"Stuff" Religious People Say
It all began from this meme, originally shared by +Al Acton via +Dezzi The Humanist.
I thought I would do a count-down style list of reactions to these things. Part way through, someone told me about her experience with one item not on the list and I knew I had to add it.
What struck me about the experience of writing each one of these is how easy they were to deconstruct. I applied the modicum of empathy that I can summon and put myself into the mindset of the person who would say this, and then the person who might be hearing it. Given my current state as the person way more likely to hear these things than to say them, the one who says them takes the worst of it. But that doesn't change the fact that I have been each of these people. And so to the people saying these things, I ask you to try also to put yourselves into the mindset of the ones hearing them.
The series is now complete.
Earlier:
11. "It's all part of God's plan." 10. "You are being fooled by the Devil." 9. "You're just going through a phase" 8. "The fool says in his heart, 'there is no God'." 7. "You just want to sin." 6. "God still loves you." 5. "You can't have morals without God." 4. "One day you will know the truth." 3. "You must not have been a true..." 2. "Eventually, God will reveal himself to you" 1. "I will pray for you"