God loves me?

[panda91104]

I wasn't sure what forum to put this under I just need to get this out.
The other day I was volunteering with my school for MLK Day. It was this big event with several other colleges. I met some very nice people and had a fun time. At the end though, this girl I had just met that morning came up to me and said something like this "this might sound a little strange, but I feel like I need to tell you this ... I don't know if you were hurt in your past, but God loves you." Now I'm a pretty strong atheist, I have been for as long as I could remember, the idea of supernatural beings has always seemed a little silly to me, so the first thing I thought was that she thought I was a lesbian because I had recently got my hair cut and it was shorter then I wanted it to be. I felt bad for stereotyping her for possibly stereotyping me. I am now torn on if she was assuming I was gay and was trying to save me or if she knew I'm an atheist, even though I said nothing that would make me out to be.
That situation just freaked me out a bit because I truly want to believe that there is no God, but I want to fit in with society and be part of community that one finds in places like church or other places of worship.

[The Magic Pudding]

That situation just freaked me out a bit because I truly want to believe that there is no God, but I want to fit in with society and be part of community that one finds in places like church or other places of worship.

Hello ninety one thousand one hundred and fourth panda.
I've never heard anyone say "I truly want to believe that there is no God"
I think I wanted honesty, minimal hypocrisy, some truth.

I never grew up in god's own country so I can't really advise, but anyway welcome and welcome to HAF.  

[Whitney]

why would you want to believe there is no god?  Sure there are many concepts of god which would be bad if they were real but a god in general isn't necessarily something to dislike.

Anyway, I think some churches teach people to go up to anyone they think may not be a member and tell them that they must have been hurt in the past but that god loves them anyway (not that they teach them to lie, but they do plant the idea to approach people).  Who knows what clued her in, there are a lot of mannerisms she could have been picking up on...and everyone has had some problems in their lives and in our society chances are they aren't strong believers either (most just go with the flow even if they do associate with a religion).

[Tank]

Welcome aboard panda

Sound like you have some residual feelings that being an atheist is somehow 'bad'? I know people who found themselves looking over their shoulder after their world view changed, if that is what happened? Any which way I hope you get some of the sense of community here that you are missing in the real world.

Regards
Chris

[elliebean]

"this might sound a little strange, but I feel like I need to tell you this ... I don't know if you were hurt in your past, but God loves you."

They say that to everyone. It's like a homework assignment.

[RoseofSharon]

Greets! From what I understand, Christians hold to the belief that God chooses whom He wants to save. There is no choice. If you are God's chosen, he will give you the faith to believe and be saved. So they believe that if you are not one of His chosen, you CANT believe and are left to your own devices to believe what ever you want. Soooo accourding to Christian faith, if you are to be one of God's, you will be. so stop worrying. if there is a God, you will know. From my Christian friends (I am not one) they tell me that you know that you know that you know there is a God because He gives such an incredible amount of faith, almost revelational in a sense. Hope that might help you to just kick back, relax and not worry

[AnimatedDirt]

"this might sound a little strange, but I feel like I need to tell you this ... I don't know if you were hurt in your past, but God loves you."

They say that to everyone. It's like a homework assignment.

Is this fact or your assertion?

[elliebean]

"this might sound a little strange, but I feel like I need to tell you this ... I don't know if you were hurt in your past, but God loves you."

They say that to everyone. It's like a homework assignment.

Is this fact or your assertion?

It's pretty obvious that it is both. Why, do you want see the numbers from peer-reviewed sources to substantiate a vague, snarky comment? FFS lighten up.

[AnimatedDirt]

It's pretty obvious that it is both. Why, do you want see the numbers from peer-reviewed sources to substantiate a vague, snarky comment? FFS lighten up.

It did come across as obtuse, didn't it.  Sorry.

Actually, the facts would be interesting.  I would like to know which group, if any specific, is using this method of being a witness.  I'd like to know who is approaching me should I get approached in this manner.

[elliebean]

It's pretty obvious that it is both. Why, do you want see the numbers from peer-reviewed sources to substantiate a vague, snarky comment? FFS lighten up.

It did come across as obtuse, didn't it.  Sorry.

Actually, the facts would be interesting.  I would like to know which group, if any specific, is using this method of being a witness.  I'd like to know who is approaching me should I get approached in this manner.

Well, I can't speak for everyone who goes around telling random people that God loves them, but I was taught to act that way, growing up pentecostal. Mostly new converts do it; it's almost like a hazing ritual. Some people never stop, though. Those ones are funny to watch, because it starts to come so naturally to them. The more I think about it, I think "witnessing" has less to do with "winning" new converts than securing older ones. Needless to say, my religious upbringing was extremely cult-like, probably not even close to the typical experience of growing up Christian.

[AnimatedDirt]

Needless to say, my religious upbringing was extremely cult-like, probably not even close to the typical experience of growing up Christian.

Being that you say it was Pentecostal, I would agree with you here.  That's not to say all Pentacostals are cultish and so not Christian.  It's to say that most Pentacostalism relies on outward manifestations of "spiritual" gifts such as talking in tongues, holy laughter, being healed, healing...as "proof" of salvation.

[elliebean]

That must be why you don't see many of them using their "proof" in debates on this forum. In my former denomination, it wasn't meant so much as proof of salvation, however, as proof that whatever they were doing/saying/preaching was "of God".

[AnimatedDirt]

That must be why you don't see many of them using their "proof" in debates on this forum. In my former denomination, it wasn't meant so much as proof of salvation, however, as proof that whatever they were doing/saying/preaching was "of God".

Well, in all honesty, the "proof" which is not necessarily PROOF, but evidence, is evidence that most Atheists disregard as old books that cannot be proven as actual history, but as fairy tale and and legend handed down.  Therein lies the crux.  One says there is evidence, the other turns and puts the hand up.

You are right.  It's not so much salvation...

[elliebean]

That must be why you don't see many of them using their "proof" in debates on this forum. In my former denomination, it wasn't meant so much as proof of salvation, however, as proof that whatever they were doing/saying/preaching was "of God".

Well, in all honesty, the "proof" which is not necessarily PROOF, but evidence, is evidence that most Atheists disregard as old books that cannot be proven as actual history, but as fairy tale and and legend handed down.  Therein lies the crux.  One says there is evidence, the other turns and puts the hand up.

You are right.  It's not so much salvation...

Ummm w/e? I meant you don't see holy rollers coming in here typing "in tongues" and proclaiming, "Gawwwwd seddit!" and:
[spoiler:1qhsoz44][/spoiler:1qhsoz44]

[pilchardo]

I wasn't sure what forum to put this under I just need to get this out.
The other day I was volunteering with my school for MLK Day. It was this big event with several other colleges. I met some very nice people and had a fun time. At the end though, this girl I had just met that morning came up to me and said something like this "this might sound a little strange, but I feel like I need to tell you this ... I don't know if you were hurt in your past, but God loves you." Now I'm a pretty strong atheist, I have been for as long as I could remember, the idea of supernatural beings has always seemed a little silly to me, so the first thing I thought was that she thought I was a lesbian because I had recently got my hair cut and it was shorter then I wanted it to be. I felt bad for stereotyping her for possibly stereotyping me. I am now torn on if she was assuming I was gay and was trying to save me or if she knew I'm an atheist, even though I said nothing that would make me out to be.
That situation just freaked me out a bit because I truly want to believe that there is no God, but I want to fit in with society and be part of community that one finds in places like church or other places of worship.

Based on what you've said, and assuming that you you didn't have any in depth conversation with her, I would say that she probably sensed that you have an issue or a problem and she felt the need to tell you that it'll all be alright in the end.