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Author Topic: Dealings with devout Christians  (Read 8832 times)

Shine

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #15 on: October 22, 2012, 09:03:08 pm »
Quote from: RandallS;77714
But that assumption is probably true for the vast majority of the people they interact with in the average week. I don't think it is really insulting unless it done to purposely be insulting -- and yes, I've seen a small handful of people in my life who treated people they knew were not Christian as if they were to rub in the fact said non-Christians they were not "normal" in their eyes.

 
Wow, we have some real winners in this world. :( As if it wasn't bad enough the default is still assumed to be Christian.
Leave your darkness with me, and I will make you shine.

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #16 on: October 22, 2012, 11:53:27 pm »
Quote from: coxy123;77648
Hi everyone

Having recently converted to Paganism I've had a couple of run-ins with devout Christians and was wondering how you dealt with them. At the moment I'm just trying to ignore the constant evangelism!


 
Two stories, which may or may not be helpful:

First: The day after a close friend's father died, his cousin--a fundamentalist Christian--took to his Facebook page to tell him how she was very sorry to report that my friend's dad was burning in hell because he hadn't been saved before he died. I read this with my own eyes (it was posted publicly, I guess to try to convert all who would read it) and my jaw hanging open.

To my friend's credit, he didn't hunt her down and mutilate her; he tried to have patience and reason with her. To my credit, I ripped her a new asshole, publicly.

Moral for fundamentalists: Your need to evangelize is no excuse for barbaric incivility.

Second:
(Leaving space for any young ones present to move on to the next post)











A friend of a friend reported the following encounter with evangelists on a busy Manhattan sidewalk...

Evang: "Have you heard the Good News?"
Friend of Friend: "I'm sorry, I'm busy."
Evang (refusing to take no for an answer): "Too busy for Jesus?!"
FOF: "I'm too busy sucking Satan's cock."

Stopped. The conversation. Cold.

Moral for fundamentalists: Your need to evangelize may provoke hilarious incivility.
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Asch

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #17 on: October 23, 2012, 12:10:50 am »
Quote from: RandallS;77714
But that assumption is probably true for the vast majority of the people they interact with in the average week. I don't think it is really insulting unless it done to purposely be insulting


*shrug* I do, I don't like assumptions being made about me by people that ought to know better, even general assumptions. I work from home and used to do a lot of phone work, so does a friend of mine, her mother is East Indian and she would regularly get callers with a racist bent assuming she was 'like them' because her dialect is from this region and unless you listen closely or know better we sound a lot like 'news caster west coast'. Assumptions in general piss me off.

coxy123

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #18 on: October 23, 2012, 02:40:45 am »
Quote from: Sage;77686
Wow. That must be nice and totally awesome.

...can I move out of Jesusville now?

 
Thankfully its not that bad where I live. The only thing that does get on my nerves is the way people assume that because you're pagan that you worship satan and sacrifice lambs under the full moon!

If people are willing to listen to you then its easy to try and talk sense into them, its the 'my way or no way' people that I find hard to talk to
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Dark Midnight

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #19 on: October 23, 2012, 03:15:51 am »
Quote from: coxy123;77747
Thankfully its not that bad where I live. The only thing that does get on my nerves is the way people assume that because you're pagan that you worship satan and sacrifice lambs under the full moon!

If people are willing to listen to you then its easy to try and talk sense into them, its the 'my way or no way' people that I find hard to talk to

 
I always find that the 'you believe what you want and I'll believe what I want, thank you' works fairly well. But it does depend on who it is that you are talking to. If it is family, then a whole different conversation is needed.

Where abouts in the UK are you? I've never really had a problem where I am and I've been a practicing Witch for the last 22 years.
"No matter how dark the fur, the bunny is still fluffy." (Melamphoros)
AKA Thundercougarfalconbird..... (Thanks Nyktipolos!)

RandallS

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #20 on: October 23, 2012, 08:13:30 am »
Quote from: Altair;77735
First: The day after a close friend's father died, his cousin--a fundamentalist Christian--took to his Facebook page to tell him how she was very sorry to report that my friend's dad was burning in hell because he hadn't been saved before he died. I read this with my own eyes (it was posted publicly, I guess to try to convert all who would read it) and my jaw hanging open.

I once attended a funeral at a fundamentalist mega-church where the preacher basically used the occasion to try to convert mourners. "Joe here is in heaven, but many of his friends would not be joining him if they did today as they'd go straight to hell because they have not been born again at this church" type stuff. It was awful, because you really can't just get up and walk out.
Randall
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Sarkana-night

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #21 on: October 23, 2012, 08:44:11 am »
Quote from: Shine;77708
I live in a super-Christian area where people just assume you're Christian.

I'm lucky that the symbol of my faith is an ankh, which looks like a fancy cross.

It's like being a secret agent in a society that would rather I didn't exist. "Out" pagans don't have an easy time in my neck of the woods.

It's not uncommon for people to talk about the Christian God everywhere--even at work. On occasion, someone at my job will ask me if I've "found God" (yet strangely enough, I've only had this happen in one other place). My coworkers must get suspicious every now and again, given that I just smile weakly when they start talking about hellfire and damnation. Oh, and teh ebil gheys.

I give the person in question a beaming smile and say that I have found peace in God. It's not a complete lie. I just happen to have more than one god. . . and goddess.

.

 
For me, it is alomst opposite. I live in a country where nearly everybody is atheists, and where religion isn't something you normally talk about. Those who are religious often keep it for themselves, for example, a "real" Christian (those who go to church every sunday and read the bible and things like that) is a very rare sight. People seems to think religious people are wierd or suspicious. They can't see how anyone could believe in something which can't be scientifictly proved. This not only applies to Christians, but simlpy all sorts of religions. You have to have a good reason for why you believe in what you do. Else, people would not take it serious.
 
(sorry for bad, annoying english, by the way)

coxy123

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #22 on: October 23, 2012, 09:20:08 am »
Quote from: Dark Midnight;77748
 Where abouts in the UK are you? I've never really had a problem where I am and I've been a practicing Witch for the last 22 years.


South-East, near london. Like I said it's not too bad but you get the odd street preacher who follows you around shouting at you to repent. Quite a few of my friends are devout christians and although they don't try and preach directly to me I've noticed they give me uncomfortable glances whenever religion comes up in conversation but I suppose that because I believe something different to the norm.
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yewberry

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #23 on: October 23, 2012, 11:28:48 am »
Quote from: Sarkana-night;77764
For me, it is alomst opposite. I live in a country where nearly everybody is atheists, and where religion isn't something you normally talk about. Those who are religious often keep it for themselves, for example, a "real" Christian (those who go to church every sunday and read the bible and things like that) is a very rare sight. People seems to think religious people are wierd or suspicious. They can't see how anyone could believe in something which can't be scientifictly proved. This not only applies to Christians, but simlpy all sorts of religions. You have to have a good reason for why you believe in what you do. Else, people would not take it serious.

While not quite as un-religious as Denmark, devout Christians here on the Hippie Left Coast tend to be a quiet lot.  The most I ever hear is someone saying "God bless you" or telling me they'll pray for me.  I did once see an older woman on a bus kind of grab a toddler's (wounded) foot and pray for her while her obviously-uncomfortable mother waited it out.  But experiences like that are fairly rare, and mostly just people trying to be nice.

Now, New-Age wingnuts, on the other hand...they can be a bilious lot.

Brina
« Last Edit: October 23, 2012, 11:29:50 am by yewberry »

Sage

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #24 on: October 23, 2012, 12:45:44 pm »
Quote from: yewberry;77790
I did once see an older woman on a bus kind of grab a toddler's (wounded) foot and pray for her while her obviously-uncomfortable mother waited it out.

 
I think I would legitimately freak the hell out and smack that later for touching my child and daring to do that. Just... ugh, ew, no.
Maker, though the darkness comes upon me,
I shall embrace the light. I shall weather the storm.
I shall endure.
What you have created, no one can tear asunder.

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Sarkana-night

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #25 on: October 23, 2012, 03:09:10 pm »
Quote from: yewberry;77790
While not quite as un-religious as Denmark, devout Christians here on the Hippie Left Coast tend to be a quiet lot.  The most I ever hear is someone saying "God bless you" or telling me they'll pray for me.  I did once see an older woman on a bus kind of grab a toddler's (wounded) foot and pray for her while her obviously-uncomfortable mother waited it out.  But experiences like that are fairly rare, and mostly just people trying to be nice.

Now, New-Age wingnuts, on the other hand...they can be a bilious lot.

Brina

 
Hahah, the first time I heard someone said "God bless you" while they were not in church, was when my American friend visited my school last year.

Valentine

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #26 on: October 23, 2012, 03:12:51 pm »
Quote from: yewberry;77790

Now, New-Age wingnuts, on the other hand...they can be a bilious lot.

 
...yeah, I have to say, living in the Bay Area as I do right now...it's the New Age evangelists who are much more of a pain in the tuchis for me.  If only I reorganized my chakras or did the right juice fast or went raw vegan then all my problems would go away.  I've been told I only think I'm trans because I am stubbornly and un-evolvedly refusing to let go of traits from past lives instead of dealing with the challenges I've chosen in this life.  I have bad Rumi "translations" pushed on me all the time.  I am neck-deep all the time in people who are So Evolved and post-Christian and have all the right answers now and if only I'd embrace the teachings of their guru all would be well.

Meanwhile, my seminary friends are mostly Christians, and they are some of the most sensible, respectful people I know, when it comes to my faith.  I think I hang out with the wrong set of Christians.  They're all plenty devout--ministers and seminarians, after all--but they're, you know, devout queer socialists who spend weekends feeding the unhoused and doing hospital chaplaincy and all.
Eeeevery now and then I cross the street and go spar with the Jesuits and Dominicans and all, which is significantly more fun than sparring with the evangelical folks back home because they've done their homework?

Anyway.  It's possible some of them don't know I'm not Christian and what I am, especially when it seems most days like the most accurate political label for me is "Christian Socialist" without the "Christian" part and I bust out the Bible on the regular, but.  It's not like I pretend, you know?  We all just have each other's backs.
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Altair

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #27 on: October 23, 2012, 04:52:34 pm »
Quote from: RandallS;77763
I once attended a funeral at a fundamentalist mega-church where the preacher basically used the occasion to try to convert mourners. "Joe here is in heaven, but many of his friends would not be joining him if they did today as they'd go straight to hell because they have not been born again at this church" type stuff. It was awful, because you really can't just get up and walk out.

 
That's a tough situation to navigate. My latest strategy for avoiding it is, if the ceremony (wedding, funeral, whatever) involves a denomination I find objectionable (eg, one likely to pull a stunt like the above), I bypass the ceremony entirely and stick to the reception afterwards to pay my respects.
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

RandallS

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #28 on: October 23, 2012, 05:56:03 pm »
Quote from: Altair;77813
That's a tough situation to navigate. My latest strategy for avoiding it is, if the ceremony (wedding, funeral, whatever) involves a denomination I find objectionable (eg, one likely to pull a stunt like the above), I bypass the ceremony entirely and stick to the reception afterwards to pay my respects.

Should I ever have another funeral at a really fundie church, I think I'll do the same.
Randall
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yewberry

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Re: Dealings with devout Christians
« Reply #29 on: October 23, 2012, 07:58:28 pm »
Quote from: Sage;77794
I think I would legitimately freak the hell out and smack that later for touching my child and daring to do that. Just... ugh, ew, no.

Yeah...I had visions of bloody stumps myself.  But she really was this almost hilariously frail woman (like "how does that still operate?" frail) which gave her a certain social leeway.  I doubt I'd have handled it as gracefully as the nice mom, however.  

"Does Jesus say it's okay to manhandle wounded children?"  Or something equally helpful.  ;)

Brina
« Last Edit: October 23, 2012, 07:59:24 pm by yewberry »

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