I'm not religious and my brother sent me a bible (messages, father)

[FelixTheCat]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

It's clear that you're projecting your attitude towards your sister on his situation. He said he's only had "issues like this" occur a couple times in his adult life (and he's in his 30s) and didn't say that they involved his brother at all. He said the last contact he'd had with his brother was several months (in his complaint about how he'd not received the papers his brother was going to send immediately). He complained about "family members" attitudes towards others while he was growing up (nothing about his brother, specifically).

He did not say, anywhere in this thread, that his brother has been hounding him with his religious beliefs. He claims his brother is passive-aggressive. He may be, but that's just his opinion. It's obvious, though, that he's fairly actively aggressive, himself.

Yeah, I said issues like this only happened a couple times. I was being specific, to going out of your way odd behaviors based on religion. Other rude comments have been a regular thing. Like appearance for example. And I am taller and better looking than him, but he still picks me apart.

Moderator cut: snip

[NJBest]

I think your brother was doing what he thinks is best for you. I know it can be annoying but he things he's helping. While it certainly makes sense to tell him how you feel, I would suggest you be as polite as possible rather than calling him out on being a bible pusher. He is your brother, afterall.

[FelixTheCat]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

I never mention religion until someone else brings it up, but then I feel fully justified in confronting them. Christianity is a false religion. Human consciousness depends on a functioning human brain. There is no life after death. There was no garden of Eden, no "fall of man" and there is no implacable curse of a vengeful god. You don't need a savior because there is nothing to save you from.

There are some entirely secular but useful portions of Christianity. The baptism of repentance, as invented by John, is an excellent tool for dealing with feelings of guilt. The confession may have been invented as a tool of Roman imperial thought control, but it is as close as the human race got to mental therapy until the 19th century.

Thomas Paine was not hostile to religion, but he gave short shrift to mindless superstition. The Age of Reason is an excellent book which can help people free themselves from religious brainwashing.

I like you. It reminds me of a commercial of a boy who asks an old man where we go when we die. He said, "the ground". Hey, not so bad. I'd enjoy a loooong nap.

[brokencrayola]

I think you either need to just let it go and not create a dramam about it, or you need to contact your brother and tell him you know he feels he is helping you, but he isn't, and you need to find your own path and would appreciate he didn't do that kind of thing again.

[charolastra00]

I'm coming from a different perspective, because I'm Jewish and was not raised with any type of Christian background (though my father was a Christian as a child). Over the years I have gotten Bibles, books on Jews who converted to Christianity, and the Book of Mormon from "friends". It's downright rude. Those people are no longer friends.

My younger brother has never identified as part of the Jewish faith and is marrying a Roman Catholic woman. I would NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS send them a copy of the Talmud, no matter how important it was to me. It's rude, uncouth, and frankly, if one's belief is so weak and insecure that they must push their religion onto people who do not already believe, why should anyone respect that?

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by Kayekaye

I would lighten up if this was bothering me. He obviously cares about you.

Well, perhaps. but he obviously cares about proselytizing.

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by FelixTheCat

I'm obviously not religious. I never go to church. My brother and family are very religious. He had to mail me something and sent a bible in the package too.

I find this highly inappropriate and kind of creepy. We don't really talk because he is someone I have just been tolerating and I got tired of wasting my energy on keeping up relationships I don't enjoy. Anyway, I'm not sure what to do. I haven't said anything about it, but I feel a little harassed, since it's obviously unwanted contact, that is being pushed on me. I find this disrespectful and condescending. How do I keep this kind of thing from happening again?

I don't think sending religious books to non-believers is appropriate. But if you approach him about this you are going for the baited hook.

Let it go. Give the book to a thrift shop.

[Joe the Photog]

Felix;

Do you by chance have Facebook? If so, reading your news fed must give you convulsions. I have friends who share those dumb religous memes or political rants. Depening on the friend, I either hide them or just hide the source of the meme. On political rants, I sometimes post an opposing view or just hide them. A few of my friends are really annoying; other "bit layers," as I call them, people I've met here and there but aren't really friends with, get unfriended.

I don't make a lot of drama about it and if someone sent me a Bible in the mail, I'd give it to someone who wanted it. As a former TV news photographer, we'd get a lot of free stuff from people while covering stories. I once got a Quran from a Muslim who wanted me to see that it was not a book of hatred. I love to see how people react when they see it on my bookshelf next to an old Bible given to me at my high school gradution and books on John Lennon, the JFK assassination and "The X Files Dictionary."

I've even flipped through it a time or now.

[kelly237]

Originally Posted by kelly237

I am a believer

Originally Posted by Lilac110

Which means you don't get it either and your comments are pretty useless in response to mine.

Isn't that kinda closeminded ??

[jrsydevil82]

Send it back.