being a hateful person

[Ziploc Surprise]

I just don't get how a person who believes in the bible which condones hate and intolerance can accuse me a person of science and rational thought. Hateful and intolerant (smh)

Your girlfriend' family is fundamentalists mindlessly valued religion over family love. You should remain that family they should love their offspring regardless of religion. 5 given months or so, they'll be tolerant and more respectful - If not, better advise your girlfriend to move to some place away from her family til they're more tolerant.

I understand your girlfriends' position, since I'm only brother of 5 Christian fundamentalists.

Better yet, if you really want to stir the shit have her move in with you. That will quickly bypass all the mucking about and propel you both into full hatred right away...with you at the lead probably. But seriously if she can move out it might be a good idea.

On another note see things from the mother's (fucked up) position. Here are some possibilities:

1)To have a child leave the faith can be seen as a poor reflection on her. She didn't do enough indoctrination. She failed somehow.

2) What is beat into the heads of most Christians is a belief that if everyone in the group isn't following god then the whole group will be punished. A short jaunt through the Old Testament will illustrate this quite nicely. Christians today believe that the horrible things today -aids, drought, hurricanes, crime etc. are just the beginning rumblings of god's impending judgment. They believe that if everyone doesn't repent (obey god and the morals specified by Christian doctrine) we will face judgement soon. Stephen Pinker wrote a book recently explaining that despite the Bible we are becoming better people and the world isn't going to shit after all. This book is not distributed in fundie churches, nor do I think it ever will be. It negates the need for god to save us because we are becoming better people through reason. i digress. Needless to say your girlfriends mom now may have put her in the evil camp. She is part of the "reason" why the world (supposedly) is going to shit.

along with this is a change of hopes and dreams. She can't go as one big happy family to church or churchie things. Can't talk about god and religion. It cuts out a lot of activities.

3) Another belief that is beat in is that atheists are evil and deceptive people. They are bent on destruction of the Christian faith -not quite the Antichrist but close. Your girlfriend is now the evil deceptive betrayer of the faith. Some more wacky churches preach that deceptive spirits/demons etc may be involved (very medieval). If her mom has a brain in her head she will eventually get over this some day. Some don't fully get over this.

This is a problem. Leaving the faith can lead to broken relationships. It really really really really sucks when these are relationships with family and close friends. I have sympathy on her, I'm probably going to break a few relationships myself when they've found out I've left the faith.