Author Topic: Mind Games Christians Play  (Read 14269 times)

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Offline rageaholic

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Mind Games Christians Play
« on: January 07, 2012, 06:07:49 pm »
This is a subrant of religious phrases that piss me off only it involves mind games Christians play to keep others in line. 

Christians have a tendancy to assume to know your thoughts and intentions. Go onto any youtube video on someone's deconservation story and you will find several comments claiming to know why they deconverted.  They were angry at god, they didn't have enough faith, Satan has blinded them from the truth, bullshit, bullshit, and even more bullshit.  Some take it to a new level by claiming to know that "deep down you know that you will be judged which is why you've posted this video".  This is especially annoying because when you're a deconvert, you still have those deapseated fears, but are trying to look at things from a rational view.  Do they give a rational answer?  NOOOOO. Like the cowardly fuckers they are, they feed on people's fears and insecurities!

It's bad enough when anyone attempts to read your mind and play armchair psychologist.  Like assuming that if someone is unemployed, it's because they don't want to be employed and are not trying hard enough (even though there are no fucking jobs).  Christians just take it to a new level and use their stupid bible to come up with reasons why someone left the faith.  Since they can't prove shit, they resort to mind games, fear, guilt, and manipulation.  And then they have the gall to wonder why people are so angry at Christians?  MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE GODDAMN MIND GAMES AND MENTAL TORTURE!

Oh and speaking of mental torture, how about the way the extreme fundies use Satan and god to create paranoia in someones mind?  If anything contradicts their faith, it's SATAN!  All opposing arguements come from the debil and all arguements in favor come from god.  And since the whole faith is built on a "personal relationship with Christ", you don't know which thoughts are Satan's and which come from god and only have some old book and people's interpration of it to rely on.  No wonder so many religious people end up insane. 

I'm sure there are many more mind games, but those are the big two that piss me off the most.  Feel free to add your own and remind me of others. 


Offline Osama bin Bambi

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2012, 06:09:27 pm »
This is a subrant of religious phrases that piss me off only it involves mind games Christians play to keep others in line. 

Christians have a tendancy to assume to know your thoughts and intentions. Go onto any youtube video on someone's deconservation story and you will find several comments claiming to know why they deconverted.  They were angry at god, they didn't have enough faith, Satan has blinded them from the truth, bullshit, bullshit, and even more bullshit.  Some take it to a new level by claiming to know that "deep down you know that you will be judged which is why you've posted this video".  This is especially annoying because when you're a deconvert, you still have those deapseated fears, but are trying to look at things from a rational view.  Do they give a rational answer?  NOOOOO. Like the cowardly fuckers they are, they feed on people's fears and insecurities!

It's bad enough when anyone attempts to read your mind and play armchair psychologist.  Like assuming that if someone is unemployed, it's because they don't want to be employed and are not trying hard enough (even though there are no fucking jobs).  Christians just take it to a new level and use their stupid bible to come up with reasons why someone left the faith.  Since they can't prove shit, they resort to mind games, fear, guilt, and manipulation.  And then they have the gall to wonder why people are so angry at Christians?  MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE GODDAMN MIND GAMES AND MENTAL TORTURE!

Oh and speaking of mental torture, how about the way the extreme fundies use Satan and god to create paranoia in someones mind?  If anything contradicts their faith, it's SATAN!  All opposing arguements come from the debil and all arguements in favor come from god.  And since the whole faith is built on a "personal relationship with Christ", you don't know which thoughts are Satan's and which come from god and only have some old book and people's interpration of it to rely on.  No wonder so many religious people end up insane. 

I'm sure there are many more mind games, but those are the big two that piss me off the most.  Feel free to add your own and remind me of others. 



I think this belongs on the "Religious Phrases You Hate" thread.
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Offline Lithp

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2012, 03:36:20 am »
"Since when were you under the impression...that I'm NOT Satan?"

I should try that some time.

Rapture Ready was fond of being superficially nice to me. Until I disagreed with something, or maybe a swear word slipped out. Then I was being an incredibly rude guest. As the Legion was intent on emphasizing after they made an excuse to proseltyze to me & I logically slapped their shit. Around the same time I got banned, they were sure to talk about how they planted the seed because they loved me, or were my friends, or whatever. If I don't call people I've known for 13 years my friends, what makes you think you have any business claiming that title for yourself? You don't even E-mail me.

So, I guess a related one is plopping bullshit down in your field of view (101 Scientific Facts of the Bible, Essay on why Atheists are Insane, etc.), then getting all passive-aggressive whenever you debunk it.

Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2012, 04:08:26 pm »
You want to know mind games?  Here's mind games.

Every wednesday night, in "Non-Denominational" Youth Group in a Pentecostal Church, the person at the keyboard plays a tune just right that it makes you emotionally vulnerable.  You've been singing, emotions are incredibly high, and you're "in it".  They call it "being full of the spirit" but that's bullshit.

And the youth pastor calls you on stuff.  Calls you on being a sinner.  On thinking naughty thoughts.  On masturbating.  On everything.  Even if you haven't done any of that, you feel guilty about it.  Guilt tripping after guilt tripping after guilt tripping.

You "realize" that you've been a horrible Christian.  That you've made Jesus sad.  That you've disappointed God.  And your parents.  You realize that your friends online are sinners, and plan to evangelize to them, AGAIN, when you get home and at the computer.  To save them from their sin.  Because you care so deeply about them that you're panicking that you won't see them in heaven.

But first, you have to take care of your own business.  "Convicted by the spirit," you go up to the altar, "showing your bravery in coming forward", and confess of your sins again and become born again again.  You cry.  You want to turn over a new leaf.  You just want to be good.

...Now, imagine that happening, almost every Wednesday night.

It's a wonder I still have any friends from that time period.
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Offline Smurfette Principle

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2012, 07:28:36 pm »
Let's talk about spending seven and a half hours being evangelized to - and that's what they explicitly called it - as part of a mandatory requirement to get confirmed. Where you're given a list of every commandment and ways that it could be interpreted - how wishing someone harm was breaking "thou shalt not kill", how masturbation and lustful thoughts were adultery, how wanting more than what you currently had was coveting. And then you have to go to confession, crying, because you've broken all of them. Having other people, only a bit older than you, give testimony about how they used to be ignorant of Catholic teachings until they learned what they meant and so grew in their love of Christ and how God loves you even if you're a terrible, terrible person, you sinner who's going to Hell.

Offline ironbite

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2012, 07:36:31 pm »
*hugs youngerSmurffette*

Offline N. De Plume

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2012, 07:54:14 pm »
I imagined to get through things without very many major guilt trips in this way. The worst part was regular confession. There are only so many times you can go in with nothing worse to say than “haven’t shown optimal respect to parents” before even that begins to make you feel shitty.

Though there was this one time where I went into confession and began stumbling over my words. Out of nowhere and without any other sort of clue, the priest guessed that I was trying to confess to masturbation. Maybe that’s a bit too revealing on his thought processes.
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2012, 07:58:59 pm »
*hugs youngerSmurffette*

I want a hug, too ;_;
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Offline Smurfette Principle

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2012, 08:01:02 pm »
*hugs youngerZachski*

Offline gyeonghwa

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2012, 08:03:03 pm »
* gyeonghwa hugs young Zachski and young Smurfette
That may be the single gayest thing I have ever read on this board. Or the old one. ;)

Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2012, 08:04:47 pm »
*hugs young Smurfette as well*
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Offline MaybeNever

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2012, 09:12:48 pm »
Oh, great. Emotions. I'm out of here!
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Offline rageaholic

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #12 on: January 08, 2012, 11:41:40 pm »
Let's talk about spending seven and a half hours being evangelized to - and that's what they explicitly called it - as part of a mandatory requirement to get confirmed. Where you're given a list of every commandment and ways that it could be interpreted - how wishing someone harm was breaking "thou shalt not kill", how masturbation and lustful thoughts were adultery, how wanting more than what you currently had was coveting. And then you have to go to confession, crying, because you've broken all of them. Having other people, only a bit older than you, give testimony about how they used to be ignorant of Catholic teachings until they learned what they meant and so grew in their love of Christ and how God loves you even if you're a terrible, terrible person, you sinner who's going to Hell.

Man, after readind both yours and zachski's stories, it makes me glad that most of the mind games came from comments and scary websites online.  I don't know how I would have survived living in a fundie household with all the guilt since even with everyone telling me fundamentalism is wrong, I was still scared shitless of hell

Anyway, the idea of "thought crimes" is another lovely mind fuck.  Thoughts don't hurt anyone, but we're supposed to feel guilty about them anyway.  It totally warps your view when thinking angry thoughts is the same as actually fucking killing someone.  And don't get me started on the sin of "lust" (that's an entirely different thread).  In those "how to be saved" directions, one of the steps was to convince yourself that you deserve to go to hell.  I almost believed it too since I continued looking at this stuff on what horrible people we all are and how we don't deserve to live. 

I could go on and on, but the entire idea of original sin and how we are all born evil, combined with the threat of eternal torture, is mental abuse.  In fact, it was reading an article comparing the Christian god to an abusive partner that opened my eyes to how fucked up the whole thing was. 

Offline Stormwarden

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #13 on: January 09, 2012, 12:14:01 am »
Ugh, glad I quit when I did. Being a fundie is a LOT more dangerous than lighting a cigarette...

To make a long story short for myself, I used to be in the Morg (LDS church), but the events of 9/13/01 told me it was time to get the hell out. Pat and Jerry's tirade drove me to read the Bible.

And I could no longer worship the monster they call a God. I won't stop others from doing it. But if they try to legislate it, or force it on others, I'll be the first to come running after them.


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Offline N. De Plume

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Re: Mind Games Christians Play
« Reply #14 on: January 09, 2012, 02:02:03 pm »
And don't get me started on the sin of "lust" (that's an entirely different thread).

Well, all the Cardinal/Deadly Sins are, like this, really emotions inherent to the human condition. As such, it was always my take that they were less sins themselves and states of mind that had to be kept in check due to their ability to lead one into doing something wrong. Of course, it always bothered me how out of this grouping Lust always got special attention. Meanwhile, some of the others even seemed to get a free pass. How often do they talk about “Righteous Anger” after all?
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