From : Randy Shank
Sent : November 2, 2004 5:54:36 PM
To : [email protected]
Subject : Hey
Hi dude, I'm just sending you an e-mail becuase I feel that this is the only way i will ever get to communicate with you. Lemme just tell you, no matter what you do buddy, Jesus will forever love you, and so will I. Lemme also tell ya, I'm praying for you man, even though I don't know you, taht doesn't matter much to me.
Thanks,
Randy
My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen. (1 Corinthians 16:24)
I was majorly weirded out by this email that I figured I'd reply.
Could you explain to me what your email is supposed to mean? Is it sarcasm? Are you serious? What would compell you to send me an email like this?
From : Randy Shank
Sent : November 3, 2004 3:27:02 PM
To : [email protected]
Subject : RE: Hey
I sent you that e-mail in reply to everything that I read on your site. It's the complete truth dude.
Why would you feel the need to pray for me? Is there something I've done on my site that will damn my soul for all eternity? Or do you just think I'm going to go on a murderous rampage?
From : Randy Shank
Sent : November 10, 2004 10:04:34 PM
To : [email protected]
Subject : RE: Hey
Ya just need Jesus
In all honesty, I would much rather have a complete stranger pray for my untimely death than for them to pray for my soul. This is the equivelent of a jehova's witness or a mormon, except it's on the internet. Nice name by the way. Where did a religious guy like you come up with a name like "boobahomie03"? More importantly, how did you find out about my website anyways? This is just sad. I'm out.
From : Randy Shank
Sent : November 13, 2004 10:25:28 PM
To : [email protected]
Hey dude, I read your post on your website about me. I just gotta make a couple of corrections though.
First: I'm not a catholic. I'm a christian that's trying to help every soul I can possibly encounter, and I am well aware that I can't do it alone. However, with God, anything is possible, becuase He makes everything possible.
Second: The term religious is way too general. If you knew anything about the truth, you would completely understand my point. With religion, you follow the laws, yadyadyada, but you don't have a relationshp with God. In order to actually follow laws, you need God. God knows this, and He knows that I'm not wrong. Christianity isn't about laws, it's about your relationship with God.
My friend, I'm not wasting your time, because if I were trying to waste your time, you wouldn't even bother reading my e-mails, nor would you bother replying, or posting anything on your website. What you have to realise is that there's more to life than what you can see, heh, there's more to death than the eye can see. I do this because I love you in Christ, as a brother. I'm trying to help you realise the truth instead of being blinded by all of this falsehood and sinful nature. Surrender life to Christ, and He'll set you free. He'll set you free from all of your misery, all of your pain. YOU CAN TRULY BE FREE!
Forever praying for you, Randy
My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen. (1 Corinthians 16:24)
Second: You're completely right about the term "religious" being way too general. You know what though? So is the term "christian", which you are so quick to label yourself under. I understand the point your making, and what truth is there to know? And what the hell do you mean by "with religion you follow the laws, but you don't have a relationship with god"? This being followed by "in order to actually follow laws, you need god". Explain this to me? So you're saying these religious people are following laws, but they have no relationship with god, and because they have no relationship with god, they can't follow the laws, because they need god to do so. You do realize that you just talked your way into a circle. You see, unlike you, I don't just pull things out of my ass to justify my arguement. And in the process, at least I make an ounce of sense. So god knows your not wrong? I'm surprised that god can even understand what the hell you're talking about.
I'm not your friend, and you're right that you're not wasting my time, I'll give you that. But one thing is for sure, I know damn well that I'm wasting your time, or you could be wasting your own time. Your purpose here is to make me "see the light" and follow the path of jesus and god. Well guess what, you failed. I believe in jesus and god just as much as I did before (and I'm not telling you how much that is). You've done nothing but adding fuel to the fire, and corrupt my soul even more. Good job. I'm sure god is pleased with you now. I guess you've taken a lesson from me and decided to not be accepting to other people's beliefs and opinions, which would make you just like me. Did I just hit you where it hurts? It doesn't matter. What matters here is that you've done nothing for me or anyone else for that matter. Do you think that by trying to save me specifically is an amazing feat and you'll earn a merit badge or something? Am I the only corrupt soul or are there other people that you're pestering with your views? It seems to me you're being nothing more than a parasite.
I know there's more to life than what I can see, and more to death than whatever the hell bullshit cliche you're spewing out. If that's the case then where the hell did you dig up this crap about me realizing the "truth" instead of being blinded by all of this falsehood and sinful nature? What the hell is the truth? Where did you find the truth about god being all kind and generous? And even if you did find truth, how do you know it wasn't just made up and god is actually trying to make you a follower and trying to make you believe he's good when he actually could be evil? I'm following my own path, you on the other hand are following blindly with no questions asked. Send me this so called truth and maybe I'll understand, but not likely.
Surrender my life to christ? So you had to surrender? Why couldn't you just go on your own accord? You make it sound like you're being controlled, like you're a zombie or some shit, which I guess technically is not far from the truth. Look, that whole "setting me free" shit just wouldn't work. Setting me free from my pain, my misery, it's all just some stupid placebo. It's a false sense of hope. Anyone who is living in any condition that should lead them to misery and pain, isn't actually being freed at all. They're believing that they will be free so they're making themselves feel no pain on their own power. I'm probably the only person who realizes this, and therefore would actually not be freed of anything. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with having a false sense of hope, as it does have a tendency to help people get by, I'm just saying that it won't work on me because of what I believe. The only way for someone to truly be free is to die and hope to be reincarnated into something with no natural or unnatural predators. Otherwise, we're all fucked.
I have to hand it to you, you really did take my website pretty well, I'll give you some respect for that. But the point here is that I don't want to have to follow anyone's ideas of what is right and what isn't. I do my own thing, believe my own thing, and that's good enough for me, and that should be good enough for everyone else. Don't try and push what you think I should do and be on me because it just won't work. I wouldn't have a problem with your beliefs if you didn't tell me that's what I should believe. Try to help someone who really needs it, and stop praying for me, because I'm fine, my life is fine, and I don't give two shits about my soul.