It makes me livid. They are doing it as an act of superiority, not love. I don't care if my Mom prays but when people say "I'll pray for you" as soon as they find out, I just wanna smack them. As if they are gonna 'cure' me from a disease.
Coming out as an Atheist
- Thread starter Gondolin
- Start date
It makes me livid. They are doing it as an act of superiority, not love. I don't care if my Mom prays but when people say "I'll pray for you" as soon as they find out, I just wanna smack them. As if they are gonna 'cure' me from a disease.
It makes me livid. They are doing it as an act of superiority, not love. I don't care if my Mom prays but when people say "I'll pray for you" as soon as they find out, I just wanna smack them. As if they are gonna 'cure' me from a disease.
Interesting story about that. I was invited to go to a campus ministry thing one night. Your typical "sing awful songs and go to the altar". Anyways, my friend dissapears for the good part of an hour with his girl. So I made the joke to my friend that was with me that they just couldn't wait to go at it. SOMEHOW that got back to him and his girl approached me and said "YOU ARE SUCH AN ASS! HE WAS PRAYING FOR YOU! HE CARES ABOUT YOU!"
I was pissed. Acting like I needed to be prayed for like I'm in some sort of trouble... grrr..
Pfft... It's no big deal. You are an atheist and it is as simple as that.
For me it seems to be the other way around... people are embarrassed to come out as a theist. Quite right too, because I will make them embarrassed.
If they look down on you then that's their problem, and if they do, invite them to a frank debate on the issue... and trust me, you will wipe the floor with them and they will have more respect as to why you are atheist.
*************It makes me livid. They are doing it as an act of superiority, not love. I don't care if my Mom prays but when people say "I'll pray for you" as soon as they find out, I just wanna smack them. As if they are gonna 'cure' me from a disease.
M*W: This is something that bothers me, too, especially when it's someone I don't know very well. Those who know me don't do it, because I've already told them I'm atheist. It seems to me that it is a form of superiority over others. When I was a christian, I pulled the same shit. I knew in my mind that elevated me to a place of power over others. It's so annoying, but how does one go about avoiding this histrionic facade without being crass? There are times when I should just say, "No, thank you" without worrying about how they might feel. Then, sometimes when some idiot says they want to pray for me, I say, "sorry but I'm running late for my atheist meeting." I don't like to lie. Then there are other times I come right out and say "I'm an atheist." That shuts them up (usually), but not always. I like the shock affect.
However, when they say "pray" or "say a prayer," I usually just let it go and thank them just to get away. But then again, I believe positive thoughts can't hurt anyone.
superstring01
Moderator
WORSE! When I finally woke up one day and realized that all the religious nonsense I was taught wasn't worth my time, I swear to you I got more greif than I did when I came out of the closet.
I kept hearing, "Dan... as a gay man you aren't damned to hell... but as a non believer you ARE!" Blah... blah... blah. It's not even a battle. It's not some rebelious "thing"... it's the absolute absense of a contagion that I am finally rid of. I feel delaused, if nothing else.
Oddly enough, my two, very religious brothers are very cool with me. They are the calm "we'll give our testimony by our actions and respect towards you, not by our pestering you". My little brother and I are very close.
It makes me livid. They are doing it as an act of superiority, not love. I don't care if my Mom prays but when people say "I'll pray for you" as soon as they find out, I just wanna smack them. As if they are gonna 'cure' me from a disease.
It makes me laugh more than anything-- the realization that someone is so simple and primative that they still need everybody around them to think like them in order to feel comfortable.
Sad, really.
~String
Heathen blasphemer: that should be PENTAGRAM!
Honestly, just tell them whenever it comes up. It's your life and that's that. I was in the same situation, fortunately my parents were a lot more understanding about it than I'd have thought (considering they took me to church every Sunday growing up). You'll get the obligatory "lost sheep" talk about how they'll pray for you and so on, and they'll likely start conversations about religion with you for years to come, but in the end they'll realize it's a choice you make for yourself.
That was my experience anyway. I try to keep away from the religious discussions with my folks now because both sides have been discussed to death. They have their beliefs, I have mine, and for the most part that difference in beliefs never creates problems.
If it really doesn't go well then make it clear it's organized religion you don't agree with, not necessarily the idea of a higher power.
That's probably how it will go down. My only problem is that they're deeply religious... not crazy Jesus Camp religious, they just really believe in all that. I'll no doubt dissapoint them, which is one thing I'm not looking forward to doing (like I said, thats another story for another day).
When it comes up, I hope they are understanding.
I think my folks are in denial - thinking it is "just a faze" that I'm going through - albeit a looooong phase throughout my entire adult life.
Worse thing, though, is my Grandma - she is very religious, but quietly so, and keeps praying that I'll return to the fold. She gets very upset when she thinks about it.
My brother, the w****r, convinced one of my aunts that I was in a "Cult of Atheism" and that we gathered in secret etc.
Good thing, though, is that he is also very religious but finds himself actually thinking about it more and more - and whether it really does make sense. But he also thinks that it's not necessarily what you believe, only that you do believe. Ah well.
Worse thing, though, is my Grandma - she is very religious, but quietly so, and keeps praying that I'll return to the fold. She gets very upset when she thinks about it.
My brother, the w****r, convinced one of my aunts that I was in a "Cult of Atheism" and that we gathered in secret etc.
Good thing, though, is that he is also very religious but finds himself actually thinking about it more and more - and whether it really does make sense. But he also thinks that it's not necessarily what you believe, only that you do believe. Ah well.
become an atheist today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSfVbXnIS6Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSfVbXnIS6Q
i hope they beat you with a stick soaked in tar and gasoline.
aaahhahaha just kidding
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Woa geeze, some of these posts suprise me.
I must say I'v never thought there would be such problems with such a thing, and Im fairly casual about affirming that im an antheist (couldnt relate it to the idea of 'comming out of the closet' at all.) And I can't actualy remember when I switched to being 'unsure' and then to definatly being an atheist. However, my parents werent even regular church goers.
But if it's any consolation, Iv gone to a catholic school all my life, and had no problems.
Of course, I gradualy progressed toward atheism as I actualy learned more about the nature of reality, so you might want to consider starting off with something like "I'm not sure i actualy beleive in god" Raise some question or another and test them; see how they bite, if they explode, well then, might want to indeed keep it a secret for now.
But if they dont react too badly, just lead them on slowly, maby over the course of a month or three w/e.
On the other hand, you could take the sympathetic route: Cry, and when asked what's wrong, say something like "Iv been too scared to tell you but..." etc... You know, something cheesy like that Use empathy to your advantage.
-Andrew
I must say I'v never thought there would be such problems with such a thing, and Im fairly casual about affirming that im an antheist (couldnt relate it to the idea of 'comming out of the closet' at all.) And I can't actualy remember when I switched to being 'unsure' and then to definatly being an atheist. However, my parents werent even regular church goers.
But if it's any consolation, Iv gone to a catholic school all my life, and had no problems.
Of course, I gradualy progressed toward atheism as I actualy learned more about the nature of reality, so you might want to consider starting off with something like "I'm not sure i actualy beleive in god" Raise some question or another and test them; see how they bite, if they explode, well then, might want to indeed keep it a secret for now.
But if they dont react too badly, just lead them on slowly, maby over the course of a month or three w/e.
On the other hand, you could take the sympathetic route: Cry, and when asked what's wrong, say something like "Iv been too scared to tell you but..." etc... You know, something cheesy like that
Use empathy to your advantage.-Andrew
Think of it this way:
As an atheist, you value life far more than the people who choose to ignore reality. Therefore, every moment you are not true to yourself is wasted. Every moment you spend around people who devalue their own life also devalues your own. How can a mind sufficiently rational to accept atheism survive this way without becoming corrupted?
As an atheist, you value life far more than the people who choose to ignore reality. Therefore, every moment you are not true to yourself is wasted. Every moment you spend around people who devalue their own life also devalues your own. How can a mind sufficiently rational to accept atheism survive this way without becoming corrupted?
Wow. I never ever have thought that way. Are you saying believers are devaluing their life??
I'm not ashamed of being an Atheist. I never said I was ashamed. I just don't want to cause any trouble by telling them. I know what they will think, so I think it's better to just keep it to myself.