How do you handle it?

[Fubex]

Just thought I'd tell you how I handle telling the believers out there that what was drilled into their heads since childhood is bullshit. I pretty much keep my mouth shut about it unless I'm asked. When I'm at family functions and they bow their heads to thank God for food that he didn't have a thing to do with putting on the table, I just stand there and look around the room. I run into some guy at a job site and he mentions Jesus 100 times in a two minute conversation about where he wants things to go. I just smile and go about my business. Most people are nice, hard working people who are trying to make it through life without being miserable. They use what ever religion to give themselves a base to live by. I have no problem with those people. It's the pseudo Christians who drink and smoke and have extramarital affairs and drive Cadillac Escalades and wear the latest trend in fashion. Who cut a check every Christmas to the poor kids in Africa who are suffering due to some other dog shit religion. These kind of Christians really piss me off and I take great pleasure in telling them that they've been fooled their whole lives. You know the type I'm talking about. The ones that think they're better than you because you're not up to their level of self-inflated sense of godliness. They're the ones I love to tell "You and your God can just fuck off"
I was at a barbeque once and the conversation turned to some child who had recently died of cancer in a very drawn out and unpleasant way.
So I asked "why is it that a so called loving God would allow innocent children to die this way"? No one answered me except this one bitch with a drink in one and a cigarette in the other started yelling at me "How dare I' and telling me I had some nerve. Her husband is my best friend and she knows our back ground of the biker lifestyle we used to lead. And saying that it was a miracle that we were both alive blah blah blah. I said to her "The reason we're both alive today is that God didn't choose us to put brain tumors in our heads when we were three years old". Then I told her to shut up.
Any how I don't wear my beliefs no my sleeve, but if I'm asked I will tell them. I draw the line at acting like I do believe to gain any one's favor.

[Irreligious]

Fubex wrote

Just thought I'd tell you how I handle telling the believers out there that what was drilled into their heads since childhood is bullshit. I pretty much keep my mouth shut about it unless I'm asked.

Wise move, given that anything pro-active is bound to be met with a great deal of unnecessary grief.

Fubex wrote

When I'm at family functions and they bow their heads to thank God for food that he didn't have a thing to do with putting on the table, I just stand there and look around the room.

I try not make my irreverence so obvious. I do sit still and try to reflect on how grateful I am to be able to eat a meal. That way I'm being respectful of my hosts' sensibilities and simutaneously indulging my own. I often suspect that I'm not the only one at the table doing so.

Fubex wrote

I run into some guy at a job site and he mentions Jesus 100 times in a two minute conversation about where he wants things to go. I just smile and go about my business.

Again, the prudent choice.

After all, what is to be gained by needlessly upsetting Mr. Jesus Freak? Nothing but stoking his need for childish retaliation, in all likelihood. You don't need to disturb that hornet's nest. Life already poses enough challenges.

Besides, if you want to vent, you can safely do that here.

Fubex wrote

Most people are nice, hard working people who are trying to make it through life without being miserable.

Superficially, I agree.

Fubex wrote

They use what ever religion to give themselves a base to live by. I have no problem with those people.

Generally speaking, neither do I.

Fubex wrote

It's the pseudo Christians who drink and smoke and have extramarital affairs and drive Cadillac Escalades and wear the latest trend in fashion. Who cut a check every Christmas to the poor kids in Africa who are suffering due to some other dog shit religion.

Some of these folks are actually real Christians. They also happen to be "bad" people, who pay no heed to their own hypocrisy. They may cut a check to ease their guilty consciences., but I'm sure the needy in Africa are, none the less, grateful for the assistance. I know I would be, if I desperately needed it.

Fubex wrote

These kind of Christians really piss me off and I take great pleasure in telling them that they've been fooled their whole lives. You know the type I'm talking about.

Yeah, I do. And I rarely get any satisfaction talking to them. So I avoid it in real life.

Fubex wrote

The ones that think they're better than you because you're not up to their level of self-inflated sense of godliness.

Well, I can't begin to take that kind of unearned and over-inflated sense of self-worth seriously. So I don't. There has got to be some serious provocation for me to even react to it.

Fubex wrote

They're the ones I love to tell "You and your God can just fuck off"

Well, if it makes you feel better, by all means, go for it. But the folks you address in this manner rarely feel the sting of your words, at least not the way you intended. So, ultimately, you're doing it for you and not for them.

Fubex wrote

I was at a barbeque once and the conversation turned to some child who had recently died of cancer in a very drawn out and unpleasant way.
So I asked "why is it that a so called loving God would allow innocent children to die this way"? No one answered me except this one bitch with a drink in one and a cigarette in the other started yelling at me "How dare I' and telling me I had some nerve. Her husband is my best friend and she knows our back ground of the biker lifestyle we used to lead. And saying that it was a miracle that we were both alive blah blah blah. I said to her "The reason we're both alive today is that God didn't choose us to put brain tumors in our heads when we were three years old". Then I told her to shut up.

And did she? Shut up, that is? If she did, I would say that was definitely worth it, especially if it also caused her to drop her cigarette, spill her drink and run crying from the picnic table. Or better yet, if she just lowered her eyes, brimming with tears, and responded: "I never thought about that."

Otherwise, you probably just made her mad and resentful of you as a person. If you don't care, well, I guess that's good too.

Fubex wrote

Any how I don't wear my beliefs no my sleeve, but if I'm asked I will tell them.

Well, I try not to make an issue of my disbelief in other people's assertions of a god, meaning I don't go out of my way to share my atheism unbidden. I'm not an evangelist and I long ago learned that unprovoked discussions of atheism are seldom welcome conversation amongst "true believers." So long as they're not actively trying to get me involved in their delusions, I just let them be. I can hear without listening, if need be.

However, I have no problem sharing my active beliefs regarding politics and social matters when others are already sharing theirs.

Fubex wrote

I draw the line at acting like I do believe to gain any one's favor.

Most definitely.

And welcome to the forum!

[nkb]

Fubex wrote

When I'm at family functions and they bow their heads to thank God for food that he didn't have a thing to do with putting on the table, I just stand there and look around the room.

Anytime a situation like this arises (whether it's family functions or events at a church like a wedding), I always make a point of looking around to see who the other non-believers are, and try to catch their eye (I have a buddy who does the same thing). If I do, I give them a wink or a quick smile.

I don't know why, I just get a kick out of that.

Living in the South, I generally don't get vocal about my non-beliefs either. Most Christians (or other theists) I know that I like associating with, I don't breach the subject, unless they explicitly want to. They're good people who can hold any beliefs they want, and none of them try to push them on me (otherwise I wouldn't be friends with them in the first place).

[Irreligious]

Nice, nkb.

I never had occasion to be in that particular position. Though, once a friend did sidle up to me at a social function and quietly revealed that he, too, was skeptical of all the god nonsense to which we'd just been assaulted by our host and other assorted guests.

It was a pleasant affirmation that I was not the only skeptic in our circle.

[Smellyoldgit]

If I'm invited to offer an opinion, I do so with colourful language accompaniment.
I don't recall ever being asked for a second opinion.

[Professor Chaos]

As always, the definitive guide:

http://choobus.blogspot.com/2006/07/religiots.html

[psychodiva]

I haven't had many problems in voicing my unbelief- the only ones I experienced were when I worked fro the Armed Forces and the prevailing attitude was that everyone had a belief of some sort and if you were British then of course you must be Christian- i soon disabused them of that notion and have since joined and help out with the UK Armed Forces Humanists in order to stop the forcing of religion down the throats of soldiers / sailors etc and their families. Again- I guess we are kind of lucky over here in Britland- however, being a child of Hindu or Muslim parents over here can still be bit dodgy especially if you are female. We appear to be gradually battering down the 'Crutch of England' and laughing them out of existence.

[West491]

I generally keep my mouth shut.

Sometimes I'll ask sly questions as to not reveal my atheism but just to appear a tad bit skeptical. It's even funner to do it in a group of people of different religions (or even different sects of the same religion). Ask a question and watch the fireworks.

I never thought of peeking to see who doesn't pray at the dinner table, i'll have to try that. Well I did do it once by mistake and I caught my little sister smiling and looking at me. She has recently taken an interest in the biological sciences at university in her first year- perhaps it is only a matter of time.