What Do You Do, Say, And Feel?

[disEnchanted]

What do you DO, SAY, and FEEL...

 

...When you are at the register in a store, the cashier hands you your receipt and says, "Have a blessed day."

 

...When you tell someone that you are lucky to escape a situation with your life, the person you are talking to says, "Praise be to god."

 

...When you are confused by something and you share that with someone, they reply, "Well, only god knows."

 

I am faced with conversations like this on a DAILY basis and I'm wondering how you handle it if and when you are faced with situations such as these.

[Mankey]

"Have a blessed day."

Me: "May your day be pleasant and productive."

 

"Praise be to god."

Me: "Sorry I'm not an idolater. I do not indulge in any superstitions what so ever. I am an atheist. " hehe.

 

"Well, only god knows."

This could just be an expression.

 

These things used to bother me, but not now really. I try to remember how I felt about things when I believed. I can be a smart ass, but I don't feel angry about this stuff anymore.

[Japedo]

What do you DO, SAY, and FEEL...

 

...When you are at the register in a store, the cashier hands you your receipt and says, "Have a blessed day."

 

 

 

 

 

The only place I have ever heard that phrase or something close to (Blessed Be, bright Blessings and so forth) is in Salem MA. I believe it stems from Wiccan practices. Sounds like another thing the Christians picked up and attempted to word-hijack. So... a way to perhaps shut someone up is ask .. Oh are you Wiccan? (After they stumbled over themselves horrified and shocked, ) Apologize and say... That's a Wiccan Phrase, I thought maybe you were a practicing wiccan. I doubt they'd ever use it again.

 

 

...When you tell someone that you are lucky to escape a situation with your life, the person you are talking to says, "Praise be to god."

 

Ask? Which God?

 

...When you are confused by something and you share that with someone, they reply, "Well, only god knows."

 

Well then can you please beam the question your god and and give me the answer, thanks!

 

 

I am faced with conversations like this on a DAILY basis and I'm wondering how you handle it if and when you are faced with situations such as these.

 

I usually say something off hand and smart-alecky. Best way to get your point across is with a sense of humor.

[disEnchanted]

I am truly faced with people saying these types of things on a DAILY basis. Just today, I called a friend (I know she's christian) and got her answering machine: "I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now. Please leave your number at the beep. Have a blessed day."

 

I was taken aback for a minute and almost forgot why I was calling her in the first place. Maybe I could leave this outgoing greeting on my machine: "I can't take your call at the moment. Please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you soon. Have a great imaginary-god-free day!"

 

What do you think?

[disEnchanted]

The only place I have ever heard that phrase or something close to (Blessed Be, bright Blessings and so forth) is in Salem MA. I believe it stems from Wiccan practices. Sounds like another thing the Christians picked up and attempted to word-hijack. So... a way to perhaps shut someone up is ask .. Oh are you Wiccan? (After they stumbled over themselves horrified and shocked, ) Apologize and say... That's a Wiccan Phrase, I thought maybe you were a practicing wiccan. I doubt they'd ever use it again.

 

 

I did not know that it was wiccan. Thank you for that bit of info. I'm gonna google it and find out more. Great advice because this is the phrase I hear the most from christians.

[Mankey]

I am truly faced with people saying these types of things on a DAILY basis. Just today, I called a friend (I know she's christian) and got her answering machine: "I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now. Please leave your number at the beep. Have a blessed day."

 

I was taken aback for a minute and almost forgot why I was calling her in the first place. Maybe I could leave this outgoing greeting on my machine: "I can't take your call at the moment. Please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you soon. Have a great imaginary-god-free day!"

 

What do you think?

I like it.

 

If there are that many people that are like that in your area then it might not be such a good idea. There are consequences for being outspoken in some cases. Would it really be worth it? For some people yes and others no. I say think about it more.

 

Did you ever believe in God? If so, then it might help if you try to remember how you felt about things when you were a believer. It makes it easier to forgive things like that.

 

To blow off steam drive to another town and be a total smart ass to comments like that and when you get it out of your system drive home. Hehe.

[Luke Wolf]

What do you DO, SAY, and FEEL...

 

...When you are at the register in a store, the cashier hands you your receipt and says, "Have a blessed day."

 

...When you tell someone that you are lucky to escape a situation with your life, the person you are talking to says, "Praise be to god."

 

...When you are confused by something and you share that with someone, they reply, "Well, only god knows."

At the register, I'm usually in a hurry to get out. Not because I'm busy, but rather I just want to move on. And, depending on where the register is at, will effect how I react. At a fast food place, for example, knowing all the shit they have to put up with, I try to be friendly towards them, to be one less piece of shit they deal with. Unless they have it coming by being rude or dumb, then I will be rude right back to them. Another reason I try to be nice, is to lessen the chances of people fucking with my food.

A register at a store, such as Meijers, I will say something arrogant like "I am blessed."

 

For the "praise be to god" I would reply "Your petty god had nothing to do with it asshole."

 

If god only knows, I tell them "Then he better cough up answers."

[Lycorth]

Usually, I never hear anything like that, but on the rare occasion I do, I just ignore it

[Thurisaz]

I am faced with conversations like this on a DAILY basis and I'm wondering how you handle it if and when you are faced with situations such as these.

 

Here in Germany, chances are that whoever says that is above-average on the zealotry scale but still in the moderate/liberal range on the cultist scale, so normally I'd smile and say "thank you", and that's it.

 

Of course, if the other person takes this as an opportunity to start preaching...

[Thurisaz]

I did not know that it was wiccan. Thank you for that bit of info. I'm gonna google it and find out more. Great advice because this is the phrase I hear the most from christians.

 

Funny how much they copied from others, no?

 

Eh, every now and then I meet a morontheist (online) who runs away shocked after I reminded him that, if I show belief in their monster every time I say the word "god", then they reveal their devotion to Asatru every time they speak the names of the weekdays. You know, Monday, Tyr's day, Wodan's (Odin's) day, Thor's day... it gets them every time

[Thurisaz]

For the "praise be to god" I would reply "Your petty god had nothing to do with it asshole."

 

Alternatively, the reply could be "yeah, praise to it that it's only imaginary. If it was real we'd all be in deep shit".

[Mankey]

I am faced with conversations like this on a DAILY basis and I'm wondering how you handle it if and when you are faced with situations such as these.

 

Here in Germany, chances are that whoever says that is above-average on the zealotry scale but still in the moderate/liberal range on the cultist scale, so normally I'd smile and say "thank you", and that's it.

 

Of course, if the other person takes this as an opportunity to start preaching...

Yea. That is very sensible. Fair is fair. I think I gave bad advice in this thread.

 

[disEnchanted]

To blow off steam drive to another town and be a total smart ass to comments like that and when you get it out of your system drive home. Hehe.

 

Hey!!! I really like that. Yeah, I probably couldn't say "Have a great imaginary-god-free day" around here in my small town. I'd be crucified. (pun intended).

[Jack]

I did not know that it was wiccan. Thank you for that bit of info. I'm gonna google it and find out more. Great advice because this is the phrase I hear the most from christians.

 

Funny how much they copied from others, no?

 

Eh, every now and then I meet a morontheist (online) who runs away shocked after I reminded him that, if I show belief in their monster every time I say the word "god", then they reveal their devotion to Asatru every time they speak the names of the weekdays. You know, Monday, Tyr's day, Wodan's (Odin's) day, Thor's day... it gets them every time

 

Suggested Fun Activity: Write a short (one page) article about why the days of the week are evil, include Christian replacements, and tack it to your church's (if you go to one or can stand to drop by sometime) bulletin board, then see how many people actually adopt the new words.

[Mankey]

To blow off steam drive to another town and be a total smart ass to comments like that and when you get it out of your system drive home. Hehe.

 

Hey!!! I really like that. Yeah, I probably couldn't say "Have a great imaginary-god-free day" around here in my small town. I'd be crucified. (pun intended).

I am a dick and I am stubborn. I am cut out for that kind of stuff a lot of times. But not always. Consequences...

 

Pay close attention to how you feel when people react to you. Remember that they are people.....you might feel bad after doing this....

 

I think impish and witty might be the best way to go about things. Too bad I'm not good at that, but if you are I would try that approach first.

 

You may not like what you experience....how you feel.

 

You could try remembering how it was when you were a believer...and see how you feel the next time you hear such comments from Christians.

 

 

 

I think I gave bad advice dude...seriously.

[LithaB]

I try to listen with the assumption that most people are really very poor communicators. To compensate, they rely upon catch phrases or trite expressions that they can repeat without thinking too much. If these people grew up in Christian homes, the use of Christian catch phrases was rewarded and so became habit. To really understand what a person is trying to say when they use such phrases you need to rely on body language and circumstances surrounding the communication.

 

What do you DO, SAY, and FEEL...

 

...When you are at the register in a store, the cashier hands you your receipt and says, "Have a blessed day."

They might SAY "Have a blessed day" what I HEAR is "here's your change, I hope you had a pleasant enough experience here that you won't complain to my boss" so I reply with a simple "yes, thank you."

...When you tell someone that you are lucky to escape a situation with your life, the person you are talking to says, "Praise be to god."

They might SAY "Praise be to God" what I HEAR is "What you've just said is such a shock that I can't formulate an original response just yet, but I'm very glad you're okay."

...When you are confused by something and you share that with someone, they reply, "Well, only god knows."

They might SAY "god only knows" but what I HEAR is "sorry, I haven't got a clue either but I'm too insecure to admit it -- so I'll claim no human could possibly know the answer."

 

And when someone uses Christian catch phrases in every other sentence, I assume they are living in terror of their God and doing anything they can think of to avoid damnation. I can relate only too well to that feeling, so I try to treat such people gently. The last thing they need is someone else making them feel stupid.

[khdetw]

Litha, I agree. I was about to say something like that. You said it much nicer than I would have.

 

It's tempting to come up with a witty reply to such absurdities, forgetting that we once said similar things. Often these are passing comments to which the person gives little thought as to the real meaning. If I think about it at all, I try to recall how I felt when I said it.

 

The more enlightened I become the more I realize that there are universal truths behind the myths Xians believe. Ironically (or maybe not), when I believed in the myths I couldn't see the truths they point to as clearly as I do now. The myths got in my way. Apparently that's not the situation for everyone, so unless I want to get into a "discussion" about it I just reinterpret the meaning behind those comments from the perspective of truth to the extent that I presently understand it.

 

We do live in a culture heavily influenced by such imagery. As much as religion is a denial of reality, it's also a denial to ignore the influence such things have on our communication processes.

 

--

Ken

[Ro-bear]

I pretty much ignore that sort of thing. One co-worker crossed the line, however, when she suggested I pray for the resolution of an unfortunate work-related situation. I replied, "That never worked for me at all, so I no longer bother." She was almost stunned into silence, but managed a "Don't say that!" I said, "Why not? It's true." That took care of that.

[♦ nivek ♦]

"Bim Bim Salimin, Omnibus, Omnibus, ZOINK!" while doing some kind of cross looking thing with hands said looking them right in the eyes...

 

Shamelessly ripped off the Grate Proffit Geo. Carlin NotEsquire....

 

 

kFL

[Amethyst]

I've never had that happen to me, but I wouldn't say anything. Nobody should have to respond to something like that.

[Mankey]

"Bim Bim Salimin, Omnibus, Omnibus, ZOINK!" while doing some kind of cross looking thing with hands said looking them right in the eyes...

 

Shamelessly ripped off the Grate Proffit Geo. Carlin NotEsquire....

 

 

kFL

I don't know what wisdom really is....I'm looking for it though...

 

To learn, understand and do. Hope is important too. I have to start somewhere...

 

I am not happy. I try to see myself clearly. I have made mistakes and so...I guess I need to start over again.

 

I don't no where to go.

 

I do not always pick fights with theists....even though I am an anti-theist.

[מה טבו]

I'd say LithaB is giving you the best advice here, that is if you want to make it through the day in a reasonably peaceful fashion. You're not going to stop Evangelical Christians from being Christians - or even from being overtly religious. Being a smartass just pisses them off and makes them that much more likely to feel persecuted for their faith. Yeah, it's cathartic for a moment, but in the end it just lands you in a lot of fights.

 

...When you are at the register in a store, the cashier hands you your receipt and says, "Have a blessed day."

 

Just say "you too" or "have a nice day". Give 'em a break. Cashiers make six bucks an hour, and they take crap from customers all day. They don't need any more from you. Yes, "blessed day" is religious, but at least the cashier is trying to be friendly. Besides, do you really want to get in an argument in the middle of a checkout?

 

When you tell someone that you are lucky to escape a situation with your life, the person you are talking to says, "Praise be to god."

 

Ignore it. If someone is religious enough to interject something like that into a conversation, then they're probably either very evangelical or some religious little old lady.

If it's the former, your indication that you don't share their beliefs is just taking the bait for evangelism. If you find "praise be..." annoying, I'm guessing that you aren't really up for 45 minutes of "witnessing" after you disclose your atheism. If the person is someone you know, expect to be included in prayer, and possibly to find Chick tracts lying around.

If it's the latter, then it's cruel to upset the elderly. Little old ladies mean no offence - let them be.

 

When you are confused by something and you share that with someone, they reply, "Well, only god knows."

 

That's an interesting one. Down here, everybody uses "GOK" as a figure of speech. It's not even an indicator of religious belief. "GOK what diseases that skank has!"

The same situation goes as above though. By responding, you're either setting yourself up for some "witnessing", or guilt-tripping somebody's grandmother.

 

Yes, it's subtle proselytizing, and all proselytizing is annoying. No, Atheists aren't the only ones to get sick of it. The nonreligious make up 10-15% of the US population. Is there even one major ministry dedicated exclusively to converting Atheists (not targeting Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and the rest of the population along with you)? Jews make up less than 2% of the United States population, yet there are over 900 Christian and "Hebrew Christian" organizations in America alone created for the specific purpose of proselytizing to the Heebs, at a reported price tag of over $250million per year.

 

I get people telling me to "have faith in Jesus Christ" all the time. I just leave it alone.

[Luke Wolf]

Alternatively, the reply could be "yeah, praise to it that it's only imaginary. If it was real we'd all be in deep shit". pureevil.gif

I like that. I might have to use that next time I hear the praise god.

[Connie Goodnow]

I usually just smile and say "You too." No reason to start any fights.

 

I still believe in God, and yeah, He helps me. I am just indifferent when it comes to the bla bla bla of church. Also, I'm pretty wary of anyone who claims to have a one on one hotline to God. e.g. "Your cancer is healed, praise God." Why should God intervene and take away bad habits (like smoking) that I've spent years developing.

 

Sometimes it takes real moral courage to stand up and state what you believe, without offending or being offended... that said it is also wise to pick and choose your battles... no reason to be mean to someone who for all intents and purposes is only trying to be nice....

[leftofpunk]

...When you are at the register in a store, the cashier hands you your receipt and says, "Have a blessed day."

DO: I take the receipt

SAY: "Thank you" (it's only polite, they weren't trying to convert you, it's just their vernacular.

FEEL: Whatever I was feeling 5 seconds earlier.

 

...When you tell someone that you are lucky to escape a situation with your life, the person you are talking to says, "Praise be to god."

DO: Give a scowl

SAY: "God had nothing to do with it. That was my ability to escape and no god had anything to do with it."

FEEL: Very angry and disgusted

 

...When you are confused by something and you share that with someone, they reply, "Well, only god knows."

DO: Stare at them

SAY: "Well that was a lot of help"

FEEL: Let down plus the confusion from earlier.