mymistake Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 My mom is visiting for Xmas. It's going to be a long week. She knows I'm an exChristian and an atheist. The first day of the visit she wouldn't stop talking about Jesus. Every subject gets tied into Jesus. The weather improved? It's because she prayed. Remember that time I was sick? I got better because Jesus blessed me. Grandma fall but only suffered lots of pain? Jesus spared her from something worse because Jesus is so good. Jesus Jesus Jesus. Jesus and Jesus. Jesus some more. So far I'm just letting it slide because I'm trying to avoid talking about religion. It's going to be a long week. I'm going to endure it for a while and see if she gets the hint. She probably thinks she is being a good witness but name dropping won't make Jesus true. I hope she will get it out of her system and then move on to something else. If she really gets out of line I will try to have a private chat with her about it. I really don't want to talk about religion because of the inevitable stress and hurt feelings. The last thing I need is turning my real life holiday into the Lion's Den. Anybody got any creative ways to drop a hint or maybe funny ideas that might distract me? I'm just glad I get to vent somewhere. Thanks guys for being here.
raoul Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 I'll pray for you.... LOL Sorry, couldn't resist. I dunno what to tell you - it would drive me completely out of my mind to go through what you're going to have to deal with. The only thing I could come up with is that whenever she plays the jaysus card, immediately change the subject if you can. It's like I said somewhere else though - watching the movie 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'. The main character Smiley is sharing a story with another spy about how he tried to get a Soviet spy to defect. Nothing he could do or say would persuade the guy to defect even though upon his return to the Soviet Union, he'd be executed. Smiley ended the tale by saying he still held hope for getting the guy to defect assuming he wasn't whacked. He finished with 'because I know every fanatic is hiding a secret doubt'. It made me almost jump off my chair because it was so freaking profound. With your mother, if you apply this premise perhaps it may help? 1
midniterider Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 My mom is visiting for Xmas. It's going to be a long week. She knows I'm an exChristian and an atheist. The first day of the visit she wouldn't stop talking about Jesus. Every subject gets tied into Jesus. The weather improved? It's because she prayed. Remember that time I was sick? I got better because Jesus blessed me. Grandma fall but only suffered lots of pain? Jesus spared her from something worse because Jesus is so good. Jesus Jesus Jesus. Jesus and Jesus. Jesus some more. So far I'm just letting it slide because I'm trying to avoid talking about religion. It's going to be a long week. I'm going to endure it for a while and see if she gets the hint. She probably thinks she is being a good witness but name dropping won't make Jesus true. I hope she will get it out of her system and then move on to something else. If she really gets out of line I will try to have a private chat with her about it. I really don't want to talk about religion because of the inevitable stress and hurt feelings. The last thing I need is turning my real life holiday into the Lion's Den. Anybody got any creative ways to drop a hint or maybe funny ideas that might distract me? I'm just glad I get to vent somewhere. Thanks guys for being here. Maybe the topic of OCD could come up and how people have compulsions to do things or say things repeatedly as some sort of mechanism to give them peace...though the peace is short lived.....so they end up just repeating the compulsion over and over....the real problem needs to be rooted out and dealt with... :-) Or you could say "Mom, I'm an atheist. Repeating Jesus over and over won't make me convert." Or you could pull out the Ouija Board and ask her to join in. :-) You could also consider staying just a bit intoxicated for the next week. Or pick up some Ativan at the local Urgent Care.
mymistake Posted December 23, 2012 Author Posted December 23, 2012 LOL thanks guys. It turns out that I never would have had a pet dog except for Jesus. Who knew? Edit: Now I find out that her dog is also an answer to prayer. That dog is everything that she wanted in a dog because Jesus is so good. *facepalm*
mwc Posted December 24, 2012 Posted December 24, 2012 "What prayer is my being an ex-c and atheist an answer to mom?" mwc 3
Thackerie Posted December 24, 2012 Posted December 24, 2012 You could also consider staying just a bit intoxicated for the next week. Or pick up some Ativan at the local Urgent Care. Could make it a drinking game. Every time she says the J-word, take another shot. 1
Lilith666 Posted December 24, 2012 Posted December 24, 2012 You could also consider staying just a bit intoxicated for the next week. Or pick up some Ativan at the local Urgent Care. Could make it a drinking game. Every time she says the J-word, take another shot. LOL I wouldn't recommend it. You're gonna have a huge hangover. Don't want that on Xmas. When my mom gets like that, I change the subject or walk away. 1
Vigile Posted December 24, 2012 Posted December 24, 2012 Jesus seems to have a lot in common with Lisa's tiger-proof rock (can't believe no one has loaded this scene to youtube yet): After a single bear wandering into town has drawn an over-reaction from the residents of Springfield, Homer stands outside his house and muses, “Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol is working like a charm!” Lisa sees through his reasoning: “That’s specious reasoning, dad.” Homer, misunderstanding the word “specious”, thanks her for the compliment. Optimistically, she tries to explain the error in his argument: “By your logic, I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.” Homer is confused: “Hmm; how does it work?” Lisa: “It doesn’t work; it’s just a stupid rock!” Homer: “Uh-huh.” Lisa: “… but I don’t see any tigers around, do you?” Homer, after a moment’s thought: “Lisa, I want to buy your rock…”
Guest Babylonian Dream Posted December 24, 2012 Posted December 24, 2012 Those that haven't, already mentioned how miserable they are. I really hate Christmas sometimes.... Some people just can't be happy. They think they can't without money and gifts its so grrrrr....... That being said, I'm happy and have some friends who are happy.
Positivist Posted December 24, 2012 Posted December 24, 2012 Ick, that sucks, mm! Obviously, you have to amend how you are responding to her lunacy or you'll go mad. Perhaps you could: When she says "Jesus", train your brain to hear "Spiderman" or "Gandalf" (at least Gandalf is a real historical person, no? ). Get honest and say, "When you falsely attribute random events to a divine being/Jesus, you drive me further away from both you and even the idea of faith. Please stop doing that." All the best with that, mm. I know you are a level headed and wise dude and will do what's best.....
Blue elephant Posted December 25, 2012 Posted December 25, 2012 It is your house, so you have the right to call her out on the Jesus crap. Maybe if you explain your inner thoughts when you hear some of her answers to prayer, she will shut up. The one about how Jesus doesn't rescue starving kids but answers her trivial requests looks good.
pandora Posted December 25, 2012 Posted December 25, 2012 Eventually you learn to tune it out, but I remember how stressful the first several Christmases were with my family (in-laws, actually... my family is not very religious). Getting razzed for not going to church services, getting threatened with no gifts because I no longer believed, getting reminded that Jesus is the Reason for the Season (blech!).... it isn't easy, but it gets better as time goes on. I started to see that these things give them purpose and meaning in life, and it is best to just stay quiet, nod, and smile. I hope you find a way to have a happy holiday season even with all the bullshit! Just remember how you felt when you believed and be empathetic, not contrary.
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