A question to atheists

[bennyboy]

I kind of want to learn how to do cold reading better so I can go troll X-tian threads. Could be a new hobby?

[dyresand]

Okay so I don't want you to be confused by the title of this thread, I am agnostic.

So here's the story. A while ago I was arguing with my mom about what we both believed in. She is a very religious Catholic. She was telling me a story about how one time she went into a church and suddenly, the priest or whatever from that church came to her and told my mom that she should get back in a relationship with Mary (Jesus' mother). Funny enough, my mom was a bit "distant" ( I don't know how else[/size][/font] to describe it) with Mary at that time. For example she didn't pray to her and things like that.

The question is: When arguing with a religious person, how does a non-religious person respond with something "supernatural" like that??

Vague sentiments are just mind tricks its something you can pick up on and i tend to ignore it but anyways just say that is way to vague because anyone else can say that.

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I kind of want to learn how to do cold reading better so I can go troll X-tian threads. Could be a new hobby?

http://www.wikihow.com/Cold-Read

[emilynghiem]

Okay so I don't want you to be confused by the title of this thread, I am agnostic.

So here's the story. A while ago I was arguing with my mom about what we both believed in. She is a very religious Catholic. She was telling me a story about how one time she went into a church and suddenly, the priest or whatever from that church came to her and told my mom that she should get back in a relationship with Mary (Jesus' mother). Funny enough, my mom was a bit "distant" ( I don't know how else[/size][/font] to describe it) with Mary at that time. For example she didn't pray to her and things like that.

The question is: When arguing with a religious person, how does a non-religious person respond with something "supernatural" like that??

There are two things going on here I would address, one is how do you explain this Mary connection to Christians who reject it in order to resolve that issue common among fellow believers, and second is how do you discuss and describe this in secular terms where a nonreligious person understands it.

1. to resolve this among Christians, I have heard it explained as praying with friends, but Mary is like a friend who is not physically here but alive in spirit or memory. So the connection in prayer is still done on the level of conscience where Christ Jesus represents the universal connection between people in spirit. The point is NOT that Mary replaces Jesus, but fellowship is sought with Mary the way people would join with friends in group prayer or fellowship.

2. to explain this to secular nonreligious types, prayer is a positive way of connecting people in agreement to help focus our energy and loving thoughts and actions. Mary is a symbol of grace, mercy, forgiveness and comfort, so invoking and focusing on this image invokes that level of motherly love and grace that includes and soothes people. so it has a positive healing effect to use Mary as a symbol of focus.

does that help.

even if you don't believe that Jesus or Mary are these universal figures for all people, the fact that so many people are joined in central focus on these figures,
that woudl concentrate all those positive thoughts and energy collectively and that energy would have a positive healing effect on people.

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My elderly aunt did something similar to me. First, she pmed me worried that I would not be among those she sees again in heaven. I answered as politely as I could. Later, she told me that she had experienced Jesus in some deep way and wanted me to know he was real. She is old and I love her so I wrote back that I was happy she had an experience that gave her joy but I still didn't believe. What else could I say? My response must have discouraged her from writing because she didn't answer back. Maybe that is the only way the OP can respond to his mom. Tell her you are understand that she has something that makes her happy but that you simply don't believe.

Hi Nope i would turn the tables and ask your aunt to start asking Jesus some questions. Ask her to ask God/Jesus, does Jesus mean the spirit of Justice and does Jesus govern the secular gentiles and nontheists under natural laws using science and reason.

If her understanding with Jesus is true, the answer should be yes that Jesus manifests to the secular gentiles as Equal Justice under law that brings peace.

or something like that, find out what her answer is from God.

[robvalue]

If someone claims they can talk to God, write down a number and seal it in an envolope. Then get the person to get God to tell them what the number is.

[Norman Humann]

If someone claims they can talk to God, write down a number and seal it in an envolope. Then get the person to get God to tell them what the number is.

Do not test the Lord you fool

[robvalue]

Oh yeah, he refuses to be tested! Except in his own book, where he was happy to give a clear demonstration on request.

[Norman Humann]

Oh yeah, he refuses to be tested! Except in his own book, where he was happy to give a clear demonstration on request.

Blasphemy

[robvalue]

No, I will not blaspheme-you :p

[dreamsofpotato]

well you could tell your mother. Mary is made up, Christianity is made up, your priest drank the kool-aid and you're being fed a whole lot of kool-aid too.

Or you could make sure she understands you don't believe in those things but she's free to do whatever she wants and you'll love her no matter what.

Or you could not respond and silently pity your family for living a lie.

[Metis]

The question is: When arguing with a religious person, how does a non-religious person respond with something "supernatural" like that??

In 1518 in the then Holy Roman Empire a load of people went out into the street one day and danced until they died.

No, I'm not joking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_Plague_of_1518. This is perhaps one of the earliest recordings of a case of mass delusional psychosis in the common era.

The power of suggestion is an incredibly powerful thing, some people who want something bad enough will eventually create it in their own mind or if it's repeatedly suggested to them.

That's how I usually handle appeals to supernatural experience, usually with a quote from Freud if the discussion is happening online.