Death Bed Conversions

[quicksand]

Death Bed Conversions

Why does this make Christians so happy?

 

A famous death bed conversion story is of Thomas Paine, the deist who published Age of Reason a fiery and analytic polemic against Christianity. Two weeks before he died, two ministers tried to convert him. Paine would have none of it and said to them "Let me, have none of your popish stuff; get away with you..." However, the story as false as it is, floats around to this day.

 

Furthermore this, in a sermon on atheism by the vituperative and repugnant Dr Robert Morey entitled Benign and Malignant Atheists (which I have in my audio archives), asserts that even if you can't get through to these "atheists" in life, just wait until something bad happens like disease or death, then bring them to God.

 

I find this an utterly disgusting tactic. Actually, my revulsion is so bad, that I can't find the words at this time.

 

What I want to know, is why Christians are so happy for death-bed conversions? When all else fails to convert someone, why do the lie in wait and backdoor their mind control? And, what does it accomplish? The only thing it accomplishes is a political victory for them.

 

But to prey on peoples misfortune?

 

Disgusting. Petty. Disgusting.

[crazy-tiger]

But to prey on peoples misfortune?

 

Disgusting. Petty. Disgusting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Vultures... they live on others misfortune.

 

Of course, if any other group tried that, they'd be up in arms about it. The fucking hypocrites...

[Dhampir]

My father was a death bed convert. Born and raised christian, he later became a muslim, of the Nation of Islam persuation, then was a relative apostate thereafter, until that old NoI got back in him those last few years. Then when he was dying, he prayed the sinners prayer, and got back into a religion he'd more or less abandoned years ago. I remember this one guy came in a few weeks later, and prayed for hours over him, for healing. Funny thing that, he died like 2 or 3 days later, and the guy seemed genuinely disappointed that his prayers had failed.

 

Ok, it wasn't all that funny, but we did laugh about it later.

[quicksand]

My father was a death bed convert. Born and raised christian, he later became a muslim, of the Nation of Islam persuation, then was a relative apostate thereafter, until that old NoI got back in him those last few years.  Then when he was dying, he prayed the sinners prayer, and got back into a religion he'd more or less abandoned years ago.  I remember this one guy came in a few weeks later, and prayed for hours over him, for healing.  Funny thing that, he died like 2 or 3 days later, and the guy seemed genuinely disappointed that his prayers had failed.

 

Ok, it wasn't all that funny, but we did laugh about it later.

Any idea why your father re-converted?

[quicksand]

Vultures... they live on others misfortune.

Well, speaking of vultures, Christians have forever had this tradition of digging up bones and worshiping them...

[crazy-tiger]

Well, speaking of vultures, Christians have forever had this tradition of digging up bones and worshiping them...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At least they were dead and buried back then... now, they start picking before they shuffle off this mortal coil.

[JeffXL]

One reason for the deathbed fetish might be they get to be smug, with an "I told you so attitude."

 

Of course, I wonder how many deathbed conversions of the famous are true. Fundamentalist Christians and Creationists continue to lie about Darwin's "recanting."

 

The vulture comparison is perfect.

[quicksand]

One reason for the deathbed fetish might be they get to be smug, with an "I told you so attitude."

That's so petty! Dear lord!

[quicksand]

At least they were dead and buried back then... now, they start picking before they shuffle off this mortal coil.

If we dug (oh my...) deep enough, I bet we could find some prayer or hymnal that intones just that. Why not? Thats exactly like the Moreys of this world do say.

[love]

It is simple; a deathbed conversion requires no proof.

It is something that can simply be stated.

And if it is a famous person it is even better.

It can be reticulated as proof.

Remember if someone is dead you cannot ask him or her anything.

This is a basic principle of Christianity.

To quote things that are difficult to prove authentic.

Like quoting something from CNN.

I remembered that this other preacher said that those that engaged in premarital sex are three times as likely to get a divorce based on something he heard on CNN.

Who knows if it is true as this kind of alleged factoid is hard to prove authentic?

This guy had several girlfriends going at the same time too.

A whole other story in hypocrisy.

Because news is only broadcast once you have no chance to review it and show it was missed quoted or totally changed, as is often the case.

I remember a preacher Greg Laurie saying that Ballard found Noah’s Arch.

But in this case it can be easy checked and of coarse it is not true at all.

The truth is these kind of guys will twist distort or downright just make up things to fit there idea of how things are.

They have done it in the past, they do it today and I see no reason why they will stop.

[quicksand]

It is simple; a deathbed conversion requires no proof.

True.

 

If I wanted to play some dirty-pool as an atheist, I should just claim that the last pope renounced Christianity as BS as he died on the bed.

 

[JeffXL]

It is simple; a deathbed conversion requires no proof.

It is something that can simply be stated [...]

 

Hey love,

 

That was utterly brilliant! Thanks!

 

If there is one thing I've noticed about Christians, they do so love to make things up.

 

JeffXL

[ExRC]

Here's an interesting twist on your post. There are also people who de-convert upon their death bed. There have been stories that I have heard from people who were in near death situations (i.e. they coded; were in a coma; their heart stopped....etc.).

 

Contrary to the pretty stories of the white lights, the tunnel, the peaceful feeling, etc., these people experienced nothing. Nothing at all. They simply compare it to being under anesthesia. There's just....nothing. You close your eyes and wake up hours later with no recollection of the time that you lost.

 

For those people who really do convert on their death bed. One word explains it...fear. We as humans naturally fear death, and religion plays into that fear.

 

As a borderline atheist, the thought of nothingness after my death troubles me at times. But the longer I live, the concept of a god, afterlife, etc. becomes more and more absurd.

[MrSpooky]

Let's do unto others and de-convert old people and cancer patients to Atheism on their deathbeds. That way we can taste the sweet, sweet tears from their shriveled faces as they die in misery and emotional turmoil.

 

And for you Christians that want to say "OMG atheists are horrible peoples!" from this quote, it was VERY much a tongue-in-cheek comment.

[Guest Priapus]

There's a 1938 film starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien as two tough kids growing up in NYC. One gets busted (Cagney) and spends his life in and out of reform schools and jails while the other (O'Brien) ends up a priest spending his life trying to keep ragged kids from becoming hooligans and criminals. Tough guy Cagney's outta the joint for a while and returns to his old stomping grounds. The tough kids turn on their priest and idolize the gangster hero.

 

One thing leads to another and Cagney's back in trouble, this time facing a death sentence (Ol' Skool, no 20 year appeal). Before going away he tells the kids he'll "spit in their eye when they come to take him to the chair." Buddy Priest comes to visit and asks if, instead of going out a bad-ass tough guy he'll squirm and cry and beg for mercy. This will show the kids who can still go either way that being the Gangster isn't heroic. Cagney says no way, but in the end, the execution scene, you see his shadow as he's struggling against the guards, pleading to be let go as a last favor to his friend, the kid who could run faster.

 

The Fundy loves a death-bed confession so he can tell all of those who have discovered the myth and legend that is Christianity how all their heroes, at the last second, recanted.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029870/

[Amethyst]

The only reason I can think of is that it gives Christians a warm and fuzzy security blanket that they might see that person again in the afterlife, even though it is irrational.

[Casey]

There is one death-bed story I like. There was this fellow in the 19th Century who had fought a few duels and lived to a ripe and sinful old age. His family feared the worst so they got a priest in who was horrified by some of the old-timer's stories.

 

"Did you never repent of anything or even regret anything?" asked the priest.

 

"Well I do regret shooting so and so through the head in a duel".

 

"I should hope you do!"

 

"Oh I see you don't understand. The man I shot in the head was a christian as it happened. The pistol had a hair trigger. I meant to put that shot through his belly so he would have had time to meet his Maker. I hate it when I pull a shot, don't you?"

Casey

[spamandham]

Name just about any famous nonbeliver, and there is a deathbed conversion story floating around about them (amazingly similar to some other deathbed conversion story no less).

 

It's a way of discrediting everything the person in the fairy tale story might have said/done that threatens their "belief system". After all, why should anyone read "The Demon Haunted World" if Carl Sagan recanted on his deathbed?

[Vigile]

I don't know if it's true, but I was told that they got to ol' John Wayne as he lay dying of lung cancer (?).

[Vigile]

Let's do unto others and de-convert old people and cancer patients to Atheism on their deathbeds.  That way we can taste the sweet, sweet tears from their shriveled faces as they die in misery and emotional turmoil.

 

And for you Christians that want to say "OMG atheists are horrible peoples!" from this quote, it was VERY much a tongue-in-cheek comment.

 

Perhaps tongue in cheek, but it exposes the twisted mindset of those who go to a person's deathbed only to tell them what a rotten, immoral, sick, sick human being they are and have been their entire life. "What a wretch you are, you wasted your life you old fool. You need the blood of jesus to cover up who you really are."

[Dhampir]

Any idea why your father re-converted?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Y'know, I was still more or less of the christian belief back then, but even so, it kinda hurt to see him re-convert. Shit I was most devout directly following his death, but still...

 

At any rate, I wager there were a number of factors behind his reconversion. Such as, he was born and raised christian, in the 20's and 30's (Btw, I am the 7th of 8 children he had over 40+ years, my dad was an old playa.) He was dying from lung cancer brought on by years of 4+ pack a day smoking, and enduring asbestos for nearly 20 years on the job he'd held till just 3 years prior to the diagnosis (of course as it turns out he'd had this cancer since about the time of his retirement but was improperly diagnosed), and complicated by kidney failure, which stopped his chemo regimen, and emphysema which cropped up shortly thereafter.

 

He was in greater pain than at any point in his life (for example, no matter how bad he ever felt, when I asked, he'd always say good, or better, but he was no longer able to say that), and he was faced with his life, the fear of his judgement in the hereafter and other things.

 

I understand what he went through, but nowadays, I think not even that could make me reconvert, not now.

[Onyx]

If I die, I won't repent and ask for Jeezus's blood.

Instead, I would see my loves around my bedside and say, "Of course.. I had a good life without a god."

[JeffXL]

If I die, I won't repent and ask for Jeezus's blood.

Instead, I would see my loves around my bedside and say, "Of course.. I had a good life without a god."

 

That's excellent!

 

The father of a good friend of mine died a few months ago, and the family was gathered around his bed. Some jackass employee of the hospital called my friend over and said "Rev. K--- is wonderful with families dealing with grief." She said "thank you" to the guy, but was so pissed off. She said here she was, the last moments of her father's life, and this asshole is trying to sell religion!

 

I truly could not believe it.

[Eponymic]

That's excellent!

 

The father of a good friend of mine died a few months ago, and the family was gathered around his bed. Some jackass employee of the hospital called my friend over and said "Rev. K--- is wonderful with families dealing with grief." She said "thank you" to the guy, but was so pissed off. She said here she was, the last moments of her father's life, and this asshole is trying to sell religion!

 

I truly could not believe it.

 

What do you expect, that's their favorite time to pick up converts, when people are weak. Why do you think they don't mess with a lot of us who have our shit together and can thrash them faster than they can say Jesus saves.

[JeffXL]

What do you expect, that's their favorite time to pick up converts, when people are weak. Why do you think they don't mess with a lot of us who have our shit together and can thrash them faster than they can say Jesus saves.

 

That's what I hate-- those vultures swoop in when we are or they think we are stressed or vulnerable.

 

When I was in college, I constantly thrashed this fundy. He often said "I'll get back to you," which he never did. I hadn't heard from him for about a month, when he called during finals week. Tired and stressed, it was still easy to thrash his b.s.