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If you're atheist and your significant other was religious...

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Tzetze DUMB from a converted church in Venice, Italy Since: Jan, 2001
Pykrete NOT THE BEES from Viridian Forest Since: Sep, 2009
NOT THE BEES
#102: Feb 18th 2011 at 9:15:37 PM

Not sure which sects it's specific to. I know that was the case in my parish's trips to Mexico.

rmctagg09 The Wanderer from Brooklyn, NY (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
The Wanderer
#103: Feb 18th 2011 at 9:16:41 PM

[up][up][up] I don't remember hearing about anything like that on the Protestant end.

edited 18th Feb '11 9:25:22 PM by rmctagg09

Hugging a Vanillite will give you frostbite.
Desertopa Not Actually Indie Since: Jan, 2001
Not Actually Indie
#104: Feb 18th 2011 at 9:24:03 PM

1) If you are a Christian and believe non-Christians go to hell unless they convert then you haven't read the Bible.

This is false.

Just because you are convinced that the bible supports a particular interpretation doesn't mean that there aren't people who sincerely disagree with it, having read exactly the same text you did. People become very invested in their interpretations, but if the meaning were that clear cut, these disagreements wouldn't come up in the first place.

...eventually, we will reach a maximum entropy state where nobody has their own socks or underwear, or knows who to ask to get them back.
LullTheConqueror Love Freak from eternal loli Hell Since: Jan, 2001
#105: Feb 18th 2011 at 10:19:46 PM

Honestly, I can't see being a long-term relationship with a seriously religious person any more than I can see being in a long-term relationship with a card-carrying Republican (too fine a distinction?). I'm not going to try to stop you from believing whatever you want to believe, but I can't see having a real relationship with someone whose basic ideals differ so sharply from my own.

So assuming the relationship was just starting, and the conversion attempt was the first inkling I had that the other person was religious, the response I see from me is "Sorry, I guess this isn't going to work." Better to part ways early than to keep it going and risk having children with someone who's going to want to take them to church - one thing I'm quite adamant about is that if I ever have children (which is a very big "if"), I'm not going to have any part in "giving them religion". If their mother wants them to have a religious upbringing, she can bring them up herself.

edited 18th Feb '11 10:23:49 PM by LullTheConqueror

the dice are loaded, the deck is stacked, the game itself will hold you back
Ardiente I won't kill you. Since: Jan, 2011
I won't kill you.
#106: Feb 18th 2011 at 11:15:26 PM

[up][up]I mean what aree we supposed to make out of the "there is no salvation but through me" speech?

"Sweets are good. Sweets are justice."
Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#107: Feb 19th 2011 at 12:48:40 AM

An uncomfortable innuendo?

So assuming the relationship was just starting,

I sorry, I think I forgot to mention, this thread is under the assumption that the two person have been a couple pretty deep into their relationship already.

If they just met, the answer would have been easy, "hahaha...we're through baby, let's just be friends."

edited 19th Feb '11 12:48:50 AM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
LullTheConqueror Love Freak from eternal loli Hell Since: Jan, 2001
#108: Feb 19th 2011 at 12:56:30 AM

[up] In that case, see the first paragraph. The second one was me imagining the only situation in which I can really see a significant other trying to convert me.

If we were deep into the relationship and they themselves converted... well, that's a bridge I'll cross if and when I come to it. Hopefully never. But since no one (broadly speaking) has the zeal of a convert, my instincts tell me my SO's conversion would be the death knell for the relationship.

the dice are loaded, the deck is stacked, the game itself will hold you back
Ardiente I won't kill you. Since: Jan, 2011
I won't kill you.
#109: Feb 19th 2011 at 1:16:20 AM

[up][up]Innuendo?

"Sweets are good. Sweets are justice."
Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#110: Feb 19th 2011 at 1:18:43 AM

I think I stayed up too late...but someone with a creative enough imagination can probably twist that into one I betcha.

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
Newfable Since: Feb, 2011
#111: Feb 19th 2011 at 10:09:09 AM

I'm not going to try to stop you from believing whatever you want to believe, but I can't see having a real relationship with someone whose basic ideals differ so sharply from my own.
I’ll never argue that point with you, but riddle me this for curiosity’s sake:

Suppose that someone you’re dating is very religious, and part of a religious sect or mindset that differs from your own of course, but ready and willing and completely open to new religions and thoughts concerning reality?

Miijhal Since: Jul, 2011
#112: Feb 19th 2011 at 11:51:41 AM

@Topic: To put it simply, the relationship would die a horrible death if she was religious enough to try to convert me. My views on deities, the afterlife, and so on would mean we'd be completely incompatible.

edited 19th Feb '11 11:52:27 AM by Miijhal

Pykrete NOT THE BEES from Viridian Forest Since: Sep, 2009
NOT THE BEES
#113: Feb 19th 2011 at 11:54:52 AM

I mean what aree we supposed to make out of the "there is no salvation but through me" speech?

Well, assuming He has absolutely no contact whatsoever with anyone in the world but one relatively small subset of humanity is a pretty big leap to make from it. I can think of a lot of people who are likely quite a bit closer to God than they think.

ItsTheGuy Since: Dec, 1969
#114: Feb 19th 2011 at 12:04:53 PM

My wife grew up Southern Baptist. That's religion, baby. One of their major beliefs is the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19, "go and make disciples of all nations"). They don't go door to door like other churches because they don't have to—everybody around here is already Baptist.

I'm an agnostic. I don't believe in a supreme being, but I do believe there is some sort of higher power we don't (and possibly can't) understand. I think organized religion is basically a con game.

How do we get along? I found out long ago that when Southern belles realize you're not a believer, it's over. I could have died a virgin if I hadn't learned to camouflage my beliefs. I say the words, I sing the songs, I listen to the sermons, I spot the superstitions. They won't change my beliefs, and I won't change theirs. In this case I go along to get along.

About missionaries, I think the goal there is to force your culture onto the "pagans," even though there was nothing wrong with their old culture.

Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#115: Feb 19th 2011 at 12:19:45 PM

^ So what do they do one they find out you don't believe in their god? Exile you?

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
SilentStranger Trivia Depository from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Trivia Depository
#116: Feb 19th 2011 at 12:26:07 PM

^^ Wow, thats healthy.

Ardiente I won't kill you. Since: Jan, 2011
I won't kill you.
#117: Feb 19th 2011 at 2:41:43 PM

"Sweets are good. Sweets are justice."
Cojuanco Since: Oct, 2009
#118: Feb 19th 2011 at 3:15:48 PM

OP: "What would you do if they wanted to convert you? What if they say they can't be with you because of how you are not a member of their religion? "

Well, I'd listen respectfully, and if it was untenable, I'd reluctantly leave. I wouldn't know, though, as I'm not an atheist.

Ardiente I won't kill you. Since: Jan, 2011
I won't kill you.
#119: Feb 19th 2011 at 9:31:15 PM

How about marrying someone from another religion. Like, a Jewish girl wanting you to let her children be educated in the Jewish rites and the talmud and shit?

"Sweets are good. Sweets are justice."
Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#120: Feb 19th 2011 at 9:39:32 PM

Don't jews follow the Torah?

As for couples of different religion...I think that it's impossible to work unless one of them keeps it a secret or outright abandon their religion....

Not all, but quite a few religion that believes in stuff like hell often have a taboo against religions that aren't theres......not sure if it was always like that or if it was added in to prevent followers from joining other religions.

edited 19th Feb '11 9:40:50 PM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
Sharysa Since: Jan, 2001
#121: Feb 19th 2011 at 10:13:01 PM

What would you do if they wanted to convert you? What if they say they can't be with you because of how you are not a member of their religion?

Then I would stop seeing them as soon as possible and mention that even if I DID convert for them, it would only be the bare minimum of prayer/church/religious ceremony. It'd have to be some guy to make me genuinely convert for them.

Of course, as I'm actually a neo-pagan, this is drawing uncomfortable parallels to "Christianity converting pagans because they're the ones with the most religious influence in the world."

If I were involved with an atheist, I just wouldn't care as long as they weren't a Hollywood Atheist or tried to make me STOP being religious for them  *

.

aquaphoenix paradisi deperitus from sw beyond h&s Since: Dec, 2010
paradisi deperitus
#122: Feb 19th 2011 at 10:51:40 PM

i have to deal with this crap like every other day.... my mother (queen bitch of the universe (yeah i quote from the abyss (i have my reasons to saying that))) is a christian radical (those fanatical types that think the earth is flat and the earth doesn't move) and has practically destroyed my life in her "faith" (let alone sent me to real life torture and still does it every now and than and yes i've tried to run away... its not that easy in this corrupt country)... she like sends me exorcist or some religious shit like that and i go all Hannibal lecture on their ass, i turned 4 or 5 of her cohorts to atheism, or if i'm in a bad mood, tell them to fuck off, than they get hostile and do a mass beating sometimes, i'm actually considering suicide right now, you guys can't even fathom the shit i went through 'cause of this bitch.. these guys just do not give up, and they speak of tolerance while they are as intolerant as fuck going all the way to outright torture just because i'm a atheist, i just cannot believe in a god.. especially when "god's people" are torturing somebody... and yeah it happens alot, and really... there is nothing i can do... i've tried everything, nothing works...but well.. at least i tell flip them off or go all Hannibal lecture on them... its actually quite fun (when it pays off not when it backfires and i get tortured (i'm telling you guys... water-boarding is nothing to me, water-boarding for me is like go to a water amusement park....they can be... Way. Worse.) when they turned atheist because of my lectures i reply them and they get all bitchy and whiney that they'll do things to me to shut me up and accept christ as my savior... well.. FUCK'EM.... with people like this why need enemies...

"I've become death... the destroyer of worlds...and come to think about it... it's only the end of the world"
Chagen46 Dude Looks Like a Lady from I don't really know Since: Jan, 2010
#123: Feb 20th 2011 at 12:16:01 AM

Aqua....I'm sorry, but you sound more like a strawman of a Atheist.

And I highly doubt that flat-earth and geocentric people still exist, much less a person being both.

"Who wants to hear about good stuff when the bottom of the abyss of human failure that you know doesn't exist is so much greater?"-Wraith
Talby Since: Jun, 2009
#124: Feb 20th 2011 at 12:28:48 AM

Flat earthers still exist, although it's a Poe's Law thing these days.

Chagen46 Dude Looks Like a Lady from I don't really know Since: Jan, 2010
#125: Feb 20th 2011 at 12:30:11 AM

.....I'm really hoping that you're not serious.

"Who wants to hear about good stuff when the bottom of the abyss of human failure that you know doesn't exist is so much greater?"-Wraith

Total posts: 144
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