Orbit Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I mentioned on another thread that I was in a bad mood. It's because my apocalyptic prophecy-obsessed mom is coming from out of town for a 3 day visit today. She only has two topics of conversation: whatever BS is on Fox News and Bible end-times prophecy. Looking for suggestions on how not to lose my mind.....thanks :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Call a truce? No politics or religion? If that doesn't work I've got nothing. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDFree Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Your home, your rules! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbit Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Maybe I can distract her with, I don't know, anything.....I don't want a confrontation. Families are the hardest.... I wish I could do Jedi mind tricks "this isn't the dogma you're looking for..." Maybe just sneaking a post here and there on here will make it a little better. Talking to same people and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 How about just repeating "I don't want to talk about politics or religion". Stay polite but stick to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbit Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Thanks mm, that's my usual tactic. I just dread it. It'll stop her for a while, and then she forgets, or something will come up and she's back at it. I know, it's impossible. Maybe I'll have some end-times gems to post later--trying to think on the bright side :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darklady Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Ask questions about family history..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellinas Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 If the "I don't want to talk about it" tactic doesn't work, either a confrontation or a sullen silence seems inevitable. No easy answer to this one, I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ Fuego ♦ Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Disconnect the cable from the TV so she can't feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbit Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 My brother is helping her install a Bible app on her iPhone. So far not as bad as I thought. Thanks all....I hope you don't mind me posting on this thread so much, it's helping retain my sanity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeThinkerNZ Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Do whatever you need to do to survive the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbit Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Mom went to bed. Me and my bro are drinking Captain and cokes, well deserved... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfuddled Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbit Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Christian relatives Day 2: I survived Day 1 YAY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I mentioned on another thread that I was in a bad mood. It's because my apocalyptic prophecy-obsessed mom is coming from out of town for a 3 day visit today. She only has two topics of conversation: whatever BS is on Fox News and Bible end-times prophecy. Looking for suggestions on how not to lose my mind.....thanks :-) Hide? Tell her it's all baloney. Maybe she will shorten her visit. Pull out the Ouija board ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted June 8, 2014 Moderator Share Posted June 8, 2014 Turn on Fox News and go out with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbit Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 ^^^ haha!! If only I could get away with that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbit Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Day 2: hanging in there. Christian roadside kitsch has always amazed me. My mom was showing off a foot long wood and leather cross she got at a roadside stand on the way here. I always wondered about the cross fetish. Is it so you'll fit in? Is it to prove you're Christian in case anyone doubts you? Is it a reminder, to convince yourself you are indeed a Christian? Why the need to advertise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HydeHamlet Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Day 2: hanging in there. Christian roadside kitsch has always amazed me. My mom was showing off a foot long wood and leather cross she got at a roadside stand on the way here. I always wondered about the cross fetish. Is it so you'll fit in? Is it to prove you're Christian in case anyone doubts you? Is it a reminder, to convince yourself you are indeed a Christian? Why the need to advertise? I've often wondered how different Christianity would be if Jesus lived in 19th century France. Their symbol would be the guillotine. If it was early to mid 20th century America it would have been an electric chair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbit Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Survived Day 2 and am free at last. It's mind-blowing just how constantly my mom thinks about religion. She says grace at restaurant meals and approves of anyone who drops God into the conversation. It's really naive the way she assumes religious = good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted June 10, 2014 Super Moderator Share Posted June 10, 2014 My fundy dad visited me for a month one weekend. Just ignore and address another topic. Do not acknowledge topics you've already ruled out. Ignore, move on, ignore again. Do not explain yet again. Ignore and pick your own topic. Smile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 It's also mind-blowing how one-dimensional people in that situation are. When I was still a fence-sitter, my father would ask the common question, "I just want to know what you think about ..." which means, "Does everyone still agree with me?" -- I get it, was raised with the Bible and the Wall Street Journal. Jesus / Ronald Reagan ... now did Jesus use an astrologer as Ronald Reagan did? Anyway, you have my sympathies. The one-dimensional nature of some people used to bug me, even as a Christian, once I passed my early 20s. It bugs me a lot more now as an atheist, but ironically, a lot less, since I am no longer trying to make sense out of their nonsense. I try to play the part of the anthropologist, the active observer in those situation. But, of course, for all of us, it's the memories, the fear of Hell, the cognitive dissonance, and all. I understand your challenges. Some people don't and are willing to forego relationships. I have yet to tell my own parents -- I'm in my 40s and they in their 70s. I fail to see how it could do anything useful for them. My mother knew I read Francis Collins and C. S. Lewis at one point, and I did admit some of my reservations at that point. But now that I'm completely deconverted, I have a hell of a lot less to prove, be it to myself or anyone else. It's hard when it's your parents, though. Family dynamics are just that difficult when people are that dedicated to their beliefs. What made me a "double-minded Christian" was that lack of dedication to beliefs: I would always place people above beliefs. Now that I'm out, I can see why they spit out the words secular humanist, with such vitriol. It terrifies them that humans could be more important than what humans believe about invisible entities. Leo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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