I have now met a real life creationist.

[DrZoidberg]

Until this point in my life they've been like mythical beasts. I've lived my entire life in Scandinavia, and religious people are in short supply, not to mention the cooky one's. I'm positive we have more albino moose than creationists.

Last week I went to Borderlands, the Scandinavian version of Burning Man. There I met a Christian girl who I got to know. We hung out and did psychadelics for a few days. That really acts to bond people. Awesome. At some point she said she didn't believe in ToE and... well... I'm not proud of myself. It kind of slipped out. I said, "Are you completely retarded". After which it turned into an argument of sorts. Well, mostly she being angry and me apologizing for hurting her feelings having said that hurtful thing.

And that was essentially the gist of her argument. No real arguments. She just wanted her beliefs respected regardless if they were true or not. The fact that they were wrong didn't seem to enter into it. What really got her going was when I asked her if she thought the entire scientific schooling system is set up around teaching children lies. And why it would do that. I think that was the argument that really made her realize she was wrong, so therefore... naturally... this lead her to argue her case even more fervently.

She sent me links to various American creationist sites with all the familiar "information" we're used to seeing here. When she noticed that I had a thorough grasp of evolutionary biology and could argue against every single of her arguments, without having to look shit up, she wasn't impressed by a massive brains a bit. Oh, no. She just said "you're just too proud to admit you are wrong".

And that was that. I have now learned, based on statistical analysis of all the creationists I have met (ie 1) that they are very sexy, have big bouncy boobs and look great in hot pants and don't sleep with people who don't validate all their silly beliefs. BTW, she believed all manner of nonsense... it was Burning Man. That is to be expected by that crowd.

The story didn't end there. Yesterday she called me up. She told me that she is writing a book. It's a fantasy book, where the stand ins for Mordor are atheists. And asked me to tell her what I believe so she could have the evil people also believe that. So I held a two hour long lecture on... well... how "I believe" biology works. She also got basic cosmology, big bang and quantum mechanics. I am 100% sure she will misunderstand every single thing I said. Probably replace ever scientific fact with "plot the spreading of lies evilly".

So how was your weekend?

 

[Angry Floof]

There's no doubt she will still demonize you. Asking you what you believe was merely a formality for the purpose of appearing to be reasonable.

we have more albino moose than creationists.

This gave me a good laugh this morning.

 

[DrZoidberg]

There's no doubt she will still demonize you. Asking you what you believe was merely a formality for the purpose of appearing to be reasonable.

we have more albino moose than creationists.

This gave me a good laugh this morning.

I doubt it, considering everybody she'll ever meet here is:
1) very likely atheist
And
2) almost certainly believes in evolution.

Since Sweden quite obviously isn't a wasteland of evil any arguments that lack of religion leads to evil is pretty dead in the water these parts.

We just don't have creationists really. Nobody here becomes a creationist out of ignorance. It's more like picking a political ideology that you are 100% sure will annoy everybody.

She also said she was a "anti-feminist". We hardly have those either. People here (even men) are feminists to varying degree. It's rare to find anybody who is just dead set against it. Especially a woman.

I think she was just trying way too hard to be interesting.

 

[Angry Floof]

There's no doubt she will still demonize you. Asking you what you believe was merely a formality for the purpose of appearing to be reasonable.



This gave me a good laugh this morning.

I doubt it, considering everybody she'll ever meet here is:
1) very likely atheist
And
2) almost certainly believes in evolution.

Since Sweden quite obviously isn't a wasteland of evil any arguments that lack of religion leads to evil is pretty dead in the water these parts.

We just don't have creationists really. Nobody here becomes a creationist out of ignorance. It's more like picking a political ideology that you are 100% sure will annoy everybody.

She also said she was a "anti-feminist". We hardly have those either. People here (even men) are feminists to varying degree. It's rare to find anybody who is just dead set against it. Especially a woman.

I think she was just trying way too hard to be interesting.

Good point. Thank you for reminding me of my own cultural influences that make me assume all creationists are like the ones in the US.

I'm glad you argued with her a little bit and didn't just let it slide due to it being a fringe belief. That shit spreads if not kept in check by outspoken reason.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

What really got her going was when I asked her if she thought the entire scientific schooling system is set up around teaching children lies. And why it would do that. I think that was the argument that really made her realize she was wrong, so therefore... naturally... this lead her to argue her case even more fervently.

I'll remember that one.

It is close to what I asked someone one time when he said he was a biblical creationist. After finding out he went to a "christian" college I asked him about the geology curriculum at his school, how it deals with the scientific consensus that the earth is billions of years old. His response was that "it just teaches the facts." I didn't know how to interpret that and didn't want to press it. Maybe one day I'll revisit that conversation.

 

[ronburgundy]

This thread should be titled "Sometimes you should just shut up and take it, especially when IT has tig ol' bitties."

 

[fast]

This thread should be titled "Sometimes you should just shut up and take it, especially when IT has tig ol' bitties."

Pronoun usage and being quick to apologize gives it away everytime.

 

[Kosh]

Until this point in my life they've been like mythical beasts. I've lived my entire life in Scandinavia, and religious people are in short supply, not to mention the cooky one's. I'm positive we have more albino moose than creationists.

Last week I went to Borderlands, the Scandinavian version of Burning Man. There I met a Christian girl who I got to know. We hung out and did psychadelics for a few days. That really acts to bond people. Awesome. At some point she said she didn't believe in ToE and... well... I'm not proud of myself. It kind of slipped out. I said, "Are you completely retarded". After which it turned into an argument of sorts. Well, mostly she being angry and me apologizing for hurting her feelings having said that hurtful thing.

And that was essentially the gist of her argument. No real arguments. She just wanted her beliefs respected regardless if they were true or not. The fact that they were wrong didn't seem to enter into it. What really got her going was when I asked her if she thought the entire scientific schooling system is set up around teaching children lies. And why it would do that. I think that was the argument that really made her realize she was wrong, so therefore... naturally... this lead her to argue her case even more fervently.

She sent me links to various American creationist sites with all the familiar "information" we're used to seeing here. When she noticed that I had a thorough grasp of evolutionary biology and could argue against every single of her arguments, without having to look shit up, she wasn't impressed by a massive brains a bit. Oh, no. She just said "you're just too proud to admit you are wrong".

And that was that. I have now learned, based on statistical analysis of all the creationists I have met (ie 1) that they are very sexy, have big bouncy boobs and look great in hot pants and don't sleep with people who don't validate all their silly beliefs. BTW, she believed all manner of nonsense... it was Burning Man. That is to be expected by that crowd.

The story didn't end there. Yesterday she called me up. She told me that she is writing a book. It's a fantasy book, where the stand ins for Mordor are atheists. And asked me to tell her what I believe so she could have the evil people also believe that. So I held a two hour long lecture on... well... how "I believe" biology works. She also got basic cosmology, big bang and quantum mechanics. I am 100% sure she will misunderstand every single thing I said. Probably replace ever scientific fact with "plot the spreading of lies evilly".

So how was your weekend?

That's funny.... I have a coworker from Sweden, and he's fond of telling people they are being retarded.

Must be cultural?

 

[DrZoidberg]

That's funny.... I have a coworker from Sweden, and he's fond of telling people they are being retarded.

Must be cultural?

Ha ha... could be. This is a collectivist culture (as opposed to individualistic). Swedes get easily offended when people don't submit to norms. Stuff like belief in evolution. No, it's not a trait to be proud of. It's like this in all of Scandinavia. It's not like it's a big secret. We even have a word for it, "Jante".

 

[braces_for_impact]

It's amazing sometimes what contradictory things people can have in their head at one time. I was in the hospital once when I had a nurse that always wore a mask when she came in. She was the only one that did, so I asked her why. It turns out she was some obscure type of Jehova's Witness that didn't believe in vaccinations, along with blood transfusions and most medical intervention. So she hadn't had an inoculations, hence the mask for my protection. A very strange position for an RN to take.

 

[Angry Floof]

It's amazing sometimes what contradictory things people can have in their head at one time. I was in the hospital once when I had a nurse that always wore a mask when she came in. She was the only one that did, so I asked her why. It turns out she was some obscure type of Jehova's Witness that didn't believe in vaccinations, along with blood transfusions and most medical intervention. So she hadn't had an inoculations, hence the mask for my protection. A very strange position for an RN to take.

Also kind of weird that prevention via mask is ok but other medical interventions are not. Such is the insanity of religion.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

That's funny.... I have a coworker from Sweden, and he's fond of telling people they are being retarded.

Must be cultural?

Ha ha... could be. This is a collectivist culture (as opposed to individualistic). Swedes get easily offended when people don't submit to norms. Stuff like belief in evolution. No, it's not a trait to be proud of. It's like this in all of Scandinavia. It's not like it's a big secret. We even have a word for it, "Jante".

Maybe you should call it "retarded".

 

[KeepTalking]

That's funny.... I have a coworker from Sweden, and he's fond of telling people they are being retarded.

Must be cultural?

It was a pretty popular thing to say here in the midwest, until a few years ago. Now you have to remove the first vowel, and use "r-tard" when referring to willful idiots, or risk the wrath of those who think you are making fun of the mentally handicapped.

 

[KeepTalking]

I doubt it, considering everybody she'll ever meet here is:
1) very likely atheist
And
2) almost certainly believes in evolution.

Since Sweden quite obviously isn't a wasteland of evil any arguments that lack of religion leads to evil is pretty dead in the water these parts.

We just don't have creationists really. Nobody here becomes a creationist out of ignorance. It's more like picking a political ideology that you are 100% sure will annoy everybody.

She also said she was a "anti-feminist". We hardly have those either. People here (even men) are feminists to varying degree. It's rare to find anybody who is just dead set against it. Especially a woman.

I think she was just trying way too hard to be interesting.

Good point. Thank you for reminding me of my own cultural influences that make me assume all creationists are like the ones in the US.

Yeah, here in the US, being a creationist, or theist in general, is pretty much the default. When people find out I am an atheist, they tend to slowly back away, wide-eyed and fearful, like I am going to start raping and murdering them at any second.

 

[Kosh]

Good point. Thank you for reminding me of my own cultural influences that make me assume all creationists are like the ones in the US.

Yeah, here in the US, being a creationist, or theist in general, is pretty much the default. When people find out I am an atheist, they tend to slowly back away, wide-eyed and fearful, like I am going to start raping and murdering them at any second.

You should be working to overcome that stereotype through socialization ....invite them to a baby BBQ???

 

[Keith&Co.]

Yeah, here in the US, being a creationist, or theist in general, is pretty much the default. When people find out I am an atheist, they tend to slowly back away, wide-eyed and fearful, like I am going to start raping and murdering them at any second.

I just tend to get people who stare at me and then reflectively say, "I don't think i've ever met an atheist before."
Except this year. Now they just assume i'm voting for Hillary.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Good point. Thank you for reminding me of my own cultural influences that make me assume all creationists are like the ones in the US.

Yeah, here in the US, being a creationist, or theist in general, is pretty much the default. When people find out I am an atheist, they tend to slowly back away, wide-eyed and fearful, like I am going to start raping and murdering them at any second.

That's happened to me twice, but not recently. People just seem to accept it now.

 

[none]

The knock on the door today was from the guy from the church across the street
He invited me to attend a barbecue they were having
I didn't go, but did go to my vehicle and I think they noticed
I didn't want to tell them I'm ignostic and have to explain the universe to them

 

[DrZoidberg]

The knock on the door today was from the guy from the church across the street
He invited me to attend a barbecue they were having
I didn't go, but did go to my vehicle and I think they noticed
I didn't want to tell them I'm ignostic and have to explain the universe to them

Please explain this to someone who doesn't really understand religion. It was a barbecue. Your neighbors invited you to a barbecue. To an atheist a church is just any old building. How does religion enter into this at all? Wasn't it just that you didn't like them?

 

[Juma]

That's funny.... I have a coworker from Sweden, and he's fond of telling people they are being retarded.

Must be cultural?

Ha ha... could be. This is a collectivist culture (as opposed to individualistic). Swedes get easily offended when people don't submit to norms. Stuff like belief in evolution. No, it's not a trait to be proud of. It's like this in all of Scandinavia. It's not like it's a big secret. We even have a word for it, "Jante".

"Jante" is not about konformism. It's about perceived hybris. And no, its is not a specific scandinavian trait.