Popular Post TheBluegrassSkeptic Posted April 17, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted April 17, 2015 At the behest of other members, I wanted to post a blog I wrote recently in the forums area. I couldn't decide for sure which one, but I think the ex-c life is best appropriate. This is about safety and what to do if you have astronomically bad reactions to your disbelief if discovered. Not all of us have the luxury of being out there with who we are and our lack of belief, and I think sometimes we forget how dangerous our rejection can be to our finances, family structure, and even our sanity. I know some who are happy to just fake along, not even thinking through completely what will happen when their farce is discovered. It's scary some of the issues that can come up, so I put together a very basic outline of safety planning. I kept it basic because in a panic, one usually won't remember to go find a thumb drive and back up household or phone data. I hope that in the comments of this thread I'm starting, others will do more detailed tutorials on how to avoid being monitored electronically, how to back up important data on phones, etc. These are important things to know. But anyway, I just thought we really needed a safety minded side of discussion because there are some who just don't know where to start, or are minors, at the mercy of their parents. Some of the tips I listed even kids can use to have on hand later when/if authorities are needed to get involved. We need to help empower some of our fellow members here, and we can all say it together on three... 1..2..3... Knowledge is power! The Safety Dance For When Christians Don't Want To Dance ****EDITED TO ADD UPDATED HELP INFORMATION*** Did you know, as a minor, you don't have to have parental permission or knowledge to get a post office box????? It's true! I confirmed with my Post Master a few days ago this fact. The only way the post office can deny you a box is if your parent writes a letter of objection to the office...but that's only if they find out! I'm going to update this in the blog, but wanted the information in plain sight here so it doesn't get lost in a comment. http://about.usps.com/forms/ps1093.pdf 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeThinkerNZ Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 What an excellent blog and thread. Thanks Zomberina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted April 17, 2015 Super Moderator Share Posted April 17, 2015 Zomberina is really smart, for a girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyesOpened Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Thanks Z! That article is excellent and i am sure that if anyone in this situation takes the advice of the article it is bound to save some major headaches and might make it a non problem. I am fortunate to be a fully responsible for myself fiananclly if the trouble should ever arise but it also helps you to prepare emotionally. You never know how the closest people in your life is going to react once this information reaches them. Once again great article and excellent writing style. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violetbutterfly Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Great post! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBluegrassSkeptic Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 Zomberina is really smart, for a girl. Shush, I'm a smart ass. Period. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBluegrassSkeptic Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 I hope it helps anyone that needs ideas on where to begin the process of getting out. It is a scary prospect sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Bump! Can this be pinned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Margee Posted April 22, 2015 Moderator Share Posted April 22, 2015 Bump! Can this be pinned? Done! Excellent for the Ex-c newcomers. Thanks zomb...awesome job!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarflungWanderer Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I'm being a touch of a smart-arse, but if worse comes to worse, I'll just hold the line. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiana Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Thought I'd suggest a book that gave me a lot of courage to come out to my family and friends, which expands on some of your points in the linked thread: "Mom, Dad, I'm an Atheist: The Guide to Coming Out as a Non-Believer" by David McAfee. You can order it on Amazon or download the Kindle version for just a few bucks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Lot of really good info here. Don't forget to use incognito or in-private browsing mode when viewing sites like this one. Also read as much as you can about gays and lesbians who have come out, and read up on Muslim apostates. The day will come, I think, when the Christian evangelical and the Muslim extremist will no longer fight with each other but create quite the unholy alliance. I mean, we sort of have, with Saudi Arabia and such, but I mean acceptance into each other's fold against the common enemy -- us. Coming out at any age has different challenges -- divorces, loss of parental rights in some jurisdictions, etc. But for the young and not yet self-supporting I'm convinced it's got to be very difficult. Read some Dale McGowen also, he's secular but tries to explain the secular mindset to religious people, and tries to explain what it is the religious are really after. Much of this was news to me, although looking back I see it all pretty plainly now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilith666 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Nope. I'll just deal with it. My parents and probably most everyone in church know, but they haven't thrown a fit in recent years. Eh. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 The fact that anyone would think they need a safety plan says a lot about Christianity,........and what it says ain't good. That noted, I understand why someone would be concerned about leaving their faith. Them loving, merciful, grace filled Christians, like the God they worship, have a nasty streak in them too. They tend to be mean & vindictive a-holes when their "beliefs" are challenged or when one of their sheep leave the fold. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Monotheistic systems are faith systems of empire, and no empire wishes to lose subjects. Paul wrote about being a slave often. As a Christian I could relate to the passage about vessels for noble use and vessels for common ( or dishonorable, depending on whose translation you read) use. And I felt always like the latter. Human beings are collateral for God's contest, and are the lien on the loan known as free will, which makes the abuse victim's abuse a viable stock in trade for the deity's currency in free will and "voluntary" subjugation. Remember, when someone is robbed at gunpoint, they chose to commit suicide rather than hand over their money. Just like nonbelievers choose to go to Hell. I've certainly learned a lot getting to know a few anonymous ex-Muslims trying to break out of their religion. It's easy to see their situation as far graver than ours. They can, after all, be stoned to death or beheaded, just the perfect orgy of perversion the gods must enjoy if they existed at all. But one of these guys messaged me once and said something like, "You know, Leo, I don't know what it must be like being constantly tested for right belief. When I faked it as a Muslim all I had to do was go to public prayers and recite what I had to." And that's just it: with Christianity, it's all this Orwellian thought policing. the "questions" about "what you think" of various things, just to see how quickly you respond with the right responses. And if you're off, or if you're slow to be properly morally upset / play the victim or properly indignant, you are a suspect character. So yes, I'd advocate anyone still having to play in that pool to be very circumspect in your doings. Empires fear treason, and they fear loss of capital. Capital in this case may not be money: it's the humans for collateral, the human shields for causes, the numbers at the ballot box, the human children as merit marks for the parents. I cannot believe to this day the types of oppressive actions my own Wife faced by fellow moms. The home schooling kind are, of course, first class and have the box seats in the arena. But second to that, who lets their kid do what, and so forth. I used to wish often that Her opponents in this struggle for dominance were males, so that I could make a proper defense of Her. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts