white_raven23 Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 So, I've not been around for several days. Been out of town visiting family and whatnot. For 3 hours I had to sit and smile with some intensely religious relations. Now...when I showed up at their house, I was intensely happy to see them and therefore gave my uncle a monstrously big bear hug. After all, I love my family, even though they can be religiously nuts....thats just the way it is. But not too long after this, my uncle was talking about the blessings of his life...and he included my enthusiastic greeting in his description...and promptly gave thanks to Jesus for loving him so much to give him so many blessings. So.....I give my uncle love....Jesus gets the credit for MY love. It just makes you shake your head....but it's a prime example of how christians twist everything in their lives around. And in a big way...it's very sad. These people cannot conceive or even imagine a world where good things happen because the people around them make them happen. They cannot imagine people doing anything good for others without Jesus being involved somehow. My uncle even said that no love was even possible without Jesus. How sad of a worldview is that? With that kind of perspective, how can you even recognize human goodness? I love my relatives. I love them in SPITE of their religious fervor. They love me because of Jesus. Now who has a more developed and mature emotional sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skiergirl24 Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 I love my relatives. I love them in SPITE of their religious fervor. They love me because of Jesus. Now who has a more developed and mature emotional sense Good point! Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm_christ Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Its like that here in the south, when people sit down to a big home-cooked, do they thank the chef, no they thank jeebus.. like he really had anything to do with it.. THANK THE CHEFS YOU BASTARDS!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShackledNoMore Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Jesus gets the credit for MY love.... My uncle even said that no love was even possible without Jesus. Don't you love the logic? Thanking god for the love of his godless niece, who cannot love without god, but does! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 Yep! And there was a lot of talk about the blessings of Jesus, the rewards received from Jesus, and the tests from Jesus.... It struck me that "Jesus" is mighty damn "involved" in a relationship that is supposed to be based on humanity's FREE WILL! Where is the free will supposed to happen? Between the tests and rewards? Isn't the whole point of free will dependent on a certain level of non-interference? A lot like the Star Trek Prime Directive??? It's incredible...they talk of free will and all the things Jesus does in their lives in the same breath without even seeing the logic disconnect there either!! It would be quaint and cute if people like this did not try to force other people into conformity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JernJane Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 I'll quote Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion (Chapter 2) on this: His [John Paul II's] polytheistic ankerings were dramatically demonstrated in 1981 when he suffered an assassination attempt in Rome, and attributed his survival to intervention by Our Lady of Fatima: "A maternal hand guided the bullet." One cannot help wondering why she didn't guide it to miss him altogether. Others might think the team of surgeons who operated on him for six hours deserved at least a share of the credit; but perhaps their hands, too, were maternally guided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbobrob Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 These people cannot conceive or even imagine a world where good things happen because the people around them make them happen. Sadly, they can't. Talk to many who have so completely bought the notion we are all sinners, that no good could possibly come from a human being acting alone. Clearly only the Good Lord could have made such an act of love happen. I trust more an Atheist in control of his own heart, than one of these people who allow supernatural forces such as Jesus to be in command. No telling what Jesus might do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 It struck me that "Jesus" is mighty damn "involved" in a relationship that is supposed to be based on humanity's FREE WILL! Where is the free will supposed to happen? Between the tests and rewards? Isn't the whole point of free will dependent on a certain level of non-interference? A lot like the Star Trek Prime Directive??? It's incredible...they talk of free will and all the things Jesus does in their lives in the same breath without even seeing the logic disconnect there either!! Damn fine point there! Also, if they didn't believe and live according to the bible, would they still recieve all these blessings? Of course. My atheist ass is truely "blessed" in spite of not believing in god and the bible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outback Jack Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 My atheist ass is truely "blessed" in spite of not believing in god and the bible. I tried that line with my fundy relative. Got no response. No big surprise there. Of course, I'm sure the logic is that Jeasus loves me so much anyway, that he gives me goodies in spite of his of his imaginary status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Damn fine point there! Also, if they didn't believe and live according to the bible, would they still recieve all these blessings? Of course. My atheist ass is truely "blessed" in spite of not believing in god and the bible. They obviously never read Leviticus 26:14-46 where it says that God will send his wrath to those who don't believe in him and only blesses those who follow him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Its like that here in the south, when people sit down to a big home-cooked, do they thank the chef, no they thank jeebus.. like he really had anything to do with it.. THANK THE CHEFS YOU BASTARDS!!!! Amen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 My atheist ass is truely "blessed" in spite of not believing in god and the bible. I tried that line with my fundy relative. Got no response. No big surprise there. Of course, I'm sure the logic is that Jeasus loves me so much anyway, that he gives me goodies in spite of his of his imaginary status. Yeah, it would probably be some stupid shit like that. To go off topic for a moment. Outback Jack, everytime i read your posts i hear Igor from 'Young Frankenstein' saying them. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 My atheist ass is truely "blessed" in spite of not believing in god and the bible. I tried that line with my fundy relative. Got no response. No big surprise there. Of course, I'm sure the logic is that Jeasus loves me so much anyway, that he gives me goodies in spite of his of his imaginary status. Yeah, it would probably be some stupid shit like that. Some years ago when I was seriously seeking some evidence no matter how far-fetched and crazy but something to prove that God existed, I listened to the testimony of an evangelist. She and her husband testified how much good God had accomplished through their ministry in Britain. (I though missionaries went to the uncivilized people of the jungles; I thought Britian bred civilizations but oh well it sounded like Britain needed evangelizing. So be it.) Anyway, I listened really closely to learn exactly what evidence they had of the good done through their ministry. She explained the virtues brought about by the Christian life. I objected that I saw just as much of those virtues in atheists and agnostics as I did in Christians. I anticipated having to defend my statement but I was prepared. I wanted some real evidence, a real discussion for a change. What did I get? A sickly sweet smile and "God works in mysterious ways." I waited for her to explain, to elaborate on what this meant, but she didn't. That was her answer. Come to think of it, if she could not tell that her answer was inconsistent with her former statement, she probably could not tell whether or not the ministry she and her husband had been working in made a difference. All she actually could tell was how many years the two of them had been in that country (more than one decade if I remember correctly), what they had done each day, what expenses, where they'd traveled and talked, etc. White Raven, all I can say is be glad your uncle accepted your hug as love and not as something sinister. Some Christians think that atheists can only produce evil and sinister acts, even when these acts appear on the surface to be good. I'll never forget the sickening piety of my aunts who were always saying, "We cannot so much as think one good thought of our own selves." There is a verse in the Bible to that effect and they milked it for all it was worth, and then some. I guess it's a way to make oneself feel worthy without addressing one's problems. It lets you think you're okay even though you're feeling totally lousy. All you have to do is practice faith and trust. I can never figure out if "practicing faith and trust" is an actual psychological activity, or if it is simply telling yourself something without evidence of any kind--blind belief. I'm beginning to suspect it's the latter. That would be self-deception of the first degree so far as I can see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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