My friend the christian...

[Billywig2]

(I hope this is in the right place, I'm still learning my way around...)

One of my friends from work is a real die-hard christian, believes everything the bible says (even the parts that contradict each other, which spaces me out). We get along really well, she's happy to let me be athiest, I'm happy to let her be christian.

One thing that has offended me about her beliefs though, is that she believes that terminally ill people deserve to die. Apparently cancer is caused by sinning!

Anyway, a few weeks ago she found out that her mother has brain cancer. She sent me a text that read "This isn't supposed to happen to people like us" It broke my heart.

So that's one of my main dislikes of religion. False hope.

[Billywig2]

Yeah, I don't think she's actually gone and read the bible all the way through. I remember that I did when I was a kid, and is probably why my indoctrination failed. I remember wondering why, if God knew everything, did he have to keep going and changing rules and punishments all the time.

They took out what was there (The size of a large orange!) and it's slow growing, I think they've given he about 5-10 years.

[Praxis]

Hi Billy, I'm sorry about your friend's mum.

I don't think I've ever heard of xtians believing cancer is caused by sinning though. That's definitely a new one and whomever told your friend this is one nasty and cruel person indeed.

The "people like us" comment doesn't surprise me though. Scratch the surface of even the seemingly "really nice person" xtian and you'll find someone who really believes they are somehow better than everyone else, more entitled, more deserving. It's what they've been told and this appeal to human vanity and ego seems to be somehow irrestistible, which is both fascinating and sad.

All the best to your friend and her mum. And you, as her friend, have work to do as well. Of course, in times like these she (and her mum) will likely cleave ever harder unto their faith (wait for the "the Lord is testing us" thing to come out) so be prepared for that.

But most of all, your job - religious nonsense aside - is to be a good friend. I have a feeling you will be :)

[askegg]

One thing that has offended me about her beliefs though, is that she believes that terminally ill people deserve to die. Apparently cancer is caused by sinning!

Anyway, a few weeks ago she found out that her mother has brain cancer.


So the real question is how will she reconcile this. Does her mother deserve to die because of her sinning. Your friend has a real problem on her hands as her faith has collided with reality.

I know how tough cancer is having watched both my father in law and mother die over the course of a few years. I did not find comfort in any faith over this time - we got on with the job of providing the best medical care we could and making them as comfortable as possible. I wish your friend the best.

[atheist_angel]

I once knew of this preacher that was very much against gambling, until his wife bought a winning lottery ticket. And then he 'realized' that was "g-d's way of telling him that he was 'misinterpreting' the scriptures".

The more die-hard she is in her belief, the more likely she will find a biblical 'explanation' for what is happening to her mother. These explanations will only lead to more false hope. I'm sorry, billy. I dunno what to tell you. Just be there for her and play it by ear, I guess. Good luck and keep us posted on how it's going.

-Angel

[DarkHorse]

It's a hard lesson for this lady to learn Billywig2 ... that there are no rewards or punishments, simply causes and effects. The cause of death is living. Nature only discriminates among us on the ability of genes to survive or the accident of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I hope her mother dies as painless a death as is possible and from the sadness and grief that follows, your friend learns something about the true nature of life and living.

[A Monkey Shaved]

How ridiculous it was like that days they believed epilepsy was caused by demonic possessions

[Fearless]

Hi Billy, sorry to hear about the situation... When you wrote the words 'false hope' it triggered a memory of mine.

Late last year I lost my stepfather, who after years of religious devotion (along with my mother) had a slow and horrible last few months of life.

That small moment of "why us?" came up when I was driving my mother home one day when everything was seemingly going wrong... just reading my first post explains it (in brief, stepfather and family cat die the same day and then the church for his funeral is double booked with a cooking class they can't cancel)

http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/showthread.php?t=2257

I believe that often religious recruiters strike when people are at their most vulnerable, when people are looking for support/meaning in difficult times... but then you sometimes see the flip side when the religious start to question what is happening around them and their bible looks a little 'empty' for meaningful answers. I think this is that small window when people can sometimes find their way out. Unfortunately my mother didn't. I didn't try to coax her back to reality but just tried to get her to question her faith and the logic behind it (or lack of) when she had that moment of "why me?"

Maybe one day.