A Priest Tells Edward Tarte That He Might Be the Only Person in Hell

June 21, 2012 By 15 Comments



Filed Under: General 15 Comments
About Edward Tarte

I am age 78, once a Catholic priest for five years (in the 1960's), then a math teacher for 44 years up to the present day. I became an atheist a few years ago. My hobbies are music and chess.

  • Ggsillars

    As Mark Twain put it:  “…heaven for climate, and hell for society.”

  • Kelly

    Mr.  Tarte,

    I have found you through your videos to be a wonderful gentleman!  Should you be the “only one” in Hell, as stated by TJ, one thing is for sure…You’ll be in good company.  :)   Please continue to speaking the truth – You’re delightful!

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/FDGYHBEWVNGUG763L5X4TON3JQ Nazani14

    The only one in hell?  So Ted Bundy gets a free pass, but atheist ex-priests don’t?

  • Pisk_A_Dausen

    You can’t make omelette without dropping a few souls into the fiery pits of hell.

    And since God works in mysterious ways, he doesn’t let the rotten ones drop in a sort of natural heavenly omelette selection process. No. *Mysterious*, see?

    Child rapists? Too obvious. Bankers? Too 2010.  Hitler? Puh-leaze. Ghandi? I said mysterious, not post-modern/ironic.

    Edward Tarte? Perfect. Only one person will ever see it coming…

  • Superiorsavior

    It’s no more crazy than hell existing at all.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/chidy/ chicago dyke, orphan

    let em go, Mr. Tarte. just let go. i appreciate what you do as an atheist, and if you consider this activism, well, more power to you. but really, who cares what he says or thinks? he’s one of them. the fantasy game players who don’t understand what they’re doing is the equiv of a video game or fantasy novel. i went to div school, a good one, even. after a while, these conversations get old. talk to those who are on the fence, the ones who can and should come over to our side. you’re best when you do that; i’ve seen your work and respect it a lot. arguing with those with a financial interest in maintaining the faith = waste of time. imho, ymmv. 

    • Edward Tarte

      Who cares what TJ says or thinks?  I care.  I am talking to anyone who will listen. As a priest I once had a “financial interest in maintaining the faith”; but I got to the point where, in order to be true to myself, I simply had to leave.  (That was in 1968.)

  • ofpfury

    I’d be happy to join you in hell Edward ;)   I’ll bring the chessboard :)   Funny how TJ making up his own stuff is surely how religions are born.  Perhaps its time for a whole new god anyway, let’s start from scratch.

  • SteveS

    As usual, Edward is delightful and perspicacious. I am glad he is engaging even the converted. Who knows… maybe TJ is really on the fence. If he has gotten to the point where he thinks the sole population of Hell is a 70-something ex-priest, maybe there is hope for him yet. Not everyone gets to non-faith by the same route. 

  • Joy Davilar

    If you’re the only one in hell, well compared to all the other shouting insane yahoos that will be in heaven; according to themselves – I’ll join ya, so make that 2 for hell!!!! Yay!!!

  • http://crrodriguez.clavid.com/ crrodriguez

    Edward, thanks for sharing your thoughts about the most indecent and morally repulsive idea of this religion, hell.
    Anyway.. I would take hell anytime, no way I am going to heaven for doing eternal praise to a monster psychopathic deity.
     

  • Skeptic

    TJ appears to have the holy ghost in him if you can judge from 1:13.    there is a ghost sphere over his heart in that frame…  ;)

  • http://friendlyatheist.com Richard Wade

    Edward, your showing the inconsistency between TJ’s literalism about transubstantiation and his hedging and conditionalism about Jesus’ unambiguous guarantee of specific prayer fulfillment was masterful.

    Help me understand another inconsistency that he showed that has puzzled me for years about people who believe in prayer:  First, he said that he believes very strongly that

    “God will not let anyone fall through the cracks.”

      Then he said,

    “I’ll keep praying for you, so that won’t happen.”

      Wait a minute. If he thinks that God has perfectly caulked all the cracks, what is the point of TJ praying to prevent you from falling through? 

    It seems a bit presumptuous for TJ to pose as a lobbyist to God. He’s presuming to express his preferences to the Omniscient and Omnipotent One, who already knew every thought that TJ and you would ever think long before either of you were born.  How can anyone surprise or disappoint, please or displease a god like that? Mortals can persuade The All Wise One to change his mind? Are you kidding??  He’s already written, produced, directed, filmed, and seen the movie, even the part where they mindlessly, like shadows on the film, try to persuade him.  How excruciatingly boring eternal omniscience must be.

    How does TJ or any other believer of similar ideas explain the point of prayer that requests specific outcomes?

  • Grinch

    Thank you so much for making these videos Edward, I love hearing what you have to say. 

  • Graham Turner

    I love your videos.  Please keep hammering at the stupidity and ignorance displayed by those with religious convictions