services.
A friend attended to see how 'alternative' they were.He said it was just like any other church service.
What a bunch of liars.

[dawgmom]

15. Hey, anything to get 'em in the door

I think they figure that once them have you in the door, they can kill you with kindness and you'll get sucked in. A friend of mine used to call them "Ferociously Friendly Christians."

[WoodrowFan]

10. megachurch

It's a megachurch between McLean and Leesburg. From what I have read their services are packed and very regemented, getting people in and out like a cinimea multiplex. Sounds really warm. :sarcasm:

[dawgmom]

16. Ahhh!

That's what I was theorizing above -- that it's a megachurch. How else could they afford all those radio spots, on multiple stations?

[WoodrowFan]

17. yep

yep, with offduty local cops to direct traffic and a couple HUGE flags flying outside (US and "Christian")

Here is the Wikipedia entry on it. If you're interested check out the Wash Post articles referenced at the bottom.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLean_Bible_Church

[dawgmom]

18. Oh, criminy. Jews for Jesus?

That tells me all I really need to know.

Those megachurches give me the creepazoids. Thanks for the link. And somebody here had it right on -- their mission is to to reach the "secular" Washington community.

On edit: And they have giant flags? I HATE those freakin' giant flags. Now I hate McLean Bible Church even more.

[YOY]

19. Funny thing is...it's a sermon...and he isn't thinking.

Fucking megachurch crazy shit even adverts on DC 101. I hate that station but it's the only (albeit sub-decent) Rock station in town.

[Deep13]

20. Replacing god with science seems like a step in the right direction. nt

[enki23]

21. the two, of course, being mutually exclusive