Subtle Ways To Hint (Or Test The Waters) That You No Longer Believe In Christianity

[LogicalFallacy]

My only objection is to those who feel a need to confront (for lack of a better word) those who disagree. The in-your-face attitude is more objectionable than the atheism itself.

I don't think the point of this thread was to suggest that people "Confront" christians. The basic point of the OP was to give de-converting, or de-converted members ideas of how to handle the (sometimes) tricky situation of letting others (Especially friends and family) know that you no longer believe in Christianity. This is in the situation where you have to, or want to let them know. It not about confronting other beliefs - its about telling them that you no longer believe. And doing so in a manner that is not confrontational in order to preserve relationships.

[LogicalFallacy]

For those wonder why do we need to 'come out' and for those who feel the need to 'come out' (I am using 'come out' to mean essentially telling friends and family that you no longer believe) here are some good resources that answer questions and give some great pointers - much along Lyra's tips in her OP.

 

Thanks to Chilledmilk for sending me these links: (PS maybe these could be included in the OP so new members don't have to wade through the discussion to find the actual info presented in this thread?)

 

(Abridged version)

(Full version - if you haven't yet come out I recommend you watch this!)

[L.B.]

One of the best ways I've found to get OTHER people used to the idea that you don't believe these things is to bring up the facts that make Christ-inanity nothing more than a personal exercise of belief.

 

For instance, raise the question of why their god's "new covenant with the house of Israel" necessarily means Christianity, and that Christianity necessarily means one KIND of Christianity. Tell your friends and family that you can't understand why an eternal, perfect god would leave these vital issues so confused and hard to decipher.

 

I can guarantee you that unless your friends and family are raging super-fundies (in which case, get new friends and family), you'll find that 100% of the answers will be along the lines of "well, this is what I believe because the spirit in my heart" and such things.

 

Introduce those around you to the idea that none of these things can possibly be definitively explained or asserted. Every bit of the so-called "truth" of religion is based on faith and feelings in a person's heart.

 

They will understand that those are the reasons YOU can't believe, and maybe they will start to understand why they can't rationally believe these things, either.

[MOHO]

"I can guarantee you that unless your friends and family are raging super-fundies (in which case, get new friends and family), you'll find that 100% of the answers will be along the lines of "well, this is what I believe because the spirit in my heart" and such things."

 

I think, L.B. that that very sentence outlines one of the reasons why there are so many opinions on this topic.

 

Some fundies are more rational ( I use that term very liberally ) than others.

[LogicalFallacy]

Yes, I dropped my first real big 'hint' today, and despite mum and dad being fundies... they are apparently not literalists.... on some parts. It's all supernatural you know?

 

Some things I've learned over the last month - hope it helps someone:

 

I actually finding it hard to drop hints because I think every time they are going to find me out or the hint won't work. But what I learned from today you can hint quite hard and they don't pick up too much so long as you phrase it right:

 

"I have a question" Or "I was thinking about" or "What do you think"

 

Also don't try and force a conversation, try and wait until a genuine opportunity pops up like the one in my post.

[LogicalFallacy]

Well I have told my sister. Kinda beat about the bush until she figured it out. 

 

She said I was shocking at dropping hints and to probably go with a gentle direct approach with Mum and Dad. Subtly is not my thing apparently.

 

So I'm going to talk to them tomorrow. I'm not going to be like "Hey Mum, Dad I'm and agnostic atheist! Surprise!" Probably open the conversation more like ... "I don't feel the Christian walk is for me" and see where it goes.