My Answer Was No!

[Moxie]

I was taking the public bus home from work last night, when a lady struck up a conversation with me about nutrition. During this conversation she asked me directly, "Do you believe in Jesus as your savior?"

 

In the past, I would have projected fear of her response and said yes just to keep the peace, but this time, I flat out said no.

 

She didn't try to convert me or anything.

 

[LogicalFallacy]

Well done. Hit them head on.

 

Ask them if they believe Osiris is their personal saviour. If they take offense ask them how they think you feel when asked about JC.

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, Bookworm said:

I was taking the public bus home from work last night, when a lady struck up a conversation with me about nutrition. During this conversation she asked me directly, "Do you believe in Jesus as your savior?"

 

In the past, I would have projected fear of her response and said yes just to keep the peace, but this time, I flat out said no.

 

She didn't try to convert me or anything.

 

I hope I'll be this brave when i get the question. Why is it that on some level I'm still afraid to confront Christians with my truth if they ask?

[Orbit]

Oh I hate that situation--people are so obnoxious. I hope I can overcome my fear of being impolite and say no like you did.

[Orbit]

17 minutes ago, TruthSeeker0 said:

I hope I'll be this brave when i get the question. Why is it that on some level I'm still afraid to confront Christians with my truth if they ask?

 

For me, it's because I don't want to be dragged into a public conversation about it. I already know what they're going to say, I don't like arguing, so I avoid the confrontation when I can.

[Moxie]

22 minutes ago, Orbit said:

 

For me, it's because I don't want to be dragged into a public conversation about it. I already know what they're going to say, I don't like arguing, so I avoid the confrontation when I can.

 

Yeah, that's a risk. Even when Jehovah Witnesses approach me, I let them know I'm pagan. So far I haven't encountered confrontational types.

[RealityCheck]

Not everyone is obligated to a long drawn out explanation on our parts, sometimes a simple no will suffice and sometimes not quite.  The last encounter that I had with JWs was on a jogging trail that leads into this park area.  As I was walking past them, I tried to go as far to the opposite side of the path as possible to the point where I was walking in the mud.  When they initiated conversation, I simply said "if I'm obviously physically avoiding you, it probably means I have no interest in talking.  You guys aren't very observant so I doubt you have the intellect to comprehend matters of religion."  Yeah, it was an "I don't give a damn" moment but they haven't tried talking to me since.

[mymistake]

If an obnoxious Christian tries to convert you I would suggest

 

1  I don't want to talk about it.  There is nothing to be gained by talking about it.

 

2  Ask them "Why won't you respect my beliefs?"  Because that is where Christians go if you talk theology with them.  Go there first.  Hey, I said I don't want to talk about it.  You can see I have beliefs so why don't you respect my beliefs?

[older]

I'm not hesitant to tell them that I don't believe in gods or spirits of any kind. If they persist, I might just say I don't care to discuss it.

 

But I'm waiting for the opportunity to ask them: "So you believe in this all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent deity who knows what everyone is thinking, has planned everything, created everything including bone cancer in children, and who loves everyone except those who don't love him back, in which case he will send them to an eternity of unspeakable torture, and who sent himself to earth and then made himself a human sacrifice to himself in order to avenge himself for a curse he put on us because one of our distant ancestors and a rib woman ate fruit off a magical tree after being told to do it by a talking snake. So the question is: do you believe this because it makes sense, or because other people have convinced you that bad things will happen to you if you don't?"

 

(I've cribbed lots of that from other sources, but the point is the same.)

[MOHO]

20 hours ago, Bookworm said:

I was taking the public bus home from work last night, when a lady struck up a conversation with me about nutrition. During this conversation she asked me directly, "Do you believe in Jesus as your savior?"

 

In the past, I would have projected fear of her response and said yes just to keep the peace, but this time, I flat out said no.

 

She didn't try to convert me or anything.

 

 

You GO, Girl! 

[Deathportal365]

On 2/25/2018 at 5:04 PM, TruthSeeker0 said:

I hope I'll be this brave when i get the question. Why is it that on some level I'm still afraid to confront Christians with my truth if they ask?

I don't know about you, but there are a few reasons why I am afraid to confront Christians:

 

1. I don't want to be "witnessed" to (isn't it ironic that "witnessing" involves sharing stories about an entity nobody has ever seen?)

 

2. I don't want to be put on the defensive for holding a position that differs from theirs, and really isn't their business.

 

3. Depending on the person, I don't want to be the cause of their anxiety about my "eternal soul." (My Great Aunt is 90 and she worries about things like whether her Chinese friend is "saved."

 

4. I fear reactions of others. I live in Texas, where evangelical Christianity is woven into our entire culture. Being outspoken means I'm a direct threat to the worldview of a significant portion of the people I see on a daily basis. No need to risk monumental fallout.

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, Deathportal365 said:

I don't know about you, but there are a few reasons why I am afraid to confront Christians:

 

1. I don't want to be "witnessed" to (isn't it ironic that "witnessing" involves sharing stories about an entity nobody has ever seen?)

 

2. I don't want to be put on the defensive for holding a position that differs from theirs, and really isn't their business.

 

3. Depending on the person, I don't want to be the cause of their anxiety about my "eternal soul." (My Great Aunt is 90 and she worries about things like whether her Chinese friend is "saved."

 

4. I fear reactions of others. I live in Texas, where evangelical Christianity is woven into our entire culture. Being outspoken means I'm a direct threat to the worldview of a significant portion of the people I see on a daily basis. No need to risk monumental fallout.

1-3 are all quite relevant, particularly number 3. I live in quite a secular society in comparison to Texas so I"m not worried about how it will threaten the worldviews of those around me. I would probably confront strangers, but not my own family. The ensuing harassment wouldn't be worthwhile.

[mymistake]

There is one situation where I would take the offensive in the real world.  But it wouldn't be about beliefs.  If I saw Christians who were actively persecuting or discriminating against somebody due to being a member of the "wrong" minority I would step up.  But my argument would be you guys need to shut up unless you can prove God wants something.  Having an old book say it is not good enough for you to trample on another person's rights.

 

 

[☆ DarkBishop ☆]

I don't really have to worry about it anymore at work. Everyone pretty well knows I don't believe. It's everywhere else I have to worry about it. I've been keeping it from my parents for over a year. I'm hoping I don't have to tell them but in all reality i'm pretty sure it's going to come out sooner or later. I guess ill cross that bridge when i get there. I haven't been asked that question in a long time. I live in the south so i'm sure eventually someone will ask me. I'll have to try just saying No and see how it turns out. :-)

 

DB

[Deathportal365]

4 hours ago, DarkBishop said:

I don't really have to worry about it anymore at work. Everyone pretty well knows I don't believe. It's everywhere else I have to worry about it. I've been keeping it from my parents for over a year. I'm hoping I don't have to tell them but in all reality i'm pretty sure it's going to come out sooner or later. I guess ill cross that bridge when i get there. I haven't been asked that question in a long time. I live in the south so i'm sure eventually someone will ask me. I'll have to try just saying No and see how it turns out. :-)

 

DB

I haven't told my parents either. That's a tough one, balancing the desire to be honest and authentic with also keeping the peace. They are getting older and my relationship with them has not always been the greatest, but it is the best it has ever been now, and I genuinely look forward to holidays and spending time with them now. I don't want to rock the boat, nor do I want to break their hearts.