Manditag in AK Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 It was just an innocent trip to drop off my little sister. I didn't think it would bother me that much. And I still had my singing lesson to go too, so (catch the irony) thank GOD I didn't have to stay for the whole service. This morning I made the terrible mistake of thinking it wouldn't be a problem to just hang out at church for the worship part and then leave when I needed to go to my singing lesson. My sister had to get back to my parents anyway....but an old friend, and I'm assuming this is because my mom's been talking, waved hi but didn't talk to me. For this woman, imagine if Alvin and the chipmunks stopped singing, and you'll understand how strange it was that she didn't say anything to me. Then I go in, and the sermon notes have in parenthesis, 'an atheist buys lunch'. I don't know what the heck that was about, don't particularly care, but of course my mom points it out. So we start singing, and they're doing prayers, and ironically enough the lord's prayer, which jesus said to say in private was put up on the projector and we were all supposed to say it together....I felt like everyone was being poisoned and I just have to stand there and watch it happen or the snake will know to bite me too. And to top it all off, one of the songs mentioned how since the universe was created biblegod exists so we should worship him...and in there it mentioned how the earth revolves around the sun. My mom complains about people taking what they want from the bible but c'mon people how ridiculous can you get? The bible clearly states that the earth is still, and the sun moves....I mean when we look up at the sky it does, right?? But they were faithfully worshipping only what they wanted to see. And it was all I could do not to punch something. mighta been someone but I wasn't feeling picky. *takes a deep breath* okay, rant over. I just really had to let that out, and I know you guys understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vomit Comet Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Yesterday me and some others were driving home from Lake Mead on highway 93. (I live in Las Vegas.) Looked to my right and there it was: the biggest mega-church in town. I'd thought about checking the place out shortly before I bit the bullet and deconverted, thinking I might somehow manage to fit in there and maybe even meet a nice girl. I saw the big huge golden gleaming building and figured that I might go there just once, out of morbid curiosity, as I haven't set foot in a church since deconverting, aside from cathedrals in Italy and Austria. Your OP has cured me of that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonolithTMA Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Then I go in, and the sermon notes have in parenthesis, 'an atheist buys lunch'. I don't know what the heck that was about, don't particularly care, but of course my mom points it out. That part would have made me stay. I have a morbid curiosity to see what Christians have to say about Atheists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manditag in AK Posted April 28, 2008 Author Share Posted April 28, 2008 True, I was very curious about that, but I've already paid money for these lessons and I am not the kind to cancel 20 minutes before time just to follow a whim. If I would've been free I think I would have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonolithTMA Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 True, I was very curious about that, but I've already paid money for these lessons and I am not the kind to cancel 20 minutes before time just to follow a whim. If I would've been free I think I would have. I would have done the same in that case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manditag in AK Posted April 28, 2008 Author Share Posted April 28, 2008 vomit comet I don't blame you....although your comment made me smile. If you wanted I suppose you could look in during non-service times just to admire the architecture and decorations, though..... MTMA, as an update, I was curious so I called my mom to see what exactly the service was about. first they tried to get me to just listen to the sermon online (this church does that), but my husband being in the middle of finals week of his LAST semester prior to graduation killed that idea. Apparently I wasn't paying as much attention as I thought, it said 'buy an atheist lunch', not the other way around. But basically the sermon was about the church family and how they should unite and work to support the fallen and lost. Assumably that means evangelizing the hell out of all of us poor idiot heathens. my mom didn't come close to saying as much though, talking about how it was very general, and innocent, and how it didn't really mean what the pastor wanted it to mean. (my paraphrase) Sometimes I wonder why she doesn't apply knowing I'm smart to realizing I understand religious thought......I guess it's just the christian meme at play again. Oi.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonolithTMA Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 MTMA, as an update, I was curious so I called my mom to see what exactly the service was about. first they tried to get me to just listen to the sermon online (this church does that), but my husband being in the middle of finals week of his LAST semester prior to graduation killed that idea. Apparently I wasn't paying as much attention as I thought, it said 'buy an atheist lunch', not the other way around. But basically the sermon was about the church family and how they should unite and work to support the fallen and lost. Assumably that means evangelizing the hell out of all of us poor idiot heathens. my mom didn't come close to saying as much though, talking about how it was very general, and innocent, and how it didn't really mean what the pastor wanted it to mean. (my paraphrase) Sometimes I wonder why she doesn't apply knowing I'm smart to realizing I understand religious thought......I guess it's just the christian meme at play again. Oi.... So someone at that church will buy us free lunches? Sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 Back when I was still a christian (barely...one foot out the door but hadn't quite walked out), I went to lunch with the deaf guy who started going to my church and holding deaf services. I thought he was a youth leader, turned out he was a full blown minister. I didn't know the minister part yet...I knew him as the sweet (and rather hot) deaf guy I wrote notes back and forth with during my Cognitive Psych class and Experimental Psych at college. He'd invited me to the deaf service, I went thinking that would be an interesting experience (it was). The fact he led the service did not clue me in...anyone at my church could lead a service if the put one together and the minister approved it. We watched a couple movies together at his house...Disney cartoons, so no real tip off there. He was a toucher, which now that I think about it probably had a lot to do with his being deaf, but at the time, I thought he was expressing interest and attraction. And perhaps on some level he was....until The Lunch. His roomate was with us, both to hang out, and to interpret. That was cool, he seemed nice too. Then in the course of conversation I brought up some of the questions I'd been tossing around in my head. I'd just intended casual conversation. All of a sudden....I'm being Witnessed to. Hard. By both of them. It came out that he'd thought I might be struggling. And the roommate then made it clear to me that my "friend" was in fact a fully ordained minister. I felt. Stunned. Like he'd kept this from me (he had, we'd been writing notes for 2 semesters talking about our lives...his being a minister did NOT come up). And here I was sitting in a Wendy's having been a christian all my life suddenly getting Witnessed to like a hellbound heathen by someone I thought was interested in ME. I lost my appetite, made an excuse...and got the fuck out of there. He knew too. I looked back at him when I got to the Wendy's door. He knew, and I knew (it was probably all over my face too) that we were never going to see each other again. Damn that had hurt. So if a christian ever wants to buy me lunch? No thanks. I'd really rather starve. It's actually less painful to go hungry for one meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigVaden Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Hah - buy and athiest lunch. I can guarantee that if any holy roller buys me lunch in an attempt to re-convert me, it will be the most interesting lunch they will ever have. Besides, I'd probably end up buying on account of the fact that I'd just feel sorry for them after seeing that blank, dumbounded look on their face when I got done with 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Internet Jesus Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 A mind convinced against it's will is of the same opinion still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jincks013 Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 I'm pretty picky about who I have lunch with, I generally don't care for xtians so they are not high on my invitee or acceptance list. I prefer a nice quiet lunch to the kinds of nonsense I see on a regular basis from the xtian community. One advantage of moving across the country is that you leave all that behind; there are no xtian people trying despertly to 'convert' you or 'reconvert' you. Though I miss Zen and a few others I've left most the bad ones behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathGeek Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 I would actually be thankful for a lunch with a Christian. I used to have meal breaks with my Christian buddies prior to deconversion, but since I have don't many friends at all now, I think it would be fun to have a friendly debate with a Christian now to see what would happen. That's just me I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manditag in AK Posted April 30, 2008 Author Share Posted April 30, 2008 Madame M, that was great, both your posts made me smile. But I agree, it certainly is an eyeopener to see how Different things look on the outside. I noticed your inference of tithing, and although I posted it elsewhere my money seemed to triple overnight as soon as I stopped tithing. Mathgeek, I agree, I would accept a lunch from a christian trying to convert me as well....I mean...free food AND a show? That's hard to come by these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellsybop Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 You guys/gals are a hoot! I laughed when I read your responses! Good stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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