Hi All,
I had a funny thing happen today. A stranger send me a friend request. A mutual firend of a couple of acquaintences. A 20y/o girl from Ghana. I read her profile and saw she was a Jesus-nut so I thought I'd have some fun.
Here's the transcript of our convo:
A: How are you doing today
Siz:Yeah, I'm good, thanks.
Can I suggest you do some homework. Go find some EVIDENCE for the truth about your religion.
Question everything. For the thing you are not encouraged to question is the most dangerous.
Thanks
A: I'm XXXXX XXXXX from kasseh Ada in the Greater Accra region of Ghana.
I'm a training teacher at Ada college of Education.
Please may I know you please!
Siz:If you don't know me why the friend request?
I could be dangerous.
In fact your family and community would probably consider me dangerous because I ask you to question the indoctrination you have suffered from the day you were born.
I don't ask you to give up Jesus. I simply ask you to do due diligence before dedicating your life to a myth.
A:Really
Why speaking this way.
Then please I will say I'm sorry.
Siz: That's what I believe.
All I ask is that you satisfy yourself that your worldview is based on reason rather that what you have been fed since birth.
A: So what do you mean with all this?
Please I wants to know
Siz: I mean to suggest that your beliefs in a God might not be the truth of existence. Just question for yourself.
I ask you to live for just one day as if God didn't exist. You might find that you are more fulfilled and all of your unanswered questions my find an answer.
A: Really
Siz:Just a suggestion. You do what you please. Just trying to liberate you from a life of chains to a myth.
A:I don't know why you are speaking like this.
So you really believe there is no existence of God.
Siz:Correct. And since I really considered the possibility for myself the jigsaw of existence has slotted neatly in to place.
I don't wish to TELL you what to believe (like your family have your entire life) I simply ask you to QUESTION.
A: OK
But why is that you don't want to get to me base on my religion?
Siz: Sorry, I don't understand your question. Please write again.
A: Why are asking me to go and find out about our doctrine?
But can you come and help me to ask them about the doctrine?
Because I don't know what to ask.
I'm a young person too.
Siz: I want you to question your doctrine for yourself. I don't want you to accept what you have been told without satisfying yourself that it is the truth. Due diligence.
I understand that what I say goes against what your community believe. But are you sure that they have sought truth outside of THEIR upbringing?
How old are you?
A: 20
But it was there before my parents were born so please I can't question them
Siz: Some people are scared to question what they have lived by all their lives. Use your own initiative. You're obviously an outward looking person. What questions do you have in life? Is there an answer outside of religion?
Have you ever actually seen the magic your religion relies on? I haven't.
I'm just an English guy. Married with two lovely children. I'm an outspoken atheist and have been since I finally accepted that the God proposition is ridiculous. Read 'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins. Be careful. Some communities do not want you to think for yourself.
It's easy for me. We do not demonise atheists here. I live a happy life without the need for God. We are god-free, not god-less. That is to say there is nothing missing from our lives, just liberated from the chains of institutional superstition.
....No response for half an hour...
I was drunk. It was a bit of fun... for me. Have I been irresponsible? Or d'you think this was reasonable deportment for a conscientious atheist?
Oh, yeah - credit to Davin, whose sig I bastardise and pass off as my own on a regular basis....
What's the date today.
Quote from: Tank on April 01, 2018, 07:35:12 PM
What's the date today.
I was wondering when someone would make a fool's joke. In all seriousness though, I had several conversations
just like that with a girl I dated years ago. In the end she went NUTS. So if this wasn't a joke Siz, be careful.
No joke here... unless this was a wind-up by someone else...
Well, I ain't planning on dating her....
So, I'm always thinking WWTD? Isn't this the sort of thing you would say?
I wasn't trying to be bad. It just kinda fell in to my lap and I thought I'd try to get someone to try the red pill.
Quote from: Siz on April 01, 2018, 07:59:02 PM
No joke here... unless this was a wind-up by someone else...
Well, I ain't planning on dating her....
So, I'm always thinking WWTD? Isn't this the sort of thing you would say?
I wasn't trying to be bad. It just kinda fell in to my lap and I thought I'd try to get someone to try the red pill.
Well, I think you should, perhaps, stop drinking, or are you a militant anti-theist at heart?
Sorry, Siz, but to my simple mind mature discussion is, at the start anyway, a good policy. There is an old say that starts, "Softly, softly . . ." that I will not complete under this context - but "better to persuade than attack" might fit. Had she started to prosetylise immediately that might have been a different matter!
Quote from: Dave on April 01, 2018, 08:12:19 PM
Quote from: Siz on April 01, 2018, 07:59:02 PM
No joke here... unless this was a wind-up by someone else...
Well, I ain't planning on dating her....
So, I'm always thinking WWTD? Isn't this the sort of thing you would say?
I wasn't trying to be bad. It just kinda fell in to my lap and I thought I'd try to get someone to try the red pill.
Well, I think you should, perhaps, stop drinking, ...
I don't know about this... :notsure:
The girl has some degree of sophistication because she has a computer or other means of being involved with Facebook. She may also live in a circumstance where any hint of apostasy might get her throat cut.
I don't know about Ghana. If she was in Somalia she would probably be beaten, or worse, for indulging in such a conversation.
Quote from: Icarus on April 01, 2018, 09:23:01 PM
The girl has some degree of sophistication because she has a computer or other means of being involved with Facebook. She may also live in a circumstance where any hint of apostasy might get her throat cut.
I don't know about Ghana. If she was in Somalia she would probably be beaten, or worse, for indulging in such a conversation.
Or maybe I saved her life and flapped a butterfly wing in the right direction...
If you're not part of the solution....
I think there isn't any way of knowing, Siz. :notsure: Maybe you planted a seed in her mind, or maybe she'll just shrug it all off as nonsense coming from the antichrist. :shrug:
If she eventually does question her religion, what has me wondering is how easy it would be for an apostate to live in her community. The difficulties she would face. Would it be worth it? I don't know anything about Ghana except it's an African country which I am assuming is full of all sorts of superstitions besides religion. Maybe it's better to be one of the herd, maybe not. I don't know.
Quote from: Magdalena on April 01, 2018, 09:04:25 PM
Quote from: Dave on April 01, 2018, 08:12:19 PM
Quote from: Siz on April 01, 2018, 07:59:02 PM
No joke here... unless this was a wind-up by someone else...
Well, I ain't planning on dating her....
So, I'm always thinking WWTD? Isn't this the sort of thing you would say?
I wasn't trying to be bad. It just kinda fell in to my lap and I thought I'd try to get someone to try the red pill.
Well, I think you should, perhaps, stop drinking, ...
I don't know about this... :notsure:
Have we found some common ground, Mags? 😁 Cheers!
Quote from: Siz on April 02, 2018, 12:16:57 AM
Quote from: Magdalena on April 01, 2018, 09:04:25 PM
Quote from: Dave on April 01, 2018, 08:12:19 PM
Quote from: Siz on April 01, 2018, 07:59:02 PM
No joke here... unless this was a wind-up by someone else...
Well, I ain't planning on dating her....
So, I'm always thinking WWTD? Isn't this the sort of thing you would say?
I wasn't trying to be bad. It just kinda fell in to my lap and I thought I'd try to get someone to try the red pill.
Well, I think you should, perhaps, stop drinking, ...
I don't know about this... :notsure:
Have we found some common ground, Mags? 😁 Cheers!
:yes!:
That only took 8 years! :lol:
Quote from: Magdalena on April 02, 2018, 12:31:17 AM
:yes!:
That only took 8 years! :lol:
When the HAF Histories are finally written, this is an event to be remembered.
:P
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on April 02, 2018, 01:08:43 AM
Quote from: Magdalena on April 02, 2018, 12:31:17 AM
:yes!:
That only took 8 years! :lol:
When the HAF Histories are finally written, this is an event to be remembered.
:P
:headbang:
Quote from: Dave on April 01, 2018, 08:12:19 PM
Quote from: Siz on April 01, 2018, 07:59:02 PM
No joke here... unless this was a wind-up by someone else...
Well, I ain't planning on dating her....
So, I'm always thinking WWTD? Isn't this the sort of thing you would say?
I wasn't trying to be bad. It just kinda fell in to my lap and I thought I'd try to get someone to try the red pill.
Well, I think you should, perhaps, stop drinking, or are you a militant anti-theist at heart?
Sorry, Siz, but to my simple mind mature discussion is, at the start anyway, a good policy. There is an old say that starts, "Softly, softly . . ." that I will not complete under this context - but "better to persuade than attack" might fit. Had she started to prosetylise immediately that might have been a different matter!
D'aww, bless you, Dave. For better or worse, I'm afraid, 'softly, softly' is just not my style. Haven't got time to beat around the bush - she'll either accept my help or not. She can make her own mind up - or choose to toe the line in the interests of self preservation.
Don't forget she friended me - and experienced friendship Siz style. Blunt but without malice.
Quote from: Siz on April 02, 2018, 02:31:47 AM
... - and experienced friendship Siz style. Blunt but without malice.
(https://media1.tenor.com/images/5f6f0453b568313455c9701227ac1f28/tenor.gif)
Quote from: Siz on April 01, 2018, 07:27:40 PM
Oh, yeah - credit to Davin, whose sig I bastardise and pass off as my own on a regular basis....
For the record, that's what I did to someone else to make that thing up.