I have a profile at a dating site. I put it up in hopes that I would meet some interesting new FRIENDS, being as I live in a small town and meeting people here is difficult. In my introduction I was candid about being: ace, agender, aromantic, and atheist. Last night the last adjective proved to be too upsetting for another user, resulting in the following encounter:
SHE initiates contact with me to say something innocuous, “heya, how are you?” I always take the time to read the profile of anyone who contacts me, and hers emphatically stated that she wished to talk to others about traveling. So I responded with a question, “I’m fine, thank you. I see your profile says that you wish to talk about traveling? So where do you wish to travel, or where have you traveled?” She responds with a long diatribe about Jesus and how she believes in God. Okkkkay, then. My usual response would be to say something snarky, but I had told myself that this week I would endeavor to be kinder and gentler to all I met. This includes Christian people who are hell-bent on saving my soul. So I replied with a polite answer and wished her a Happy Thanksgiving. She contacts me AGAIN this morning to find out why I wasn’t responding to her god-talk and then sends another message that she doesn’t find “men-looking” women attractive. I’m beginning to lose my patience at this point. But I remember my resolution. Though I know that I am wasting my time, I do respond, albeit still politely. I say that she has voiced her dislike of my beliefs and my appearance through more than one message now and I am frankly puzzled as to why she keeps contacting me. I am happy for her that she is saved by Jesus hopes that she has a blessed Thanksgiving. Then I blocked her. I don’t think she realized this, for I continued to get messages from her. They went unread.
WHY do some Christians feel entitled to engage in this behavior? And this is definitely a CHRISTIAN thing. You don’t see practitioners of ANY other religion doing this sort of thing. It irks me to no end. Not only is it highly annoying; it is presumptuous, contemptuous, and entitled. It CLEARLY says, “I know better than you do what is best for you and I am prepared to trample all over your beliefs and your rights in the name of my god.” This is what gives Christianity a bad name and a black mark in the eyes of so many non-Christians. These type of Christians don’t just do this to atheists; they’ll do this to ANYONE who doesn’t subscribe to their brand of Christianity-even other Christians. But atheists really seem to rile them, I’ll admit. We’re like a direct challenge to them, some sort of theological red flag. My life would probably be a lot easier if I would play nice, as a pastor friend of mine suggested, and start saying that I’m an agnostic. It sounds better, he says, less militant and harsh. Not so confrontative.
I’m sorry. Let’s talk about confrontation, shall we? A CHRISTIAN shouted at me that I’m damned while I was walking to the farmers market upon merely hearing, “No, I’m an atheist, sir.” A CHRISTIAN told me to “FUCK OFF, you’re obviously not on your way to church!” while on his way to CHURCH, after I helpfully and politely informed him that he had parked his car illegally and that it would be towed. A CHRISTIAN told me that I should be DEPORTED b/c I didn’t believe in a CHRISTIAN god. And, as described above, a CHRISTIAN sought me out on a DATING SITE to revile both my beliefs and my looks. So who is seeking confrontation here? Do I knock on doors and ask, “Pardon me, have you studied the good news about critical reasoning and rationality?” Do I stand at the entrance of the farmers market and read from Darwin? Do I hand out pocket-sized editions of Richard Dawkins “The God Delusion” to be distributed by legions of middle-aged atheists and placed in motel rooms nationwide? Maybe someone needs to start doing this. IF I keep encountering Christian trolls, maybe it might be me.
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