I won't feel guilty...

[jporter]

Hello Erin and all, I still can't believe this'll be my first post. I've known of Steve and Erin's efforts for at least a few months now (if not longer).

We're dawning on a new year and this one has been rather eventful for me. I moved from Washington DC to what feels like the heart of the Bible belt. So what did I expect except for my kin-folks to continually goad me into going to church with them.

I've done it. I'm not "anti-Christ". But I know too that I'm not "Christian" in their sense of the word. Maybe years ago I'd say "Christian mystic" in an effort to not be totally alienated from "the herd". But I'm older now and don't feel a need to conform any longer.

Now I'm being urged to attend tomorrow... last Sunday of the year in order "start the New Year off right". I hope I wasn't too harsh when I said no, I'm not going and it too is right.

Please excuse the long winded post, but I felt drawn to share this here on Erin's forum (for one thing, I know no one in my family [cousins mainly] are in danger of reading this. Then there's something about what I've read of Erin's writings that attracted me to "dump" this here).

Thanks for reading and for being here.

Joe Porter

[Jennihul]

I moved from the Northeast to Raleigh...what I call "the buckle" of the bible belt. People here are freakishly Christian. Very verbose about it and very pushy about you joining them. Kind of "body-snatcher" Christians.

Scary. Especially if you aren't like them.

Jennifer

[jporter]

:lol: Seems like you hear me Jennifer.

The buckle huh?

And then when you show any reluctance to "submit", you must be an atheist or worse.

Ah... the society we live in.

[Ree]

Being a native of the Bible belt, I would say that in most cases these people you are encountering are sincere in their beliefs and are simply trying to "help" you to save your soul from hell.

I've dealt with them all my life and they cover the spectrum from the simply annoying to the freaky! When the annoying tell me how wonderful their churches are, I smile and say, "How fortunate you are!" When I recognize the freaky I run!

Fortunately, there are enough wonderful things about this part of the country that it totally makes up for these PITAs.

[jporter]

Thanks Ree. Yea, they'll save-ya-to-death :lol:

But they are sincere. I know it. It just seems like your relationship with them is in jeopardy if you refuse this invitation. This saddens me and I'm ashamed to admit I succumbed today... I went.

Maybe I'll tell them I hang out on discussion boards with psychics, mediums and people who experience Angelic influences on a regular basis. They'll stop hounding to come.

[Steve Pavlina]

You could lay out some copies of American Atheist magazine and see what happens.

I used to be a subscriber when I was a teenager. Twas quite fun to read those in Catholic school.

[mlc82]

Funny how "atheist", meaning "Simply not believing in any particular god(s)", comes out sounding to some people like "Blood Drinking, Baby Eating Devil Worshipper" isn't it? I've been there and had that fun before.

[jporter]

I'm reminded of something I read long ago stating that the "God" atheists decry (something like a thunderbolt throwing "santa" on a cloud carried throne) doesn't exist anyway. In that respect, we can whole heartedly agree.

Mercy Steve, that would just be vicious.

mlc82, now that I got it off my chest (and thank you all), I'm sure this'll be looked back on with fondness... as some fun I had back in 2007.

[The David]

Originally Posted by mlc82

Funny how "atheist", meaning "Simply not believing in any particular god(s)", comes out sounding to some people like "Blood Drinking, Baby Eating Devil Worshipper" isn't it? I've been there and had that fun before.

I still remember the first time skepticism, or even reluctance, wasn't 'okay'.

[Jennihul]

Yeah, these guys do mean well and they are sincere.

But there are strings attached to their friendships and they tie around the Bible as the end-all, be-all of existance. Which to me is so sadly limiting of a belief.

It's as limiting a belief to me as some very negative things are and I can't get my head around it as being ultimately "good." But hey, if they are happy, that's all the matters.

Unless of course, it worms it's way into my politics, my bedroom, my uterus and my country's foreign policy...but that would never happen..


Jennifer

[jippykid]

Originally Posted by Jennihul

I moved from the Northeast to Raleigh...what I call "the buckle" of the bible belt. People here are freakishly Christian. Very verbose about it and very pushy about you joining them. Kind of "body-snatcher" Christians.

Scary. Especially if you aren't like them.

Jennifer

Jennifer - I felt the need to adress your comment becuase I had a completely different experience upon moving to Raleigh. Like you, I had moved from a northern state and was aprehensive about living in the "bible belt". However, when I got here, I found that my fears were completely unfounded. Sure, we had a few people ask, "Have you found a church yet?" when we'd tell them we were new to the area. But I likened this question to a local Minnesotan (where I'm originally from) asking you if you'd found a good ice fishing spot.

I simply think that religion is a large part of the culture down here.

[The David]

One thing I try to keep in mind, while living in East Tennessee, is that 'Christian' doesn't automatically mean anything. Some are narrow-minded, some are shallow, and some are just total jerks. Most, however, are somewhere in between 'good' and 'bad'. While I don't personally like the overwhelming Christian-ness of the south, it really is just part of the culture, and so many of the people who claim Christianity are just people, not religious fanatics. A name is just a name.