So I was walking across a parking lot today and very nearly got hit by lightning. Yes, there was a storm. I was holding an umbrella, and my hair stood on-end as the bolt struck nearby.After I got my holy-crap-I’m-going-to-die butt into my car (freshly washed), I remembered a lady who literally backed away from me when I told her I was an Atheist. She was afraid of the lightning from God. Literally.This has always struck me (pun!) as the stupidest possible reaction. Not the most hateful or disapproving, but the stupidest.Give us your story of the time that sticks out. Good or bad!
Oh, and Dave:
I am an admirer of Benjamin Franklin as well, but an Umbrella is incorrect when trying to recreate his famous kite-key experiment.
I remember I was taking some of my students costume shopping for the drama club. One of them is a goth kid and dresses in black and wears makeup (he’s a boy). This older lady went straight up to him and said “Jesus still loves you.” Damn, where was the lightning then!!!?? Why do people do that!!! Are they that stupid???
PS Diane, You’re my hero!!!
OTOH … this sort of “God almost smote me” talk is what justifies believers in thinking that atheists “really do believe in God.”
i live in the uk, and to be honest, most conversations involving atheism are met with “i just dont get evolution and all the stuff, so i just dont think about”…i actually believe that people find it easier to follow some made up story than fact. when i explained evolution to a friend she exclaimed “so why havent all the apes evolved into people”.. at that point i decided that evolutionary biology should be taught as a seperate subject in school. evolution is so simple that it throws people. they want MORE from their existence, they need a creation story to give their miserable pointless lives a reason. humans are the only animal that no longer need to survive, we just exist – so weve replaced all those urgent needs with drivel like religion. It terrifies me that america is literally in the grip of this horrid religious fever, whilst europe stumbles behind, to close for comfort. i wear my “atheism equals freedom” shirt all the time and my “atheism=peace, GOD FREE” patch on my bag, and i want people to approach me and talk to me. the english either are too dumb, too polite or just dont care, i feel for you US atheists, you have it far worse than us.
Reading about all these experiences, it occurred to me that I haven’t really “come out” completely to my family. I guess I’m not so sure how to go about it.
When I revealed my atheism to a co-worker, she exclaimed that she was sure I was a church-going Christian, I’m such a good person. It amazes and scares me that so many people believe morality can come only from religion.
Recently, in a Target parking lot, I saw a woman glance at my “Who Wants Jelly Donuts” bumper sticker (from American Atheists), pause, and return to her car for a brochure. She was about to place it under my windshield wiper when I walked up to my car. She asked if she could tell me about “the one true lord, because, you know…” and gestured to my bumper. I simply told her “no,” got in my car, and drove away.
I’m glad I came across this blog–now I have a few clever, back-off comments in my arsenal!
ForensicAtheist wrote:
“Anyway, that little booklet is something else.”
Yeah, my family used to hand those out at halloween wrapped in colored gel-type paper so people wouldn’t notice that it wasn’t candy.
When I was in college, there was someone (I wish I had been able to find out who) that liked to put those tracts in books they didn’t like (books on non-Christian religions, philosophy, women’s issues, homosexuality, etc.). I would go through those sections of the library and remove them. They would always reappear… By the end of one semester I probably had sixty or more.
I can’t think of any particularly interesting stories relating to people finding out I’m an athiest. I may be completely open about my homosexuality, but oddly enough I’m more careful with whom I share my lack-of-religious beleifs. Here in West Texas there is a church on every street corner.
I thought I would comment about how much I’ve enjoyed reading this discussion on this blog. I would also like to share the website with all of those lovely comic strip religious tracts:
http://www.chick.com/default.asp
I find that they always give me a good laugh.
Dave, glad you were ok!
In Canada we also rarely have an issue with atheism. Don’t know why it’s different here than in the states.
The only odd incident I’ve experienced was talking to a woman at work who was an Orthodox catholic.
I told her I was raised without religion. She asked if I had kids, how I would raise my kids. I said the same way I was raised (duh). She then told me ‘don’t have kids’ and never brought up the subject again.
I am a Christian.
For the most part I can’t stand others of my faith.
How do you respond to questions like: “Do you think that if Noah had built the ark even one half of a cubit off, that God would have allowed it to float?” I’ve had people tell me the Earth is only 7000 years old and that Dinosaurs were sclupted by artists so that museums could make more money.
Oh Lord, the stupidity.
Even though I am a Christian, I’ve had people I don’t know come up to me and out of the blue say: “I’ll pray for you.”
I usually respond with “I don’t want you to pray for me, I want you to pray TO me.” I love their reactions.
cerebulon
Welcome.
HAR! Thanks. Hadn’t thought of that one!
My old woodshop teacher would’ve made me rebuild it! And he was nicer than OT god.
Love your “Pray TO me” volley, too!
Since I attended church in high school, my mother didn’t believe me when I told her that I don’t believe in god. Even explaining to her that I didn’t really believe when I went to church did nothing. She’s never forced a choice on me, she just doesn’t believe I “changed my mind” about god.
I get the “devil worshipper” comment. What’s so hard to understand about not believing in any of the xtian paganism?
I have the best religious conversations with one aunt and grandmother who believe in a “higher power,” a cousin who follows Odin, and a mormon uncle. They all seem to respect my choice.
That may have not been God trying to kill you, but to change your ways.