Request from a Christian.

[Astonished]

The only thing I can think of aside from the usual online apologist's motivated insincerity and condescension is something that happened when I attended my father's Methodist church with him as a young adult, probably between 25 and 28.

I did it for him as I knew it was important to him even though I had no shred of belief in his god.  I went along with everything, making rationalizations to myself as to what it all meant to the people there and looking for ways to relate to those goals myself.  It all went well until some general back and forth started up about missionaries the church was supporting, probably intended to elicit still more giving.  Finding an opportunity to speak up, I asked if it was really necessary for the whole world to put on a tie and sit in a pew on Sundays.  I went on to say I thought it was fine for them to do it, but wouldn't the world be a poorer place if everyone set aside their own customs to do the same.

That didn't go over very well.  The pastor guy asked someone what he'd do if he had a snake in his midst.  He'd keep a watch on it, he answered.  So inspire of my best efforts to give my father what he wanted and be respectful to these people who mattered to him, I was still just a snake to them.  Something dangerous and probably of 'satan'.  This didn't feel too good because I was honestly trying to be respectful myself while offering criticism in a measured way.

Hope that helps.

Yea there is a problem with this. I think parents should hold of kids being baptised till they are 18, you know just so they are fully aware of the choice they are being asked to make. I've heard lots of stories from atheists who ask the most innocent of questions being treated like that. And that is one of the main reasons why im thinking about writing this book. The pastors are human, they sin just like us all. But that dosn't justify the way you guys are treated.

And you saying stuff like that doesn't strike you as being offensive to us at all? I seem to recall mentioning that one of the things Christians did to get under my skin was to say things like that. Doesn't make it any better that I'm not a child anymore.