What Is The Point Of A Book, If You Need "spiritual" Eyes To Understand It?

[MrsRoper]

I feel like this forum is becoming my personal place to get over my "Mommy Issues." And for that & my verbal diarrhea I apologize. I have to tell you that since getting brutally honest with my Mom regarding my ex-Christian status, and my demand that she respect me anyway, our relationship has gotten better. I know my Mom truly loves me and wants the best for me even if we do not see eye to eye regarding religion.

 

That being said...whenever we are together the topic of Christianity does come up. I have a hard time when she talks to me as if I am a generic godless atheist, and not someone who actually understands what she is rejecting. She tries to shame me into agreeing with her, "Don't say you are not a Christian!" Why shouldn't I? I am not. I am not into magical thinking or superstition, and I not afraid of retribution. Stop bullying me.

 

She has a lot of excuses as to why I am the way I am, and doesn't seem to want to accept what I am telling her. Which is: I didn't become an atheist because of reading the works of atheists, I didn't become an ex-Christian because my husband has no religion, I didn't become an atheist because my seminary professors were atheists - I went to Regent University so this one is not only wrong but absurd, I didn't become an atheist because I had a bad experience with Christians & Church. I even admitted to her that yes, I did have a bad experience, but that isn't why I don't believe. And I remained in Christianity for years after a horrible church experience, I went to seminary after this experience. I also told her, look there are plenty of people that are being mentally & emotionally abused in their church right now who aren't leaving. It's really so simple, I began losing my religion because I studied the bible. I even tried to remain a believer, but I have a real hard time believing lies (I don't tell her the lies part, too inflammatory.)

 

One of my mother's favorite pejorative words is "intellectual." She tries use reason in discussing the bible/Christianity with me, but when that fails she tells me I need to be spiritual to understand. And then questions if I was ever spiritual or understood. This is so incredibly frustrating to me. I spent four years of my life getting a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (Stupidity). I have a fucking BA in English (I know hard to tell with my terrible grammar). I know how to fucking read, research, & deconstruct a book. Yesterday, I said to her, why do you treat me as if I don't have some expertise in this area? And her response is, what good is your intellectual knowledge, I know the truth because I am spiritual.

 

WELL THAN WHY EVEN BOTHER READING THE BIBLE? READING IS AN INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE not a fucking spiritual one. How do you explain that to a spiritual person?? Hi, you are using your brain when you talk with me right now. And if it's your spirit that you are using, well then as communication tool, your spirit is a FAIL. UUUGGHHH!!!

[JoeCoastie]

I too left Christianity based on it failing to stand up to my scrutiny. I never faced any emotional abuse from it, other than the unnecessary guilt and paranoia Christianity brings.

Getting that point through to your mom sounds like a challenge. Religious folks think differently on these issues. Its hard to convince them of God's faults when "God is love, and God can do no wrong." Clearly due to your mother's stubbornness in faith you two are at an impasse.

[Positivist]

...why do you treat me as if I don't have some expertise in this area? And her response is, what good is your intellectual knowledge, I know the truth because I am spiritual.

 

The math doesn't add up, so they have to explain it away: 2 + 2 = yellow.

 

Yup, it all makes sense now!

[MrsRoper]

Uuugghh serenity now!

[midniterider]

"Sorry, Mom, I dont have spiritual eyes so I won't be reading the bible." bubye now.

[♦ ficino ♦]

Hi, you are using your brain when you talk with me right now. And if it's your spirit that you are using, well then as communication tool, your spirit is a FAIL. UUUGGHHH!!!

 

 

I'm glad things are better between you , anyway.

[MrsRoper]

My quote button isn't working.

 

midniterider: yeah, it's not even about that. It's about that she thinks I don't understand a book, I actually very much understand!

 

ficino: thanks, they are - it's just that her personality disorder, triggers mine, lol

[♦ ficino ♦]

 

ficino: thanks, they are - it's just that her personality disorder, triggers mine, lol

 

I feel for you. My mother was probably bipolar but never diagnosed and never sought help. A hard row to hoe both for the unhinged parent and for the kid.

[freeasabird]

I love it (eye roll) when people say "oh you just need to read [fill in your favorite apologist] and then everything in the bible will make sense.". I just want to respond, "so if god was waiting for said apologist to come along for everything to make sense, it must suck for anyone who lived before he was born who also questioned the same 2000 year old words and came to the conclusion that it's all BULLSHIT written by primitives."

[owen652]

2 + 2 = yellow.

 

ha ha, that's gold.

[Thought2Much]

2 + 2 = yellow.

 

ha ha, that's gold.

 

No, gold = 2 + 3. Do try to keep up.

[Positivist]

..."so if god was waiting for said apologist to come along for everything to make sense, it must suck for anyone who lived before he was born who also questioned the same 2000 year old words and came to the conclusion that it's all BULLSHIT written by primitives."

 

This. It's crazy making, trying to make this idea make sense. It broke my brain! Ack!