Popular Post yunea Posted July 9, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted July 9, 2015 Today when I was having lunch, the place was crowded so I sat down in a table with some other people. I was minding my own business until I couldn't help realising that two of them (guys) were evangelizing to the third, trying to convert her to Christianity. She was sitting tight listening to every word, with a crunched forehead. I stared at my phone, with the Ex-C Main blog open on it, took some deep breaths, pondered whether to say anything. Then I took another deep breath and politely interrupted, asking whether they believed the Bible was completely, literally true. One of the people turned to talk to me. Turns out he was very fundie, believing in the 6000 year old Earth and that the Bible is inerrant from beginning to end, six days of creation, Noah's ark and all. If he'd have said "not really, but Jesus was cool and we should be like him", I'd have left it there pretty much, but this here conversation I wanted to have. I knew from the beginning that I wasn't going to change his mind, but we talked a long, long while and I did manage to pose a few questions that he had a lot of trouble answering (thanks to this website!). He also was impressed that I knew quite a bit about the Bible. I was mostly hoping that the girl who was being bombarded with Christianity was inspired to check the things I said for herself, but this also did my own self-confidence a lot of good. I felt no sting whatsoever in my heart to start believing in Jesus again. I didn't panic, I hardly even stuttered even though we had the conversation in English which is my second language. A few years ago I'd have been in complete agony having that conversation, even if I'd have been the believer who focused on "Jesus guide my words right now!!!!" kinda stuff all the time. Finally I feel confident and peaceful about what I believe about the world and my meaning in it, and can talk about it face to face without overreacting or saying really stupid things. I never had such confidence and peace about it as a believer. The guy was surprisingly polite, so I said in the end that I think we can agree to disagree, and thanked him for the good conversation. He was visibly disappointed when I said that our conversation made it all the more clear why Christianity was not right for me (which it, in fact, did!). I also said it out loud, "I don't have evidence of a God, but if there is one that is all-seeing, he understands the hell I went through as a believer. I don't believe in the Bible, and while I think it's possible there was a man called Jesus, I don't think he died for our sins or that it was necessary for him to". It felt really good. I feel like I've taken another huge step away from that weird world. He said that God loves me whether or not I believe it, and that he hopes I'll some day understand that everything God does and allows to happen is LOVE. I said that if that's really so, then I guess that I will find out, but for now, I don't believe it's so. I could say a lot more details, but then again I don't even feel I need to obsess over this thing and worry about what I did or didn't say. Even that feels so good, so unlike how I used to be. I'm gonna go for a walk now and admire the beauty of the trees. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sylensikeelyoo Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 *high five* THAT is soooo AWESOME! So proud of you, Yunea!!! *enthusiastic applause* 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Congratulations! He said that God loves me whether or not I believe it, and that he hopes I'll some day understand that everything God does and allows to happen is LOVE. I would think that if God really loved us he would take the time to say so in person rather then send a messenger. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraphicsGuy Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Nice. Very cool! It is always exhilarating to assert oneself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyesOpened Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Great Job Yunea! Keep telling them the facts! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ ficino ♦ Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Cool! It's great to have some footing to stand on, isn't it, instead of just being told stuff?! What was the girl doing during the conversation? Do you think you'll see her again? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Furball Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 He said that God loves me whether or not I believe it, So then why was he preaching to that woman??? If god loves everyone whether they believe or not, then evangelizing is pointless, they can stay home and relax. Another brainwashed fundie who hasn't checked the facts for himself, but blindly believes whatever the bible tells him. Good for you yunea, i am proud of you for speaking up. The giant snail god smiled on you today! _Catt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violetbutterfly Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Nice! I still don't have the confidence to debate facts yet but I thoroughly enjoy listening to others. Good for you! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Awesome story and I'm so proud of you! At least the young woman was presented with a calm, sincere atheistic view; it's her choice to believe what she wants. I am sure you at least gave her something to think about! Great job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Cool! It's great to have some footing to stand on, isn't it, instead of just being told stuff?! What was the girl doing during the conversation? Do you think you'll see her again? YES indeed!! I'm still feeling so good! The girl didn't say a word, she listened to us talk about the Bible very carefully and her face got more and more scrunched. When the guy asked to hear my personal reasons for deconverting, the other guy engaged her in conversation in yet another language, possibly so she wouldn't be too interested in what I said. Guy #2 was one of those frustrating Xians anyway, he basically called me a murderer several times. I have no idea if I'll see her again. It would be a positive thing if I did, but I just hope she will be asking a lot of honest questions and not just take everything in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 He said that God loves me whether or not I believe it, So then why was he preaching to that woman??? If god loves everyone whether they believe or not, then evangelizing is pointless, they can stay home and relax. Another brainwashed fundie who hasn't checked the facts for himself, but blindly believes whatever the bible tells him. Good for you yunea, i am proud of you for speaking up. The giant snail god smiled on you today! _Catt Exactly! I'm proud of me too, and it's amazing to not feel guilty of being proud of me!! Wtf is up with the way that Christianity taints our success because we worry about taking too much credit to ourselves and not glorifying and thanking God enough?! It feels so good to know that I said those things because I've devoted hours and hours to educating myself, not because a supernatural being gifts me with thoughts. It's the same with my studies now. I do good at exams because I work hard, not out of being blessed! Oooo I can almost feel the slimy snail tentacle patting my back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Also a big THANK YOU to my fellow Ex-Christians! Reading (and writing in) the threads and blogs and watching the Lion's Den debates made this possible this soon, only six months after I knew for sure I no longer believed. Like the very best therapy I've ever had (and I've been to many, some quack and some real ones)! * HUUUUUGE HUG!!!! * 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellinas Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llwellyn Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 He said that God loves me whether or not I believe it, If Yahweh has love in his heart, that is good for him, I guess, but it is irrelevant to us. The important question for us is whether we have love in our hearts. If so, Yahweh could love us or could hate us, but our toes would still be tapping. The issue of urgent concern is not whether there is a heaven "out there" but whether there is a heaven "in here." And as you proved to yourself, there is an emotional and cognitive serenity that you possess, a serenity that belief in "absolute good" could never offer. "The only force of appeal to us, which either a living God or an abstract ideal order can wield, is found in the everlasting ruby vaults of our own human hearts, as they happen to beat responsive and not irresponsive to the claim." If Yahweh has somehow saved himself by acquiring a spirit of peace, then I am glad for him, but my salvation does not depend on his salvation. I hope for his sake he doesn't put his mind at ease by crushing bugs. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 He said that God loves me whether or not I believe it, If Yahweh has love in his heart, that is good for him, I guess, but it is irrelevant to us. The important question for us is whether we have love in our hearts. If so, Yahweh could love us or could hate us, but our toes would still be tapping. The issue of urgent concern is not whether there is a heaven "out there" but whether there is a heaven "in here." And as you proved to yourself, there is an emotional and cognitive serenity that you possess, a serenity that belief in "absolute good" could never offer. "The only force of appeal to us, which either a living God or an abstract ideal order can wield, is found in the everlasting ruby vaults of our own human hearts, as they happen to beat responsive and not irresponsive to the claim." If Yahweh has somehow saved himself by acquiring a spirit of peace, then I am glad for him, but my salvation does not depend on his salvation. I hope he doesn't put his mind at ease by crushing bugs. I like this comment, Llwellyn, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
★ Citsonga ★ Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Great job! I'm glad at how the conversation was good for you and I hope that it was very helpful for that poor girl being targeted by the evangelists. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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