(June 21, 2014 at 3:17 pm)Cato Wrote: My brother became Mormon a little over 20 years ago. At first it was no big deal, but after my mother joined the cult about a decade ago things changed. The timing could be coincidence, but he then started religious based conversation just to ask "why is reason considered superior to revelation" when I started handing him his ass. Things progressively got worse in that conversations were consumed with religion. Eventually it got to the point where we've had two strained conversations in the last two years.
I don't like the current situation, but have concluded there is nothing much I can do about it. I won't let the bullshit go unchecked and my attempts to make the subject taboo somehow translate, in his mind, to my tacit approval of his beliefs. Before our estrangement, he quit letting me talk to my niece and nephews. I can only hope that they will reach out to me when they come of age. My niece graduates next year; her three brothers follow in three year intervals. We'll see.
I hate it for you. I know exactly what you're dealing with, but I hesitate to give advice that might only serve to aggravate the situation. You can choose friends, not family; however, there is something particularly sad when someone you grew up with is no longer there (so to speak). I have attempted to make accomodations (religion = taboo), but I refuse to compromise my integrity just to get along if the alternative is a constant barrage of god infused bullshit.
Isn't it surprising how people who should know better walk into that bullshit? My older brother was an angry atheist before he became depressed and finally a Mormon. Of course he is still depressed but the anger is hidden behind a facade of Mormon doctrine. When our mother was dying he sat in the waiting room with us holding the book of Mormon and talking about how this was a happy occasion. (I doubt if the poor bastard would recognize happy if it bit him.)
Sorry for the loss of your brother, Cato. With my brother, we've always disagreed about almost everything but most especially politics. Being atheist was about the only thing we had in common, although I was never angry about it. Our estrangement is pretty mutually satisfying. He is also sexist, racist and homophobic.
