An Interaction with Hyperpreterist Jerry Bowers

Jerry Bowers Jr. is a fellow who came on the hyperpreterist scene in about 2006.  He didn't make a huge splash and was soon rejected by Ward Fenley and others as simply a guy who was trying to proffer his own version of "full preterism".  Jerry's intent becomes clear upon reading an article he wrote in 2010 called "Beyond Religion, Beyond Christianity & Beyond Full Preterism" (source).  Jerry wants to move "beyond" not just "full preterism" but beyond Christianity.

Upon reading Jerry's article, you will notice that while in jail he says he read and read one book of the Bible over and over; the book of Revelation.  Is it then no wonder Jerry concluded some very unbalanced beliefs?  He read the last book of the Bible without having the context of everything that came before.

Jerry added a live chat window to his article, so I decided to engage him one day and here is the result of that discussion.  I am "Vistor3" (vistor is the default name given so I was not attempting to deceive Jerry).  Before the discussion is over, Jerry figures out it is me anyhow, since I've had previous discussions with him.  See discussion after READ MORE

Visitor3 says:

are you are full preterist?

Jerry says:

yes

Visitor3 says:

isn't it a heresy?

Jerry says:

to 98% of Christianity? Yes

Jerry says:

and a damnable one

Visitor3 says:

Do you think that is wise of you then?

Jerry says:

Yes

Jerry says:

Because I stick with scripture, as written

Visitor3 says:

it is wise to be against 98% of Christianity?

Jerry says:

You bet

Visitor3 says:

so God let Christianity fail?

Jerry says:

it's wise for a Christian to believe the words of Christ

Jerry says:

LOL

Jerry says:

Nope

Visitor3 says:

I'd say a 2% success rate is failure

Jerry says:

Christ said he would return within the lifetime of the disciples

Jerry says:

to you

Jerry says:

then

Jerry says:

it is

Jerry says:

I'll stick with Christ

Visitor3 says:

wait, we're getting ahead of ourselves...

Jerry says:

Christ said he would return within the lifetime of the disciples

Jerry says:

I believe he meant it

Jerry says:

and he did

Visitor3 says:

What would make you think God/Christ is reliable if he can't even keep a large part of Christianity in a correct belief?

Jerry says:

His word

Jerry says:

period

Jerry says:

Read the Bible

Jerry says:

evidentally, you don't believe it either

Visitor3 says:

if God can't keep 98% of Christianity in correct belief, maybe the entire Bible is bogus?

Jerry says:

Then stop reading it

Jerry says:

and don't believe it

Visitor3 says:

It's not about me, I'm asking you why you would believe a god that can't maintain the most basic truth among his followers -- 98% fail rate according to you.

Jerry says:

I've already told you

Jerry says:

I go by HIS words

Jerry says:

not the Church's

Visitor3 says:

you can't start there, you started with telling me 98% of Christians think you are a heretic. We have to start with your first premise.

Jerry says:

Nope, you're here to argue

Jerry says:

READ the site

Jerry says:

that messenger is not there for debate

Jerry says:

so forget it

Jerry says:

believe it, or don't

Visitor3 says:

We can't get to the Bible until first we establish whether God is able to maintain truth, after all where did the Bible come from? It didn't drop from the sky, but fallible men complied it right? If God couldn't maintain basic truth in belief, maybe He couldn't maintain the truth of the very Bible to which you appeal...right?

Jerry says:

Nevermind

Jerry says:

you have an agenda

Jerry says:

good bye

Visitor3 says:

I thought so, Jerry Bowers the blowhard wants people to just listen to him without challenge yet at the same time Jerry the fake minister berates Christianity as being in dispute. You're a fake Jerry. Simply a guy who kept reading the book of Rev over and over while in prison until you created a cult of one.

Jerry says:

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Jerry says:

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Jerry says:

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Visitor3 says:

so mature

Jerry says:

look who's talking

Jerry says:

an idiot who gets on a messenger that says no debating

Jerry says:

and only wants to debate

Visitor3 says:

hey I'm not making baby noises, I'm asking direct challenging questions, not debating since I ALREADY know hyperpreterism is heresy...even you admitted it from the get go.

Jerry says:

Take a hike moron

Visitor3 says:

yes yes so mature

Jerry says:

I'm no hyper preterist Roderick

Visitor3 says:

full pret = hyperpret

Jerry says:

Now you're blocked blockhead

Visitor3 says:

one in the same and hyperpret is more accurate labe

Visitor3 says:

yes yes poor Jerry Bowers can't tolerate anyone challenging him. 

 As you can see, Jerry employed the typical cultic tactics.  First, he admits he is a heretic, almost proudly.  Then when it is posed that perhaps he is not a Christian, he appeals to the Bible as if he and he alone is reading/interpreting it correctly where supposedly 98% of Christianity has not.  Next, when the "logic" of why he would believe a god who can't maintain truth is brought up, Jerry appeals again to the Bible, as if 98% of Christianity doesn't.  I then ask him if he believes that God hasn't maintained even basic truth among Christianity then how can Jerry trust the Bible -- since after all, the Bible DIDN'T fall from the sky, it was compiled by Christians.  Maybe, according to Jerry's reasoning, these Christians who after all have a supposed 98% fail rate didn't compile the Bible right.

You see, Hyperpreterists pretended appeal to the Bible alone is just that - pretended, because they can't on one hand impugn God's ability to maintain basic truth and then on the other hand claim truth has been maintained, in the Bible.  The conversation degraded with Jerry's immaturity and evasiveness.  I did directly call out Jerry's arrogance by using words like "blowhard" and "fake minister" but what do you call someone who wants to proffer something and will not take any challenge to it?