Personal rules I live by when talking to Christians

by free2beme 15 Replies latest jw friends

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  free2beme

  As a former Witnesses, I have spoken to tons and tons of Christians since my exit. Some want to convert me to their faith, heal me of what they see as false information in my youth and so on. When ever I speak to them, not being a Christian now, I have certain things that guide me. Items that I must see in them or I will drop my conversation with them like a hot potato.

  1. They have to admit and accept their are two gods spoken of in the Bible, the one in the old testament and the one in the new testament. Admitting one was very angry and the other was very loving.

  2. They have to admit that religion has been responsible for more deaths in history than it admits too, and not ignore this.

  3. They have to admit there is no evidence of heaven or hell.

  4. They have to admit that prayer can not only be credited for what they saw as an answer, and not ignore the ones they did not get answered.

  5. They have to admit that several religions in this world, older than the Christians, have the same thinking and thoughts as Christians without the Christ thought.

  6. They have to also be willing to listen, as well as talk.

  7. They can quote no scripture, as to quote something I have no faith in is silly and their thoughts mean more then those of someone they never met and highly subject to interpretation.

  If they can do these rules, I talk.... otherwise I walk. Do you have a code like this?
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  Phizzy

  I can't be arsed these days to talk to believers, they are so wearisome.

  I would start at the beginning if I was to lay down rules and say "Prove to me there is a God (Supreme Being)".
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  bohm

  Good list, however

  They have to admit that religion has been responsible for more deaths in history than it admits too, and not ignore this.

  might be hard
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  quellycatface

  I agree about the two god thing.he has a definite split personality.
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  cofty

  I am content if they are honest enough to align their beliefs with known facts.

  Humans evolved from non-human ancestors over millions of years, therefore there was no Adam & Eve and no fall from perfection. There was no gobal flood and the bible is is not infallible.

  If they acknowledge that then we have a foundation to discuss what is left of theism.

  If they won't agree to that then they are willfully ignorant &/or prejudiced and there is no basis for useful discussion.
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  PelicanBeach

  Free2beme,

  My personal rules when talking to atheists:

  I have none. I do not shun.

  Oops there is one: Don't talk DOWN or RIDICULE.

  Adults allow others the dignity of their own mind and conscience.

  Pelican
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  unstopableravens

  lol rules for talking with christians.
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  Hortensia

  I can't be arsed these days to talk to believers, they are so wearisome.

  Funny! Yeah, I refuse to listen to a load of preaching. I've heard it all before. But sometimes it's fun to listen to true believers talk, those of the pagan persuasion or the weirder reaches of religion. But, I flat out tell them I don't believe a word of it, very cheerfully. Seems OK with most people.
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  Band on the Run

  I can't deal with fundamentalists. This set of rules would be great if it worked socially. It seems as though personal boundaries are not respected. I am very vocal but polite about my beliefs. Despite asking them not to preach to me, I always get preaching. Most of the time I am only making social chit chat. I hired a life coach. When I found out through a Jewish friend that she was inviting Jewish people to her church, my concern for myself was heightened. The coach grew up in NYC and knows the social rules for Jewish people. I told her I respected her views but I had my own church. She was not to preach to me.

  She could only restrain herself for the vocational workshop. As I walked to my car, she started telling me a silly story. I noticed that she was orgasmic describing how some African kids became tree cutters in America. She believed Jesus intervened. My take was that some relief agency taught them skills. Perhaps they climbed tall trees in Africa so they were comfortable. It was extremely unprofessional. I did not want to be rude. What do you say when someone is orgasmic about Jesus? This is not referenced in etiquette books. Altho she was a good source of information, I felt betrayed. She started clutching at me when we crossed streets. The cars she protected me from were three lanes away. This woman invited herself to my church. When I just sat back during the service, she started pointing out lines in the Hymnal for me. Her fingers traced the progress of the service in the program. It was an Anglo-Catholic service. I wanted to bop her on the head with a Book of Common Prayer. I had such an urge to screech at her at the top of my lungs. Her zeal reminded me of every KH service. It turns out she has a mental illness. Controlling others is part of the problem. She should deal with her illness rather than directing me through a service in a church of my denomination.

  I tend to cut Christians too much slack. She was never a personal friend. Her orgasmic stories were boundary violations. She was fired. I felt as though she were strangling me.

  Honestly, I don't have fundies in my acquaintances. I've heard it all before so many times. If I am ever interested, I can make it to a fundie church by myself. I wonder how many people end up in cults just trying to be polite to someone.
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  NeverKnew

  So, you left the JWs and created ....rules. Interesting...

  I'm curious as to how you've managed to get into "tons and tons of conversations with Christians" who want to convert you. I deal with people at varying levels of association daily and am in an institution of 1500+ employees. I touch each of their lives at least once a year and many on a daily basis, but I can only tell you the denominational affiliation of a handful. NONE have EVER tried to "convert" me. I'm over 40 and have been a non-JW all my life. I've never run into this..."problem."

  If I got into tons of tons of conversations, maybe I'd create rules too. I dunno....