Jessa Duggardaughter, one of the many Teavangelicals from the scripturally-challenged “Quiverfull” wing of Christianity, displayed her spectacular level of Biblical ignorance in a recent Facebook post.Here is a wee bit of it:

“God isn’t slacking to fulfill His promised Judgement (sic) on sin — it’s coming,” Duggar warned. “The only reason you’re are alive right now is because He is merciful and has kept your heart beating for another day.” She warned that God could strike anyone down at any time and render his final “judgement” – but she’s not the least bit worried. “This should be concerning to you,” Duggar said. “I know it was for me! When I saw myself in light of God’s standard, and I knew that I fell short. But I found hope in the Gospel — the ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ! I would still be lost today were it not for His grace!”

Wow. Just, like Wow. Jessa thinks she is guaranteed a ticket to Heaven, and the rest of us are on the road to Hell. In fact, she is sure of it.

She started her post by quoting Matthew 7:1 but then proceeded to completely disregard it, as do so many of her ilk. Not all that unusual, many Teavangelists frequently treat the teachings of the Christ they claim to worship with this sort of disrespect.  It might seem odd that a Christian would give Christ a raspberry, but it’s pretty common.

Here’s the key: some people (like the Duggars) think that Jesus Christ is a magical being that guarantees them a ticket to Heaven no matter how badly they treat others, so long as they are “born again”. Others (like this writer) think that Rebbe Yeshuah bar Yosef  was sent here by God to remind us of what we needed to do and be, in order to be worthy of such a destination.

You might be tempted to blow by this little bit of dogmatic disagreement, but please hang in there: it is the basis of a schism that dates back to about 300 A.D. or so; are we to worship or to follow? Did Jesus come down only to be crucified and thus shower the faithful with His magic blood, or should we listen to what He said before He was executed? Worshipping is much easier: just grovel a bit and your work is done. Perhaps that is why Jessa looks so gleeful as she contemplates our eternal damnation: image Following actually requires effort, spiritual and otherwise. Here are a few of the actual words spoken by Jesus: think about how difficult they actually can be to do, day in and day out:

Matthew 7:“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Matthew 6:”Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”

Matthew 22:36-40 is the really big one: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied:‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'”
(One should note that the answer was not “Accept me as your personal savior and you will go to heaven, no matter what else you do”. I think if He had MEANT that, He would have SAID that. But He didn’t. Not once. Not ever.)

None of these, nor the many other teachings of Jesus, are presented as optional selections from a Heavenly buffet line. Christians are supposed to do them all. Small wonder the Lord’s prayer reads as it does: it is nigh on impossible to live your life to such standards.

And that may well be why Teavangelicals created their own most important commandment (to be born again), instead of the one Christ laid down. Many people want an easy life, and the lazier they are, the easier they want their lives to be. And loving everybody 24/7/365 is about as difficult as a task can get for most of us. Easier for the Duggarites and their sort to hold themselves up as uniquely Heavenbound, with no effort or self-improvement required on their own part. Magic Jesus Blood does all the work for them, amirite?

See you in Hell, Jessa. Unlike you and yours, most of us won’t be surprised should we wind up there.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky