Convert or Move Out: Emergency

[Chas]

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!

He has a choice to make on whether or not to knuckle under to their vile demand. You castigate him unfairly.

Their demand is immoral.

[DeistPaladin]

Like the others, I can only offer my deepest sympathies.

My wife's mother and father live in our basement when her father lost his house, job and health almost all at the same time in 2008. We've never even thought to demand they renounce their Christianity.

Just thought I'd share an example of how we don't do unto them (theists) as they have done unto us.

[Jacob(smooth)]

He has a choice to make on whether or not to knuckle under to their vile demand. You castigate him unfairly.

Their demand is immoral.

They're not making a vile demand. They're making a conditional offer. Much as if I said to you "If you convert to bobism I'll send you £10". Or more specifically "if you convert to bobism you can come live with me". Was it vile of me to make that demand?

The fact that what they are offering is something the OP really NEEDS does not change the fact that its still an offer. Bed and board for coverting. Or at least giving the appearance of conversion. The thing with an offer is that while you may not think its fair, you can always turn it down and be no worse off than you were before.


The fact that they have, up to this point, given the OP bed and board for free does not make it an entitlement for that situation to continue. If I pay you £10 a week for a year it does not mean I'm morally obliged to pay you the same next year.

Outside of people to whom we consider ourselves to have obligations toward (like children) how can it be immoral to offer someone something with, or without strings? If I go to a prostitute and she offers to blow me for £60, is it immoral that she's not offering it to me for free? How about if I REEEEALLY NEED a blowjob?

I have sympathy with the OP's situation, but his situation is not his in laws fault, nor their responsibility. So far as I can see his gripe is that he's not being allowed to live in someone elses house on HIS terms.

[DeistPaladin]

They're not making a vile demand. They're making a conditional offer.

I think there's an important distinction to be made between legally right and morally right. The in laws are making a legal demand but it's both absurd and immoral.

It's absurd because you can't choose to change what you believe.

It's immoral because their relationship with their imaginary friend Jesus is more important than their love for family.

But it is legal.

[Jacob(smooth)]

From whose perspective is it immoral? They believe that by doing this they are saving their family from an eternity in hell. That's a ridiculous belief as you say, but probably sincerely held. They don't get a payoff for dragging the op to church. They're doing it exactly because the do love their family! They're trying to make them Christian, not homeless.

What it boils down to is do you have a moral obligation to give your grown up kid + 1, bed and board, free, indefinitely. If the answer is yes, then it's immoral.

[Minimalist]

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.

Yeah...'cause that's what fucking jesus always said, right?

1 John 3:17 But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won't help him--how can God's love be within him ?

[Jacob(smooth)]

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.

Yeah...'cause that's what fucking jesus always said, right?

1 John 3:17 But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won't help him--how can God's love be within him ?

Makes them hypocrites certainly. But given the smorgasbord of commandments in the Bible, ranging from absolutely altruism to virtual fascism, it's impossible for any Christian to NOT be breaking somebody's interpretation of some instruction or other! Christian morality is so flexible it can be used to defend, or assault, any position.

[CapnAwesome]

I mean, even if you removed the religious aspect of it, what they are doing is pretty shitty. They are kicking out family who needs help. Who here wouldn't help your immediate family for a few months when they are in need? I would imagine that he can find someone else to stay with if he really tries though.

[Minimalist]

It's blackmail, plain and simple.

[Elskidor]

How do they not realize how sick that type of behavior is?