midniterider Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 All the above causes me to wonder if it would be fun to be a bit of a reverse troll and go in there playing the game in a big way, to see how far you could push it. I wonder if anyone would pick up on your scheme. You'd have to start off carefully and then take it farther and farther, trying to gauge how far you could go, trying to back off a little so you are at the limit of what they would tolerate. I have been thinking lately that it would be fun to say I went into the woods and had a squirrel talk to me. I could spin the yarn out into a big, long story, even. Then, if anyone finally questions about whether I actually believe that a squirrel was talking to me, I could reply, "Why not? Don't you believe that a snake talked to Adam and Eve? Or do you not believe the Bible?" I would love to see what kind of reaction I would get from that. Edit to add: I think that would probably end up being my last day at church, whether I wanted to stay or not. "The talking squirrel dictated a 3rd Testament to me..." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblueep Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 ...and I think she's also said that she's never seen a bona fide miracle, either... Trapped, this is what finally did it for me. 2Honest and I did everything "right" for years, searching for a miracle...studying, going to conferences, reading books, and so on. According to our knowledge of the bible, Jesus "healed all", not some, all. And he said we would "do greater things" than him. I've taught this in church. So, we would try to find out why it wasn't happening for us and those around us. Was it something we didn't know or do? Some special revelation? Some divine purpose god had to show us? etc, etc, etc... So, finally after a lifetime of never seeing an actual healing, I started to question. When I say "actual", I discount the "my back was hurting and now it's not" stuff. I'm not doubting those people, but it's an emotional response, and they would be back the next week with back pain again. The bottom line became this: Either the bible was right and Jesus was who it said he was or not. Then I thought...I have given prophecies and have received many. Have any of those come true? Ever? So, if my experience didn't prove god and the bible was so full of holes and contradictions, what was left? It was shocking how quickly 30+ years of sincere belief came crashing down. Hopefully your wife will open pandora's box soon for both your sakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWIM Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 This was what my wife said to her brother on the phone today, in reference to the kinds of people we get at our church. Let's just say that most of them don't function very well in the real world. Could it possibly be that our religion, even according to most other religious groups, is fucking insane? Could it be that the whole "speaking in tongues" and giving "prophecies" bit predominantly attracts total wackos? Exactly how many of these folks would qualify for anything near "normal?" I can name a few, but only a few. If only she could open her eyes and see why we attract so many raving nutters. Are you serious? I can think of a multitude of better reasons why they are nuts... You might be a praline too by association Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reprobate Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 What do you expect when your god needs to be on meds. He can be angry, happy, peevish, forgiving, sad, mean, loving , caring, joyful, laughing, crying, accpting, petty, delighted.......etc..........all in the space of 2 hours. Personally I did not do well in a pentacostal church. It led me in to a state of depresion. Something that did not happen before or since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Or maybe I just need to wait another ten years or so. Ding Ding Ding . . . we have a winner! When I first got married I prayed to Jesus that my wife would become a Protestant. I faithfully attended Catholic services for years. Then one day the RCC pissed off my wife's family. I was so happy she wanted me to pick a church and wanted to try Protestant. So you can plant seeds and wait it out. Now that my wife is a good Protestant I've left Christianity altogether. What bad luck. So I'm employing the same strategy. I let her know I don't like our church and then I support her with my actions. I bid my time and then wait for things to change naturally. Last Sunday my whole family choose to stay home and I didn't object. That is my influence. A good Christian man would have made them go. I had to attend that morning because I have a task. Ironically as my wife misses more and more church the people there assume that I am the faithful believer she is dragging down when it's the exact opposite. I say nothing. It's none of their business. Then maybe one day one of them will do that hurtful Christian gossip or judgment and I will have my excuse to leave that Church. I shall have to practice my offended routine. It is hard to be married to someone who is still a fundamentalist. I feel for you. I go through the same thing. Be strong. MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positivist Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Trapped, this is what finally did it for me. 2Honest and I did everything "right" for years, searching for a miracle...studying, going to conferences, reading books, and so on. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, finally after a lifetime of never seeing an actual healing, I started to question. It was shocking how quickly 30+ years of sincere belief came crashing down. Hey, j Same here! It is truly remarkable that belief cannot be conjured up. I always thought it could be. In many ways, it sucks to be us, because we are, in the eyes of Christianity, apostates. We have become that which we have always scorned but never understood. We are now Those People. At least that's how I feel sometimes. I feel sad for you and 2H, because it is evident that you built your lives around God. Being left high and dry is painful and making sense out of what is essentially senseless is impossible and can drive you mad. I'm glad you and 2H (she is absolutely lovely!) are at Ex-C. I am glad you two are going through this together, as are my husband and me. It would be a real strain if it was just one of us! Peace! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblueep Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I'm glad you and 2H (she is absolutely lovely!) are at Ex-C. I am glad you two are going through this together, as are my husband and me. It would be a real strain if it was just one of us! Thanks Positivist! I agree...It's hard but so good to be together on this. You don't live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, do you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblueep Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 2H (she is absolutely lovely!) And YES she is lovely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positivist Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 You don't live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, do you? Nope. I'm in the northwest hinterland! I am so thankful for Ex-C. It brings us all together! You two seem like really cool people. I look forward to reading more about your journey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I have been thinking lately that it would be fun to say I went into the woods and had a squirrel talk to me. I could spin the yarn out into a big, long story, even. Then, if anyone finally questions about whether I actually believe that a squirrel was talking to me, I could reply, "Why not? Don't you believe that a snake talked to Adam and Eve? Or do you not believe the Bible?" It would be fun to be really subtle--close enough that it could be true but just a bit off to make them walk away and go..."huh?" Too bad we have these darn morals that don't let us play with others like this. I've never heard of talking squirrels but I've heard of exChristians doing the talking-in-tongues shtick just to see what would happen. And they got really good testimonies/interpretations. That proved to them--and me--that it's all a sham, just like that link to Skepdic on this thread says. In other words, it's a learned behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Honest Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Trapped, I am loving your sarcastic sense of humor! I was cracking up reading through this thread. Let us know if you have the squirrel conversation with anyone! haha It is interesting that your wife brought up the issue of the kind of people who are attracted to the church. That's actually something I started noticing very early on. So maybe there is hope! Chin up, man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thought2Much Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Trapped, I am loving your sarcastic sense of humor! I was cracking up reading through this thread. Let us know if you have the squirrel conversation with anyone! haha It is interesting that your wife brought up the issue of the kind of people who are attracted to the church. That's actually something I started noticing very early on. So maybe there is hope! Chin up, man. My sense of humor has a tendency to get me in trouble, particularly at church. I don't know if it's the sarcasm or the fact that I make odd science and history references as part of my jokes, but it seems that most people at church just don't get my humor at all. I haven't talked to my wife about what she said to her brother (there were a few other interesting things said in the conversation; not so much stuff that show signs of her losing faith, but interesting nonetheless), but I have filed it away in my head as a data point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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