Atheists Tear Out Pages From the Bible
In a public display of opposition against Christianity, a group of atheists on Saturday tore apart photocopies of Bible verses that they view as immoral and illegal.
The demonstration was led by more than a dozen members of a humanist group called Backyard Skeptics at the base of the Huntington Beach pier in Southern California.
Some of the passages the group opposed included Matthew 5:29 and James 5:14-15, which states:
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"Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will [c]restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up ..." (NASB)
Bruce Gleason, who heads the group, told The Christian Post earlier that he was "doing this to make this a better world" because he felt that "reason, science, and critical thinking will do much more than prayer and belief."
He insisted that they weren't trying to offend people. Only printed sheets of paper of the Bible passages were expected to be torn. But near the end of Saturday's event, the outspoken atheist ripped out a few pages from the Bible.
"I just want to tear out pages of the Bible that are illegal," Gleason said, according to The Orange County Register.
Backyard Skeptics has become increasingly visible and vocal in Orange County with the launch of several billboard ad campaigns and regular "outreaches" on the pier throughout the year.
At its peak, the latest atheist outreach event on Saturday drew about 100 people, with some Christians choosing to engage the group in a debate.
Greg Allen was among the Christians vocalizing his disagreement.
"They misrepresent the Christian view and what the Bible is actually presenting," he said, as reported by the local Register.
