Sometimes I think they’re genuinely misguided. Then sometimes I think God has genuinely designed them to believe this way, because they feel “safer” or something. In my friend’s case, she was quite a weak girl, she wasn’t stupid, but she wasn’t that bright, and she was always quite gullible or “very easily swayed” as a few people put it. She was a lovely, lovely girl and she still is, she’s just a different girl now.
So at least believing in this born-again way she won’t be swayed to the wrong side. If she hasn’t the strength or intelligence to doubt and reaffirm, or work things out for herself, or ever question her priest’s interpretation of religious matters, so be it. Perhaps God takes care of more less strong-minded people by giving them this sort of all-encompassing religious belief fervour.
Look, I can send you pics of my little sister, not a problem. Both before she became a stripper and a fundie and after.
BIG BIG Difference in appearance for her, but she is still very beautiful.
Video though, no, no luck on that one…
I tell you what though, just go into any strip club, look for the white girl with black hair, kind of Goth, with black Angel wings (she’s really really good with pole work) and you’ve got the picture. She’ll even give you a lap dance, no problem. With a bible in one hand and her other hand stretched out for your money. :rolleyes:
I had been a christian while being a dancer also(bakcslidden)
Some guy was in, he said “I’m a christian.”
I said “Whatre you doing here then?”
He said "What are you ?
Vanilla, I must make it plain and clear to you and any other dancers current or former out there.
I have no problem with dancing. None. Nadda.
It’s the hipocracy coming from specifically HER lips that gets on my last nerve, and has caused us to not really speak much these past years.
I jest. Truly. I swear. [devil on the shoulder]He’s lying! Lying I tell you. He wants all the pictures he can get! He’s a sick, sad little pervert![/devil on the shoulder]
I just wanted to add an additional comment. It seems like the Fundie types tend to prey on the downtrodden or those who would define themselves or be defined by others as “losers”.
I find this despicable. The friend of mine who was “converted” wasn’t a loser, but he thought himself one. He had just lost the best job he ever had due to company finances, and he was having trouble finding a job that paid what he was worth, and a woman that he was really attracted to let him down in a not so easy way. The person who convinced him to go to church latched on to his “failings” and convinced him that he would be a “loser” until he found god.
So he found god, and there was no appreciable difference. 8 months passed.
He has a job. The job he has now I found and recommened him for.
He has a girlfriend. The girl he is dating I introduced to him, though he’s about to lose her due to the daily preaching. Which is too bad, because she’s a wonderful person, certainly not a “sinner,” and really likes him. She even went to his church, since she’s Christian, and goes to church regularly. Though she refuses to go with him now, and described the services as “cult-like.”
The apartment he lives in I helped him find and paid the deposit for. When he was evicted and had to move due to lack of money all of his “friends” at church promised to help him move. The only person to show up wasn’t invited to help him move. It was me.
I don’t remember god being there for any of these things. I remember a good friend who loved him being there for him.
As I said, we still e-mail, and we’re still cordial, but the friendship that was there isn’t there any more. It’s sad, and I’m hoping that he’ll see that he can worship god and not revile everything that isn’t godly. I truly hope so.
Hi. I’m danalan, and I used to be a fundamentalist christian. Now I’m not a christian at all. My belief system is best described as Taoist philosophy. I believe that religion is poison.
Now you know that fundamentalism isn’t some fatal disease – it’s not incurable. We non-fundamentalists have all the fun stuff on our side: sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll, baby! Not to mention reason, balance, and respect for others.
There is no easy solution if you have a friend or family member who is afflicted. Each case is different. In general, I think it’s best to ease them away from spending time at church. Get them involved in some non-religious activity. Sports or psuedo-sports (darts, bowling) are good. Birding is good – Sunday morning in the woods is way better than being brainwashed. Introduce them to an attractive new potential partner, a normal one. Buy one if you have too. Take them to the natural history museum.
One warning: DO NOT spend so much time with them that you become drawn into their religious circle. This can be DANGEROUS, even to intelligent adults. The idea is to draw them into your circle, OK?
Hey Danalan good to meet you! Glad that you came out still smiling and found a better path for you.
I don’t think my friend will ever emerge, she’s too “surrounded.” However her fundie friends and family are good people, and since we’re now estranged through time and geography and I don’t get the letters (imagine that you had a baby, and it was the most beautiful thing in the world, istara, and you just loved it so much, well that’s how Jesus sees you) and she has her own baby now, and is happy from what I can tell, it’s all for the best.
Oh, just wait. Soon he’ll be surrounded by almost nothing but fundies and going to church so often that he’ll look like he’s foregone sleep so he can go to church one…last…time…can’t miss this special 2 am service, even though I have to be to work in the (falls asleep). Soon he’ll be telling you that you don’t need scientific proof for Jesus because he lives inside your heart, and if you want to have that relationship with Him, you need to…I’m sure you heard the spiel. After that he’ll mention that the Bible proves that the world is only 7000 years old. It’s right there, just count the geneaologies. A 10-year-old could demonstrate it to you!
