It all started in early June with a challenge. The Atheist Missionary (TAM) was contacted by a Christian missionary known as da:
I am a convinced theist (new-born christian) and also a missionary. You propose a book I will read, I propose a book you will read. … If your book is convincing you might convert a theist into an atheist and get rid of one of their missionaries. This blog is about convert, isn’t it? So what about cutting the chitchat and getting serious. Who dares?
Ooh, ooh, pick me! Pick me! TAM nearly frothed at the mouth for a chance like this, and accepted this duel of literary exploration.
The books of choice are The Purpose Driven® Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?
I am very eager to catch up on the chapters these two intelligent people have already examined. I think you’ll enjoy their insights and humor.
It all starts with TAM’s first post on TPDL chapter 1 (scroll down) and da‘s initial installment on chapter 1 of TEOF.
Da‘s posts are all titled “Why the End of Faith is just its beginning #__” and TAM’s posts are called “Deconstructing The Purpose Drive Life Chapter __”. Until an archive is set up just for these posts, you’ll have to do a little hunting through the monthly archives.
You should keep an eye on the posts over at TAM’s blog and follow him on twitter or subscribe to the RSS feed to get the updates! Let’s see how it goes. We might learn something!
A common Christian teaching is to neither date nor marry someone who is not part of the same religion or denomination as you. The state of being committed to someone of another belief set is usually called “being unequally yoked” (see 2 Cor. 6:14).
When I was a Christian, I dated an agnostic. Even that difference was too great for most of my community to accept. But I was determined to stay involved. Not only was I infatuated with this guy, but I held such a high opinion of myself as to think I could change him. My motives were completely wrong: I wanted him to know Jesus and become a Christian so we could be balanced and “equally yoked.” One could call this “missionary dating.” (Yes I use a lot of “air quotes” at “strange” times because I want you to “read” this post with amusing “inflection. Yuk yuk!)
Anyway, I thought his morality was below my own, and my family felt the same. They doubted his honesty, integrity as a man, and never thought it would last. they had bet against him before they even knew his name. I can now admit I felt much the same, although I thought my views were righteous and loving because I was a spirit-filled Christian! I wanted us to be the same, but never once did I consider becoming similar to him by changing who I was.
I’m ashamed of my ulterior motives now, and I am extremely wary of–and almost completely against–dating a committed, active religious person today. I would not be right for them, and they would probably not be a match for me. I can’t say “never,” but I doubt it would happen. Thankfully, I am currently with a non-theist who, although he does not share my vigor and passionate stance, it is comforting to know that neither of us has to change in order to fit the other.
This is what love should be: loving one another without requirements, without expectations for change, and without ulterior motives.
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