Never Trust A Christian

[AKR]

I suppose I just walked right into this myself, but I'm feeling a bit wounded right now.

 

My best friend of ten years and her family have kind of adopted me. I get included in their family gatherings and I consider them the family I got gypped out of growing up. They are all also perfectly aware I'm an atheist while they are devout Methodists. In all these years they've never forced me to try to go to church and we've had civil discussions on our beliefs. They've always seemed to be accepting that I was an athiest, and have never tried to push me beyond inviting me to church sometimes for Christmas services and such (which I enjoy).

 

Now, in my own household of blood relations, we were atheist/agnostic. Church and Christianity wasn't part of our lives beyond the fact my mother and father both revealed they had suffered church abuse when they were growing up, and were both Ex-C. So I'm pretty uneducated when it comes to church cultures and the Bible, and being American, sometimes I feel my lack of education leaves me at a disadvantage. Also being the religious geek I am with a great interest in all things regarding gods, myths, and history, I've decided to visit various churches to learn a bit about what drives my society. So far, it's been interestingly educational.

 

This past weekend I visted a Baptist church, and I told my BF about it over IM afterwards. We chatted about it for a bit and all seemed well...until she did a "Mistell" and posted a portion of her conversation with her mother in my window accidently.

 

Her mother said, "Well, it's not the best motivation, but if it gets her going to church regularly. It's time she stopped pretending and let Jesus tell her what he's been trying to tell her all these years."

 

My friend, "Yes, it's a step in the right direction."

 

My friend was mortified when she realized what she had done, and tried to apologize, but I signed out and haven't signed back in again or spoken to her until I get my thoughts together.

 

I suppose it is my own fault and I can't really blame them for thinking my curiosity is begging for assimilation into the Christian Borg...but the fact they were talking about this behind my back and apperantly have always thought I was silly and "ignoring" Jesus just hurts. I've been honest, and THEY are the ones who have lied to ME. Now I wonder if they've been trying to manipulate me all this time and I'm second guessing memories. I feel like a fool.

 

I'm not sure how to take this, but I feel better having somewhere to go and talk about it with people who understand.

 

 

I don't really see the big deal. I mean, first off, you must be pretty naive if you didn't think they were thinking about this the whole time. That said, they probably have what they think are your best interests in mind. My mother will never stop hoping I come back to her religion and thinking that I'm mad at god or something stupid like that. Does she talk about this with my sister or my dad? I'm sure she does, but honestly, I'd rather she talk to them about it than to me. Do you really want them to approach you with this stuff? Then, you'd probably just think they were rude for pushing their views on you. Of course they're going to think you're ignoring Jesus. What else WOULD they think? I think you're blowing this out of proportion due to your naivety. I'm not saying that to be mean, but I guess you being an atheist all of your life, you wouldn't understand how Christians work. I also don't think it's a big deal that they're talking about you in private. I mean, I talk about my parents religious beliefs with my gf on a regular basis. I don't see how that's lying to them or betraying them in any way. It's not like I've ever told them otherwise. I just don't shove it in their face, probably like they don't want to shove it in your face.

 

They've adopted you and want what's best for you. Sure, what they think is best is a load of shit, but they probably truly care about you. I would talk with them about it and let them know your feelings and maybe they can explain themselves to you as well. I wouldn't throw away your relationship with them over it.