Useless / Unhelpful statements religious people make

[Esquilax]

The ones that really get to me are comments I like to label "how the fuck am I even supposed to respond to that?" comments. Usually these are trotted out during arguments, like the old "you secretly do believe in god, you just won't admit it so you can sin!" chestnut. It drives me fucking insane, but there's no actual refutation for that, because the person saying it isn't saying anything cogent at all, they're just shoveling shit onto me in the hope that I'll descend to their level. It's ridiculous.

I also sometimes get "it's all a part of god's plan!" in regards to certain elements of my past that are particularly painful. This one has always struck me as particularly heartless because all it really says is that the theist in question believes the universe was arranged by a creator god that they worship so that I could be hurt and almost blinded in my childhood. Yet they mean it as a platitude, as though just throwing the word god in there makes it a positive statement.

[festive1]

I'm annoyed by the statements others have pointed out as well. I'll add this one: Telling or declaring about a musician, artist, etc., "You have a god given talent!" It's meant as a complement, but simply because someone has a natural aptitude, undeveloped this means relatively little. Saying a person has a god given talent, denies the hours of hard work and practice the individual put in to become as good as they are at whatever it is they do. That just rubs me the wrong way.

[Free Thinker]

I also sometimes get "it's all a part of god's plan!" in regards to certain elements of my past that are particularly painful. This one has always struck me as particularly heartless because all it really says is that the theist in question believes the universe was arranged by a creator god that they worship so that I could be hurt and almost blinded in my childhood. Yet they mean it as a platitude, as though just throwing the word god in there makes it a positive statement.

^ This one right there. I know I didn't exactly put it in there. But the whole "god's plan" thing really erks me.

Always has. Especially when it comes to suffering. The muslims here openly state things like "you or your parents, or someone may have sinned and therefore your suffering is a punishment to them, or you" or something equally damning.

It's so easy for some religious people to condemn people without realizing that they're even condemning others. It's like most of them don't even know what they're doing because they've been brainwashed to believe since birth that all suffering is one's own fault .. especially here in Pakistan.

I have tried arguing in the past and have made similar statements about how malevolent this is - and the the response especially amongst the hardline muslim circles is that "well, it's ok because god is not always supposed to be merciful" and then start quoting all forms of natural disasters etc as his doing for all forms of suffering. They go so far as saying that god's wrath is described in his many names just as he is merciful, he is wrathful etc etc.

I've realized that many of these people are so thoroughly brainwashed that it's almost impossible for them to accept that their suffering has no purpose, was not by design, or was not due to some sort of crime/sin that they committed. They need reasons - and apparently, god is their reason for it.

[The Grand Nudger]

"Scripture tells us that-................"

[Free Thinker]

I'm annoyed by the statements others have pointed out as well. I'll add this one: Telling or declaring about a musician, artist, etc., "You have a god given talent!" It's meant as a complement, but simply because someone has a natural aptitude, undeveloped this means relatively little. Saying a person has a god given talent, denies the hours of hard work and practice the individual put in to become as good as they are at whatever it is they do. That just rubs me the wrong way.

Yes. I had that happen to me just yesterday. I was talking to someone about my past troubles etc and she blurted out that "your ability to withstand so much is a god-gifted ability".

So, let me get this straight ... god created the suffering, and then god gave me the ability to withstand my suffering ... it's completely illogical to me. And yet, I can see a theist argue that that is perfectly logical ...

[Tonus]

How did you miss the good ol "God works in mysterious ways." which is pretty much saying "I can explain this shit."

That one is typically used when things go badly. 'I prayed for my friend to be safe, but she got hurt. God must have a plan for her.' Or crazy shit to that effect. It brings to mind Jim Jefferies rant: "what is so mysterious about acting like a fucking asshole? That is, like, the least mysterious activity since the dawn of time!"

I get left alone because most of my immediate family are Christian, but of various denominations. So they put a lot of that Jesus stuff on Facebook, but when we're interacting directly they almost never mention it. Which is fine, since I check Facebook only once a week and I'd rather spend time with them doing anything other than talking religion.

[Kayenneh]

I'm annoyed by the statements others have pointed out as well. I'll add this one: Telling or declaring about a musician, artist, etc., "You have a god given talent!" It's meant as a complement, but simply because someone has a natural aptitude, undeveloped this means relatively little. Saying a person has a god given talent, denies the hours of hard work and practice the individual put in to become as good as they are at whatever it is they do. That just rubs me the wrong way.

^This. Very much.

And then two of my favorites, "I'll pray for you" and "Lucky for you that Jesus loves you, because I sure can't!"

EDIT: Actually, make that three. One of my best friends mom is a religious nutcase and in her speech when he got married just bleated on about how "Jesus is in your marriage" and Jesus this, Jesus that. Sorry, but I didn't know that P&P singed up for a poly relationship..

[festive1]

What flummoxes me about the "god given talent" thing, is its a complement, or intended to be one. So how does one respond? If you point out, no I've worked my ass off, you're being full of yourself. Just accept it graciously is what Miss Manners would suggest, but that's rather unsatisfactory as well...

[Cato]

"I hate the sin, not the sinner".

"No one can know the mind of God"; immediately followed by a list of all the things God wants be to do (or not do) and a description of the typical attributes of God.

[thesummerqueen]

Every special pleading statement, ever. This goes for 'believers' of any sort, not just theists.