| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"VTM Malkavian" |
| Date: |
08 Sep 2004 04:29:19 PM |
| Object: |
(UPDATE) Your Stories of Dating Theists and Religionists |
For anyone who hasn't read it, my original post from a week or so ago is
included at the end of this message.
Well, a lot has happened since I voiced my original concerns over this new
relationship. We've had time to talk and I did in fact attend one of her church
services.
First, the young woman in question is an absolutely remarkable human being. Of
all the women I've ever met, I could count on one hand the number of them that
didn't fall into either the "Preppy Sorority Chick" or "Backwoods Country Girl"
categories. Now I can add one more finger to the "Doesn't Fit Into Any
Category" category. That's my favorite.
She's hardworking, studious (19 hours this semester. . .*****!), artistic, and
musically talented. She's extremely entertaining to be around and appreciates
my uncensored sense of humor (as opposed to most women who express a "Yeah,
that's nice" attitude toward my random comments and observational humor). She
also finds my status as a responsible single father to be "incredibly sexy."
Oh, and any woman that has beaten every Legend of Zelda game is a goddess in my
book.
Now, on to her religious beliefs. Putting my fears to rest, she's not a
fundamentalist in any way. In fact, I think the reason she insisted that I
attend her church was to see that she wasn't the type of nut I rant about so
often. Her beliefs are even more loose that her already-liberal church. She
pretty much just believes in God. She has no opinion on Jesus, creation,
Heaven, etc., and agrees with me that "Biblical truth" usually amounts to
whatever a particular sect wants it to be.
She even has, what I feel is, a good reason for believing in a guiding force.
It seems that when she was younger (and a practicing Wiccan) she prayed to
whatever gods that she would become a singer. Before long she had an audition
with the band of this church, which she obviously nailed. She took that as
God's (now with a capital "G") way of answering her prayer and directing her to
his preferred place of worship.
I guess some of you may find that as silly a reason as any other, but I was
very relieved to hear that story instead of the typical "It's all in the Bible,
which is God's perfect word blah blah blah. . .
And, as odd as this is for me, it seems that I've cemented her beliefs. How did
an atheist strengthen a theist's belief in God? That's another interesting
story.
It seems that she was engaged until just recently. She had been dating a real
***** for nearly four years when she started working at the same store as me
three months ago. The way she tells it, she saw me on her very first day and
was immediately smitten. We spoke on lunch and in passing several times and she
became so interested in me that once again she prayed to God. This time she
prayed that she would find the strength to dump her boyfriend and that I would
take an interest in her, which I did. She ditched the jack-off and the next
week I asked to take her out for her birthday. It seems that we have so much in
common (even I have trouble chalking all this up to coinsidence) that she now
firmly believes God put us together, that we were made for each other.
You can all stop laughing now. Thank you.
So overall I like where this is going. It's nice to have a girlfriend with all
the qualities of a responsible mate as well as the qualities I appreciate in my
best friends. We have no conflicting beliefs and the same hopes and dreams, so
maybe this is what I've been looking for.
________________________________________________________
First off, I'd appreciate reading any stories my fellow atheists and
anti-religionists might have about dating theists, particularly members of
organized religion.
Since my divorce, I've dated several women, both theist and non, but none
of
them ever became serious enough for differences in beliefs to become a
major
issue.
That may be about to change.
I've met a young woman. Beautiful. Intelligent. Talented. Wonderful voice.
Interested in me (I guess that should've thrown up a red flag that
something
was dreadfully wrong). . .
Oh. And Methodist. Strangely enough, she claims she considered herself to
be
Wiccan until her mid teens and then somehow found Jeebus.
She swears that she isn't going to try and convert me back to Christianity
(I
spent twenty years trying to get out of it) but at the same time she
insists
that I attend her church at some point.
I'm very confused. Before we started dating, she knew all my beliefs, and
even
agreed with me on the difference between having faith and having religion,
and
on all the ugly things I had to say about organized religion. She gave me
the
impression that she attended her church as a matter of habit (or perhaps
to
please her family). I'm afraid she may've been just humoring me.
Best Case Scenario: She just wants me to attend her church to appease her
mother. She's a college student and living at home, so I guess dating
someone
her mother didn't approve of could make her life quite difficult right
now.
Worst Case Scenario: She's a fundy in disguise. She'll eventually insist
that I
join a death cult of dancing transvestite dominatrix nazis who seek to
bring
about the return of Riktah'zeel, the nortic/hindu/klingon god of goat
sheering.
That is what Methodists do. . . right?
Then I'd have to outfit myself in shades and a trench coat and wage a
one-man
war against the forces of evil. Kinda' like Neo, or Vash the Stampede.
Wait. That might be really cool.
I'd prefer it didn't come to that, though. It would be a real shame for
all our
shared interests to be totally negated just because I don't worship her
sadistic vampire god.
I have no ending for this piece, so I take a small bow.
Atheist #2375, and God am I proud!
.
|
|
| User: "Kate " |
|
| Title: Re: (UPDATE) Your Stories of Dating Theists and Religionists |
09 Sep 2004 09:34:14 AM |
|
|
On 08 Sep 2004 21:29:19 GMT, (VTM Malkavian)
wrote:
For anyone who hasn't read it, my original post from a week or so ago is
included at the end of this message.
Well, a lot has happened since I voiced my original concerns over this new
relationship. We've had time to talk and I did in fact attend one of her church
services.
First, the young woman in question is an absolutely remarkable human being. Of
all the women I've ever met, I could count on one hand the number of them that
didn't fall into either the "Preppy Sorority Chick" or "Backwoods Country Girl"
categories. Now I can add one more finger to the "Doesn't Fit Into Any
Category" category. That's my favorite.
She's hardworking, studious (19 hours this semester. . .*****!), artistic, and
musically talented. She's extremely entertaining to be around and appreciates
my uncensored sense of humor (as opposed to most women who express a "Yeah,
that's nice" attitude toward my random comments and observational humor). She
also finds my status as a responsible single father to be "incredibly sexy."
Oh, and any woman that has beaten every Legend of Zelda game is a goddess in my
book.
Now, on to her religious beliefs. Putting my fears to rest, she's not a
fundamentalist in any way. In fact, I think the reason she insisted that I
attend her church was to see that she wasn't the type of nut I rant about so
often. Her beliefs are even more loose that her already-liberal church. She
pretty much just believes in God. She has no opinion on Jesus, creation,
Heaven, etc., and agrees with me that "Biblical truth" usually amounts to
whatever a particular sect wants it to be.
She even has, what I feel is, a good reason for believing in a guiding force.
It seems that when she was younger (and a practicing Wiccan) she prayed to
whatever gods that she would become a singer. Before long she had an audition
with the band of this church, which she obviously nailed. She took that as
God's (now with a capital "G") way of answering her prayer and directing her to
his preferred place of worship.
I guess some of you may find that as silly a reason as any other, but I was
very relieved to hear that story instead of the typical "It's all in the Bible,
which is God's perfect word blah blah blah. . .
And, as odd as this is for me, it seems that I've cemented her beliefs. How did
an atheist strengthen a theist's belief in God? That's another interesting
story.
It seems that she was engaged until just recently. She had been dating a real
***** for nearly four years when she started working at the same store as me
three months ago. The way she tells it, she saw me on her very first day and
was immediately smitten. We spoke on lunch and in passing several times and she
became so interested in me that once again she prayed to God. This time she
prayed that she would find the strength to dump her boyfriend and that I would
take an interest in her, which I did. She ditched the jack-off and the next
week I asked to take her out for her birthday. It seems that we have so much in
common (even I have trouble chalking all this up to coinsidence) that she now
firmly believes God put us together, that we were made for each other.
You can all stop laughing now. Thank you.
So overall I like where this is going. It's nice to have a girlfriend with all
the qualities of a responsible mate as well as the qualities I appreciate in my
best friends. We have no conflicting beliefs and the same hopes and dreams, so
maybe this is what I've been looking for.
LOL, the "I believe in God because you were the answer to my prayers"
is a very agreeable reason for theism.
My mother was a deist and my father an atheist. My mother for
essentially the same reason. She said life just turned too good for
her for it not to be because of some benevolent god.
As long as the lady is not controlling (which is a problem no matter
what the basis) and it appears she is not, it sounds like a good
match.
.
|
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|
| User: "Uncle Dollar Bill" |
|
| Title: Re: (UPDATE) Your Stories of Dating Theists and Religionists |
08 Sep 2004 09:38:21 PM |
|
|
On 08 Sep 2004 21:29:19 GMT, VTM Malkavian wrote:
For anyone who hasn't read it, my original post from a week or so ago is
included at the end of this message.
Well, a lot has happened since I voiced my original concerns over this new
relationship. We've had time to talk and I did in fact attend one of her church
services.
<snip>
She[...] appreciates my uncensored sense of humor (as opposed to most women
who express a "Yeah, that's nice" attitude toward my [...] humor).
In other words, she's already starting to fake it.
;-D
KIDDING!!!! Honest! Some of 'em are just _too_ good to pass up. :-)
....and far be it from me to resist a man who leaves him self so far wide
open... {=-# muahahahahahahhh... }|-)
Oh, and any woman that has beaten every Legend of Zelda game is a goddess in my
book.
My vision of a goddess is any man who can look like a hottie in fake
eyelashes, pumps, fishnet stockings and a feathered boa. Facial hair
preferred, but optional. However, triumphing over the Zelda games is
practically the same thing. ;-)
Now, on to her religious beliefs. Putting my fears to rest, she's not a
fundamentalist in any way. In fact, I think the reason she insisted that I
attend her church was to see that she wasn't the type of nut I rant about so
often. Her beliefs are even more loose that her already-liberal church. She
pretty much just believes in God. She has no opinion on Jesus, creation,
Heaven, etc., and agrees with me that "Biblical truth" usually amounts to
whatever a particular sect wants it to be.
She even has, what I feel is, a good reason for believing in a guiding force.
It seems that when she was younger (and a practicing Wiccan) she prayed to
whatever gods that she would become a singer. Before long she had an audition
with the band of this church, which she obviously nailed. She took that as
God's (now with a capital "G") way of answering her prayer and directing her to
his preferred place of worship.
I guess some of you may find that as silly a reason as any other, but I was
very relieved to hear that story instead of the typical "It's all in the Bible,
which is God's perfect word blah blah blah. . .
And, as odd as this is for me, it seems that I've cemented her beliefs. How did
an atheist strengthen a theist's belief in God? That's another interesting
story.
It seems that she was engaged until just recently. She had been dating a real
***** for nearly four years when she started working at the same store as me
three months ago. The way she tells it, she saw me on her very first day and
was immediately smitten. We spoke on lunch and in passing several times and she
became so interested in me that once again she prayed to God. This time she
prayed that she would find the strength to dump her boyfriend and that I would
take an interest in her, which I did. She ditched the jack-off and the next
week I asked to take her out for her birthday. It seems that we have so much in
common (even I have trouble chalking all this up to coinsidence) that she now
firmly believes God put us together, that we were made for each other.
You can all stop laughing now. Thank you.
It all can be _made_ to sound pretty silly if you put the wrong spin on it.
But such experiences have been part and parcel to the human condition for
so many thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands of years, sometimes
they can be really rather enchanting. I'd still say they're delusions, but
then we all have those in one form or another. The perception of our own
ego as an actual "thing" is itself a delusion. While some are more
"reality based" than others, all abstractions are delusions at their core.
We couldn't function very well without them. So kudos to you for not being
afraid to enjoy this particular delusion. :-)
So overall I like where this is going. It's nice to have a girlfriend with all
the qualities of a responsible mate as well as the qualities I appreciate in my
best friends. We have no conflicting beliefs and the same hopes and dreams, so
maybe this is what I've been looking for.
Lucky dude. It sounds from your post like you might possibly have found a
winner. Good luck and lots of happiness to you both. :-)
Original post (which I was not around to see):
Worst Case Scenario: She's a fundy in disguise. She'll eventually insist
that I join a death cult of dancing transvestite dominatrix nazis who
seek to bring about the return of Riktah'zeel, the nortic/hindu/klingon
god of goat sheering. That is what Methodists do. . . right?
Wow. I've never heard a more stunningly succinct interpertation of
Methodist doctrine. You deserve a Pulitzer. Or whatever Methodists issue
along those lines, anyway. ;-)
Then I'd have to outfit myself in shades and a trench coat and wage a
one-man war against the forces of evil. Kinda' like Neo, or Vash the
Stampede.
Wait. That might be really cool.
Sure it'd be cool - if you could hover in mid-air and stretch seconds into
hours in order to give yourself a fighting advantage. Oh, and if you could
leave it all behind just by dialing a cellphone. ;-)
I'd prefer it didn't come to that, though. It would be a real shame for
all our shared interests to be totally negated just because I don't
worship her sadistic vampire god.
I have no ending for this piece, so I take a small bow.
I'm glad your fears turned out to be unfounded. It's a hard thing to let
go of stereotypes - especially those learned through face-to-face
experience with the typecast group in question. May she always be as open
minded as she is in her (I presume) youth.
--
L8r,
Uncle Dollar Bill
.
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