Put a Pastor in a Box?

Will it have air holes?

I prefer my pastors to be pickled instead of baked, but I suppose baked works too.

How will he take care of his toilet needs?

Eww. Just–eww.

I wonder if it has occurred to this guy that his congregants are in the same demographic as the audience for “Survivor” and “Fear Factor.”

Fundies have mistaken score keeping with piety.

Pastor David Blaine!

Because nothing says honest, genuine belief like a shameless publicity stunt.

I just don’t get the connection between church attendance and putting himself through an ordeal. Why would church-goers want him to go through an ordeal? Don’t they like him?

I’ve seen school principals willing to do something humiliating to themselves if the students reach some goal on some school drive or whatever, but that’s taking advantage of the slightly adversarial role the principal plays. This pastor’s challenge to go without comfort in a plastic box as a reward for expanded attendence just doesn’t make any sense.

Oh wait. This is Texas. Never mind.

Hmmm. Three days entombed in a small space as a sacrifice for the sake of the faithful. Where have I heard of this idea before?

The place is already called Calvary Church. It may be that in centuries to come, The Church of the Acrylic Sepulchre will be fought over by conquering armies, guarded jealously by monks and disputed by scholars, bringing in a continuous flow of pilgrim/tourists to the Holy Land of Texas.

Interesting how everyone is reading so much into this idea.

oh…. JEN, what are you doing for the third world again??

I’m a Christian and agree with a lot of these comments. A few that made me chuckle:

FrodoSaves: “Because nothing says honest, genuine belief like a shameless publicity stunt.”

Richard Wade: “This pastor’s challenge to go without comfort in a plastic box as a reward for expanded attendance just doesn’t make any sense.”

Zen Bonobo: “Fundies have mistaken score keeping with piety.”

Some Pastors will do anything (sitting in a box for three days) to get you Atheists in the church door yet don’t realize that you guys just get a hilarious kick out of stunts like Pastor Ben’s. When will my fellow Christians learn this?!?

Erik,
I think you were being honest.

There are some who, in the pursuit of truth, sometimes lose track of their honesty. For them, whatever truth they think they have becomes a prideful trophy, a badge of self-importance. Without simple, humble honesty, whatever truth they find becomes corrupt and self-serving, an effete, abstract game. They begin to do foolish and silly things. I think you were reacting to the foolish and silly thing you were seeing someone else do, and you were being honest about it; you were demonstrating honesty. Always focus on honesty, and whatever truth there is to stumble across will be of constructive use to you.

There are some who, in the pursuit of honesty, sometimes lose track of their compassion, and state their honest views harshly. For them, honesty becomes a brutal weapon and, like truth, can also become self-serving and self-aggrandizing. To temper honesty with just a little compassion can avoid that trap. However, sometimes we are faced with a difficult choice between the two. If you must choose, honesty is still the better way, for while compassion may be soothing, honesty promotes growth. In your effort to retrieve your compassion, it looks like you have been able to retain your honesty. Always focus on honesty, and whatever compassion you give will be of constructive use to others.