Convert or Move Out: Emergency

[Minimalist]

I makes me sad that someone who calls themself a Christian would be so judgemental and unloving. This is what happens when "Christians" are more concerned with their own agenda than the very Pinacle of their beliefs. Things like this need to change for anyone to take Christianity seriously!

Par for the course, in my experience.

IN case anyone is wondering where they get such nutty ideas from....

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/09/wingnu...ould-force

Wingnut Bryan Fischer: US Gov't Should Force All Immigrants To Convert To Christianity

[Jaysyn]

Also, if you get mail at their house & you decide to not "convert", force them to legally evict you. That will give you another 30 to 60 days depending on the state.

While my flesh cries out in agreement with your answer to this injustice, my experience tells me that taking the high road is the better choice on the long journey. Lowering oneself to the level of ones oppressors is never a solution.

His asshole in-laws are never going to seriously think Quantum has the moral high ground & I'd bet dollars to donuts that Mrs. Quantum is never going to ask them for help again.

[ShaMan]

While my flesh cries out in agreement with your answer to this injustice, my experience tells me that taking the high road is the better choice on the long journey. Lowering oneself to the level of ones oppressors is never a solution.

His asshole in-laws are never going to seriously think Quantum has the moral high ground & I'd bet dollars to donuts that Mrs. Quantum is never going to ask them for help again.

Perhaps you're right about his in-laws. I didn't say that they would see his effort, I said that taking the high road is a better choice on the long journey (life). It's a better choice to distance oneself from the vices of others who want to project their own crap onto you. His in-laws will probably feel superior on the day he walks out, never seeing his composure in the face of such an uprooting as being worthy of consideration, let alone respect. But upon taking the path of peace, one finds the long journey considerably more wondrous, since wisdom, rather than wrath, is now the guide.

[Blackrook]

I'm not an atheist, but I understand the OP's predicament. I'm a Catholic who doesn't go to Mass that often, and my father is a devout Catholic who hasn't missed one Mass in his life.

When I was unemployed and needed my money from my father, he would give me lectures about how my family should go to Mass every Sunday.

I got the hint and went to Mass with my father.

When you are dependent on the charity of others, it seems a small concession to a bend a little when they make demands upon you. It wouldn't hurt you to go to church, and it would solve your problems with money until you got back on your feet.

Please remember, that in the eyes of a Christian, they are helping you when they get you to go to church. This is more important than the help they give you financially. Also remember that beggars can't be choosers. That is a cliche, but it is very, very true. I had to put up with a lot of lectures and guilt-trips when I needed my father's help. You can do the same.

[Jacob(smooth)]

I hate to say it, but I'm tending to agree with Blackrock.

If you, as an adult, want to live in my house, I think I'm entitled to set the conditions! If you don't want to meet those conditions, well, you don't have to. Converting is an odd request but saying that you need to go to church and live as a Christian does not seem unreasonable to me. It's not so different to my employer telling me to act a certain way. Of course I have a choice but quid pro quo, they pay me so they get to tell me what to do.

There is a very old phrase. Beggars can't be choosers. When you are independent you can live as you please. When you rely on the goodwill of others, unfortunately you dance to their tune. Or don't. Up to you.

---

never thought that being atheist was good enough to make someone homeless.

Bullshit. Circumstances made you homeless. Losing your job made you homeless. What they did is took you in. Now you discover there are strings attached, well that's too bad. Very little in life comes for free, bed and board almost never!

[Manowar]

You have to be realistic, if you are sick and don't have money to move why not fake convert. play that game. When you are on your feet and can move out tell them to FUCK OFF. If they are so low, unfeeling people, use them. I know it's something you don't want to do but what choice do you have?

manowar

[CapnAwesome]

You have to be realistic, if you are sick and don't have money to move why not fake convert. play that game. When you are on your feet and can move out tell them to FUCK OFF. If they are so low, unfeeling people, use them. I know it's something you don't want to do but what choice do you have?

manowar

Because of self respect. I'd much rather go stay at a campground or live in my car for a few weeks or days than play than lose my self respect as a human.

[pocaracas]

A "few" years ago, in Portugal, all jews were asked to convert or get out.
This gave rise to the so-called New christians.

Obviously, many faked the conversion. Many kept observing their traditions, specially the "do not eat pork" one.
But Portugal is very rich in pork sausages, so it would have been very strange for a family to not have such sausages in their homes.
So the resourceful jews came up with something similar, which used poultry or rabbit, called alheira. It looks a lot like a normal pork-based farinheira and the texture is similar, too. So they got a free pass.

Nowadays, everyone in Portugal knows the difference and uses each in its special way. Farinheiras go in the pot, while alheiras are better roasted.

Eventually, in Portugal, the old jews died and their children became christian... if not the first generation, then the next or the one after... but they did.

All this to say that the OP is not the first person in the world to be under this kind of predicament.
Faking works for a while.
It becomes troublesome if you need to fake it to your own children, who will not see that you are faking it and will come to believe "as yourself".

If you know you can fake it easily, then go for it. It's easier for an atheist to fake being a christian, than for a jew.
If you have a place to stay, then shove history up their noses and show them that people don't convert like that. It's impossible.
Also, let them know that this attitude of theirs will keep their future grandchildren from any contact... that should shake things up a little bit!

Also, how does your wife feel about this whole thing?

[Crossless2.0]

You have to be realistic, if you are sick and don't have money to move why not fake convert. play that game. When you are on your feet and can move out tell them to FUCK OFF. If they are so low, unfeeling people, use them. I know it's something you don't want to do but what choice do you have?

manowar

Because of self respect. I'd much rather go stay at a campground or live in my car for a few weeks or days than play than lose my self respect as a human.

I'm with CapnAwesome. I'd rather sleep in my car or a damn alley than play the game. But that's just me, and I'm a stubborn fucker who will bend over backward to avoid being dependent on others.

That said, so far as it concerns the OP, if he and the Mrs. can stomach the unreasonable demands of her family, it might be best to knuckle under temporarily, get some money together, and tell the in-laws to go fuck themselves when prospects are brighter. It's a tough call, and the OP has my sympathy.

[Jaysyn]

When you are dependent on the charity of others, it seems a small concession to a bend a little when they make demands upon you. It wouldn't hurt you to go to church, and it would solve your problems with money until you got back on your feet.

But then it's not charity. You're simply being compensated for going to mass, which *should* be worse, but authoritarian religious types can't seem to wrap their pointy little heads around that.