# Christian Supremacist **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 24, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386 "2003-08-24T20:48:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/21 "2003-08-25T01:43:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Copaesthetic \* > \*\*Absolutely they’d listen. The first goal of an individual running a church(The Pastor, not Trish) is to get people in the door, and keep people coming in. > > The man’s salary is on the line, and press about indoctrinating children outside the presence and without the permission of their parents is bad press. You talk with the Pastor, the Pastor talks with Trish, and it doesn’t happen again.\*\* In some churches, it’s good press. Many people would approve of indoctrinating children away from and without the permission of their parents, because they believe that hell is worse. > [@](#): > > That’s why the written statement from **norinew** ’s daughter is so important. That’s what’ll make it seem as creepy as it is. Word of mouth travels fast in the church communities, and a lot of people drift around from church to church. No Pastor wants to risk that. Trust me, the last thing that guy wants to see is her daughter talking to the cub reporter for the nightly news, or an excerpt from her note in the Religion page of the local paper. It wouldn’t surprise me to see donations fly through the roof with that kind of press. Use some fundie logic here – anything that brings people to the Bible, no matter how underhanded or unethical it may seem, is good. When people see how others are being brought to the Lord there, they will be eager to support that ministry. > [@](#): > > If you still have trouble, contact the sanctioning religious authority for that church and forward them the letter. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the sanctioning authorities approve of it. Go complain, but when they start trying to convert you, and when they start coming to your door to ostensibly ask how your daughter is doing, be prepared. ---
**Author:** ![Shaolinrabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Shaolinrabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaolinrabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/22 "2003-08-25T01:53:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lel \* > Go complain, but when they start trying to convert you, and when they start coming to your door to ostensibly ask how your daughter is doing, be prepared. Ok, **norinew** burn the church down. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/23 "2003-08-25T01:54:32Z")
> [@](#): > > Use some fundie logic here – anything that brings people to the Bible, no matter how underhanded or unethical it may seem, is good. When fringe religions use such tactics, aren’t they accused of being a dangerous cult, whose members need rescuing and deprogramming? ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/24 "2003-08-25T02:06:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EddyTeddyFreddy \* > \*\*When fringe religions use such tactics, aren’t they accused of being a dangerous cult, whose members need rescuing and deprogramming? \*\* It depends how far they go. Maybe they are fairly rational and will acquiesce when **norinew** talks to them. The cynical side of me is just going a bit too far today, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Shaolinrabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Shaolinrabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaolinrabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/25 "2003-08-25T02:32:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lel \* > It depends how far they go. Maybe they are fairly rational and will acquiesce when **norinew** talks to them. The cynical side of me is just going a bit too far today, I guess. **lel** is like a 1920’s style death ray. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/26 "2003-08-25T02:47:32Z")
Hey, all, I guess I will have a talk (calm, rational, well-thought-out) with Trish. If that doesn’t help, Ill talk with the pastor. Next resort would be to call the papers or write an editorial piece. I’m thinking about saying something along the lines of “Jesus told His disciples to be fishers of men; this seems more like clubbing baby seals”. What do you guys think? I might even invite Trish and the pastor of the church to one of our Devotional services. Let’s see them try to take **all** of us on! If all else fails, it’ll be time for the 1920’s style death ray. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/27 "2003-08-25T02:51:07Z")
Perfect! 😃 > [@](#): > > “Jesus told His disciples to be fishers of men; this seems more like clubbing baby seals”. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/28 "2003-08-25T03:10:15Z")
> [@](#): > > “Jesus told His disciples to be fishers of men; this seems more like clubbing baby seals”. Now THAT is classic sig material. ---
**Author:** ![DasUnterMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DasUnterMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DasUnterMensch)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/29 "2003-08-25T03:11:49Z")
Growing up in DFW this kind of crap happened to me all the time. Course it didn’t do any good I still turned out an atheist. You might try reminding her of their messiahs’ commandment to “do unto others” But in my minds ear I can hear her replying… //zombie church lady voice// But if I were a godless heathen bound for hell I’d want someone witness to my children and save them from my fate //zombie church lady voice// Is buying a assault rifle and going on a rampage an option? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/30 "2003-08-25T04:21:35Z")
I’d really suggest going to the pastor first. For one thing, Trish is expecting you, and will be… not fun to deal with. The pastor, being uninvolved, will be more pleasant… and if he responds poorly, you know it’s the perspective of the entire congregation. The other way round, Trish will run to the pastor and tell him god only knows what. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/31 "2003-08-25T05:06:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by E-Sabbath \* > \*\*The other way round, Trish will run to the pastor and tell him god only knows what. \*\* He’ll probably give her a medal. I used to know a woman much like Trish. She gloried in the “persecution of the unrighteous.” Every door slammed in her face or angry confrontation with an unbeliever was a badge of honor because she would be blessed by Jesus for “suffering for His cause.” Just like Trish, she talked kids into going to a fun “Day Camp,” and then tried to browbreat them into accepting her congregation’s version of the Only True Way. When parents complained, it was just another delightful opprotunity to spread the gospel. In my town, there are hundreds of churches, and, mind you, this is a small town. (Less than 30,000 population.) They spring up like mushrooms, seemingly over night, sometimes dissapearing just as quickly. The reason for this is the bitter disputes that occasionally break out in a congregation over a dogmatic detail. The disgrunted then splinter off into a new church, eager to convince everyone else of the error of their ways. The result of this are some surprisingly subversive tactics in gaining converts. On Sunday morning, the church busses troll the neighborhoods, each trying to lure children onboard before another congregation can snap them up. Competing bands of prostelyzers roam the streets, sometimes getting into loud arguments on streetcorners when their territories cross paths. Each sets up Day Camps in the summer, enticing children with the siren call of macaroni pictures and similar crafts. One sign I saw on a church lawn boasted that they would have clowns and a “Christian Illusionist” (they don’t call them magicians, because magic is evil.) Seemingly welcoming the chance for competition, most of the churches schedule them for the same week. I went to several of them as a kid until I knew better. With many of them, I never returned for a second day. Frankly, I just wanted to make my paper-plate bean shaker, not listen to Twenty Reasons Why You’ll Burn In Hell. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/32 "2003-08-25T07:34:56Z")
Oh, this is just awful. What a sleazy, slimy thing for Trish to do. (I’m Christian, by the way.) Let me tell you, my church never taught me to act like this. I agree with others who say going to the Pastor is the best course, since there’s a chance he may be reasonable and understanding. I also don’t think it’s a good idea to really get into your specific religious beliefs too much, or allow yourself to get sucked into any long discussions about personal faith. I mean, you are going to have to a _little_, since that’s what started all of this, but keep it simple. I fear that once you open that door and start talking in depth about religious beliefs, they will want to go over it and over it and start to ask you “questions” (which are just a way to stuff their beliefs down your throat) and you’ll have a hard time getting out of there. OK, _maybe_ the pastor won’t do that, but I think the risk is definitely there. Just ask him for “respect” and leave it at that. It’s true, some people are so wild-eyed that they can’t see how obnoxious they are appearing. I can’t think of one person I know who was converted to Christianity by being nagged to death. It just doesn’t work that way. ---
**Author:** ![rmbnxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@rmbnxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rmbnxs)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/33 "2003-08-25T07:50:14Z")
I’d kick Trish in the neck. ---
**Author:** ![Morrigoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Morrigoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrigoon)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/34 "2003-08-25T08:11:38Z")
I’d say invite Trish out to your services some time. Or talk to the pastor. I should warn you, however, that Trish is likely to cite Revelation 22:18-19. Just a heads up there. ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/35 "2003-08-25T09:36:29Z")
I wouldn’t bother talking to either the woman or the minister. That kind of people generally believe that “saving the infidels from hell” overrides courtesy and decency. My wife is a Buddhist and was scared to death by some ranting bastard last year so these days I just shun the religious. If I had one, I’d feel presumptiouis telling others to convert to my religion. I suppose that doesn’t bother the fundys. Regards Testy ---
**Author:** ![JerseyDiamond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@JerseyDiamond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyDiamond)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/36 "2003-08-25T09:42:24Z")
Christian woman…Christian church…you agreed… and you’re suprised and offended that they said Jesus is the only way? lol ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/37 "2003-08-25T09:54:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JerseyDiamond \* > \*\*Christian woman…Christian church…you agreed… > > and you’re suprised and offended that they said Jesus is the only way? > > lol \*\* It’s a **KID’S CLUB** Jersey…not the place for telling little kids that their ‘faith’ is not the correct one. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/38 "2003-08-25T11:42:49Z")
Perhaps you should attempt to convert Trish’s kids? I, personally, might be tempted to smite Trish. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/39 "2003-08-25T12:00:54Z")
I attend what would be considered a Fundy church (Assembly of God) tho I’m probably the most liberal member there (still a Raving Righty by the standards of most tho _L_). We have lots of children’s activities and ministries but we are also open & above board about what we want to do- teach kids to trust Jesus & also teach adults to trust Jesus. And if the evangelized kids bring in their parents who then get successfully evangelized, so much the better. (And it does happen. Yes, adults sometimes actually do decide to entrust themselves to God/Jesus & sometimes their lives actually improve as a result.) THAT said, I still think Trish was out of line for… "Apparently, Trish told her that she’s misguided. There’s a battle going on for her Immortal Soul, between God and Satan. God wants her soul, but can’t have it unless she accepts Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Trish told my daughter “I’m sure your mother isn’t intentionally misleading you, but that’s what she’s doing. You need to accept Christ into your heart and be baptized”. Talk with Trish; talk with the Pastor, don’t be surprised if they totally disagree with you but still make sure they understand you consider that totally inappropriate. Btw, if I had kids, I’d never let them visit a church I didn’t know all I could about, and if it was one I differed with, I’d let them visit while I also visited. Then we’d have a good discussion about it afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386/40 "2003-08-25T12:32:35Z")
Scare tactics were SOP in the Southern Baptist church of my childhood. My own grandmother used to scare me to death with stories about how I would go straight to hell for all eternity if I didn’t accept Jesus right that very moment. All of her quilting-bee buddies did the same thing. I trace my history of migraine headaches to that time period. As to the OP, you can be certain that the Pastor of that church will side with Trish–he might qualify his agreement by saying she “went a little too far,” but in his heart, he will agree completely with her approach. I would talk the whole thing over with my daughter and do my best to assure her that she wasn’t going to hell. Then, if necessary, I would tell Trish to leave my daughter alone or be prepared to face the consequences. Exactly what those consequences would be, I would reserve to myself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-supremacist/197386.md?page=3)