Activism

My mom doesn't understand why i would want to protest things for rights when I go to college. We were having a discussion and even though I am an athiest I go to church every Sunday to make my grandmother happy. Welk I told my mom that if the preacher ever has a sermon on gays and going to hell I told her that I would walk out. She actually got mad at me, she said that would be incredibly rude and selfish of me. I told her that I would be even more offended if they didn't leave with me. So we got in this big argument because I should sit there and listen to it because not everyone thinks like me and the preacher has a right to his opinion. She even went so far as to compare me to the WBC and them protesting soldiers funerals! I was actually quite upset that she wouldn't back me up. I told her that when I go to college I planned on being apart of many different forms of activism, and she didn't understand why I would ever want to change something like this. I couldn't believe her! Like, I am still mad at her for trying to tell me it is wrong for me to try and fight for my rights.

[Thisisnew]

Sorry your mom doesnt understand but I think it's great that you want to stand up for what you believe.

[Mike J]

I agree with above, you should be able to leave especially since you don't want to go to church in the first place. I'm sorry that your mother wouldn't support you in this But I believe you should stand up for whats right.

Simply leaving because you don't want to hear it is personal and quiet protest, where you mother somehow compares that to jumping up and throwing rotten tomatoes at your pastor.

it will be very hard to argue with her on any issue, as a rule, your mother is a woman and your mother and is therefore right. always.

jokes aside, it sounds like when you talked to her things got pretty heated, and in an argumentative atmosphere no one is changing sides on any issue. so the best way to go about this is by being as mature as humanly possible. if you talk to her about this again, be very organized and whatever you do keep your emotions out of the equation.

i'm atheist myself, but i believe that church can be good for people because it teaches morals and gives lots of people hope. but if the preacher is talking about gays going to hell, then it is a personal agenda rather than a divine message. saying gays go to hell would be saying that it must be a choice because no great good god would send someone to hell for something that they have no control over. --sorry i kinda went into a rant on that, base line, talk to her calmly and sensibly. even though you know the other side is wrong, think about it as if it's not and find your reasoning as to why it is wrong, if she notices how mature and thoughtful you're being she will have to match it.

[Nick]

I believe that if you believe in something, you should voice your opinion about it.

I didn't tell my parents beforehand, but I went to the Invisible Children rally in my city last week ( http://www.invisiblechildren.com/ ) After I got home I told them, and they said that even though they may not agree with what I believe, if I stand up for it, then that's good.

I know that having arguments with parents about what you both believe to be right is difficult, but if you strongly believe in something, I think that you shouldn't be forced to stay silent about it.

[Mr Bojangles]

Call him a fucking pedophile. If he says anything back, just shout 'you're generalizing, so am I'
THEN walk out.

[No One]

Well i can say as long as i have been listening to him my father has never preached about gays he says he dont like to because he dont want to start and argument even though he thinks its very wrong.

[xequar]

Originally Posted by paco

i'm atheist myself, but i believe that church can be good for people because it teaches morals and gives lots of people hope.

I disagree with that wholeheartedly, and I believe that church actually DESTROYS people's morals by removing personal accountability.

But more importantly, it seems to me that the OP's mom doesn't quite understand how hypocritical she's being. Nintenfreak's already going to church despite the fact that he's an Atheist. This means that he's already practicing a considerable amount of self-sacrifice. He's spending an hour or however long doing something that he does not want to do listening to stuff that he does not believe in, and all just to make someone else happy.

In my estimation, Nintenfreak, you have every justification to not only walk out if the pastor goes on an anti-gay screed but to not bother going to church in the first place. Your mom says that everyone's entitled to an opinion when she defends the pastor, yet she's more than willing to trample all over your right to an opinion when it comes to gay rights or not going to church. That's what we call hypocracy, and it reveals a common Christian trait, that in their view, you're entitled to whatever opinion or belief you want, as long as they approve of it, and if they don't approve then you're supposed to shut the fuck up.

That's a load of bullshit. You're entitled to your beliefs JUST as much as your mother, your granny, the pastor, me, and everyone else on this lump of rock and water hurtling through the Universe. If your mother starts to give you any more shit about this, I think it would be worth pointing out to her that she's not respecting your right to your own beliefs and that SHE is being selfish by wanting you to go to church and sit through anti-gay screeds by the pastor, despite the fact that they're deeply offensive to you. Sure the pastor's entitled to his opinions and beliefs. You're also entitled to leave and/or not go to church to listen to them.

[beckyg]

Originally Posted by xequar

I disagree with that wholeheartedly, and I believe that church actually DESTROYS people's morals by removing personal accountability.

But more importantly, it seems to me that the OP's mom doesn't quite understand how hypocritical she's being. Nintenfreak's already going to church despite the fact that he's an Atheist. This means that he's already practicing a considerable amount of self-sacrifice. He's spending an hour or however long doing something that he does not want to do listening to stuff that he does not believe in, and all just to make someone else happy.

In my estimation, Nintenfreak, you have every justification to not only walk out if the pastor goes on an anti-gay screed but to not bother going to church in the first place. Your mom says that everyone's entitled to an opinion when she defends the pastor, yet she's more than willing to trample all over your right to an opinion when it comes to gay rights or not going to church. That's what we call hypocracy, and it reveals a common Christian trait, that in their view, you're entitled to whatever opinion or belief you want, as long as they approve of it, and if they don't approve then you're supposed to shut the fuck up.

That's a load of bullshit. You're entitled to your beliefs JUST as much as your mother, your granny, the pastor, me, and everyone else on this lump of rock and water hurtling through the Universe. If your mother starts to give you any more shit about this, I think it would be worth pointing out to her that she's not respecting your right to your own beliefs and that SHE is being selfish by wanting you to go to church and sit through anti-gay screeds by the pastor, despite the fact that they're deeply offensive to you. Sure the pastor's entitled to his opinions and beliefs. You're also entitled to leave and/or not go to church to listen to them.

I totally agree with this! You SHOULD stand up for yourself. I have been in that very position that you are in even having the preacher condemn me from the pulpit for supporting gay rights. You do not need to put yourself in that situation!

Originally Posted by xequar

I disagree with that wholeheartedly, and I believe that church actually DESTROYS people's morals by removing personal accountability.

But more importantly, it seems to me that the OP's mom doesn't quite understand how hypocritical she's being. Nintenfreak's already going to church despite the fact that he's an Atheist. This means that he's already practicing a considerable amount of self-sacrifice. He's spending an hour or however long doing something that he does not want to do listening to stuff that he does not believe in, and all just to make someone else happy.

In my estimation, Nintenfreak, you have every justification to not only walk out if the pastor goes on an anti-gay screed but to not bother going to church in the first place. Your mom says that everyone's entitled to an opinion when she defends the pastor, yet she's more than willing to trample all over your right to an opinion when it comes to gay rights or not going to church. That's what we call hypocracy, and it reveals a common Christian trait, that in their view, you're entitled to whatever opinion or belief you want, as long as they approve of it, and if they don't approve then you're supposed to shut the fuck up.

That's a load of bullshit. You're entitled to your beliefs JUST as much as your mother, your granny, the pastor, me, and everyone else on this lump of rock and water hurtling through the Universe. If your mother starts to give you any more shit about this, I think it would be worth pointing out to her that she's not respecting your right to your own beliefs and that SHE is being selfish by wanting you to go to church and sit through anti-gay screeds by the pastor, despite the fact that they're deeply offensive to you. Sure the pastor's entitled to his opinions and beliefs. You're also entitled to leave and/or not go to church to listen to them.

Thank you very much for that. You have described exactly how I feel about it. What I couldn't get into words when I argued with her is right here in black and white. This has helped me alot, thank you.

[xequar]

Originally Posted by nintenfreak92

Thank you very much for that. You have described exactly how I feel about it. What I couldn't get into words when I argued with her is right here in black and white. This has helped me alot, thank you.

Happy to be of help, and I hope for the best for you in all of this!