My wonderful and sweet dad drove me to work because my car battery died. On the way, we somehow ended up talking about death and afterlife. He asked what I believe. I told him that I'm not sure. He told me that I should make a decision soon, because the Bible predicts the end times. He mentioned that mom was concerned about me...I ended up asking him if God was able to change the future. Is God's hands tied that he can't control anything? He didn't know how to answer there question. He just got defensive. I didn't want to start an argument and I was stopped to get out to work anyways. I just thanked him again for getting up early to take me to work. I love my dad very much, but I'm just in disbelief that people can't see through the apparent contradictions.
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40 comments (26 - 40)
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.What is it with these religious nuts who fail to see it's always about them and theirs. What happened to the idea of a creator who gives his creations free will and lets them set their own paths? This idea was the basis of this country's constitution.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Nov 27, 2019
1
I know, right?
Here's hoping for a healthy vehicle of your own from now on.
CallMeDave
Level 8
Nov 27, 2019
1
We got it working today! 
The end times—is that sort of like climate alarmism?
WilliamFleming
Level 8
Nov 27, 2019
1
One of the things I've always found curious is why "God" continually remains so enigmatic. Are we your children? Do you love us? What's with all the texts and clues that need interpreting? Just tell us exactly when the world is gonna end. Throw us a bone already.
JustChris
Level 6
Nov 27, 2019
1
You are absolutely on the right course to maintain a good relationship with your father. On the other hand, I think that being true to yourself is even more important. You did just the right thing IMO.
We should give our opinions in a calm way. Other people will have to accept us as we are. I remember having a calm discussion with my parents about religion. We were in disagreement, but the subject was never raised again.They recommended that I seek out some other religious group—one that resonated with me, and that was the end of the discussion.
WilliamFleming
Level 8
Nov 27, 2019
1
I find the comments made by other people to be well said. I would one other thought: it is not given to everybody to be able to think critically, analytically, cogently and dispassionately. It is this last quality that your dad might be missing.
anglophone
Level 9
Jan 8, 2020
0
We've been living in 'end times' since the invention of religion... Religious people don't accept the many times this prediction had proven to be false.
One thing about your dad: he loves you and cares about you. He wants the best for you, that I'm sure of. He most likely accepted the false promises and contradictions long ago about God and at this point IMHO he will never let them go.
Just love him and your mom back... And this subject will come up again. You will need to choose between your truth and their comfort in the fairy tales their Good had given them.
The best to you and your family.
DGJ0114
Level 7
Nov 28, 2019
0
The bible is totally clear that the end times were supposed finnish in about 60 CE when they didn't the church money men decided to extend the deadline indefinitely.
More biblical bollocks
Street epistemology is effective in these familial situations. It is applying the Socratic method to families belief systems.
Do not disagree, just ask why they believe what they believe.
Davesnothere
Level 7
Nov 28, 2019
0
how do you feel about it?
@SageJester I do not understand the question, about what?
@Davesnothere How do you feel about what she said? your reply to her and your reply to my reply to her appears to be totally scientifically based. I would like to know how you feel about it? I would imagine there is more to you than just scientific method. I think tools are great I even love NLP but i think there is more to communication than attempting to win, regardless of how many times I have tried to do exactly that. That ego trip wanting to be right, realizing that deep down it had to do with a lot of anger inside me. Wanting to get even wanting to win. I want to know how you feel about the situation, have you had similar bouts with family? what happened, has it improved? I'm obviously new here, and when i saw i got a response i was intrigued. Then i read your response and what hit me was well, i think it would give more explanation to tell you I am big into movies, well music also, but what hit me right in the Head was where Will picks apart Robin Williams as a Psychologist, uses one picture on the wall and a few facts and attempts to pick apart a person he barely knows. It's obviously a defense mechanism. Completely understandable from the story. I have certainly had my own defense mechanisms and a lot of screw ups.I thought of first how to respond to your reply to what I said to her. Several things came to my mind, then I decided short and simple. Id ask how do you feel about it. I think I may have some decent insight about a few things but i don't think that encapsulates you and i think hearing from you would be a great opportunity, and to end my thought Ill have to say i just couldn't resist taking a line from the movie. "Your Move Chief"
@SageJester It is practically based, it is an effective way to help her overcome those hurdles, which are so very difficult for so many.
"How do you feel about what she said?"
I empathize for her and have sympathy for her, that is why I replied at all, in the hope perhaps the idea might be effective for her.
BUT
Why does what I Feel have any import at all? It is not my problem, I do not know the person ITRW, so itt is like all things internet, remote empathy without tactile reality.
You said "i think there is more to communication than attempting to win"
I do not see communication as an attempt to win, but to communicate, to share actual discourse.
There is no winning in street epistomology, it is not a competative debate tactic. It is using the socratic method to uncover why a person believes as they do. For many believers thos is an undiscovered country. If someone you love is a believer terrified you will go to hell and up your ass about it all the time, street epistomology can help you respond to them in a non hostile, non defensive manner. A way which gets them to ponder why they believe as they do, and as they realize their own reasons may not be as sound as they thought, they then tend to harrass other family members less.
That is the hope.
You said "I thought of first how to respond to your reply to what I said to her."
I did not reply to your comment, it would have tagged you. I responded to the OP, her post. Then you asked me how I felt about it. "how do you feel about it?"
How are the feelings of an unknown person on the internet about another unknown person on the internets issues relevent in the slightest?
"I thought of first how to respond to your reply to what I said to her."
I did not reply to your comment to her, at all.
I did reply below to tell you that lie detectors are poor science and not valid. an aside I thought of merit, but off topic.
Why are you placing the import of feelings over the import of thoughts?
@Davesnothere first off, how did you add a video, ive tried in some responses but it doesnt seem to work
@SageJester Copy paste the link right into the text body 
@Davesnothere i guess it works for youtube but not others, I was attempting to post a short video from comedy central with mike desteffano, he has a great comedy video about religion etc
@Davesnothere as far as feelings we may disagree on their importance, i practice balance, i use tools also, I practice finding peace inside and a lot of that is feeling, there has been a lot of tools that i have used that have helped with those feelings. I still work on myself, self help. I could ask you why you place thought over feeling. I don't know if you do but thats my perception of your answer. do you work on you, what tools do use to work on you
@SageJester ???
"do you work on you, what tools do use to work on you"
Every human works on themselves, some more dilligently some more efficiently, some so lackadaisically that it looks like no effort is being made.
"We are all Learners, doers, teachers"--L.T.
How old are your parents? Are they deeply religious? Here's why I am asking. The hardest part about letting go of God s that you will never see your loved one again. There's no reuniting in heaven after death. I struggled with that after I lost my father and still do to this day. I think that's why when people loose a child they tend to gravitate towards religion when logically you would think the opposite would be true.
Are your parents up in age and are now concerned that they nay never see you again if you are a non-believer? Just a thought
Iamkratom
Level 7
Nov 28, 2019
0
My mom is fifty-six and dad is sixty. They are not quite "elderly", though they are deeply religious. They are more concerned for me in these "end times" than dying soon and not seeing me.
I understand you on this. Your parents likely never will so just find ways around this type of indoctrinal talk without making everyone upset.
A woman I know once asked me "how I thought it would all play out." She is talking "end times" and about writings in the book of Revelation. What she may not know is that the book barely made it into the bible and it was also not the only book of its type that was considered. So much for bible accuracy.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Nov 27, 2019
0
Huh...I didn't know that. Interesting.
The bibly has been calling for the end times since it got codified.
Beowulfsfriend
Level 9
Nov 27, 2019
0
It is so disturbing to hear so many believe this crap despite the thousands of times it was predicted to happen over the last 2,000 years. Not once has it come true. My property has a water tower and a large garden because the former owner was sure Y2K was going to happen and build things to protect him from the 'crash.' It didn't happen and he simply walked away and we got to be the recipients of his tank and garden.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Nov 27, 2019
0
Or maybe the end did come all those times before, but since god is so powerful he just went back in time and prevented it. 
@Catholic At least some of us were.
[abhota.info] My favorite: Drawing from theology and astrology, German prophet Johann Jacob Zimmerman determined that the world would end in the fall of 1694. Zimmerman gathered a group of pilgrims and made plans to go to America to welcome Jesus back to Earth. However, he died in February of that year, on the very day of departure. Johannes Kelpius took over leadership of the cult, which was known as Woman in the Wilderness, and they completed their journey to the New World. Fall came and went and, needless to say, the cultists were profoundly disappointed at having traveled all the way across the Atlantic just to be stood up by Jesus. (Cohen p.19-20)
Druvius
Level 8
Nov 27, 2019
0
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