Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with christian

Jesus wants you to have good sex.

fuzzbean — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:28:17 -0800

I'm looking for some Christ-centered sex-positive how-to books. For a friend. No, really. I have a very Christian friend who will be getting married soon. I'd like to give her some sex-positive material for her wedding shower, but I'd also like to be respectful of her beliefs.

Are there any good Christian sex-positive books out there? The Guide to Getting It On is definitely on my shopping list, but I'm a little worried it'll be too much of a muchness for her and just get chucked in the back of the closet. Any recommendations?

I'm in Seattle and can make a trip out to Babeland before the shower. We also have a variety of large independent and not-so-independent bookstores out here. U-District, Cap. Hill, or downtown are all accessible, but I probably don't have time to order online.

Comparing Koran, Bible

jcdill — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:34:46 -0800

Comparing controversial sections of the Qur'an (Koran), and of the New and Old Testament sections of the Bible. I'm looking for a resource (ideally a website, could also be a book) that compares contraversial sections of the Quran / Koran and of the New and Old Testament sections of the bible to show that all 3 religious source books have sections that aren't taken literally (word for word) today by the majority of their followers (Jews, Christians, Muslims).

I'm looking to show that taking the controversial sections of the Koran in isolation by themselves (without comparison to similar sections in the Bible) as being "proof" of what Muslims today believe in (e.g. that Muslims believe that they have a holy duty to kill all non-believers) is without basis, as most of today's Muslims don't believe those sections any more than most Christians believe (or follow) outdated sections from the Bible that forbid divorce, allow slaves, forbid eating shellfish, etc. (I admit ignorance about the sections of the Old Testament that modern Jews don't adhere to - I know very little about modern Jewish beliefs other than there are various orthodoxies.)

I'm trying to reconcile what I found when searching, for instance:

http://www.islamicperspectives.com/Quran.htm

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/says_about/religious_tolerance.html

Clearly these interpretations are contradictory and both can't be correct. The Skeptics Annotated Bible seems to have a more open and skeptical view of the Bible, but a negatively slanted view of the Qur'an and I don't feel comfortable relying on this source.

Deconverting Christians

LSK — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:02:28 -0800

How do I convince [the more liberal] Christians to become atheists? (Issues you have with the wording of this question are likely addressed inside.) Obviously "Christian" isn't an all-encompassing or precise term, and there are a plural of sects, approaches and levels of worship. I'm primarily curious how to 'deconvert' the Christians who aren't so dedicated - those that maybe go to church on Sunday, but don't let the principles of Christianity rule their lives.

The difficulty in attacking Christianity is often that direct reason is rendered useless in the believer's mind by various arguments, such as these:

- Claims that God is the one aspect of life that can be dictated by faith, that he exists beyond logic, or etc.

- "But I've FELT God!" or "But I KNOW he's there!" or etc.

- "There's not enough evidence to prove or disprove God, so you have to choose one, so I chose to believe in God."
___
Various disclaimers:
1. This question's definitely not the best fit here, but the Green's the only place on the internet where people with the ability to answer this congregate.

2. Yes, I know that I'm asking how to impose my opinion on others. I understand that this is often considered to be in poor taste - see #1.

3. A previous version of this question was removed as chatfilter. I assure you that I'm asking this with intent to put this to use - I just don't feel comfortable specifying exactly where.

Advice for a non-believer interested in dating a woman with a solid christian background?

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:00:52 -0800

I am quite taken by a very quality woman - one catch.. she has a degree in theology and is saving herself for marrage. It's early to tell, but let's say she's the one for me.. is there even hope? Advice from people in inter-faith relationships? I am in my late 20s, and have a dating past of several long-term and rewarding relationships. I've never been very good at or much enjoyed casual/uncommitted dating. It's also not what I'm looking for anymore.

I am an agnostic I suppose, solid values but no faith in a greater power.

I have been on 3 dates with a very quality woman.. beautiful, charming, and quite a catch indeed. So far we have had a really good time together and I am remarkably taken by her smile.

She has a very christian background, and that still plays out in components of her life. She was thoughful enough to bring up early in our dating that she's a virgin and is saving herself for marrage.
It isn't because of firm religous beliefs or because the bible says so, more because of her chaste history, and wanting to have that for her husband since she still can offer that.

I can see marrage in my future, and very well could be to a quality woman like her. I would also not want to make such a decision lightly and would want to spend several years really getting to know my partner and what our life would be like together. Part of this would usually include a healthy sex life.

1) It's hard to love someone and not be able to satisfy them the way you want to.
2) I would usually prefer that someone has had a chance to learn and explore and have a mature sexuality. Virginity is a may sound fun, but i'd prefer someone who's excited to share their kinks rather then find out they have none

Also, if I WERE to marry this woman, she is christian and that is a big basis of how she makes decisions and handles and appreciates life. Does anybody have insight over whether this is a major barrier in a relationship? In starting a family?

Looking for a book recommendation to study Revelations

snap_dragon — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:38:49 -0800

Been reading the Bible in One Year...and nearing Revelations. Can anyone recommend a book on Revelations that comes from a Reformed perspective that is for the layperson? If not Reformed, other perspectives will do if you have any suggestions. In the end, I am sure nobody understands it but I have been putting of reading it and reading about it for years.

How to deal with 'innocent' stereotyping from a coworker?

evadery — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:11:47 -0800

How do you deal with ethnic stereotyping from a colleague in the form of innocent questions? I am jewish, and at my job I work with a somewhat religious christian coworker. I am younger (29), she is older (early 40s?), and I am her boss. In all respects we get along very well. She feels very comfortable around me, and we are constantly joking with one another.

However, as our relationship has progressed, she has starting asking me many questions about my religion (an outsider would call me a reform jew, I call myself an athiest who enjoys the familial traditions that come with judiasm; otherwise I say I am "jewish with an emphasis on the 'ish'"). Some are innocent such as Why do Christians do X and Jews do Y (ie: kosher, holidays, etc). But often they veer into odd stereotypical questions (ie: "Is it true that all jews are rich? Alot of people I know say it's true"; "Why do Jews dislike Christians", etc.) I firmly believe that she is asking me in some sort of cross-cultural exchange thing, out of genuine curiosity and a desire to increase her own knowledge, and with absolutely NO malice, ill will, or desire to convert me or anything crazy like that.

I don't want to dissuade her from coming to me and asking me questions, but I want to try and lightly (not heavy-handedly) dissuade her from some of these more stereotypical thoughts. Other than talking to her gently about them, is there anything else I should/could be doing? Or, if talking to her is the way to go, is there any manner in which I should be talking, or anything which I should be saying?

Otherwise, is it totally dangerous to even HAVE these discussions in a work context? If so, how do I politely extricate myself. This course of action is NOT my preferred method, but I'd be willing to listen to arguments as to why it should be.

Note: I have no desire to speak to a supervisor or HR person, get her disciplined, or anything like that. I also don't mind if she asks me these questions, and it doesn't make me uncomfortable (well, maybe a touch, but not nearly enough to ask her to stop). I just want to try to be kind and educate (or if educating is a poor goal in this context, then insert your own suggestion here) while maintaining a cozy work environment. This may not be possible, however...

Thanks!

Any books out there that give advice about dating a divorced mother?

bcredrabbit — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 07:44:24 -0800

Any books out there that give advice about dating a divorced mother? A few weeks ago I met a really nice woman on eHarmony. We have a lot in common and have seemed to hit it off well. Everything is going great so far, and I want it to continue to go well. She is a few years older than me, has a 1.5 year old son, and was divorced 6 months ago (separated two years ago) after a seven-year marriage. Obviously, these factors create additional considerations that make dating a little bit different than dating a woman who does not have a child and was never married. I've found a few websites that talk about how to date a divorced woman/mother, but nothing great and no books that address the topic. There are a lot of books for women that want to date after divorce, but nothing that I can find about how to date a divorced mother/woman. Any books/other resources that address this topic? Furthermore, if these books approach the topic from a Christian perspective, that would be even better. Thanks.

"I am a believer." In what?

HotToddy — Sun, 24 May 2009 09:50:49 -0800

"I am a believer." What does this mean, exactly? I think it means that the speaker believes in the resurrection of Christ, but I am wondering if it also conveys more information--perhaps that the person believes generally but does not identify with a particular denomination. Or does it indicate that they are an evangelical Christian? Is this something that a Roman Catholic would be likely to say? I've only been hearing this in the past few years--is that just coincidence, or has this expression recently gained currency for some reason?

Why should the church support gay marriage?

fogster — Sat, 09 May 2009 09:06:53 -0800

If you were writing a letter to the editor with the title, "Christian Church Mustn't Oppose Same-Sex Marriage," what facts and arguments would you include? I'm a (quite) left-leaning Christian, and I'm appalled to find that the Church has a leading role in opposing gay marriage everywhere it's passing here in New England. I want to write a letter to the editor (and, perhaps, my Diocese) to this effect, and I want the hivemind's help in making sure it's a slam-dunk argument. For the purposes of this letter, I don't want to argue in favor of gay marriage itself, but merely that the Church should not oppose it.

The point I currently intend to make are that: (a) The Old Testament makes a few references to homosexuality being a sin, but (b) The New Testament does not (is this correct?), and (c) The New Testament is "a new covenant" with God, in which (d) Jesus, time and time again, argues that we should love everybody and "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" I.e., nothing in the New Testament indicates that Jesus would want us to oppose gay marriage, but plenty of things in the New Testament suggest he wouldn't want us fighting civil rights. I don't want to argue anything First Amendment here, since (a) It's more IRS rules than the Constitution that would preclude the Church from politicking, and (b) It's more likely to rub Christians the wrong way.

My Biblical skills are a little rusty, so I was hoping the hivemind could fact-check the above, and, more generally, point out anything I might have overlooked, whether it's things that might undermine my argument or things that I didn't think to include that could bolster my argument. Again, my aim in writing this letter is not to argue in favor gay marriage per se, but merely to suggest that the Christian Church should stay the heck out of lobbying against it.

Can I get a witness? How 'bout an opinion?

murrey — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:10:17 -0800

We're trying to come up with a baby boy name we both like. It has been a challenge. I have always loved the name Christian. My husband doesn't like it because of the obvious association, even though we were both raised Christian. He says he likes the way the name sounds, but dislikes the association, even though he believes the association is a positive one. But I never really felt a strong affiliation between the religion and the name. I have known quite a few men named Christian and I have never immediately (or perhaps ever) thought of the religious aspect. It was just their name.

Mr. Murrey has never known a man named Christian so he can't relate to my ambivalence over the affiliation. But he is worried that naming our boy Christian would make his life more difficult if he grew up and decided to be something other than Christian. I figure he can go by Chris if that is the case. He is also worried about potential teasing...I can't speak to that at all.

If it is relevant, neither of us are very "religious" or attend church, but I would consider myself to be a christian.

Anyone out there named Christian who can shed some light on being so named? Or does anyone else have an opinion on naming a son Christian? Also, can you think of any names that sound like Christian since we both really like the sound of it?

I am not determined to change his mind if he is dead set against it, but I thought I would go for some outside opinions and insight.

Thanks!

Group Bible Study

GrumpyMonkey — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:49:38 -0800

Bible Study Question - are there any studies that are similar in feel to a Beth Moore study but less woman-centric. Everything that I have heard about her studies are that they are amazing etc but very much geared towards an audience of women. I am looking for something a little more generic (and in depth but you do not have to be a scholar) if that exists. No Purpose Driven Life though please.

The accidental minister's wife

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:40:12 -0800

My husband, who has been agnostic since we met and hasn't attended church in years, has rather suddenly decided to pursue a career in the ministry. I don't know what to do or who to talk to about my concerns. First off, I am Buddhist and he is Christian. I have no problems with what he believes, nor does he have any issue with what I believe. This is just a very unexpected turn of events and I never envisioned becoming a minister's wife.

My concerns:
1. He says that since ministers are essentially public figures, they must be very careful about appearances so as to avoid scandal.
a. We're both kinky, and have attended public events and clubs. He says we won't be able to do that anymore, and I'll have to avoid discussing the topic with anyone. (I'm not out about it anyway, but I don't make a special effort to hide it either.)
b. He says he's not going to watch porn anymore and is in the process of deciding how he feels about other sex acts (presumably the kinky ones). I'm worried that we'll end up with missionary-position only.
c. He says that people are bound to gossip and judge me because I am his wife. I lead a pretty unremarkable life (except for the kinky stuff) but this makes me self-conscious as hell and it feels very restrictive (i.e. sometimes I like to go to gay dance clubs with friends, my bachelorette party was at a strip club, etc).

2. I'm afraid that as he becomes closer to the Christian community, it's going to create a wedge between us. He says he has no problem with my beliefs NOW, and he's even very curious about Buddhism, but he's almost certainly going to get pressure from less open-minded people who insist I'm going to hell.
a. Then again, he did say that I can't make an informed decision about whether or not I'm Christian without having read the Gospels. I countered with "Why don't you read the Qu'ran, just to make sure you're not Muslim?"

3. I really, honestly don't have a problem with anyone's belief system, BUT I don't necessarily want to talk about it, or be around a bunch of people who think I'm wrong. I feel like a fish out of water in a church, and I can't in good conscience "go through the motions" (not that he is asking me to). I grew up as a Christian and left the church when I was 14 because it just didn't make any sense to me.

OK, so all that said - my husband is a very good man who I love infinitely, and who loves me unconditionally. He is not one of "those" Christians - he believes in marriage rights for same-sex couples, he's pro-choice, feminist, etc. We agree on pretty much everything except the whole God & Christ thing. We don't have kids and won't be having any, so that's not an issue. I am definitely not considering leaving him, but I just don't know what to do with this new information. Help?

Help me save my brother from the fundies

DecemberBoy — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:20:50 -0800

My brother has fallen in with a group of scary fundamentalist Christians. I am worried that these people are trying to change him. What can I do? Am I right to be worried? My brother has been a Christian of the my-religion-is-my-business sort for a while now, and I've always respected that even though I am an atheist, but he has recently started spending a lot of time around some pretty scary zealot types. I'm pretty sure that his primary motivation, at least at first, is/was to spend time around a girl he likes that's part of this group. Now, if he's just trying to get laid, he's definitely going about it the wrong way, but I think it's starting to go beyond that. He is the type of person that when he gets interested in something, he becomes obsessive about it, and he is somewhat impressionable as well.

He's been going with them to church and Bible study every night for the past few weeks. And now, the thing that made me really start to worry, is he said today that he's abstaining from caffeine because he wants to "cleanse his body". His love of Dr. Pepper is such that it's a full-on aspect of his personality, so this is a worrisome change. He also told my father that he's going to audition for the church's "praise and worship" band. This is a man who loves heavy metal and punk rock like most people love their children and has the Metallica pointed star symbol tattooed on his arm, so that he'd associate himself with awful saccharine anti-music worries me as well.

One comforting thing is when he told my dad about the church band, he told him not to tell me because he was worried I would make fun of him (I wouldn't have). Now, if he was really zealous about all this, he wouldn't care what I think, right? I think there is a line he won't cross, and when/if these yahoos tell him that heavy metal and tattoos and motorcycles are the devil's work, I'm pretty sure he'd tell them to fuck off. However, I'm not completely sure. I love my brother and I don't want these assholes to brainwash him. Is there any way to approach him about my concerns without alienating him?

Who were the members of the council of Laodicea?

bigmusic — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:30:33 -0800

I am looking for a list of people that participated (the people actually voting) in the Council of Laodicea. Any books or papers that detail their life would be beneficial as well.

Christian Nation? Says who?

hworth — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:48:55 -0800

Can anyone point to a good resource that explains the reasoning behind "USA is a Christian Nation"? Recently my partner was told by some of his co-workers that all of the Founding Fathers were fundamentalist Christians, and the idea that Jefferson, Franklin, or others were deists or agnostics is a liberal media conspiracy. Any help on the source for Founders as Fundamentalists assertion?

What's the evangelical New York Times?

lilac girl — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:12:44 -0800

What are some popular evangelical periodicals in the U.S. about current events? Bonus points if they have an online archive; super-extra bonus points if the archive goes back before 2006. I'm looking for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, journals, etc. that report news aimed at an evangelical Christian audience for a paper about whether their press coverage of global warming has changed in the past few years. I don't need magazines about theology, missionary work,etc. I've looked at the Evangelical Press Association but I'm a bit overwhelmed by their lists. I'm having trouble identifying popular periodicals, and many of the ones I do seem to find don't have archives of their articles before 2006. Regional periodicals are fine (but I'd prefer U.S. publications) and I don't care how often new issues come out.

Is this viral? I received a strange book...

fcummins — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:46:32 -0800

Is this viral? I got a strange book unexpectedly in the mail. I got a book in the mail yesterday. It came from Sweden, with sufficient postage. It was in a white envelope, with my name and work address written by hand in pen. On the envelope, there was also a note that said "Will tell you more when I return!" Inside was a white volume, hardback, called "Being or Nothingness", with the well known picture by Escher on the cover of two hands recursively drawing each other. The author is given as "Joe K". There is also a sticker that says "Warning! Please study the letter to Professor Hofstadter before you read the book. Good Luck!".

Inside the front cover is, indeed, a neatly typed letter to Doug Hofstadter, with the right Bloomington address etc. It is dated Nov 9, 2006. It relates to what is presumably a prior acquaintance between the letter writer and Hofstadter. The letter is signed "The Writer". I'd reproduce the whole letter, as this is getting interesting at this stage, but then I'd have to do the same for the whole book, because it is an interesting little text, quite incoherent in an artistic way, that mingles themes from Hofstadter's Strange Loop, Douglas Adams, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The text is vaguely related to some christian themes, but also to recursion and the meaning of life.

Now, I have no idea who sent this, nor can I imagine anyone I know in Sweden doing so (although this is the second time I have received mysterious mail from Sweden. The first time did turn out to be personal).

So I search on the internet and find only one clear reference to this book: http://ironwolf.dangerousgames.com/blog/archives/609

Clearly, he received something very similar, with the same message written by hand on the envelope.

If this is viral marketing, WTF? it is certainly elaborate, hugely planned, and quite expensive. Pic here.

Disclaimer: I actually know Doug Hofstadter slightly from my student days. I have expressed admiration for his writing occasionally on the internet, but not published anything big that mentioned him or anything.

What do you think?

Yes, they'll know I am Christian... how?

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:28:45 -0800

Christian-faith-filter: What do evangelicals think of Catholics? What sorts of things would be good to emphasize, or, conversely, to avoid mentioning, as a Catholic who wants to be taken seriously as a Christian by a group of evangelically-oriented Protestants? So, I'm a lifelong, practicing Roman Catholic, and therefore, of course, a Christian. Without going into too many details, I'm facing a situation which will involve my speaking at length about the state of my personal Christian faith, which will be judged by an audience of mostly more evangelically-inclined (but not fanatical) Protestants. Since I know that evangelical Protestants' opinion of Catholics is pretty mixed, I was wondering if anyone could shed light on:

(1) what exactly my audience's preconceptions might be (that Catholics are too sensual? not Bible-oriented enough? too authoritarian? too community-oriented? or what?) and
(2) what aspects of my faith I should emphasize (or avoid discussing) in order to show that I do possess a nice, mature Christianity of the sort that warmer Protestants could approve (Should I talk more about the private emotional aspects of my belief? Should I say "Jesus" instead of "Christ"? Should I avoid discussing politics, or mentioning the Trinity? And so forth.)

Note that this will be a personal faith defense, not a theological disputation-- the goal is to have people come away agreeing that I'm a good Christian, not to have them come away agreeing that Catholicism is a Christian faith (which latter point I'm sure most of them accept already; I just want to avoid saying anything that might negate that impression). I know this question hardly draws on Metafilter's strongest demographic, but this is the only place I could think of that'd give me a straight answer. Thanks in advance for any and all insights!

Well-done Christian worship music?

lemonade — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:45:16 -0800

Do you have any recommendations for well-done Christian worship music? I stopped listening to Christian music years ago when the radio stations got too ...fluffy? guitar-service-y?...but now I really like Josh Groban's "You raise me up" and Kutlass's "All of the Words". I did NOT, however, like the rest of Groban's album (too ballady) and the rest of Kutlass's album...can't really say why.

So! Do you have any recommendations for well-done Christian worship music? I can't really describe what I'm looking for any better than to say I really love "You raise me up" and "All of the Words".

ReligionBookfilter: History of Protestant Christianity for a Lapsed Catholic?

kandinski — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:38:38 -0800

Help me find a book that explains the taxonomy of Christian churches and sects! Although I am an atheist I was brought up Catholic, so I have a good grasp of some finer points of religious belief and practice in the Church of Rome. However, I now realise that in the anglosaxon world, "Christian" means mostly "Protestant of some description or other", at least in the most statistical sense. So I would like to read up on the history and differences of the various Protestant Christian sects.

I more or less understand what the Anglican Church is about, and can rattle on a string of names of other churches: Episcopalian, Lutheran, Calvinist, Hanseatic, Methodist, Baptist, Unitarian, Evangelical... I also understand the Church of Latter Day Saints, the Jehova's Witnesses and even the Salvation Army espouse and practice some brand of Christianity or other.

But in general those words they are just names. Like the station names in a subway map of a city I have never visited, they have some evoking power, but I am completely ignorant of where they take one to. And I don't feel like church hopping just now. Thus...

I am looking for a reference, a book I can read. Just one, preferably with a good bibliography so I can delve deeper if I feel like it. It would be written in a respectful but not too pious tone. I am not looking for flippant exposé, but rather factual data: the book should explain which church is for and against what (gay sex, priest sex, woman priests, liquor, whatever), both in terms of dogma and of social custom.

A grey wedding?

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:50:55 -0800

Anyone ever heard of a wedding that was a cross between an atheist and a Christian ceremony? So I'm thinking about marriage with my lady. No time soon, but I'm the kind of guy who thinks about these kind of things. Only trouble is, she's a lapsed kind of an Anglican, and I'm a devout if open minded Atheist/Universalist/Whatever.

Now I'm not going to enjoy a Christian ceremony, that would be all kinds of hypocrisy for me. But she's been in the choir of her local church since she was eight, knows the vicar personally etc, and has probably been planning a great white wedding since she was six years old. So there're no easy answers here.

In the normal scheme of things, say I was Hindu and she was a Mormon, we'd probably just have a non-religious wedding and say no more about it. But a non-religious wedding in our case would clearly be me getting what I want, so that's no kind of answer.

Surely this is a problem that has been faced before? I'm guessing in most situations one partner steamrollers the other and a side is chosen (or more likely, one set of parents does the steamrollering), but I'm thinking there must be alternatives. Has anyone ever heard of a half-Christian ceremony? Maybe there would be a mix of biblical and non-biblical readings, some non-committal but vaguely spiritual vows read out? Perhaps the whole thing could be officiated by a vicar, but in a non-official capacity?

The other alternative would be a Unitarian Universalist ceremony, although that would strike both of as pretty weird. Any thoughts? I can't believe I'm the first person to have thought about this, but my google skills have revealed nothing.

Buddhist in the Bible Belt

karmagirl — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:25:22 -0800

As a Buddhist in the South, how do I politely deal with the often-asked question of where I go to church? I want to be truthful yet non-confrontational with my Christian neighbors and co-workers. Since I'm a newcomer to the upstate area of South Carolina, I get a lot of recommendations and questions about which church to go to. I've tried "playing along" as if I do go to church in an attempt to avoid confrontation, but that only makes things more awkward. When I've tried being honest (I'm a Buddhist and thus don't attend church) it's even worse, and in a couple of cases the person I've been talking with practically just walks away! I want to get along with those who may not share my religious beliefs, but a wall seems to immediately go up when they learn I'm not "one of them". This is especially nerve-wracking with co-workers! Please help me navigate this social situation...

Stuck between Rev and a hard place

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:00:48 -0800

Again, my childhood reverend is trying to convince me to be religious. How do I deal with him? Religion is a very tender subject in my family since my temporary estrangement from them regarding my non-belief in God. Only after coming out as a non-religious adult, a few painful years of not talking and then a gradual return to normalcy have we gotten along, and during all that time, I refused to let religion become a topic of conversation because I know how much it hurts them that I'm not Christian. As a sign of deference and respect toward my parents, I attend church with them when I am home, but I do not take communion or otherwise participate in the service.

Ever since they found out about my nonbelief, I get an impassioned phone call every year or so from my toolbox of a childhood reverend encouraging me to come back to God, reminding me that if I were to die in a car accident, "there are only two outcomes". This time around, I told him that I won't, in fact, go to hell, because hell does not exist and a back and forth about my lack of faith ensued, in which I finally told him in so many words that I don't believe in God, most likely won't believe in God in the future, and because of this, am not comfortable returning to church. I know I shouldn't have engaged him, but I can't stand his repeated verbal assault and blatant disrespect of my privacy and life choices and it feels like honesty is the only way to get him to listen and stop. I am grown, married, and live away from home, and he still won't lay off. Every time, he will tattle to my parents about the nature of our conversations; this time, I'm very afraid that it will result in another estrangement period. It's killing me--I can't lie, but I can't bend over and take it every time he feels the need to remind me of my supposed fiery future.

What do I say to this guy? What do I say to my parents? In case it's relevant, I was raised in a very conservative Lutheran church.

Christian Apologetics Podcasts

snap_dragon — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:30:21 -0800

Looking for some good christian apologetics podcasts. I listen to Stand to Reason but was curious if anyone liked or could recommend others.

do these monks exist?

parmanparman — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:03:38 -0800

I have been reading Curzio Malaparte's Kaput. In it, he describes an Orthodox order of monks who raise families and then enter servitude to be castrated and then become penitents. I can't find any information online about this group though, even a name, any help?