How to Defend myself?

[Spanky the Moose]

Okay, I hope most of you have been through this situation... Christians that try to convert you.

But I have a really big problem, see, ALL of the people I know in real life are christian, I am the only agnostic/athiest I know. Everyday (at school) when I try to talk to my friends we will somehow get into a debate on why I dont believe in god, and they outnumber me so much I cant think fast enough of anything to defend myself with. But this has gone on for a while, and it's starting to feel like they are harrassing me. I have even gone to my guidance counselors about it. But to no avail (most of my school is christian, and yes, it's a public school, however, they dont seem to care at all if you arent christian) Not even my guidance counselors were fair about it. They just cant understand my logic, and they wont let me not accept their religion. I have to sit through classes where my teachers give assignments out that are clearly religious, (such as english projects based on the bible?!) Not to mention where I have some serious learning disabilities I need help with, but at my school, I cant even get proper help for them, because of their beliefs. And I auctually failed a few classes. Last year at school was horrible, somedays I was put under so much pressure, I auctually cried. I cant even get my own family to support me because they are religious. And school is almost starting again crying . What am I supposed to do? What can I possibly say to defend myself?  

[Sanguvixen]

Hmmm...Firstly, don't get in debates. If the people around you are going to turn to the topic of religion, than stay silent, and refuse to talk about it.

When they pressure you, act like you are ignoring them. Do not even speak until they change the subject. If they keep harassing you, than stop being their friends. Real friends accept differences.

I'm also very curious as to where you live. So if you don't mind, where do you live?

The best way to not let them harass you is to just not talk. Now they might get a little hissy when you go silent, but if you refuse to break that silence over and over again through-out the days...then eventually they will stop bringing it up.

Personally if a teacher were giving me english assignments, based on the Bible, I would be making some phone calls to different authorities. Teachers are not allowed to talk about religion, nore base any assignments off religion.

So...if you could, for the first month or two, compile a list of all the assignments that is assigned that pertain to religion. Then...once you have a good base, find somebody...perhaps someone in the Gov't, who is willing to listen to you.

It might be a lot of work, but if your family will not back you up, and the counselers won't do a thing, than basically all you can do is take the matter into your own hands, buy turning to people who will listen, that are of a higher authority.

Of course...you'll have to build a base first of evidence of what the teachers are doing. If you have real assignments that have been given out based on the Bible....and if you can show that these assignments are consistantly given out, than you'll have something that is valid.

 

[GEt CrUnK iTs BiLlY!]

If I were you I would tell your friends to simply either respect your beliefs or leave. That or you make a deal with your friends to not talk about religion any more. If it is a public school you could remind your teachers that it is a public school, then if they don't change tell them they could lose there job if they kept it up, and finally sue them if nothing else works  

[Spanky the Moose]

Sanguvixen

Hmmm...Firstly, don't get in debates. If the people around you are going to turn to the topic of religion, than stay silent, and refuse to talk about it.

When they pressure you, act like you are ignoring them. Do not even speak until they change the subject. If they keep harassing you, than stop being their friends. Real friends accept differences.

I'm also very curious as to where you live. So if you don't mind, where do you live?

The best way to not let them harass you is to just not talk. Now they might get a little hissy when you go silent, but if you refuse to break that silence over and over again through-out the days...then eventually they will stop bringing it up.

Personally if a teacher were giving me english assignments, based on the Bible, I would be making some phone calls to different authorities. Teachers are not allowed to talk about religion, nore base any assignments off religion.

So...if you could, for the first month or two, compile a list of all the assignments that is assigned that pertain to religion. Then...once you have a good base, find somebody...perhaps someone in the Gov't, who is willing to listen to you.

It might be a lot of work, but if your family will not back you up, and the counselers won't do a thing, than basically all you can do is take the matter into your own hands, buy turning to people who will listen, that are of a higher authority.

Of course...you'll have to build a base first of evidence of what the teachers are doing. If you have real assignments that have been given out based on the Bible....and if you can show that these assignments are consistantly given out, than you'll have something that is valid.

I live in florida, and for government, I dunno. Alot of those cases against religion have failed. Especially because I live in Florida, where alot of the school system is dictated by Jeb bush, who is unfortunately brother to George Bush, sad .  

[Spanky the Moose]

Thatisonesexypanda!

If I were you I would tell your friends to simply either respect your beliefs or leave. That or you make a deal with your friends to not talk about religion any more. If it is a public school you could remind your teachers that it is a public school, then if they don't change tell them they could lose there job if they kept it up, and finally sue them if nothing else works

Dont I need help from parents to get into legal matters? My parents dont support me!  

[Razornova]

Honey, I live in Missouri and have almost the exact same problem. While my teachers don't assign things based on Christianity, they speak of it in their classrooms and hint at it in classes where they aren't sure that they could get away with it. (Ex: a class with a student that they've heard is pronouncedly atheist.) Almost all of my friends are Christian, and while only a couple of them attacked me about my religious choices, their attacks could be pretty bad. But at any other time, they're great friends. Eventually I talked to them about it, and we still debate sometimes, but it's a lot better. ^^

The best you can do is keep your head down. When people talk about Jesus or something similar, just exclude yourself from the conversation. Ignore people if you have to. Tell your friends to leave you alone about your religion. As someone else mentioned, if they're really your friends, they'll respect your request; it isn't a difficult one to follow.

As for your family, they don't support you because they honestly believe that you're wrong. They don't want to show you any support because in their belief, you're going to hell, and they don't want that to happen to you. Try to understand them, and try to civilly explain your reasoning for being Atheist. But that's about the best you can do where they're concerned.

Being an Atheist child isn't easy.  

[Kiron]

Offense is the greatest Defense wink

Print off like 10,000 paper' s on why Evolution >>>> ID or why scientificly god hold' s no merit, then give them to them, and tell them to get back to you after they read it XD

Oh also, if the teacher' s and counseller' s are like that, I would reccomend complaining to the Education department and the Authorities.

Razornova

Being an Atheist child isn't easy.

Only in America, everwhere else it' s quite the opposite.

Another thing you could try take your case to Fox, they hate everyone equally XD  

[Sanguvixen]

Kiron

Offense is the greatest Defense wink

Print off like 10,000 paper' s on why Evolution >>>> ID or why scientificly god hold' s no merit, then give them to them, and tell them to get back to you after they read it XD

Oh also, if the teacher' s and counseller' s are like that, I would reccomend complaining to the Education department and the Authorities.

Razornova

Being an Atheist child isn't easy.

Only in America, everwhere else it' s quite the opposite.

Another thing you could try take your case to Fox, they hate everyone equally XD

Fox defended Homosexuals....they are awsome!

If the Flordian Gov't won't do something, than find the next level up.

 

[Spanky the Moose]

Kiron

Print off like 10,000 paper' s on why Evolution >>>> ID or why scientificly god hold' s no merit, then give them to them, and tell them to get back to you after they read it XD

But the whole irony of why they wont let me be, is that "I shouldnt be brainwashed by this science stuff that cant even be proved". stare

And I dont want to bring down the whole entire school, I like alot of the programs they only offer, I'm in their magnet program. And I dont want anything to be taken to national tv, or the supreme court.... I just want them to get off my back, and LOGICALLY understand my learning difficulties so that I can f**king graduate.

But evidently, the only way to make them understand my logic, is by using their logic, which is completely opposite, yet entirely the same. (Which I mean by, they also think we are ignorant, brainwashed, and close minded) I just dont see how I can use their logic to clarify mine. What is the opposite of logic then? Abstraction? Nah... that doesnt seem to work either...  

[Sanguvixen]

Spanky the Moose

Kiron

Print off like 10,000 paper' s on why Evolution >>>> ID or why scientificly god hold' s no merit, then give them to them, and tell them to get back to you after they read it XD

But the whole irony of why they wont let me be, is that "I shouldnt be brainwashed by this science stuff that cant even be proved". stare

And I dont want to bring down the whole entire school, I like alot of the programs they only offer, I'm in their magnet program. And I dont want anything to be taken to national tv, or the supreme court.... I just want them to get off my back, and LOGICALLY understand my learning difficulties so that I can f**king graduate.

But evidently, the only way to make them understand my logic, is by using their logic, which is completely opposite, yet entirely the same. (Which I mean by, they also think we are ignorant, brainwashed, and close minded) I just dont see how I can use their logic to clarify mine. What is the opposite of logic then? Abstraction? Nah... that doesnt seem to work either...

Here is what you do....Read some good stuff, and arm yourself with knowledge. Read a little bit into Evolution, and other things so that you have the stuff memorized.

Thiests count on catching thier victims off-guard. Those not armed with knowledge often just cave in.

So...to arms! With....err...books?

 

[caustic 0_0]

"Teachers are not allowed to talk about religion, nore base any assignments off religion. "
That's just not true. Nor should it be true.
There is nothing that says religion can't be talked about in the classroom. It depends on what's being done with it. One religion can't be promoted over another and religious can't be promoted over secular or vice versa. That said, it's not hard for a teacher to step outside of that guideline.

I was in a majority christian school and I had no real problems. We did assignments related to religion and we even read a famous sermon. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Did I sue? No. Should I have? No. It was very related to the class. It was an american literature class and at the time we were studying early american writing and writing from the colonies.

You wouldn't have to have your parents involved, but you'd have to find some one else. Starting with talking to the counselors was a good step. Keep trying with different people? What have you told your parents about it?
It would be so much more Christian of them to still love and support you. That's what really gets me. >.o

The thing is, it shouldn't matter to the people at school if you have a way to back up your belief as an atheist. If you don't believe, that kind of pressure from friends won't do anything but hurt you emotionally like it has. If they really cared about one day bringing you to the 'truth,' then they would just let you know that they have other beliefs and that if you want to hear about them and discuss it, you can talk to them. The best they could do is still support you as a friend and give you the option to talk to them about it when you want to. Maybe you could try to show it to them that way. If you ever want to talk about it and seriously consider christianity, it'll come when you make that decision and not because they pressure you daily and drive you to tears under the stress.

With your friends, I would say just be honest. Tell them something like that you respect their belief, but you have your own, that you don't want to fight with them, and that when you want to talk with them about it you will. If they want respect from you for their right to practice as they wish, then you should get that right too.

Do some internet research? Maybe knowing more would help.
Here's a little bit more-
http://www.adl.org/religion_ps_2004/religion.asp
 

[Lesilrok]

I would AVOID a debate at ALL COSTS because you will most likely make a few enemies and F*** anything you say now these days are bound to offend someone. IF you are trapped in a corner just you the supplies I give you. ^^

56 reasons why I don't believe in Christianity by wulf

also as posted from another post from here on the boards

Skeptics annotated bible

should be enough ammo for you


Edit: As for Ms. Sanguvixen's reply with reading on evolution I searched through the GAU files and found an interesting topic based on evolution check it out

http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=2386519  

[Redem]

As has been mentionned, attack is the best defense.

Instead of trying to answer all their questions, which you won't be able to to their satisfaction, sak them questions. Challange them to prove their religious views correct.

Challange them to prove you wrong, rather then letting them do it to you.  

[Lethkhar]

Spanky the Moose

Thatisonesexypanda!

If I were you I would tell your friends to simply either respect your beliefs or leave. That or you make a deal with your friends to not talk about religion any more. If it is a public school you could remind your teachers that it is a public school, then if they don't change tell them they could lose there job if they kept it up, and finally sue them if nothing else works

Dont I need help from parents to get into legal matters? My parents dont support me!

How old are you?

In my state, you can hire an attorney and/or file a lawsuit at age 15 and up.  

[Lethkhar]

Spanky the Moose

Kiron

Print off like 10,000 paper' s on why Evolution >>>> ID or why scientificly god hold' s no merit, then give them to them, and tell them to get back to you after they read it XD

But the whole irony of why they wont let me be, is that "I shouldnt be brainwashed by this science stuff that cant even be proved". stare

rofl OMG I'm crying! rofl

lol Sorry...Ok... lol Calm down... lol

Quote:

And I dont want to bring down the whole entire school, I like alot of the programs they only offer, I'm in their magnet program. And I dont want anything to be taken to national tv, or the supreme court.... I just want them to get off my back, and LOGICALLY understand my learning difficulties so that I can f**king graduate.

As Michael Moor put it,"Threaten to file a lawsuit. They HATE that word!"

It should only take a warning. If you talk to your teachers about it, it's their job to understand and respond.

Quote:

But evidently, the only way to make them understand my logic, is by using their logic, which is completely opposite, yet entirely the same. (Which I mean by, they also think we are ignorant, brainwashed, and close minded) I just dont see how I can use their logic to clarify mine. What is the opposite of logic then? Abstraction? Nah... that doesnt seem to work either...

Do what I always do when pressed for time in a debate. Offer them a paradox like "If God's so powerful, can He create a stone that He cannot lift?"

Let them have a few moments to try to rationally argue with that, while you think up responses to their other arguments.

Although, in my experience, it won't do you much good to argue with them. I mean, you can beat them in one debate, then just tell them that it'd be better not to talk about it anymore. That'll show them that you're cool with their religion, but you have reasoning for your own beliefs.

Seriously, just avoid arguments like that with friends.