Rhia Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 So I'm at school, sitting in a lounge that I've been in since noon; studying, listening to music, talking to friends. I felt so safe, but I guess I'm really not anymore. It started about an hour ago, two friends of mine and I were discussing something that led into a decently-calm, quite respectful religious conversation. The two guys I was talking to were being really understanding and I was being very tolerant. I wont get into the conversation - it's not worth it for me to re-hash right now. The next thing I know two of my girlfriends walk in, sit down, and join the conversation - by now it's getting a bit heated on both sides, it started getting into something about the Fall of Man. Someone (still haven't figure out who) asked how I'm no longer a Christian. I explained (for their sake) regarding apostasy & blasphemy against the holy spirit - also that I found their god cruel and sadistic, why would he send people to hell for simply not accepting him? - That kind of thing. . The next thing I knew, people came running into the room, and others from across the room gathered around and started screaming at me that I had been lied to, and I was wrong, and that it was my "free will" to burn in hell, and that I deserved it; but that if I suddenly wished to change my mind, that I could - right at that very minute. Even my friends (can I still call them that?) were joining in, all of them telling me that it was my own free will regarding my decision to leave. I tried to defend myself, but there were so many of them, all yelling, and no one to help me, or anyone even willing to tell them to stop. I tried to start packing up my stuff, and one guy mentions that he's seen enough supernatural to prove me wrong about everything, and that the wrath of god was going to come upon me. I asked him for proof of his supernatural, and the whole roomful of people began to point and laugh at me. A few of the statements I could here were: "What's proof that there is no god?" "Prove your science!" and the worst to me by far: "You can't use science here to prove anything, it only works in this realm - but there are other realms that I have seen, and your science is useless there!" And then suddenly, they all began to dissipate. Within 5 minutes of the climax of everything, they were gone. I feel so violated. Why would my friends (some of which I've had for years) suddenly turn on me like that? All I was doing was originally having a friendly conversation. I need to get away, but I have class at 7 PM (ET) and there's really no where else for me right now. I have no one to talk to, since those were the people I'd talk to when others would occasionally harass me. I feel almost literally sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 You feel sick, and it's understandable. I feel very sorry for you. You have to take this up with your friends tomorrow or later this week and ask them why they join in on a mob mentality like that. It's threatening, hateful, unfair and dangerous. Don't ever talk to your "friends" again about religion. Tell them it's now a off-limits subject and if they bring it up again, or try to mind-rape you by forcing their religion on you again, they will prove themselves not as friends but as hatemongering Christimaniacs. Sorry for my rant, but I feel extremely angry on your part and personally I would have cut the friendship with them right then and there. What they did was EVIL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evergreen Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I'm sorry, I don't know what to say... I'm so sorry that you had to experience that. It's almost unbelievable. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsmoke Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Sorry for my rant, but I feel extremely angry on your part and personally I would have cut the friendship with them right then and there. What they did was EVIL. Han's got the right of it; what they did was bullshit, and I say they deserve to be called on it immediately. Even when I was a thoroughly brainwashed morgling, I never would have allowed my friends to be attacked and harassed like that, let alone joined the mob. It's one thing to disagree with a friend's beliefs, quite another to aggressively criticize them for it. Loyalty is a big deal to me in relationships. If a friend of mine were to betray my trust as violently as yours did, there would be words exchanged later, possibly (though hopefully not) leading to the end of that relationship. 'Course, I realize you may not be as unforgiving as I can and don't exactly relish the prospect of losing your closest friends in immediate proximity to you, so take my own response as best suits you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShackledNoMore Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Rhia, I share the others' outrage. Your "friends" were heaping abuse on you, plain and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitchu Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Rhia, before I even checked the responses I was thinking of the same term Hans used in his reply: Mind Rape. No, make that: Mind-Gang-Rape. Of course you feel sick. This is outrageous. Apologies and recognition of the awful act perpetrated on you are in order, and any of your alleged friends who aren't willing to recognize and apologize are people of whom you should be wary. Maybe you should consider reporting this incident, especially if you can't get satisfaction from dealing directly with the perpetrators. You are a worthy person, undeserving of such a beast-like attack. Don't even question yourself or your role in this incident for an instant. Go into high-dudgeon mode right away and demand justice -- that's my opinion, for what it's worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahgrace Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Rhia, that is so completely disturbing. I'm sorry you had to endure that. I can't imagine how I would have reacted in that situation - I might have just burst into tears or something. Or maybe just snapped and started screaming at people to fuck off and die or something. Either way, not a good situation and I can't BELIEVE your 'friends' joined in the fray like that!! It seems like they've sunken into fundyism so far that they've lost the true values of friendship on ANY level. You should tell them so. Love and compassion? Love is patient, love is kind? Whatever. Not to these folk. May they be jabbed in the ass by pointy fiery sticks forever and ever, amen. I wish I could take you out for coffee or something, even though I don't know you. *hug* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_funkenstein Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Wow that's absolutely awful. There's nothing worse than your friends turning on you. Perhaps its time to branch out and make new friends - ones who share your freethinking nature. That's about the best advice I can give... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Rhia, I guess you're in class IF you were able to go. I'm not sure I would have been able to. Or maybe I'd be able to go tonight but not tomorrow. As I read about it I felt I should call you because this is criminal and you need support on the professional level. I am not professional but I'll go with you to see the doctor or nurse or student services or wherever you can get help. I think you handled this exactly the way I would have handled it. There was nothing you could have done differently. What I don't get is, where were all the staff of the school? With all that screaming going on, didn't anyone hear that something was wrong? I guess you said it lasted only five minutes. You must be an exceptionally level-headed person to be able to evaluate that it lasted only five minutes. For five minutes of eternity all the demons of hell were screaming at you and you were still thinking clearly enough to collect your things and write this up before going to class. You are one brilliant woman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I think the case should be reported to the school officials. I understand it's a Christian school. Do they need to know what started it? I think the crime was the ganging up and screaming at you for no reason at all. Well, I guess the investigation would have to know what started it. Would the OP of this thread work? You'd want to reword it to address school officials rather than us. As for those people who used to stand in for friends. If you have it in you, let them know you can live without them for at least one week. Let them come to you. Don't confront them. Somehow, I think that's the way the power game has to work in this situation to be effective in the long haul. And I don't know if they will come around or not. The whole thing is like a flashback of me and my family situation. I am sure you have similar flashbacks. Here's hoping you don't have too many nightmares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Sorry to hear about your troubles, Rhia. Nothing like young people ON FIRE for Jesus. What little naive morons. If it's any consolation to you, 3/4 of them will completely abandon this nonsense within less than 10 years and end up living in the real world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWIM Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Man that was hard to read.. Thats terrible... You must have felt *very* trapped. It would be understandable to "get saved" with lip service to make it all "go away"... Saddly many of us do just that though we dont believe. I did earlier in my life. It takes real courage to stand up for what you believe. Even in the shadow of many faces. I think ultimately you will be stronger for this experience. Always, always... Be true to yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPw4 Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Next time it happens talk to the dean or principal or whoever is in charge in bring harrasment charges against them. What they did was wrong and should not go without consequence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decafaholic Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 That's aweful! I'm so sorry. I'm still licking my wounds from when my ex-pastor came down so hard on me when I told him of my agnosticism. You think you know people, and then you find out that you never really did... Send me a message anytime. I will commiserate with you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I feel almost literally sick. I'm a fairly big guy and what you've described makes me feel sick. I would be very rattled if the same thing happened to me. I wish there was something better I could say to help. mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuaiDan Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 When one person goes up against a mob, there is no victory. Unless you can kick ass like Li Xiao Long (Bruce Li). Call your friends on the bullshit. Leave the rest alone, especially the nut job going on about seeing other realms...get this...he probably HAS, when he's off his medication. Dictate whatever terms you want, but now that they've donned the cloak of xtianity, be prepared for the passive aggressive treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 You must have felt *very* trapped. THAT'S what the flashbacks are about for me. Thanks for pointing it out. When I read it I visualize myself in the far end of the lounge of my alma mater with a whole group of people between me and the door screaming at me--only it's Rhia instead of me and I was never treated like that at school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelloChick Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 If that mob attack was supposed to lead you toward their god... wow! I'm sick to my stomach just thinking about it. That wasn't a loving thing to do in the name of any god, or for any reason. I can't imagine how you feel right now. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone and you have cyber friends who care and won't attack you. Hopefully, you can find some new friends that you can trust. CelloChick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 That is so awful. Are you in a religious school? What they did was wrong. There is no excuse for behaving like that towards anyone, they shouldn't have done that. Are you in high school? College? I agree with the others that this was harassment. However whether or not you report it, you should probably be prepared for it to be around school tomorrow that it happened. It is so pissy that people would behave so immaturely. It sounds to me like you need to find new friends who accept you for who you are, not what label you carry. Can you talk to your parents about it? As for why, fundy Christians are brainwashed to believe that they have the only right belief. At its worst, as you've seen, it can turn people into a mob. I shudder to think of what would happen if some popular religious leader decided to literally obey the Old Testament and preach that it was perfectly okay to physically hurt non-Christians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Rhia, I'm so sorry for what they did to you. That was terrible! I agree with Michael, that was difficult just to read. I can only imagine what it felt like to live through it. Hugs, ~K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L.B. Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I wish I could hold your hand right now and let you know how truly sorry I am, not just because of what they did, but because of the ways in which I once contributed to that kind of evil. My most sincere apologies are yours in place of those who might never understand how fucked up they are until it is too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Tell your "friends" they've shown you exactly how they really feel about you, and that you are going to make friends who would never allow a mob to emotionally rape you, much less join in. Let those be your last words to them. You owe them nothing, and they deserve less than that even. They hurt you. Made you feel sick, and did not care. Those are not friends by any stretch of the definition. Keeping them will only cause you future pain. There's a whole world of potential friends out there. The ego of others takes advantage of individual insecurities and may create the impression that their friendship is important. Vital to your existence even. That once they are gone, you will never have another friend. Pssshhh!! Only in a world where there's no life after school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Pussies. All of them. They are so threatened by your disbelief they attack you for it. They have no confidence in their position. If they did, they wouldn't fight for it so aggressively. People in general are mindless assholes. To be perfectly frank, I don't even blame their religion for their behavior. As Woody said, I can't imagine ever doing that to a friend or an enemy when I was a believer. This just pisses me off. Too bad someone didn't capture it on vid. You could post it on YouTube and highlight the intolerance at your school for the world to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I say, stick it in their butt... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 "Friends". Uh huh. If these are "friends" then the nazis were the greatest humanists in history. ((((((((((Rhia)))))))))) I know these are harsh words, but if these were my "friends", I'd seriously reconsider certain things. Damn fast. You know what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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