My mother asks me if I believe that god created man and woman. I haven't talked to her a whole lot about religion but she knows that I don't believe some of the same things she does. In response to her question, I say no. Then she asks if I think we'll go to heaven when we die. I tell her no, that I don't believe in heaven or hell and don't tell dad cuz' he'll flip. Then I start thinking about how much she's into Christianity now and I told her not to flip either. She says I'm on her prayer list already. Oh bejesus. So then she asks, what do you believe in? Crap, um...I'm thinking of what to say. She says are you agnostic or whatever? I'm like, oh, that's what she meant. I thought she wanted me to explain what I thought happens to us when we die. So I tell her that I like to think of myself as a non-theist, which then forced me to explain the differences between agnostism, atheism, polytheism, etc. By the time we were done with the call, I think she was quite stunned. She said that she's fine with me believing whatever I want as long as I change my mind before I die and then she laughs. Nice, mom. Afterwards, I was thinking that I should have reminded her that I asked christ into my heart when I was 8, so shouldn't that mean I'm golden? hee hee
UPDATE 6/25/2009: A good chunk of this post was removed due to blog content change.
2 comments:
OMG, I feel your pain! To your last point--if Jesus does come into your heart at some point, can he leave whenever? Most Christians say once in, always in, but then there are those who think you can "lose" your salvation ("now, where did I put it?"). I used to obsess over this, just certain that I was evil enough to have lost my salvation several times over. So much so that I was baptized 3 times, you know, just to make sure!
Anyway, sounds like your mom is having some insecurities about men, which makes sense if she's recently divorced. Maybe she's just forgotten how to read them! Years of marriage can play havoc with your instincts and social skills! After my parents' divorce, my mom has refused to date at all and always says, "The last think I need is a man!" She may be bitter, but she did have it rough.
I can imagine it was hell trying to explain your spiritual path to your mom, but you know, sometimes these things have a way of working in our favor. I love when you said she was "stunned." No disrespect to your mom, but I think that's the best kind a of Christian--one that's stunned into silence!
To Christian friends of mine who've placed me on prayer lists, I always just say "thanks" and consider it positive energy going out to the universe. Since I don't believe prayer "works," then it cetainly can't hurt, right? And if there is a god or some deity of sorts, then it should work in my favor as long as the intent is there. It's all good!
I can't believe you were baptized three times!
Yes, I'm sure my mom does have plenty of man issues. My dad was a real bastard growing up and still has his moments. He was her only real boyfriend and that's who she married. She's starting to think about dating and says she wants to go on a lot of dates and then be remarried in May of 2010. That's going to be hard if you want to bash most of the men in your life.
Maybe your mom really is okay with just doing her own thing? Or maybe the right one will eventually come along and change her mind?
I love that you said the best kind of a Christian is a stunned into silence one. So true!
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