How to handle preaching assholes

[reverendjeremiah]

For all of you who are new to being atheists, and even to those who are well experienced atheists, or even if you are an easy going, laid back believer type. This is some information that may help you one day.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where people are trying to preach to you, then cut them off at the beginning of the preaching and say.

"I would very much appreciate you not discussing that right now."

Most respectful religious types will stop it and change the subject, and maybe even apologize.

Be kind, but be very stern. Don't back down. Don't argue the bible with them. Dont even offer a hint of your opinnion on the subject. Don't raise your voice and try not to give the appearance that you are mad or frustrated.

The asshole types, on the other hand, will more than likely make an off statement to you like "I telling you about the good news of Jesus.", or maybe even say things that are meant to make them look good and make you look bad for not accepting their preachy bull shit.

DONT FALL FOR THEIR CHILD PSYCHOLOGY!

If this happens, reinforce the fact that you do not wish to hear or discuss the matter with them "especially now that you are being rude with me after I kindly asked you not to discuss such a thing." This makes you look better than the preachy asshole in front of people who are intelligent enough to understand the difference because you didnt stoop to his level by resorting to insults or child psychology.

If you find yourself in the presence of a preachy asshole such as this, then after you have reinforced your unwillingness to be preached at, then immediately walk away and try not to be around the preachy asshole as much as you can that day. Go to the bathroom for a few minutes. In fact, anytime you become upset for any reason, you should go to the bathroom without saying a single word until you calm down. None of this is worth getting fired over.

If you are not in a position to escape the preachy son of a bitch, then keep interupting their preaching with kind, yet stern reminders that you do not want such a discussion until they stop preaching. Do not give them an inch of freedom to spread their rude and hateful words onto your life. Some of these preachy types are hard headed and EXTREMELY unintelligent. Do not get angry or raise your voice at them, but DO NOT give them a chance to even finish their preaching.

If you are on the job site, and someone keeps insisting on preaching to you, then immediately go to your boss in private and let him or her become aware that your fellow employee is preaching to you on company time and that you find it to be rude and unprofessional.

Maybe if some of these assholes got fired for forcing their hateful shit on people it will help make them stop and reconsider their stance in life.

Either way, dont give these assholes a second of your time.

Remember: Be kind, but be very stern.

[frankiej]

A lethal injection would be better.

[ElDinero]

Fuck that. I'm with you for the very first part. If someone wants to carry on preaching after that, they're going to get it with both barrels.

[frankiej]

Lay into them with a nailed baseball bat....

[reverendjeremiah]

you guys are cracking me up!

[Anomalocaris]

You can handle the assholes by shoving a large handles up their assholes.

[Cinjin]

My first time witnessing as a Christian:

I'd very much like to tell you about a man in my life named Jesus. Clearly you don't know who he is, but he loves you very very much. He came to this planet on the wings of a ghostly phantom named the holy spirit in order to save the world ... well actually also to damn the world, but that's really his fathers fault. Well, not exactly, see it's your fault. I mean what I'm trying to say is that Jesus IS his father, but not totally, because his father is more of the mean one ... kind of. See, Jesus is trying to save you from yourself, because your natural desire is to throw yourself into hell. I mean, god is willing to save you from the place he made for you. Alright, see, god loves you so much that he made hell as a place for all the people he doesn't love - I guess we just don't know who those people are yet. I mean, don't get me wrong, god loves everyone .... well, at least while they're alive I think. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that god loves you as long as you accept his son. It's non-negotiable if you don't want to burn in hell. Wait.... see, what I'm trying to show you is that an immortal being died on the cross for you so that you could worship him for all eternity. mmhmm .... Alright, backup. So Jesus died on the cross to forgive humans for sin. His father gave us all a sinful nature that we're supposed to fight off, and see, well jesus helps us do that. Right. So when jesus died on the cross see, that allowed his father, god, to forgive us for what he gave us. So now you're probably wondering how can I accept a guy who died so damn long ago. Well, jesus didn't stay dead. So even though he's back from the dead I guess his sacrifice still counts. Good for us right. Sweet, this is all coming together. So jesus is building heaven right now, thats why he's not here. Apparently hell came pre-fabbed and ready-made in an instant but heaven takes some time with all the gold and security gates and what have you. Anyway, when he comes back, we're all going to meet up naked in the sky, well that's what I'm told anyway. All you got to do is telepathically tell Jesus that you accept him as your boss and savior and that you are willing to worship him for the rest of your life and for all eternity. You don't want god to burn you do you?

[Cyberman]

If there was a way give more than just the one kudosal thumbs-up, that would be at least a five!

[Jay1982]

I will always try first to get away from preachy people. Even if I wanted to I couldn't lower myself to get confrontational with someone like that. What works best for me if they follow me or wont quit is extreme sarcasm, supplemented by doses of patronization. Seems to work so far anyway :-)

[Rayaan]

DONT FALL FOR THEIR CHILD PSYCHOLOGY!

If this happens, reinforce the fact that you do not wish to hear or discuss the matter with them "especially now that you are being rude with me after I kindly asked you not to discuss such a thing." This makes you look better than the preachy asshole in front of people who are intelligent enough to understand the difference because you didnt stoop to his level by resorting to insults or child psychology.

But Rev, here's a problem with such a move:

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Many religious people do that also.
On the plus side, however, at least your strategy is more respectable than getting angry at them.