Atheist

Be strong. Go. You know where you stand. Be firm in it. Listen to his side. You don't have to agree with most, some, or any of it. But listen. Then thank him for talking to you. Then go home.

Lex

 

good advice again from lex

 

Are you an Atheist because of what this minister has to say? or have you always been an Atheist? There is nothing wrong with listening to see what other people has to say, even if we disagree. I personally don't go to church because that would make me a hypocrite, I don't believe there is a source of energy beyond one's body. I do believe in sprituality in different forms though, I see beauty of life of it's own, I guess that's a different argument, but if you still believe in religion there are queer friendly churches that you can attend. I do agree with Lex, be strong. there will be many like him, we have to learn to deal with it and they have to learn to deal with their homophobia or biphobia etc.

 

Go to the event, humor your grandmother for a little while, and completely tune it out. Start daydreaming whenever possible. Ignore it all. For now, just be glad that your mother isn't canceling Christmas and poking crosses down your throat.

 

Atheism is overrated.

 

Well if I were you I would just go and listen to what he has to say. You should probably at least try and be respectful. And as far as avoiding killing him you could always bring a stress ball or something.

 

>>>And as far as avoiding killing him you could always bring a stress ball or something.

I knew a guy who was in ROTC in college. His nickname was "the ninja" - we swore he could kill a guy without leaving a trace. And he always denied being a ninja, which to us, meant he was one. Anyway, whenever somebody would say something to him he didn't like, he'd get this rather distracted smile on his face. I finally asked him what that meant. "Oh," he said, "whenever someone starts pissing me off, I just idly think 'Well, I could kill him THIS way, or I could kill him THAT way, or...'. And soon I'm smiling."

Lex

 

Pray to the Spaghetti Monster for this preacher to see the light whenever he says something hateful.

On a more serious note, just try to be loving and forgiving during the experience, and work through your feelings in a more socially appropriate setting, which may include a private chat with your grandma and your mom. And then maybe look into activism if that's your thing, to try to reduce the amount of homophobia in the world.

 

regardless of what he says about gay people(which im sure the things he says are hardly polite)you should go and listen for the other things he says (he is a preacher for a reason you know)and some of the other stuff he says may have some validity too it and you may connect with some of the other material he is preaching...

anyway its just an afterthought BUT WHAT EVER YOU DO DONT KILL HIM!!!! lol that would just end up giving him power in the end

 

The ability to think beyond a book written over 2000 years ago? I beg to differ.

 

im budhist myself because it centers me but if beign atheist is pleasing to you then i say go for it....your religion shouldnt matter should it?

 

I think that's called "Not being Catholic / Jew or anything related to that book"

Atheism it's a WHOLE different thing, its not just being "I don't believe in a ~god~" or "I don't belong to any curch"

I am not catholic, nor Budhist. YET I have attended to these religions temples, and I've heard some bad stuff from the monks / priests. I just sit down, don't talk, and show respect. Because this is the stuff some ppl I care about believe in.

SO my advice is to go, sit, listen, and keep the mouth shutted. Nod a few times if required. I mean, you've heard some ignorant stuff before I believe, you will be able to handle this.

 

I guess you don't have much of a choice but to go. I would just listen to him and not say anything. You know what you are and what your beliefs are. Anything he says is not going to change you in any way. Just remember that.

 

I don't want to seem like I'm forcing a religion down your throat, 'cause I'm not, but here's my advice.

Ask your mother to go to a different church. There are gay friendly churches out there, or even if they're not gay friendly, they don't preach about it day after day. There are churches that use hands-on activities to increase faith.

And if she's adament that you go to that church, just ignore him. It sounds hard, but imagine something funny behind him while he's talking. Or, read the Bible. Which, yet again sounds like I'm forcing religion down your throat, but there are some pretty cool passages in there..Like the one about the King who had leprosy. That's a cool story...if I remember what its about correctly, lol.

 

If I were you, I would challenge the priest (with out coming off as an asshole). Just remember that you arent going to change his mind, it is all for fun. I have had the atheist discussion with my rabbi, and according to Judiasm, you can question belief in god, and still be jewish.

-or-

Go on the condition that your family has to watch a movie on atheism or on gay rights

 

Oh believe me my father aint seeing the light any time soon ugh. My dad is a real ass when it comes to people who are "different"

 

It can be, yes. The stereotype of an Atheist is that the person thinks he knows everything. Atheists dont think God exists because Christians cant logically prove he does exist but can the Atheist prove God doesnt exist? That can be a silly question but you have to take that into consideration.