Evangelized to Three Times in Two Days?! >:(

[Tristan Jay]

 I'm not quite living life as an atheist as yet, however recent events have really made me feel the kind of indignation I imagine a lot of other people here probably feel.

Hell, it's a lot more than indignation!  Outrage, condescension, and despair are also what I felt.  I've spent a lot of time raging about how stupid, psychopathic, homicidal, genocidal, manipulative and morally bankrupt the God of the Bible seems, and perhaps I had it coming.  A book I read through called Write It Down, Make It Happen suggested writing letters to God, so I gave it a go.  What's funny is I asked specific questions about what's bugging me!  I didn't get specific answers, and I was not profoundly moved by what amount to unfocused coincidence.  If God did set up three evangelical situations to answer my questions, why all the stupid rhetoric?

So, on one day, while I was folding laundry in the laundry room of the apartment complex where I'm currently residing, I was approached by three Christians who were fixated on witnessing to me.  I told them I already knew the rules/doctrine in an attempt to head of the tedium of the familiar recital, in hopes that I could politely get their personal vibe on some stuff that's been bugging me.  I gave them an easy one too, "How do I tell if it's God talking to me, or if I'm just talking to myself, or if I'm crazy?"  I was disappointed, they didn't have anything to offer that I haven't already heard.  I ended up fighting hard not to roll my eyes; they were doing the whole thing where one of them is talking and another starts saying, "Yeah, oh, yeah, amen, you said it," ect.  I was probably way too nice to them, frankly.  I gave them a chance to register some of the trauma I've been experiencing through a pointed hint, which they didn't respond to.  Honestly, it seemed like they were more interested in practicing evangelizing than understanding what was really bugging me.  Talk about boring, unenlightening, a complete failure.

At work the next day, I was talked to by a lady who proudly proclaimed that she had made her cancer go away with homemade juice.  And of course, her faith in God.  Great.  I humored her and her son, as they were customers and I was politely allowing them to indulge in their chosen customer eccentricity, and it got me out of doing work for a little bit; yet it was still a kind of mild torture.  I was glad when a manager moved in to do an impromptu sales class with some other employees, which I was happy to join in on and get away.

At the end of the day, I had a friendly back-and-forth debate with a good friend whose been aware of my loss of faith.  I felt a little troubled in a sense, because there was nothing that he could present as an argument that I didn't have a ready made answer for why the whole Christian thing has become a stupid construct in my eyes.  My favorite bit is when he finally came out with the answer I think he has been avoiding when I recalled my charge that the God who is supposed to be capable of everything, who knows what's in my heart and therefore knows what I need or expect; my friend finally put out the answer I knew was the only one he could give, that God would only answer through the happenings of the world around me and the people who I interact with (he acknowledge that problem that is so dear to me heart, that the message is filtered through flawed humans).  I felt troubled, because I don't want to have these arguments and debates with Christians.  It's funny in a way, because despite my frustration, I don't want to have these conversations out of respect for their beliefs; I don't want to tell them about the contempt I have for their religion, and I don't want to go through being able to counter their feeble rhetoric, even though they don't really respect or care about my own feelings about spirituality!  I don't want to be their enemy, and I don't want to cause them to have doubt about their faith (even while I feel uncomfortable about how embarrassing I find their behavior).

At the end of this disheartening narrative, I got out my notebook devoted to spiritual matters, fought through that feeling that I was wasting my time, and wrote another letter to dear old God, reminding him that I had already asked for specific answers, and had already suggested some convincing methods of communication.

I feel morally, ethically and spiritually exhausted and frustrated.  It has solidified my need to be independent, and rely on myself.  I don't want God's help (if he exists) because I don't want him to claim credit for the difficulties I'm trying to work through with my own strength of will (and I don't want Christians to look at the situation and give God credit for my hard work!).

I keep telling myself that at the end of the day, whatever God thinks he is supposed to be, I can really only devote so much energy to such a worthless pursuit anyway.  There are so many better things to do in this world, and so many more useful mentalities to cultivate as I go about living my life.

[Tank]

I am so glad I don't live where you do. I seriously think I'd have a police record for assault by now!

[Xjeepguy]

I feel your pain. I have been dealing with family doing this to me and my wife and it has become nearly unbearable. I really envy people who live in areas of the world that aren't as infected with religion as the states.

[Asmodean]

I am so glad I don't live where you do. I seriously think I'd have a police record for assault by now!

Me, they'd likely have locked up as serial killer. 

[Tristan Jay]

I am so glad I don't live where you do. I seriously think I'd have a police record for assault by now!

In a way, that level of evangelical saturation is kind of a spiritual intrusion and assault, isn't it?  I wish there social rules of politeness and etiquette requiring them to desist and withdraw when their target asks them not to evangelize.  Or as an alternative, they are required to ask your permission to witness to you.  It's a nice, yet unlikely dream.  Human's don't give as much credit to the notion of spiritual or emotional bullying compared to physical bullying.

I feel your pain. I have been dealing with family doing this to me and my wife and it has become nearly unbearable. I really envy people who live in areas of the world that aren't as infected with religion as the states.

Luckily so far, my parents sound like their on the same page about religion.  They are spiritual like me, open minded, and a surface level conversation suggests similar derision toward organized religion.  They're making up for it by being weird about my separation and divorce with my wife (even though I'm still on very friendly terms with her, they're taking "my side", which doesn't really exist in the circumstances) and listening selectively about the mental conditions I'm dealing with. 

[Stevil]

I am so glad I don't live where you do. I seriously think I'd have a police record for assault by now!

In a way, that level of evangelical saturation is kind of a spiritual intrusion and assault, isn't it?  I wish there social rules of politeness and etiquette requiring them to desist and withdraw when their target asks them not to evangelize.

In another thread we were talking about having an Atheist symbol, maybe as a pendant or something. Just a symbol of belonging to a group that values diversity and critical thought. Maybe that kind of thing could also double as a discrete, please don't come to me an evangalise, I'm not really into it symbol.

Whitney has designed one, its really good.

For all of Christianities failings they do have the odd gem.
I like the saying, "god helps those who help themselves". Both theists and atheists could go along with that one.

[Ildiko]

I wish there social rules of politeness and etiquette requiring them to desist and withdraw when their target asks them not to evangelize.

There are, though, aren't there, in Real Life? It just seems that many of your evangelists don't think they apply to them.

This site is a real education to me. I have no experience of this sort of harrassment and it would probably drive me to do something I might regret ... though in circumstances like yours I'd only regret it if I got caught.

[OldGit]

It's outrageous!  How about making up an exotic religion and announcing your conversion?

[Tank]

Personally I'd be very tempted to simply tell them I was a Satanist, or would that just make matters worse?

[OldGit]

I used to say that to some mad group who used to stand in St Albans market, witnessing.

[Ildiko]

Personally I'd be very tempted to simply tell them I was a Satanist, or would that just make matters worse?

They'd probably burn poor Tristan.

Someone I know used to tell the door-to-door brigade "Sorry, I'm a musician". The time it took them to work out that this made no sense whatsoever was long enough for him to close the door.

[Tank]

Personally I'd be very tempted to simply tell them I was a Satanist, or would that just make matters worse?

They'd probably burn poor Tristan.

Someone I know used to tell the door-to-door brigade "Sorry, I'm a musician". The time it took them to work out that this made no sense whatsoever was long enough for him to close the door.

I love that one!

[Asmodean]

They'd probably burn poor Tristan.

...Unless he said it in as way that caused them to run screaming. 

Someone I know used to tell the door-to-door brigade "Sorry, I'm a musician". The time it took them to work out that this made no sense whatsoever was long enough for him to close the door.

Like.

[Tristan Jay]

It's outrageous!  How about making up an exotic religion and announcing your conversion?

I've actually been wondering how this approach might work!  If it evokes confusion on their faces, the method Ildiko mentions might be satisfying.  "Sorry, I'm a misotheist!  Look it up, hope you will find it an interesting read; 'bye!"

Asmodean's method sounds awesome, too.  "I'm a misotheist.  Which means I'm insane enough to hate God.  I can't wait to meet him, so I can confront him with his double standard.  :Eyes turn a menacing, glowing read:  Then I'll put an axe to His face!  :A howling, eerie moaning wind starts to swirl around within the perfectly ordinary laundromate:"

And if someone tries to exorcise me in the name of Jesus, I'll just laugh.  "Gee, he doesn't seem to be making much effort, just like the last several thousand years."  Starts walking toward them; they freak out and bolt.

Ah well.  Idle dark fantasies about exposing the futility of religion.  Please, disregard the melodrama.  It's been another hell of a day.  At least there was no evangalizing going on, though.

[OldGit]

One of my fake faiths is Lactoportarianism - the doctrine that Mary was no more a virgin than Victoria Beckham, and that JC's father was in fact the milkman.

The other one is Our Lady St Postula and her Blessèd Screeves.

Combine one of those with Asmodean's approach?

More fun to invent your own, though.