Penguin Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I have noticed--in "coming out" to certain Christian friends as a Free Thinker--I get a multitude of responses. Pleasantly, at least two rather devout friends have taken the news in stride, rather than panicking. Others have done some things that I don't appreciate, and that illustrate some of the reasons I left religion behind: 1. Lunge into debate. "Oh, your immortal soul is in peril! I'm going to walk you through the plan of salvation right away to change your mind!" No. It's like a cop interrogating a cop. I know the playbook. I know what you're going to say and what you mean by it. You really think I haven't gone through it with myself before deciding to run off the playing field? 2. Ask me to pray with you for me. Why would I, being convinced that prayer to your god is of no use, want to waste my breath? 3. Assume. Oh, for fuck's sake, don't assume you know why I've left. I have talked to some, and they nod, but when it's their turn to speak, they pull all their assumptions out. They read into what I say and analyze it to shove words and meanings into my mouth that I never intended. Example: "I don't believe in God because of the lack of evidence." "Well, you'll come around when you're bored of your rebellion." That's not just a quick way to lose a friend. I would think it's unwise to antagonize a man who carries a big, metal cane. Chances are I can throw the big stick a lot farther and harder than you think, and I'm totally willing to fall over in its absence to make that happen if you want to go pushing buttons. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted February 23, 2015 Moderator Share Posted February 23, 2015 Don't cane me, bro! People do tend to have emotional responses, don't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 Don't cane me, bro! People do tend to have emotional responses, don't they? They really do. I don't mind people saying something to the effect of "I think that's the wrong way to go," but when they act as if I'm going to die and go to Hell within the next ten seconds, it's really off-putting. If they're trying to "bring me back to the fold," that's definitely not the way to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rerics Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 They don't have logic or any real information on their side, so they can only fall back on the one trump card that they *think* they have, and that's fear. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rerics Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 "Well, you'll come around when you're bored of your rebellion." You can reply "And you'll come around when you're bored of your ignorance." 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Furball Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 They don't have logic or any real information on their side they sure act like they do....the way they act is that they have all the evidence in the world to back up their faith. if that were true, then they wouldn't need faith at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ax345 Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 It's like a cop interrogating a cop. I know the playbook. I know what you're going to say and what you mean by it. You really think I haven't gone through it with myself before deciding to run off the playing field? Ha ha...I have experienced this. My brother actually handed me a bible tract. I looked at him and said, "What are you giving me this for? I could have written it myself, I know all this stuff." His reply was, basically, "Just keep it". But some Christians understand that such evangelistic devices are of no use to us. One Christian I know considers people like me to be "inoculated". I think that describes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FindingFreedom Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Both my husband and my best friend asked questions alluding to the fact that I was never a xian in the first place. I get it, they are scared and trying to make sense of it because it could happen to them if I was as strong of a xian as them. But then how could they have gotten it so wrong, being so close with someone who was an impostor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparklingphoenix Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 The debate thing is so annoying for me. I hate debating. One of my Christian friends who knows I am atheist now has deliberately prayed over me without asking if I would be okay with participating in that. She also goes on rants about her political views and moral views and tries to illicit an opinion from me. I never comply because I freaking hate debating and I know she won't let me finish a sentence before jumping in. I just wanna hang out and enjoy peoples' company! Once when this person was talking about girls doing porn to pay for college I said they can do what they want because it's none of my business. She said, "well you can have an opinion on it." I have lots of opinions, I just only share them with certain people! >:c Just because I am atheist now doesn't mean I want to debate Christians all the time. That's why you never see me in the Lions den. Jebus... Anyways I think it's a waste of time debating with Christians because the way they measure the world and morals is completely different to Atheists. It's like two parallel lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 The debate thing is so annoying for me. I hate debating. One of my Christian friends who knows I am atheist now has deliberately prayed over me without asking if I would be okay with participating in that. She also goes on rants about her political views and moral views and tries to illicit an opinion from me. I never comply because I freaking hate debating and I know she won't let me finish a sentence before jumping in. I just wanna hang out and enjoy peoples' company! Once when this person was talking about girls doing porn to pay for college I said they can do what they want because it's none of my business. She said, "well you can have an opinion on it." I have lots of opinions, I just only share them with certain people! >:c Just because I am atheist now doesn't mean I want to debate Christians all the time. That's why you never see me in the Lions den. Jebus... Anyways I think it's a waste of time debating with Christians because the way they measure the world and morals is completely different to Atheists. It's like two parallel lines. That is just rude. If she starts praying over you again I would simply walk away. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 I have a disability, and even as a Christian I had people who would run up to me and ask if they could pray for me. To my chagrin, I let them. Now, when someone asks if they can pray for me just because they saw me limping, I'll have an entirely different response for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparklingphoenix Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I have a disability, and even as a Christian I had people who would run up to me and ask if they could pray for me. To my chagrin, I let them. Now, when someone asks if they can pray for me just because they saw me limping, I'll have an entirely different response for them. I feel like they only do that to make themselves feel better anyways, or to get brownie points from god. I'd be really annoyed. Don't want anyone's pity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 I have a disability, and even as a Christian I had people who would run up to me and ask if they could pray for me. To my chagrin, I let them. Now, when someone asks if they can pray for me just because they saw me limping, I'll have an entirely different response for them. I feel like they only do that to make themselves feel better anyways, or to get brownie points from god. I'd be really annoyed. Don't want anyone's pity! I tried to be nice and humor them. It was only after I lost my faith that I realized how incredibly rude they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparklingphoenix Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I have a disability, and even as a Christian I had people who would run up to me and ask if they could pray for me. To my chagrin, I let them. Now, when someone asks if they can pray for me just because they saw me limping, I'll have an entirely different response for them. I feel like they only do that to make themselves feel better anyways, or to get brownie points from god. I'd be really annoyed. Don't want anyone's pity! I tried to be nice and humor them. It was only after I lost my faith that I realized how incredibly rude they are. It's funny how having a disability, you feel the need to make other people feel better about it. I really can't stand how xtians use other people's sufferings to boost their self esteem as pious, godly people by making a show of prayer or gossiping in "concern" for someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I really dislike the Christians that drop you like a bad habit instantly. Years and years of a relationship and great times thrown away in a heart beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Ugh... I remember when I was Xtian and had a some kind of problem, physical pain or whatever, and I was told "But you have to pray!" as if I hadn't done that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts