Comments on: How to Avoid Uncomfortable Conversations about Religion

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 02:19:26 +0000

I just say “When I was small, religious people touched me inappropriately. Are you hitting on me?”

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:47:26 +0000

When approched evangelically, I very much prefer to turn the tables, “Me? I’m an atheist. If you really want to talk about it we can talk about it later, here’s my email address… But this isn’t really the time.” Interestingly, I have only once had that offer taken up. In a non-evangelical situation I like to use the “that’s not how everybody feels about it though” line.

By: Maximinus Thrax

Maximinus Thrax — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:08:03 +0000

Wrong approach. Chuck D said it best: the future holds nothing but confrontation.

White Christians have been given too much slack. Take them to task. Tell them, in terms they’ve used to speak about people like us, just what you think of them. There’s a culture war going on, it was not declared by us, but at this point if you think you’re going to change anyone’s mind, you are simply deluding yourself. Fight back. Make it unpleasant. Let them know there are consequences for being divisive, and that consequence is confrontation.

By: D R Hosie

D R Hosie — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 05:41:41 +0000

I’ve personally dealt with the problem, on more than one occasion, by looking them dead in the eye, and saying “I’m sorry – I just don’t subscribe to your brand of politics.”
‘What ?’
“Seriously — I just don’t subscribe to your brand of religious politics.”

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:05:46 +0000

Secondly, I didn’t mention this part:
If your walking downtown and see the street preachers with their signs, you know what you do to avoid them? Avoid them and not walk by them. There are plenty of other sidewalks and you may be able to get to see more of the city you live in by ignoring them.

If they follow you, get direct, in their face, maybe justify their reason for their love of persecution because you know someone like them don’t care for open minded discussion…its just to preach to you or keep walking away and see if they try to stop you when you turn your car on to pull away.

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:58:06 +0000

I find this too complicated.

How about avoid the sites that force you to talk about what you want to talk about or simply do the offensive, ignore which means losing the connections one builds on those sites but hey sacrifices right?
.-= Joe’s last blog ..Boy Scouts of America =-.

By: Pete Schult

Pete Schult — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:46:58 +0000

“I am sorry. I have a firm rule to not discuss politics or religion with anyone I’ve not seen naked.”

This wouldn’t help me when I and my family visit nude beaches or nudist clubs. OTOH, no one has ever brought religion up with me at those places.

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:49:32 +0000

I just watched the 1st of a YouTube video series that supposed to answer a lot of questions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sODlrzfnD24&feature=youtube_gdata

By: Brittany

Brittany — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:24:23 +0000

Thanks for sharing this article! I have been in those tough situations before, so it’s nice to have a plan of action in mind.