The email was the final straw in a series of previously gentle attempts to win me over and gentle rebuffs on my part. I politely declined an invitation to attend his church, I actually agreed to take part in an exercise his pastor assigned whereby each member of the congregation was to ask a non church going friend to write a few paragraphs as to why they don’t attend church. He never followed up on that one, perhaps anticipating my response. I have been taken to task by him for refusing to rule out the possibility that aliens crashed at Roswell but absolutely ruling out Jesus Christ as God’s only begotten son who died for our sins. On the surface of it, that’s a pretty tough one to respond to. I believe in the possibiltiy of a coverup at Roswell, I don’t believe in the possibility of Christ’s divinity.
“You’ll believe in little green men but not a higher power” he chides. (I do believe in a higher power and the little men are grey not green )
My harsh response didn’t come from nowhere. I was not reaching him and had to escalate it. On a side note, he has recently befriended a Muslim who is unhappy with his faith and has been leaning towards Christianity. I figure this might have added to my friend’s zeal with me. Bringing a Muslim AND an atheist into the fold would really score some brownie points with the Lord.
I don’t take issue with being called a dick. Sometimes you have to be one.
The OP could respond that way, but since the friend sent an email that was deliberately insulting his friend, in my opinion he was looking for a fight and the OP was simply obliging him.
It’s not really tough at all from an empirical standpoint. there is nothing about hypothetical aliens which is inherently impossible (in that it would not violate the known laws of physics). Christian doctrine, on the other hand, asks you to believe something which would constutute a de facto violatopn of physical laws and which from a scientific perspective would have to be regarded as impossible.
The possibility that life has arisen elsewhere in the universe is not even improbable. In fact, given the immense sampling size of planetary systems in the universe, it’s probably a mathematical certainty that life has arisen multiple times. The problem for UFO theories is not really the possibility of extraterrestrial life but the far greater obstacles presented by the immense distances that would have to be travelled in space. Still, the possibility that some other sentient lifeform could figure out how to transport themselves interstellarly in a reasonable amount of time, while exceedingly low, is probably non-zero. The chances of a dead man coming back to life or walking on water are (scientifically speaking) zero.
It assaulted the OP’s love for Canada by depicting it as a nation of intolerant yokels who not only couldn’t tolerate hearing other languages or seeing other religions, but also didn’t know their own national motto.
I’m sorry, I agree with DtC’s main point, but this is hilarious. Anyway, I think the OP is justified. Sometimes some people get to a point where mentally they are just not compatible with you any more. MAybe one day he’ll come around, but for now he’s lost to you.
I am sorry if what I am about to say offends anyone.
If these stupid ass Christian Dumbfucks can push their dumbshit views down your throat all day, why the fuck can’t I push mine back at them?
Okay, I feel better. Had to let the vulgarities out for a minute.
Where I live, these ultracon Christians are trying to force their ignorant moral agenda on EVERYONE. Nobody can push back because they get the same shit.
I think that deevee did exactly what he should have, and if his friend couldn’t handle that, well, he must have been past the point of no return.
Deevee, you kick ass. Don’t let people make you feel crappy for standing up for what you believe in.
That kind of resuscitation is not really bringing a dead person back to life. The person just wasn’t quite dead yet. But if you want to quibble about it, let’s say that the chances are zero that a dead man will come back to life after, say, about 24 hours.
It is a real shame you feel a need to share how I’ve persecuted you with my non-belief. I’m terribly offended. Had you chosen to remain a part of my life, there would have been opportunity for me to see how much your love of Christ and Christ’s love of you has enriched your life, and some small chance that I would have wanted to experience the same sort of peace. Instead you have chosen to wound me by accusing me and other people who are not religious by persecuting you. Having made your feelings know to me, I feel I must now do you the favor of withdrawing from your life, for both our sakes. There seems to be no reason for me to continue to personally persecute you, though I assure you it was unintentional. And while my persecution was unintentional, it apparently cannot be avoided, I must remain true to myself, even if it costs me a dear friend. I cannot believe simply because you wish me to. Emails from you will be sent to my spam folder and if I notice your number on my caller ID, I will not answer. I’m very sorry you have found my lack of belief so offensive. I will always look fondly on our past friendship.
I first started using email probably 13 years ago or something.
By about 1996 I had adopted my “auto delete” policy for any forwarded chain letter spam nonsense. I’ve deleted without reading literally hundreds of stuff of that nature from family, friends, acquaintances, people I’ve never met, coworkers and etc.
I have no idea what’s in these emails because the second I recognize them as a stupid forwarded form letter they get deleted.
I think most all of you would live happier lives if you adopted my policy.
Diogenes, your tolerance is selective at best. IOW, you’re vastly tolerant of those who generally share your viewpoint, but to those who do not, you’re very much intolerant. :wally
I’m sorry to learn that Presbyterians are falling into the clutches of fundamentalism. I guess it depends on theindividual Christian, the individual church and the branch of Presbyterianism.
Is that pond in Wisconsin? Zing!
I’ve decided that my new line about my religious status is to call myself an apostate. That should shut people up very quickly and prevent relationships from falling to the level of the OP and his friend.
That email would have gotten my hackles up as well… not only for it’s religious intolerance/bigotry, but also for it’s sheer ignorance of Canada and Canadian culture. Unfortunately, it has been my experience that arguing with people like that just tends to make them stronger in their beliefs (they feel as though they are being “tested”, and if they stay true to their beliefs, no matter how twisted, they “win”). That said, its seems as though the OP’s friend was not going to take “leave me alone”, “lets agree to disagree” for an answer, and this blowout was inevitable… in fact he seemed to be pushing for it. At least the OP got to fire off a parting broadside.
)
