Sunday, November 04, 2007
"But you seem so nice"
I'm finding that Jacksonville, at least the westside, is a very Christian (christian meaning fundie right-wing nutjob in this case) place.
At the homeschool group that B. goes to, I chat with other moms. It has gotten around the group that I'm not a Christian (ie not one of them). One of the moms that I've chatted with said to me, "I heard a rumor about you"
I replied, in a slightly bewildered tone, "Oh...really"
"Yes, I heard you're not a Christian" she said.
"Oh" I instantly felt relief "That's true. We're Jewish"
Her eyes widened and she said, "But you seem so nice" Now it was my turn to have my eyes get big. "I mean we have so much in common" she just kept digging. It was pretty obvious that she could see how shocked I was by what she said.
After watching her struggle I joked, "Well, I try not to let people know I eat babies for breakfast."
I have a good friend that is a Bible-believing, vote straight republican, Christian. We certainly have similar values and, as my friend says, they're called Judeo-Christian ethics for a reason.
After discussing this incident with several people, I've learned why the mom said what she did. Before I go further I want to say that this mom is a nice person who I enjoy occasionally chatting with.
In short, the thinking goes like this:
Good people go to heaven
Only people who believe in Jesus go to heaven.
Good people = Believe in Jesus
and the opposite must be true too...right?
Bad people go to hell.
People who don't believe in Jesus will go to hell.
Bad people = people who don't believe in Jesus.
So...I present a dilemma to these people. I'm nice. Often, we share similar values regarding family and so on. But...I don't believe. And, therefore, must be going to hell. But I don't *seem* like a bad person.
Does God really send good people to hell?
Is that the kind of God that would be worthy of worshiping?
Am I sent from the Satan to try and tempt their faith?
BWWAAHAHAHAHAH!!!
At the homeschool group that B. goes to, I chat with other moms. It has gotten around the group that I'm not a Christian (ie not one of them). One of the moms that I've chatted with said to me, "I heard a rumor about you"
I replied, in a slightly bewildered tone, "Oh...really"
"Yes, I heard you're not a Christian" she said.
"Oh" I instantly felt relief "That's true. We're Jewish"
Her eyes widened and she said, "But you seem so nice" Now it was my turn to have my eyes get big. "I mean we have so much in common" she just kept digging. It was pretty obvious that she could see how shocked I was by what she said.
After watching her struggle I joked, "Well, I try not to let people know I eat babies for breakfast."
I have a good friend that is a Bible-believing, vote straight republican, Christian. We certainly have similar values and, as my friend says, they're called Judeo-Christian ethics for a reason.
After discussing this incident with several people, I've learned why the mom said what she did. Before I go further I want to say that this mom is a nice person who I enjoy occasionally chatting with.
In short, the thinking goes like this:
Good people go to heaven
Only people who believe in Jesus go to heaven.
Good people = Believe in Jesus
and the opposite must be true too...right?
Bad people go to hell.
People who don't believe in Jesus will go to hell.
Bad people = people who don't believe in Jesus.
So...I present a dilemma to these people. I'm nice. Often, we share similar values regarding family and so on. But...I don't believe. And, therefore, must be going to hell. But I don't *seem* like a bad person.
Does God really send good people to hell?
Is that the kind of God that would be worthy of worshiping?
Am I sent from the Satan to try and tempt their faith?
BWWAAHAHAHAHAH!!!
