Hitting The Wall

[freedomfromforum]

This thread and this test inspired me to have my Christian wife take the test. She really enjoyed our time together discussing the bible. She was enjoying the test, and at one point (almost half way through) she said "I think these are trick questions". Ahh ha! I asked her why she thought that, and I reassured her that the answers were to be found in her own bible. Her skepticism of the test grew as the questions continued, and following the final question she said "This isn't going to make God look too good". She scored 24/50 and she was shocked by some of God's commands, requirements, and behaviors. Later that evening, she seemed much more open to my direct questions about her God, and she agreed that the OT is questionable. I reminded her that the NT is also full of weirdness, and of some of the bat-shit crazy things Jesus supposedly said and did. At one point I could swear I heard the faintest of sounds - to me it sounded like the first movement of a long rusted hinge on a door that has blocked the light for years. Has any atheist here been able to inject reason into their Christian spouse's/partner's considerations? I'm having a blast illuminating my wife's cognitive landscape.

[Godlesspanther]

This thread and this test inspired me to have my Christian wife take the test. She really enjoyed our time together discussing the bible. She was enjoying the test, and at one point (almost half way through) she said "I think these are trick questions". Ahh ha! I asked her why she thought that, and I reassured her that the answers were to be found in her own bible. Her skepticism of the test grew as the questions continued, and following the final question she said "This isn't going to make God look too good". She scored 24/50 and she was shocked by some of God's commands, requirements, and behaviors. Later that evening, she seemed much more open to my direct questions about her God, and she agreed that the OT is questionable. I reminded her that the NT is also full of weirdness, and of some of the bat-shit crazy things Jesus supposedly said and did. At one point I could swear I heard the faintest of sounds - to me it sounded like the first movement of a long rusted hinge on a door that has blocked the light for years. Has any atheist here been able to inject reason into their Christian spouse's/partner's considerations? I'm having a blast illuminating my wife's cognitive landscape.

It's a good test. For years I have found de-conversion to be quite interesting. I regularly read the postings on ex-Christian.net. It is common for people to say that actually reading the Bible is one of the major factors that led them away from the faith.

When people realize that the book that is supposed to be the basis for their faith is totally, completely, batshit insane -- they start to question the whole thing.

[WesOlsen]

Fortunately my partner is as irreligious as me, although she doesn't get quite as worked up by weapons-grade bullshit as me. My parents on the other hand are more resistant, and tend to opt for the "we think religion keeps people on the straight and narrow" response even if they do conceed that some things are questionable. Sadly many religious people are deeply conditioned with a cerain worldview and are unable to understand things from a variety of perspectives. Some deconversions take years and some are just out of the question. You only have to take a trip to the Islam subforum to bare witness to the the extreme degree of conditioning. It sometimes transcends putting your fingers in your ears and yelling "never never never i'll never stop believing". Purile really.

[freedomfromforum]

When people realize that the book that is supposed to be the basis for their faith is totally, completely, batshit insane -- they start to question the whole thing.

I had 'studied' the bible for years prior to my de-conversion, but it wasn't until I simply 'read' the bible that I saw how crazy it is. Bible 'studies' are designed to lead people where the study writer wants them to go. Free reading, on the other hand, disallows the omission of facts and data that church leaders are fearful of people seeing in the text, and makes available the truth of reasoning.

---

Fortunately my partner is as irreligious as me, although she doesn't get quite as worked up by weapons-grade bullshit as me.

"Weapons-grade bullshit"

Brilliant

[Chad32]

I doubt that I'd be able to change my grandmother's mind. Maybe my sister's or brother in law's, but maybe not.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

It's easiest if they start from a point of ignorance. Like your wife not knowing that all this shit is in the bible. But if they're already onto denial (ahem, like many theists on this forum, ahem), then I'm afraid almost all attempts will be futile.

[Captain Colostomy]

I mentioned it here once before(so obviously you aren't quite the fan of my posting as I narcissistically believed), but yeah, I have...sorta.

Whenever it was brought up to her, my wife would claim to be Southern Baptist. Thing is, she hasn't been in a church since she was a preteen. Hell, she never once even mentioned jesus, said a prayer, touched a bible, smote a heathen, etc. (She's big on karma, though). I finally pressed her on it out of curiosity. After a bit of kvetching, she realized she was saying she's baptist out of habit. She still thinks there is 'something' to god notions, so long as it keeps her granny's ghost around, anyway. (Kinda dumb, but at least she's no fundy.)

So, not really me assisting a deconversion, but clarifying an existing one.

[Godlesspanther]

I mentioned it here once before(so obviously you aren't quite the fan of my posting as I narcissistically believed), but yeah, I have...sorta.

Whenever it was brought up to her, my wife would claim to be Southern Baptist. Thing is, she hasn't been in a church since she was a preteen. Hell, she never once even mentioned jesus, said a prayer, touched a bible, smote a heathen, etc. (She's big on karma, though). I finally pressed her on it out of curiosity. After a bit of kvetching, she realized she was saying she's baptist out of habit. She still thinks there is 'something' to god notions, so long as it keeps her granny's ghost around, anyway. (Kinda dumb, but at least she's no fundy.)

So, not really me assisting a deconversion, but clarifying an existing one.

I have read countless de-conversion stories online. There are some in which the subject realizes that s/he has not been to church in years, not prayed, not studied the doctrine and comes to the conclusion that s/he no longer believes the bullshit.

Some end it with a big bang and others just quietly drift away. Among those who convert to a religion in adulthood they average about a year with the church and then get bored or disgusted with it. This is across the board -- evangelical xtianity, Mormonism, Krishnas, Moonies, etc. About a year on average.

[Drich]

This thread and this test inspired me to have my Christian wife take the test. She really enjoyed our time together discussing the bible. She was enjoying the test, and at one point (almost half way through) she said "I think these are trick questions". Ahh ha! I asked her why she thought that, and I reassured her that the answers were to be found in her own bible. Her skepticism of the test grew as the questions continued, and following the final question she said "This isn't going to make God look too good". She scored 24/50 and she was shocked by some of God's commands, requirements, and behaviors. Later that evening, she seemed much more open to my direct questions about her God, and she agreed that the OT is questionable. I reminded her that the NT is also full of weirdness, and of some of the bat-shit crazy things Jesus supposedly said and did. At one point I could swear I heard the faintest of sounds - to me it sounded like the first movement of a long rusted hinge on a door that has blocked the light for years. Has any atheist here been able to inject reason into their Christian spouse's/partner's considerations? I'm having a blast illuminating my wife's cognitive landscape.

Your wife was right in the beginning. Of the questions that do not beg the question, they are loaded or fake questions. They infer conclusions not consistant with biblical context the questions are loosly based on. I will say there is enough thier to support the question writers forgone conclusion, and without any follow up and actual reading of the bible one would be left with the question writters conclusion.. Which is why i did not partake in the orginal thread.

I guess for your wife's sake I will have to go line by line and to show the dishonesty in the questions asked.. This should help your wife 'reseal' that door.

[Bad Wolf]

I'm guessing someone got a low score on the test!