I need to vent. I was talking to my two aunts on the phone today. My aunt was saying she doesn’t read a lot of my Facebook posts because they’re offensive. She says she only likes PG rated material - not PG13, just PG. She says if she can’t say it in front of her grandniece (who’s eight) and grandnephew (who’s 5) she doesn’t want to hear it. She’s always been super religious.
I asked her if she read the post I wrote linking to an article about why homosexuality is not a sin. She said she refused to read it because it would be offensive. I said there’s nothing offensive about it, it even quotes the Bible. She said anybody can quote any part of the Bible to come to any conclusion (which should alert her to the fact that the Bible is terribly written and inconsistent, but I pick my battles). She said she doesn’t need to read anything anyone says, she’s read her Bible and she knows what’s right.
My other aunt chimed in and said people read the Bible once and think they understand it, but they don’t. When you read it a second time, and then a third, you understand it better. This aunt, by the way, nagged me to watch “The War Room,” a movie by Pure Flix (who made the abysmal God’s Not Dead) and it was one of the absolute worst movies I have ever watched. She’s always bugging me to watch Christian movies. I was visiting their house, I was in the shower, and I could hear her yelling for me. She actually came upstairs and CAME INTO THE BATHROOM and said I have to watch this movie. That’s just one example of how this aunt is. The other one is sane but extraordinarily close-minded, as you can see.
Anyway, like I said, I pick my battles. And if they refuse to read the article they refuse to read the article. But the fact that they’re challenging the usual narrative demonstrates that this is NOT the first time they’ve read the Bible - in fact the article went into the meanings of the original Hebrew words, the context in which these verses were written, and pointed out all the Scripture surrounding those verses that we don’t pay attention to. But I didn’t press because it would have been useless. They’re so stupid.
5
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My grandma who isn't in my life and I see probably once a decade told my Dad she wanted to slap me for some of the things I put on my facebook page. Apparently, I am the liberal agnostic black sheep of the family and I didn't even get the badge for it.
O_ophelia
Level 5
Feb 10, 2019
0
@Closeted I forgive her, she grew up in and still lives in a tiny country town where the KKK reigns still to this day. She is a well traveled and smart woman but roots grow deep
Eventually, I learned to ignore religious people, change the subject, or wander off as though I remember something if they bring up religion at all. I only look at them and respond when they are speaking on neutral subjects.
If they start to lecture, I look at my watch, murmur, "Um, hum..that's nice," then leave the room. It works quickly to train people to avoid religion around me.
birdingnut
Level 8
Feb 10, 2019
0
I stopped talking religion with anyone in my family years ago. They know I'm atheist and have for around 30 years. The thing about family is that if they're adults they generally take the opinions of other family members less seriously. Or at least this has been my experience (probably shouldn't generalize). And about the bible, it's full of god doing evil shit. Reading it, and really paying attention, is part of what brought me to atheism. I encourage a deep critical reading of it. Unfortunately most christians don't really read it like that. Check out [evilbible.com]
towkneed
Level 7
Feb 10, 2019
0
Meh...
I removed those family members from my life. No reason to continue to put yourself through that.
I only surround myself with like minded people.
My circle is small but solid.
darthfaja
Level 7
Feb 10, 2019
0
Fighting with them is not worth the stress it causes you. for your own peace of mind I would let it go. I also have family like this, I refuse to have any conversations on religion or politics when we see each other. If they start in, I just get up and leave the room. They have asked me why I feel this way, I say, we are never going to change each others minds on any of this, I know they are good loving people and I want to be able to still feel that way about them, so best we find other things to talk about.
Mermaidfantasy
Level 7
Feb 10, 2019
0
@Closeted Good for her daughter for speaking HER truth, because her mother sure does. My family knows I am an atheist, I told them when I was just a teen and saw no shame in my beliefs.
@Closeted There are a few who we each chose not to spend time together, we are just too different, but most of them accept me for who I am and I them.
Everyone gets to choose how they deal with family members, so I'm not
going to tell you what to do.
However, I have completely disassociated from everyone in my family who doesn't respect that I'm an atheist.
I don't miss them, or their bullshit.
Life is too short for me to "humor" the believers, and I'm not going to do it.
No matter what their familial "title" might be.
KKGator
Level 9
Feb 10, 2019
2
@Closeted Good luck going forward. Glad you feel safe enough to come and vent here.
My religious sister once told me she was not afraid to read books other than the bible, so I was like OK, here is one - John Rechy's "City of Night" She did not get far, and she was telling me "I can't read that."
Same way with religio-nazi younger brother . . . . I told him there was no way there could be some merciful god, and I had a book that pretty much proves it . . . . So he is like, yea, I am not afraid to read it . . . . I gave him Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet On The Western Front", that did not last long either and he was saying the same thing my sister said . . . . these folks are all weak and scared, they can't face up to what is real, so they hide in their own fucking bubble, and try to draw other people into it with them. I almost feel sorry for them, but not quite.
THHA
Level 7
Feb 10, 2019
2
i used to feel sorry for believers, but I don't anymore.
It's deliberate on their part. They're insisting on maintaining
their delusions, despite the FACT they know there are other
ways of thinking. So, fuck 'em.
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