"Just give it a chance!"
My creationist stepfather has come to visit for a couple weeks. I love the guy, but his religious stance is as bothersome as they come. We had a small argument about religion and science. He went on to spit all of the usual (and ignorant) creationist views at me. Each point was easily refuted, but of course he would shake off my rebuttal with "it is gods will; you can not understand gods will". As well as my arguments on morals in which he would insist "any choice god makes is perfect," (including genocide and the killing of children, in context) "and therefore everything god does is good". When the argument ended he proposed to me the choice to come to church with him this Sunday to at least "give god a chance". Instead of straight on refusing his request and telling him how i should go to a unicorn convention to give unicorns a chance, or how i have already given god a good ten to thirteen years of constant chance; I offered him a deal. If he would listen to scientific lectures on my stance for two and a half hours, than i would spend the two and a half hours of my Sunday at church.
He looked insulted, and immediately refused.
Oh yeah, and he repeated many times during the argument that "Atheists use just as much faith as Christians" as well as "Completely refuse to give god a chance".
P.S. i wouldn't care so much about this, but this is what he is teaching my little brother every day, and there is nothing i can do about it. He censors my brother from science and criticism on religion.
He looked insulted, and immediately refused.
Oh yeah, and he repeated many times during the argument that "Atheists use just as much faith as Christians" as well as "Completely refuse to give god a chance".
P.S. i wouldn't care so much about this, but this is what he is teaching my little brother every day, and there is nothing i can do about it. He censors my brother from science and criticism on religion.
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Comment by Erik Riese on July 21, 2009 at 6:38pm -
It's sad. I have relatives like this too. Makes me want to cry.
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Comment by Neo Brave on July 21, 2009 at 9:59pm -
I feel for you, have to be such a pain. And it is very sad, just as Erik put it. It is frustrating when he doesn't even listen; "militant ignorant". He didn't even consider your deal... the truth can hurt and he knows it. Let us hope that your brother is more of an open-minded freethinking type.
Good luck my friend!
-NB
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Comment by Dave G on July 22, 2009 at 12:38am -
Here's a question for him. If people cannot know God's will, why is he so sure that HE knows it?
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Comment by Eric Strus on July 22, 2009 at 3:17am -
@Dave G,
A - the bible = gods' words, opinions and truth, without question. why?, because! IT'S THE BIBLE!!!"
B - because god talks to him.
remember, god talks to the people who hear voices in their head!
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Comment by Matthew on July 22, 2009 at 11:39am -
I would plant little seeds of thought in your brother. Start teaching him how to think critically. Is there a way you could talk about science with him?
I got this from someone on this site, though I can't remember who...Use silly stories that aren't true and have him ask questions and argue with you. See if he can prove you wrong. Then admit you were making it up and suggest some other arguments he could have used.
You'll have to be careful at first so your parents don't catch on to your fiddling with their teachings. Just teach him to ask questions, but not necessarily about god. Maybe just about ghosts, and psychics, etc.
Perhaps once your brother is old enough to find you awesome and starts questioning your parents, this would work. When he's old enough to keep it to himself, then start expanding the questions to things religious. Use Santa as an example...when he's old enough to get it you can ask how Santa and god are any different. If Santa was a lie with all those powers, what about god?
Be patient. After all, weren't you taught just about the same things? I was, and here I am on this site.
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