Dealing with Evangelicals

[Teoka]

One of my best friends, Caroline, goes to an evangelical church, and has some friends there. Luckily, she isn't pushy at all, but her friends are apparently very pushy and very intolerant of those who . She doesn't want me to meet them because if they find out I'm an atheist and/or I'm bisexual, they'll give me a lot of s**t. According to her, they've made kids cry before with their verbal harassment, etc.

I don't think that I'd let them get to me. If I ever met them, I'd just treat them like I'd treat everyone else, maybe with a little extra sugar. Only if they asked would I say I'm an atheist. And if they decide to give me crap or treat me badly because I don't believe what they do, that's their choice (to be an asshat, that is).

So, thoughts?  

[[The Looney Bin]]

The dinosaurs are returning...

Homicide.

Homicide is the only answer.

Edit: Now that I think about it.
You should go hang out with them.
And completely rub it in their faces that your bi and an atheist.
Then observe closely what they do to you that makes other people cry.
Then tell the guild.
So we can team up and reverse it.
Then you can go up to them and make them cry like crazy =DD.

(jk)

...and they want their oil back.

 

[Sanguvixen]

I've had dealing ins with Evangelicals before. It might seem stereotypical to say this...but they are a nasty lot. Especially in my area...because they are a super form of Evangalicals. They evolved after coming in contact with greed and money and turned into a new form, called Televangelism. ;shudders;

Anyway...if they are not associated with Televangelist groups they might not be that bad. However anyone who is willing to verbally harass people to the point of making them cry is not worth associating with in my opinion.

People like that...they won't change just because they meet on nice atheist. If they feel their purpose is to push god on people, than chances are the only change can come from self realization, in which what they are doing is wrong.

If you do choose to meet them, and you should be prepared to file a report or something based on harassment if they do harass you and take it too far. Sometimes people, religious people, will harass people to the point of making people cry because no one has bothered to stand up to them. Standing up and not taking it, and taking appropriate measures may be the thing those girls need to quieten down and become better Evangelicals.

How you deal with them is up to you if you choose to meet them, I'm only offering my own opinion.

And....Loony Bin...I know that you are only saying that in a joking way but do not say that again. Anyone could come in here from the outside, or anyone who is new, take that the wrong way and report it and we don't need trouble with the mods, okay?  

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

If it were me, I probably wouldn't want to meet them, just because I'd want to avoid the obnoxious way they'd throw things in my face. But I doubt you'd crumble under their pressure and cry... you're a GAU member! razz Just prepare to fight back and let us know what happens. XDD  

[DivineBlindSoul]

In the mood I'm in right now, I'd want to meet up with people like that and rub it in their faces that I'm pro choice, I support gay marriage, I'm an Atheist and yeah, I think that their wonderful God is imaginary and they can't/won't make me cry about it one little bit.

(( I'm feisty right now and minorly...okay majorly looking for a fight...heh.. My boyfriend's mother's boyfriend is being a real b***h lately and tonight he told her that she's not a good mother...Oh I want to cut his testicles off and feed them to him...! ))  

[Xiporah]

Don't make eye contact and don't walk within 5 feet of them.

 

[Kidrahs]

I have'nt run across any groups of people like that yet. But if(or, in this country, when), I would totaly screw around with them. In a calm, rational way, of course. 3nodding  

[Redem]

I'd cold shoulder them, mostly. If they started something, I would give as good as I got. I can't stand bullies.  

[SkeletonPhoenix]

[The Looney Bin]

The dinosaurs are returning...

Homicide.

Homicide is the only answer.

Edit: Now that I think about it.
You should go hang out with them.
And completely rub it in their faces that your bi and an atheist.
Then observe closely what they do to you that makes other people cry.
Then tell the guild.
So we can team up and reverse it.
Then you can go up to them and make them cry like crazy =DD.

(jk)

...and they want their oil back.

Kill all Religious people. Kill. Kill. Exterminate!  

[Daffodil the Destroyer]

SkeletonPhoenix

[The Looney Bin]

The dinosaurs are returning...

Homicide.

Homicide is the only answer.

Edit: Now that I think about it.
You should go hang out with them.
And completely rub it in their faces that your bi and an atheist.
Then observe closely what they do to you that makes other people cry.
Then tell the guild.
So we can team up and reverse it.
Then you can go up to them and make them cry like crazy =DD.

(jk)

...and they want their oil back.

Kill all Religious people. Kill. Kill. Exterminate!

I agree with Sanguvixen on this point - I don't think we should make such statements in the guild, as they may be taken seriously by Gaia staff and we may get in trouble for "threatening" people. Plus... it's a joke that comes off as being in poor taste if you can't hear someone's joking tone of voice behind it.  

[neverwisefool]

I actually grew up among evangelicals, and it really depends on the person. some are total jerks and others are polite and respectful. you just have to gauge it on a case by case basis. if you run into someone who is disrespectful, rude or abusive, deal with them like you would anyone who was that way.  

[Levis Pennae]

In my experience I have only really dealt with soap box evangelicals. With them I just pulled out a bible and read to them the really violent and cruel parts, which usually end up with the majority of the gathered crowd to disperse in shock and the evangelical packing up and going home. Or I use
the good 'ol "Hey look, free ice-cream" trick, just to be a pain in the @$$.  

[Edi Gammon]

Honestly, when dealing with evangelicals... or anyone who tries to proselytize you, confrontation is the worst possible way for you to go. If someone is being an a** to you, of course you don't have to stand there and eat crap. But if someone is really legitimately trying to convince you of the goodness of jeebus I doubt they'd approach you with the idea that they were going to humiliate you.

So do the Ghandi thing, and take the non violent path.

Stand up for who you are not by retaliating, but by questioning their reasoning with logic and reasoning. If they are attacking you and not the argument, let them know how desperate they must be by using ad hominem. Point out where their flaws in reasoning are. Be polite if you are able to be. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know" to things that you really don't know, because it really is okay to suspend judgment until you have enough evidence!

And have patience!

You never know who you might bring around to the light of reality by being a good example of someone who can think clearly. Even though they seem so sure and so confident, you never know the doubts they have in their heads when they are alone. You might even make them think about things in a way they never though about before. Why do you think Jehovah's witnesses and Mormons always come knocking at your door in groups of two or more? Besides the safety factor, they need mutual support. They need someone there who agrees with them. More than likely, if you're able to have a comfortable one on one conversation with them you'll find that for the most part evangelical people will show much more consideration to your beliefs. I have experienced this quite a few times... the town I live in is chock full of bible thumpers, but I digress....

Because really, there already is enough religious division in this world. Thats what religion does best. It acts as an artificial barrier between people who would otherwise have no reason to think they were different, or superior to, or specially chosen by god, with respect to someone else. Any confrontation just makes the problem worse by giving them the excuse to feel more superior to you and all who they consider the same as you. By showing them that you really do share the same aspects of humanity, you take away religions power to separate you from them in their mind.

Getting off soapbox now.  

[Edi Gammon]

Yeah, looney and skeleton....

Don't even joke about that crap. Whether you believe it or not, we all have the right to life and liberty no matter what country you live in.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, see articles 1, 2, and 3.