Awkward Exchange and General Musings

[TBA]

Yesterday an old acquaintance showed up at an exercise class I teach. After class she was in a small group and announced she knew me from church. (I was Christian then, but I left over 30 years ago and have been an atheist ever since.) The others commented indicating they were thinking I was one of them (A Christian) and I blurted out ... "Well my life took a different path and I don't go to blah blah church anymore." One piped up and said "But you didn't leave God?" and I then said "Well yes, I'm an atheist".

I don't really want to share my atheism with members of my exercise class... It's not really proper IMO, but I just cannot lie. And I can't let people think I'm something I'm not.

Anyhoo... it was weird and awkward. I feel like I'm the equivalent of Satan in their eyes. Normally I would not care but I want them to feel welcome to attend and not like they are in the presence of some demonic force.

[Girard442]

1. Atheism and Theism are basically adversaries.

Doesn't mean that they should be at each others throats all the time, but they really do represent wholly different world views and it's hard for me personally to see how the tension between the two camps can be made to go away completely.

[Freelancer]

2. It's like that Monty Python sketch, and religion is SPAM.

There doesn't seem to be anything on the American life menu that doesn't contain SPAM. What will we be having today? Eggs and SPAM, or sausage and SPAM? SPAM, SPAM, toast and SPAM, perhaps? We all have three choices of going against the grain. (1) We can demand a meal without SPAM. Or, (2) we can order the thing with the least SPAM, pick around it, surreptitiously wrap the bits in a napkin, and drop it in the trash on the way out. Or, (3) we order, but ask for the spam "on the side." I've done all three, in regard to religion, at one time or another.

[TBA]

3. I once lived in a smallish town in GA

and people would introduce themselves including their church name.

"Hello I'm Ms. So-in-so, Sherwood Baptist."

[Freelancer]

5. WOW. Now that's some serious SPAM consumption. (-: nt

[progressoid]

9. Ha! That makes me think of that Emo Phillips joke...

Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't do it!" He said, "Nobody loves me." I said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?"

He said, "Yes." I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?" He said, "A Christian." I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me, too! What franchise?" He said, "Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?" He said, "Northern Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"

He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region." I said, "Me, too!"

Northern Conservative†Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912." I said, "Die, heretic!" And I pushed him over.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/sep/29/comedy.religion

[Freelancer]

10. Just brilliant! (-: nt

[A HERETIC I AM]

11. Emo had such a hilarious delivery....

and that joke is truly hilarious.

[Freelancer]

4. Here's some real advice from a Potawatomi elder

My great aunt by marriage was a Potawatomi woman. Once, I asked her if she got tired of being asked about "Indian" wisdom. She said she used to, but then she started replying that she could only discuss sacred matters on holy ground. "Which is complete bullshit" she said, "It stops them in their tracks, though."

So, find a response that stops them in their tracks. Like... "it just seems silly to talk religion in sweat pants, don't you think?" Or, "I'm too superstitious to talk religion... knock wood." Or, "I have this odd looking mole. Should I just keep praying it away?" Not serious about that last one -- LOL. Once you set your mind to it, you'll find things suited to you that you can use to stop the religious questioning in its tracks.

[TBA]

6. Good advice...

I'll work on my diversion line so I'm not blindsided next time. BTW I teach Water Aerobics so we were in swimsuits!

[Warpy]

7. Now that was true Indian wisdom!

If some asshole keeps pushing after the generic "Sorry, I'm just not religious" dodge, I'm stuck with "none of your business!" and walking away.

[Lordquinton]

8. The majority of atheists are more than happy to live and let live

It's the theists that get weird when they find out you're not one of them.

(And for the record, atheists fighting against religious incursion into like, everything, is not atheists bothering theists, it's fighting back against creeping theocracy)

[HAB911]

12. The problem from my viewpoint is

"most" self described devout Christians are Supremacists and more than willing to boast about their religion. Atheists I know do not feel the same of course.