kruszer Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 What am I supposed to do when people like my own family members post crap like this on their facebook: "It is easier to deny the existence of God than to admit what we truly are before a righteous God." I responded politely that one has nothing to do with the other and that those who deny the existence of God are often those who would otherwise like to believe in God but cannot not find sufficient evidence to believe in a supernatural realm... and my brother deleted my message! I honestly get so fed up with Christians presuming that I'm an idiot ("the fool has said in his heart") or that "I've turned my back on God so that I can live in unrestricted rebellion" as another recently said. After years in Christianity I suddenly don't want to admit that God is holy so I'd rather say he doesn't exist? How the fuck does that make any sense? Maybe it just bugs me more when it comes from people I know and care about, but how do you cope with people presuming you've fallen into rebellion and ignorance while "suppressing the truth of a righteous God"? It's hard not to feel personally attacked with a comment like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I wouldnt fall out with family over FB. Perhaps, one of the reasons I'm not on Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Margee Posted June 21, 2012 Moderator Share Posted June 21, 2012 Kruszer, I sympathize with your situation. I really do. It's so hard especially when your close friends or family think you are a bad person because you don't believe. It's so hurtful. I once believed the same thing about about my own friends and family. I remember once making my mom cry because I told her that her church was of the devil, (United church) and that she was not saved. I had her so upset. Gawwwwwwd...I regret this now. When you accept the extent of how one can get brainwashed in life, we probably wouldn't end up taking it so personal or get so upset. That is what I am trying to practice, looking at all the people in the world...knowing that to a certain degree....the whole damn world is hypnotized by their culture, traditions, beliefs, etc... The extent of born again brainwashing is immence...it has taken me much work, reading and staying on EX-c to even begin 'blasting' away at what they taught me. It literally gets imprinted on the brain!! Study this article and see if it helps you understand a little better. ''Born again brainwashing''.......... http://educate-yours...ng06jun05.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 That is what I am trying to practice, looking at all the people in the world...knowing that to a certain degree....the whole damn world is hypnotized by their culture, traditions, beliefs, etc... Very true. Nice post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator buffettphan Posted June 21, 2012 Super Moderator Share Posted June 21, 2012 Study this article and see if it helps you understand a little better. ''Born again brainwashing''.......... http://educate-yours...ng06jun05.shtml Margee, thanks for posting that link. It's so interesting how, when we remove our own god-goggles, we can look back and see the tactics that caused us to fall for the BS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 It's virtually impossible. I myself am learning it's a waste of time. The only way 99.9% will go down that road is if they want to fr within. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdwatcher Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I usually just ignore comments like that. I don't feel that I have to be confrontational or evangelistic about my current beliefs. I remember when I believed like that, and I would have never dreamed that I'd be going through a crisis of faith. I feel that faith (or lack of it) is a personal thing, and everyone needs to come to their own conclusions. I only address stuff that's aimed directly at me. I've blocked several family members from my facebook view so that I don't have to see them every day. I check their walls every now and then so I don't miss anything earth shattering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raoul Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 http://educate-yours...ng06jun05.shtml I went over and read the article. Disturbing to say the least because while reading it my mind was going back to various clergy or carnival barkers as I call them and comparing their mind games with the article. They follow the concepts listed almost down to the last letter! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Valk0010 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Is deleting your facebook a option? I found that was the best thing I could do for my blood pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeasabird Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Being on the receiiving end of a deleted comment which was delivered in a non provoking, threating, accusing comment, which served its only purpose to defend myself, would be followed by an unpleasant PM to the deleter. If I did not get resolve out of that then I would probably unfriend them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GardenerGal Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I understand that frustration, too. What has helped me is to shift the thinking onto them: "Do you honestly think I would risk heaven and choose hell if I believed either one existed?" 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted June 21, 2012 Super Moderator Share Posted June 21, 2012 I would ignore anything that isn't specifically a personal attack. If it becomes personal I might say, "Please open your mind and heart a little to consider that people have differing beliefs and opinions on everything. I understand your beliefs make you happy, but I, myself, see no evidence that they are true. Allow me an equal right to my conclusions." If that doesn't work, perhaps a "BITE ME" is in order. Sometimes I skip right to that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DollarBill Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Unfriend them or at the very least unsubscribe from them in your news feed, and just ignore it. No, I don't always do that, but what's the use of arguing against someone who is simply going to delete your posts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusanStoHeli Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 What am I supposed to do when people like my own family members post crap like this on their facebook: "It is easier to deny the existence of God than to admit what we truly are before a righteous God." Anyone who believed God real, would not make that choice - so perhaps it's time to realize that some people actually do believe that the God you describe is a myth, same as Zeus and so many others no one believes in. If a follower of Zeus, upset at your lack of sacrifices (not even a single goat! Not a single spotless dove!), said: "It is easier to deny the existence of Zeus than to admit what we truly are before a righteous Zeus." Do you think that would really change your mind? or this for a good alternative: "Do you honestly think I would risk heaven and choose hell if I believed either one existed?" Or, to be a bit more offensive: It is easier to pretend everyone who doesn't believe as you do is unrighteous, than to recognize that the god you follow is unrighteous. Anyone who murdered as many babies as he did, ordered his followers to kill every baby, grandparent, man, child, mother - everyone but the virgins to keep for yourselves, would be considered the worst monster in the world, if they didn't have a chorus of people claiming all those actions are good, that somehow this entity is 'righteous'. No one who kills all those little babies and children is righteous. If I believed your god was real, and as described in the Bible, I still wouldn't follow - something so evil should be fought, not obeyed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusanStoHeli Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Oh, and a fun trick so they cannot delete you... I'd post it as a reply to their post - and post it on my wall, with viewing limited to only that person and others of a similar mindset. Then he can't delete it without hiding all your posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryper Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 If that doesn't work, perhaps a "BITE ME" is in order. Sometimes I skip right to that. Wait....SOMETIMES????? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 What am I supposed to do when people like my own family members post crap like this on their facebook: "It is easier to deny the existence of God than to admit what we truly are before a righteous God." Post this: "It is easier for a christian to continue to denigrate himself (e.g. I am a sinner) and pray to a non-existent deity than to strike out on his own to make himself a better person, with a healthy sense of self worth and dignity." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atkegar Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 It does suck when people do think we decided on the spur of the moment not to believe anymore. I know for me I held out as long as I could. It is so much easier to believe than not, but I must go with the evidence. We just need to hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wester Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 "Righteous" is a headbanger adjective, no? And if, as Paul Tillich and Meister Echhart theorized, god is not an old bearded white fart in the clouds, but "the ground of all being," then after a few bud lights, wine coolers and Motley Crew songs, the ground of being might truly be properly called righteous, and I have felt this sort of vibe before as well, but I never called it god. Isn't god really Jimmy Page or Jimmy Hendrix or Angus Young? But I am dissembling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peace Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Plenty of this kind of nonsense rolls right off my back but it depends on who it is. If my brother knew my position and was posting these kinds of remarks it would feel very personal. What kind of relationship do you have with him otherwise? That would determine how best to handle it, you know? You could PM and ask why your comment was removed, you could PM and tell him what you think of his status update, you could hide him, unfriend him, block him, etc. Your FB is your space and you should feel free to log in without wondering if a bomb is waiting to go off. It can really hurt to not only feel so misunderstood but to be denied the right to even dialogue about it, especially when it's family or a loved one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chikirin Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 "It is easier to deny the existence of God than to admit what we truly are before a righteous God." People have a need to self-soothe, and one way is by repeating little phrases. it doesn't matter what the words are, it is the sing-song metre and rhythm that soothes. I think this is the attraction that people have to repeating these phrases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilith666 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Tell them it's easier to blame the world's suffering on free will and the fall of Adam than to look at dying children and ask why God doesn't heal them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilith666 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 When you accept the extent of how one can get brainwashed in life, we probably wouldn't end up taking it so personal or get so upset. That is what I am trying to practice, looking at all the people in the world...knowing that to a certain degree....the whole damn world is hypnotized by their culture, traditions, beliefs, etc... Now that I'm out, I sometimes forget how much people really believe Xianity and how hard it is for them to go against it. I tend to get upset with Xians. I just realized something--by getting mad at people who judge us for our lack of faith, we are being just as judgmental as they are. It's hard for them to help believing, and we used to be like that too. You can't yell at people for doing the same thing you do yourself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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