christers

[tiddlywinks]

yesterday, i joined a bunch of folks at the picnic being held for teachers and volunteers at the school where i work
I sat down at the table and the nut sack sitting across from me struck up a conversation with the lady to his left with
'are you a christian'
omfg i didn't finish chewing my food and all of a sudden the smoke from the cookout was going in my eyes so i hopped up really quick and just disappeared. from my new location i could hear the *# going on and on about god and shit i felt sorry for his victim and it pissed me off

what would have been your response? (remember this is at a workplace picnic at an elementary school)

[cosmik debris]

1. Create a plan to rescue the victim.

That would be the Christian thing to do. :)

[Warpy]

2. Mine might have involved spilling something on the Christer

because that's one of the few things that will break into one of those endless rambles about Jebus.

When they buttonhole me, I just wait until they ask if I'm saved. I reply "no, I'm recycled." That usually nets me a clean getaway.

[sarcasmo]

14. No I'm recycled, that's a good one.

[Strong Atheist]

3. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES

ever tell ANYONE at ANY place that you work that you are an atheist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made this mistake ONCE...:scared:

I am now a teacher too...

I was gleefully informed by a person wearing a cross around their neck (a day or two after I let slip that I was an atheist) that EVERYONE there hated me... a fact made evidently plain by the youngest (18-19) christer there... I am sure bejesus would have approved of the waves of hatred rolling off from her; knowing nothing about me accept that I was an atheist... :eyes:

[cosmik debris]

4. Yep.

I've made that mistake too. It cost me my job an a whole lot more.

It amazes me how hateful and vicious christians can be when they can see the face of their worst enemy.

[Strong Atheist]

5. In this case, the last laugh ended up being on all of them. You see, this

was a temp job on both sides (the employer needed some temporary workers, I needed a job temporarily). It was in the few weeks before and after christmas. The shifts were tightly packed, and the few who managed to get christmas off did so only because everyone else was working and there were enough people.

Well, after being informed (and SEEING) that everyone hated me, I managed a few more days, but then... the job I was waiting for (my current job) came through, a few days before christmas.

Due ENTIRELY to the way I had been treated, I came in late the next day and announced to the supervisor that I was quiting IMMEDIATELY. I have always hoped that action caused a canceled christmas day off for someone since it left them short-staffed, and I was (aheh) originally scheduled to work on christmas day.

I talked to no one except the supervisor, and said good-bye to no one. They all saw me come and go in the space of 10 minutes, with no explanations on my part...

What goes around comes around...:evilgrin:

[and-justice-for-all]

8. Fuck that...

I will never allow them to intimidate me with their invisible friends and their bronze age desert dogma..they can kiss my Atheist ass.

[Seldona]

12. I disagree.

I am not going to claim to be a christian for anyone, or anything. I've never lost a job over it either.

Then again I rarely care what co-workers think of me anyway. So the point may be moot. Isn't it illegal for someone to fire an employee over religion, or lack of? It should be. Getting fired for not believing in someone else's god is fubar.

[vixengrl]

6. I suppose I couldn't get away with "Come? Non parlo inglese."

I think I'd resort to obfuscation: "You know, I wonder the same thing myself. *Am* I a Christian? I know about Jesus and his teachings, but how do you really *know* you are a Christian?"

It's part feint and part challenge. I could be saying "I'm a Christian, all right, but sometimes I don't feel I'm enough of one". I'd be letter-correct: I do know about Jesus and his teachings. I also do wonder how people know that they are Christians. It also means I have asked the Christian to explain their faith to me. This way, I let the Christian witness to me, without having to do any of the witnessing myself.

I have a raft of totally honest and deceptive conversational ways of discussing my relationship with Christianity. I don't attend church because "I prefer to relate to these issues without a lot of other people's interpretations--it can cause confusion sometimes, don't you think?" I also don't believe in praying in public, "Because isn't that what Jesus says the pharisees do? My relationship with God is really personal to me." (As in, "I personally don't need to tell you I don't talk to fictional characters.") I can totally admit to studying the Bible, without saying it's to poke holes in the sillier bits.

It reminds me of when my fundy cousin asked me if I was saved. I was attending a Catholic college and was basically a pagan at the time (pantheist, interested in mythology, New Age-y.) I explained I definitely had been introduced to Christ and agreed with a lot of what I'd been reading. It was as good as born-again for her. It was true--I was introduced to Christ. I also read things I agreed with--they just weren't the Bible.

In general, though, I don't have religious discussions at work, anymore than I discuss politics.

Except I actually have discussed being an atheist at work with people who know me well enough to have probably already guessed at my politics and philosophical leanings, anyway.

[enlightenment]

10. Admire your stamina. Way too much work for me.

I just say 'no' - politely - and refuse to engage in conversation after that, unless they want to talk about the quality of the hot-dog buns or debate the pros and cons of pickle relish in potato salad.

[tiddlywinks]

11. i love it! tytyty!

[Deep13]

7. "No."

I'd try to keep a nuetral tone, but firm tone.

[and-justice-for-all]

9. I would of butted right into that conversation....

but I would gauged the person he was 'talking' to first. You can tell when someone is uncomfortable or looks trapped, that is when you can paunch.

[sarcasmo]

13. One more reason to not be religious. You never hear Atheist walk up to someone out of the blue

And say, are you an Atheist?