Iruka NaminoriModerator
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Most fundamentalists aren't going to change their minds about religion, so I'm not talking about something that will "win them over." No single video, book or article is going to do that. I'm thinking about something that will help them understand me as a person.

I found out recently--or not so recently--that my mother had been reading my posts without my knowledge. That is so uncool on a number of levels.

I'm sure she's heard all kinds of nasty things about the Rational Response Squad from her church, Pat Robertson, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, et al. The funny thing is that most criticisms against the Rational Response Squad totally miss the point. In much the same way fundamentalists and right-wingers can't see gray areas or understand irony, they totally miss the point of such things as the Blasphemy Challenge.

You saw the fundies drop by in droves. Most of them totally missed the point. It shouldn't take a genius to realize that the Blasphemy Challenge was mostly a publicity stunt to get religious people to show up at the site so we could engage them in conversation. The fundies didn't see it that way. They saw it as a personal affront, a sign that we hate their guts.

Obviously, there's a hell of lot of projection going on. My mother is under the impression I'm a member of a "hateful" organization and that I "hate" her. Once you realize my mother has lived the past 30 years listening to the likes of Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh and their ilk, it's not hard to see how she's projected the hate-filled agenda of the Moral Majority, Christian Coalition and current Republican Party onto the Rational Response Squad.

That last idea of hers scares me because, regardless of anything that has passed between us, I do not hate her. If she's projecting, it's possible she's beginning to hate me. All she knows about the RRS is what the right-wing and churches have told her. All she knows about me is whatever I needed to get off my chest. I was fully able to communicate about the positive aspects of our relationship with her, but I've never been able to bring up the things that aren't quite right. It's that whole black-or-white thinking again. If I say anything negative about her, I must hate her. To be honest, I don't think we'll ever have a healthy relationship, but any improvement would be a good thing. I haven't talked to her since she went ballistic on me.

So, are there any "Understanding Your Atheist Relative" pamphlets for fundies?
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Submitted by Iruka Naminori on December 20, 2007 - 9:34pm. login or register to post comments

I AM GOD AS YOU
Posts: 453
Joined: 2007-09-29
"So, are there


"So, are there any "Understanding Your Atheist Relative" pamphlets for fundies? "

Good idea Iruka Naminori ! You could write one.

, what will be the title ? "Atheists Love Life" or truth or god or ? .... lol

December 20, 2007 - 9:52pm login or register to post comments

brandobrando's picture
Posts: 22
Joined: 2007-12-13
Clips of Ken Miller on

Clips of Ken Miller on Youtube, discussing Evolution vs ID at Brown University, helped a friend of mine realize that "there might actually be something to this science stuff." He grew up in the Deep South being constantly told that scientists just make stuff up Eye-wink

- Brando
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
December 20, 2007 - 9:58pm login or register to post comments

TilberianModerator
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Posts: 894
Joined: 2006-11-27
Iruka Naminori wrote: So,

Iruka Naminori wrote:

So, are there any "Understanding Your Atheist Relative" pamphlets for fundies?


What an awesome idea! I'm putting my thinking cap on...

Lazy is a word we use when someone isn't doing what we want them to do.
- Dr. Joy Brown
December 20, 2007 - 10:37pm login or register to post comments

joshpattenjoshpatten's picture
Posts: 127
Joined: 2007-05-13
Get me some ideas/topics


Get me some ideas/topics for it and I'll put it on a nice printable "tract" like I did the other ones (check my sig for the website)

I think this is a good idea to help people understand we are not who they think we are.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
-- Jimi Hendrix

http://atheismtracts.googlepages.com
December 21, 2007 - 12:42am login or register to post comments

I AM GOD AS YOU
Posts: 453
Joined: 2007-09-29
Yo joshpatten, nice


Yo joshpatten, nice job on your pamphlet

, in the spirit of Thomas Paine , YEAH

wake up the neighbors, Slaves no more ....





December 21, 2007 - 1:14am login or register to post comments

PathofreasonSilver Member
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Posts: 304
Joined: 2006-12-23
Hmmm

I would say it comes down to 2 books. Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris or Breaking the Code, Understanding the book of Revelation by Bruce Metzger. But even talking to them about this stuff is like talking to a brick wall.

Co-Founder of the Atheist/Freethought website Pathofreason.com

www.pathofreason.com

Check it out
December 21, 2007 - 2:19am login or register to post comments