"What happened between God and me?"
By
Gary DeVaney
Because this is a fair, often asked, question, it deserves
an honest answer.
I, unlike many writers, do not care to write about myself. I am not the
topic. In a Bible debate, I am not the authority - you are not the authority - the Biblical C&V facts are the authority.
My suggestion is: "Don't believe me or any other man. Read the controvrsial Bible C&Vs - know what the Bible says about
its God - and then decide for yourself."
Briefly, my story is: In the late 1970's I was a screen actor (SAG) in Hollywood,
California, a Captain in the Army National Guard and an interviewer of major celebrities along with being a vice president
of the Hollywood Stuntmen's Union. I am an aerobatic Stunt Pilot - (The Pitts S2-A). I've done stand-up comedy. For recreation,
I sparred with amateur boxers and one Lightweight World Champion. He broke my nose in the first round of 3 rounds and I never
got a glove on him. I also broke my arm while arm-wrestling once. Those were the fun good old days. Once in a sparring match,
I hurt my hand. Yeah, the referee stepped on it.
I was a practicing therapist. A church I attended offered a program / seminary
and I became a licensed, ordained minister. I thought I knew the Bible pretty well.
When I received Bible questions, I would look things up instead of giving
the usual "have faith" answer.
I wrote a couple of "self-help" books - "Thoughts of a Social Layman" (1980)
and "Emotional Surgery" (1982).
Paul Winchell was a prominent 1950's TV puppeteer with puppets Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead
Smith.
I was in Irwin Zucker's office, my Los Angeles Public relations man, and
I saw a book on his desk titled "God 2000, Religion without the Bible". It had Paul Winchell's picture on the back cover.
Irwin saw my interest in the book and asked me to take it home and evaluate it. I did. I met Paul some years later.
When I read Paul's book, I went a little nuts. Paul documented Bible
C&Vs that were shocking to my programmed, idealistic, naive view of God. I kept saying "That is NOT in the Bible!" It
always was.
I was so upset that I went out and bought the biggest print, easy English
Bible I could find. I read and highlighted every controversial and contradictory Bible C&V I found. I then bought the
KJV and was given the Torah as a gift and found that they basically documented the same things. The controversial C&Vs
started jumping off the page at me. I was so disturbed that I let my ordained ministerial license expire. I took
issue with the Biblical God's C&V rap-sheet whether this God is fictitious or not.
My study of the Bible started in 1982. I got my first computer from a therapy
client in 1985 who was upgrading. Since then, I've downloaded my study and research through about 8 computers.
I found C. Dennis Mckinsey in the mid 1980's and received his news letter.
He wrote the book "The Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy". His two (2) excellent books rounded out my Bible education. Dennis
started a internet panel in 1995 and I was allowed to be a panel-member. I started my own web site about 2004 and videoed
"The God Murders" produced by my friend, Erban Flinchum.
In the early 1990's I found Pastor Arnold Murray doing his TV Bible C&V
coverage. He richly contributed to my 10,000 hours of Bible study, research and debate. He and Dennis are my favorite
Bible C&V pastors.
What made me an Atheist is reading the Bible as it was written and then
knowing what the Biblical God did.
My conclusion is: "The God of the Bible is not a good God and the Bible
is not a good model for humanity."
That's my story - and - I'm sticking to it.
I tend put human beings first and treat all as equals.
Regards,
Gary DeVaney
