Loopy Christian college kid stabs himself at atheist gathering to prove God exists

[cleanhippie]

Loopy Christian college kid stabs himself at atheist gathering to prove God exists

AN “Ask an Atheist Day” event at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, turned nasty this week when Alexander M Huppert, a freshman university studies major, stabbed himself in the hand with a pen, then assaulted an officer who approached to check his welfare.

After a short struggle with the officer and several witnesses, he was taken into custody.

--snip--

Witnesses said Huppert stood near the table for nearly an hour, then borrowed a pen and drew a circle with a cross inside on the back of his hand.

Nicole Schrand, a senior psychology major, said Huppert then asked students at the table to stab him in the cross with the pen to:

"Prove to us God existed."

http://freethinker.co.uk/2011/04/15/loopy-christian-college-kid-stabs-himself-at-atheist-gathering-to-prove-god-exists/


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Oh, those crazy christians...

[Goblinmonger]

1. QED

I guess :shrug:

[niyad]

2. not enough caffeine, apparently, but could somebody please explain HOW stabbing oneself with a pen

(ball point, fountain, gel, rollerball, quill??) proves that a deity exists?

[cleanhippie]

3. Funny, I was think the same thing.

:shrug:

[cui bono]

23. I think he was asking others to do it and then when they wouldn't that would "prove" there was a god

since they wouldn't hurt him when he asked them to.

However, all that proves is that there is morality which has nothing to do with god.

[struggle4progress]

4. Updated: Signs of mental illness noted before stabbing

Thursday, April, 14, 2011; 11:47 PM
by Gordon Block, associate news editor

... “I was initially relieved because they knew where he was, but then we found out he was in jail,” Michael Huppert said ...

He said that his son was doing well in classes, but admitted struggling with anxiety. He said Alexander Huppert had started to seek counseling at Cook Counseling Center ...

Michael Huppert said his son told him he was taking the antidepressant Paxil ...

Alexander Huppert won several awards in 2009 after saving the life of young boy, his neighbor, who suffered respiratory arrest ...

http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/17407/updated-signs-of-mental-illness-noted-before-stabbing

[cleanhippie]

5. You mean his belief was a sign of mental illness?

I tend to agree, then.

[struggle4progress]

6. You don't seem to read very carefully or very well

[cleanhippie]

7. Au contraire

I read and comprehend quite well.

Mental illness is a serious problem. But its all part of gods plan, right?

Are you saying that his belief was NOT a part of his mental illness?

[EvolveOrConvolve]

13. I hate to disagree with you

I hate to disagree with you since I'm also one of the evil atheists, but I think you have it backwards. The mentally ill are often drawn to religion, rather than the actual religion causing mental illness. It's only a hop, skip and jump from hearing voices to thinking one is actually speaking with god him/her/itself.

I'll limit myself to only 1 blood sacrifice today as atonement for my sin of straying from the EAC party line. :)

[cleanhippie]

21. Fair enough. I see what you are saying, and I tend to agree.

Well stated.

[Silent3]

15. Mental illness? Perhaps he was just being "authentic".

Who are we to judge? :)

[struggle4progress]

16. In this forum, we sure have lots of fun snickering at troubled people, don't we?

[trotsky]

17. Even devoted, superior Christians like yourself snicker at various religious people.

Like Scientologists, etc. I think the concern here is how religion and its thought processes either attract those who are mentally ill or greatly exacerbate their problems and give them a tool or a context to legitimize other irrational beliefs, thus bringing harm to themselves or others.

As another poster indicated, the bible clearly spells out certain practices that true Christians can do in if they have faith: handle deadly snakes, drink poison, etc.

[Silent3]

18. I think you misjudge the direction of the snickering...

...unless you consider yourself "troubled", that is. :)

[Speck Tater]

8. Cain't yer see, all them thar athians is ta blame. Them and their Satan-worshiping ways

dun drove the poor lad plum insane.

[mysuzuki2]

9. having religious belief is not a symptom of mental illness

but stabbing yourself in the hand to prove god exists, maybe so. I hope he gets the help he needs and dog bless him.

[cleanhippie]

10. So, if I read you correctly, mental illness depends on the level of "crazy" things you do

in the name of a religion?

Stabbing in the hand = mentally ill, but all of the OTHER crazy stuff religious people do is not?

[mysuzuki2]

11. now, did I say that?

no, I didn't make any statement about anything except this one poor kid who stabbed himself. He obviously needs help regardless of the reasons he did it. He actually sounds like a decent kid who needs the proper therapy and perhaps meds. I was not indending to be snarky at all. Anyone else doing "crazy things" in the name of religion or otherwise, it would obviously depend. Self-destructive is probably a good tip-off Crazy of course does not necessarily mean mentally ill

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dimbear]

12. Mark 16:17-18 establishes the Christian superpowers.

True Christians can drink deadly poisons and handle serpents with immunity so a little stab wouldn't cut much mustard.

It's in the book.

[Odin2005]

14. He sounds mentally ill.

[PassingFair]

19. On a positive note: My daughter called me on "Ask An Atheist Day" to tell me...

that she had finally FOUND the college atheist group,
whose signs KEEP GETTING TORN DOWN AS SOON AS THEY ARE
POSTED!

She's been looking for them since the beginning of
the semester, when she found out there was a chapter
on her campus.

It was a very positive experience for her, and many
of her "believing" friends DID ask her questions!

No one stabbed themselves at her campus, to my
knowledge....

[struggle4progress]

24. College students are often quite jerky about other people's signs: I remember

regularly reposting all manner of announcements on campuses

Farmworkers event? Go around after a few days and repost everything. Then, a few days later, repost again
Textile workers event? Go around after a few days and repost everything. Then, a few days later, repost again
Anti-apartheid event? Go around after a few days and repost everything. Then, a few days later, repost again
Speaker on human rights in Guatemala or El Salvador? Go around after a few days and repost everything. Then, a few days later, repost again
Anti-death-penalty event? Go around after a few days and repost everything. Then, a few days later, repost again
Anti-nuclear-weapons-testing event? Go around after a few days and repost everything. Then, a few days later, repost again

In fact, it's not just college students: lots of people are jerky about other people's signs. I live in a very Republican precinct in a very Democratic signs. In election years, political campaign signs are regularly stolen off my lawn

[cleanhippie]

25. I am noticing that you are really trying hard to rationalize certain religious behavior.

Interesting.

[struggle4progress]

26. You don't seem to read very carefully or very well

[cleanhippie]

28. Yeah, its me, not you.

:rofl:

Keep telling yourself that.

[Deep13]

20. Well, I'm convinced. Is it too late to go to church this morning? nt

[onager]

27. Miracle!

As soon as I read your post...the bells of the local Catholic church started ringing!!!

This is clearly A Sign. I should run right down to St. Joseph The Holy Cuckold and sign up. Er...after I watch Creflo Dollar...and write my check to that nice Schuller family. If I don't donate today, atheists might take over the Crystal Cathedral and turn it into a Stalinist shrine. Or something.

Slightly on-topic: given its recent, sad past - I'd think Virginia Tech is the LAST place anybody would want to start acting bonkers. Over the weekend I watched Barbara Kopple's documentary Gun Fight, which follows one of the survivors of the 2007 V.T. massacre.

[dimbear]

29. Some question as to the status of this miracle. Historically the stigmata

appear due to surreptitious self wounding, (at least in the explained cases) not overt stabbing.

[rrneck]

30. Howzit proof of god involves

handling snakes, whipping yourself and other assorted methods of self harm? When they prove the existence of god by having money fall from the sky or getting me laid then maybe I'll sign on but that other shit is for the birds.

[AlecBGreen]

31. From the comments section

"I am a member and the future Vice President of the Freethinkers at Virginia Tech whom was there at this said event. Our club is of the opinion that religion was not the driving force behind this event, mental illness is. From the new evidence that has came to light Mr. Huppert is not a bad guy (he saved a boy in cardiac arrest by giving him CPR during), but a guy that has been afflicted by depression and mental issues. Alex was clearly not in his own mind during this event nor acting in a manner that he had conducted himself in the past.

Mr. Huppert does not deserve our judgment, but our support. Mental health issues are not just a problem on the Virginia Tech campus but for millions worldwide. We will continue to keep Alex and his family in our thoughts during the troubling time.

We are friends of Alex, We Are Virginia Tech."

[Dorian Gray]

32. That's a classy statement

I hope that he will be well and get the help he needs.