Marcus Brigstocke: God Collar

3/5 stars
Event review by Edward Whelan.
Published 25 August 2009

Brigstocke’s material comes from the big questions about god and religion – and his irritation merrily pokes fun at the hypocrisies and misogynistic attitudes of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

His atheistic take on the pointless arguments between different faiths is intelligent and frequently very funny. But I felt unchallenged, nodding along happily as if I was re-taking the class. His material is not unoriginal, but with a room full of beaming atheists, he was preaching to the converted. However, Brigstocke does easily smite believers and non believers alike, picking out everyone’s foibles of thinking - even Richard Dawkins gets an earful.

Abruptly, he shifts focus a couple of times from religion onto family life, seemingly folding two different shows together creating a sort of stand up comedy marble cake. Both have some cracking lines though. The audience is in stitches and I make a note to look up why Jehovah’s Witnesses can’t vote.

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  • Since Jesus has been ruling with his enemies at his feet since 1914, (and since they will be meeting up with his hands soon enough,) we've already cast our vote. Regards.

    Posted by Margarett | Wednesday August 2009 @ 07:42

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  • It is incorrect to say that Jehovah's Witnesses "can't" vote. Anyone can vote. It is a simple matter of making a check mark on a small circle or pressing a button... no no, we can all do that. Jehovah's Witnesses choose not to vote. That is not the same thing. Early Christians did not vote, take part in politics or hold public office and so neither do we. We separate church and state all by our selves- no worry of Jehovah's Witnesses contaminating politics with our religious ideas... We know that human governments are futile and that they are doomed to fail miserably. So why bother with it when we know that a truly effectual Government is coming under God's kingdom? (Daniel 2:44, Matthew 6:9,10)

    It is what Jesus told his followers to pray for "Let your kingdom come".

    We don't vote, hold public office or try to influence government in any way. Unlike many of the world's religions who have played major roles in politics and war... oh ya, we don't go to war either. (there are currently over 4000 Jehovah's Witnesses around the world who are in prison for refusing military training or compulsary service)

    Many are surprised to learn that during WWII, Jehovah's Witnesses were targeted by the Nazis, thrown in the camps and, after nothing else could make them break their integrity, Nazis offered Witnesses the oportunity to walk free from the camps if they would only sign a document stating that they had abandoned their God and would no longer be Witnesses. Many lost their lives in the camps.for more information on that, check out the holocaust museum website.

    Posted by Val | Wednesday August 2009 @ 14:41

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  • Blood:  Google Bloodless Hospitals. 
    There are advantages to controlled studies.  Several well respected bloodless hospitals in existance for decades now report no such catastrophic casualties.  Quite the opposite.
     
    Brainwashing:  Our history shows a steely strong resistance to this reoccurring mania. 
     
    1914:  We made a home run, hitting the' year', the 'season' of the year, (autumn) and the main event spoken of by Jesus on the Mount of Olives. (Nation rising against nation could not have had a bigger, wider, more synchronized fulfillment.) 
      Though seemingly delayed, the rest of the prophecy, including Armageddon,  has to come before mans WW3, or there'll be nothing left to judge.  How can that not be in our lifetime? 
    We follow and speak for the prophet Jesus. We are not prophets.
    Jonah's prophecy had a stay of execution. He was very upset about it. (Niniveh was eventually destroyed.)
     
    Contention in families/congregations:  For the most part, our families are healthy and strong, and our global organization of congregations never kill each other during wartime.
    Still, Jesus warns of the exact problems critics muddy us up with. Mathew 10: 34-37 ... and read his address to the seven Christian congregations Rev chapters 1-3 (Summary, he threatened 5 of them with annihilation.) Regards. M

    Posted by Anonymous | Saturday August 2009 @ 05:18

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