by MrFreeze 43 Replies latest jw experiences
Or agnostics too. Are you open about your beliefs (or lack thereof I should say)? When people talk about anything religious, do you mention that you don't believe in God?
I find it hard to tell people unless I know them really well. I seem to always get the response "What? You don't believe in God?" Then they never look at me the same way...
I appreciate your question. I would not bring up my atheist point of view in that kind of conversation. However... I also would not sit quietly while someone made presumptuous remarks that assumed I was a believer...
If this were a business meeting, cocktail party, type situation I would assume that the person who brought up such an inappropriate subject was an unprofessional dork and keep my mouth shut.
I keep quiet unless directly asked, or as Glander put it, it is presumed that I am religious.
It just seems that discussion of religion in a group setting usually ends up heated and somebody's going to get butt-hurt.
It's a tough call Mr.Freeze. I used to try to bring it up just to make the other person STOP PREACHING AND TALKING TO ME ABOUT THESE THINGS. I find it backfires. They become even more heated and now want to convince me otherwise---as though there is some aspect of the whole belief thingy I've never considered. If it comes up in passing, I just brush it off. It's the preachers that cause the real problem. They love getting their hands on a real live atheist.
I find that as time goes on, my circle pretty much doesn't include religious people. It is just tiring. But it is still unavoidable, and you'll have to make that decision on the fly. I have ended conversations just to make it all stop. I've left houses with a quick "oh i forgot, my dog needs to go out."
But to the other issue. I really don't care how they look at me. I am who I am, and if my very existence offends them, then they aren't worth the friendship anyway.
My brother is quite different. It is impossible to know him without knowing he is an atheist. If something religious is brought up, he counters it immediately. He feels this is his right since they brought it up for discussion. One person nearly swallowed his tongue and asked him what prevents him from eating his own children if he doesn't believe in god! Yeah, so, the uninformed can get quite nutty.
NC
It would depend very much on the situation. I don't go out my way to declare my atheism but neither and am I shy about it if thats the conversation.
In the UK its probably more awkward to admit to being a christian than an atheist
Good comments everyone.
Yeah cofty, seems like most people are Christian round these parts. I actually get surprised when I make a comment that is anti-religion and certain people (who aren't religious at all) step in to defend religion.
I remember making a comment when somebody brought up the whole Tim Tebow thing about people thinking God was helping him win games. People were actually defending that belief.
I know what you mean Freeze. I even had an agnostic chide, yes CHIDE, me for dismissing the spiritual. It's like everyone feels bold when it comes to atheists, and that they have the right to set us straight or something.
I'll tell you a story of when I really had to bite my tongue. I have a born-again neighbor who no matter how much I tell her I just don't want to talk about it, she will continue to preach to me. Because I am her neighbor, I find I still must interact with her, and it always comes back to Jesus. So one day, she cornered me for a good five minutes to tell me how to ------------------------- cheat on parking at school! Yep. And she wouldn't shut up. She knows a hundred ways to skirt the fee, and told me them with as much fervor as she tells me about Jesus. I bit my tongue when I wanted to tell her that my Atheism just not allow me to steal.
NC
I am agnostic. I do my best to be mindful of the religious beliefs of others, because your beliefs are your life. Every now and then, bible thumpers will make clearly ignorant comments that they hold with solid conviction.
There was a baptist woman at a job I had in 2004, she said, and I quote "I don't like those atheists! They worship the devil!" For those who didn't catch it: she doesn't like atheists, who are called such for not believing in a deity. And this disdain for atheists comes from their apparent worship of a being they deny exists.
I called her stupid outright.
To the contrary of what they say door-to-door, Witnesses I've found, tend to be intolerant of anyone proud of their religious/un-religious beliefs. They will call you ignorant and tell you they know better. And when all else fails, they laugh while telling you God is going to keep you dead.
I call them stupid outright.
Personally, I believe there is a God and it will be found through science. I believe the afterlife is variations of wavelengths in the earth's magnetic field based on positive and negative energy accumulations in life. I believe the soul and spirit are one in the same and are a unique identifying energy created as a by-product of a biological chemical reaction in utero.
But I'm also the guy who came up with those ideas, so what do I really know? lol
"I don't like those atheists! They worship the devil!"
LOL! PRICELESS!.
I am between beliefs right now. I have been agnostic for many years and at times lean towards being an atheist as many do. For now, I have a hard time dismissing God as a possibility completly.
But as I was once a firm believer, more out of respect for others and their beliefs I usually keep quiet about my feelings on the matter unless it comes up, which is rare.
