As Christmas draws closer, most Christians would ideally be buying Christmas trees and readying their carols and cakes. However, a professor from Minnesota, USA, Eric Sprankle decided to open a can of worms on Twitter by calling the Biblical God a sexual predator.
Eric Sprankle took to Twitter on 4th December and asserted that the virgin birth story is about an “all-knowing, all-powerful deity impregnating a human teen. There is no definition of consent that would include that scenario”. He signed off by wishing everyone ‘Happy Holidays”.
The virgin birth story is about an all-knowing, all-powerful deity impregnating a human teen. There is no definition of consent that would include that scenario. Happy Holidays.
— Eric Sprankle, PsyD (@DrSprankle) December 3, 2018
Eric Sprankle is a professor of clinical psychology and sexuality studies at Minnesota State University.
Responding to critics who quoted Bible verses to counter his theory, Eric Sprankle said “The biblical God regularly punishes disobedience. The power difference and the potential for violence for saying ‘no’ negates her ‘yes’. To put someone in this position is an unethical abuse of power at best and grossly predatory at worst”.
The biblical god regularly punished disobedience. The power difference (deity vs mortal) and the potential for violence for saying “no” negates her “yes.” To put someone in this position is an unethical abuse of power at best and grossly predatory at worst.
— Eric Sprankle, PsyD (@DrSprankle) December 4, 2018
The professor’s Twitter bio, in fact, includes the words “Ave Satanas” (hail Satan). “Hail Satan” is a Satanist slogan. Satanism is an Abrahamic religion that is based on the inversion of the core tenets of Christianity. However, in recent times, the slogan has also gained popularity among atheists and secularists who use the words to make known their opposition to Abrahamic religions. Sprankle likely falls in this category as he describes himself as a secularist.
At a time when people like Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey are holding placards blaming Brahmins for Patriarchy, the professor’s comments are likely to ruffle many feathers. However, unlike their Indian counterparts, American liberals are known to be quite harsh in their criticism of all versions of traditional religion.
