Timothy Stelly's Theology

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Timothy Stelly's Theology

By Thomas Keyes
June 17, 2009

I didn’t read Timothy Stelly’s last article, because years ago I realized that his way of thinking is faulty. So why should I upset myself over nothing? Instead let me discuss his bizarre religious convictions, to provide some background for this negative opinion of mine.

Until I was fourteen years old, I suppose I believed in the devil, and even when I was in my twenties, I occasionally wondered. I read the Bible, in English, Spanish, Latin and Hebrew. In fact, I studied Hebrew for no other reason than to read the Jewish Bible, in order to establish that my disbelief in the Bible was well-founded. I also did some reading in sources on early Jewish and Christian history, commentary from various points of view, the archeological record and many encyclopedia articles.

According to Timothy Stelly, I needn’t have done all this. All I would have had to do is “ask any crackhead”.

“The devil is very real. Ask any crackhead if the devil and demons aren’t real. That’s what has them smoking in the first place! When suffering from what I call "The Danny Boy Syndrome", that is, when they "hear the (glass) pipe’s a-callin’"—what they are hearing is the voice of Satan and they are under the spell of demonic possession.”

http://www.useless-knowledge.com/1234/may/article269.html

I suppose by “crackhead”, Stelly means “cocaine-addict”. I do know some slang, but I avoid it altogether, especially when I am writing an article that I want people to take seriously.

If Stelly is serious about this remark, let me hasten to confess that, many years ago, I used drugs too, though not cocaine, and I experienced hallucinations so vivid that it took me years to disabuse myself of the idea that they were true and insightful glimpses of the world beyond. Finally, comparing my recollected fantasies with the real world, I came to realize that I had been utterly deceived. I certainly would not want anyone to inquire about my hallucinations, or base a system of theology on them. To me, the ask-any-crackhead approach to theology is not productive.

I’ve posted many articles on contradictions in the Bible and the paucity of the historical evidence supporting the stories of Joseph, the dream-interpreter, as well as Moses and Jesus. Here’s am example:

http://www.useless-knowledge.com/1234/feb/article126.html

According to Stelly, however, the bible is inerrant, “THERE ARE NO CONTRADICTIONS in the bible.” (sic)

He doesn’t offer any arguments, discussions or evidence of any kind. He merely states this belief dogmatically, and dismisses anyone who disagrees with him with the most obnoxious abuse:

They are “blowhards”, “pseudo-intellectuals”, “half-wits” and “fools”, including “Middle Eastern fanatics” and “so-called scholars and scientists”. They are “disingenuous”, “intellectually lazy” and “religiously obstinate”. Like “pimply kids”, they can only “parrot”, “want to sound intelligent” and “never take the time out to study the bible.” (sic)

To me, resorting to wanton vituperation is not a convincing way of presenting an argument. And, obviously, relying on evidence from the utterances of drug-addicts does not make the best theology. Stelly would do well practise a little humility, instead of denigrating people who are shrewder than he is.

The man doesn’t know how to think, a fact which is in full agreement with my article on Black, Hispanic and Jewish Nobel Laureates.

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About the author Thomas Keyes: I have written two books: A SOJOURN IN ASIA (non-fiction) and A TALE OF UNG (fiction), neither published so far.

I have studied languages for years and traveled extensively on five continents.

Visit my website here.

Email: udikeyes@yahoo.com

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