An atheist's dilemma on Mother's Day

[scaramouche]

This topic from another place caught my interest - an atheist's dilemma:

www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056580422

Tonight while I was in the middle of a college assignment my mother asked me to take her to knock during my summer holidays. I was completely perplexed by this request, she knows of my atheism (not so much my deep seated hatred of the catholic church)and that I am currently flat out in college so why would the Mammy asks me of all people to take her to knock.

I despise all things religious and going to knock is pretty much my worst nightmare It will be my mother going around the place praying, reading prayers to me off souvineers. My mother is getting more religious as time goes on, there is a big holy Mary statue in my living room and she always has candles lighting under the fecking thing.

So how do I tell the mammy that knock is a no no, without her going off and praying for my soul.

For me, response no. 79 stands out and shouts the answer, but I am curious to know how members (particularly those who consider themselves atheists) on this forum would deal with this dilemma ... putting yourself in the place of the OP?

[Mr Jinx]

I agree No.79 is the best solution. I did a lot of things I didn't really want to do when mum was alive, but I did them because she was my mum.

[The Legendary Barb]

You only have one mother, take her and enjoy her "enjoyment" of the ocassion. You do not have to pray or even be religous to keep your mum happy, try going back to childhood and play pretend just for that one visit.

[mrjohnno]

It's interesting to note that both chemo and religion involve poisoning.


I wouldn't do it. The hospital example is flawed IMO because taking someone there could save their life while taking someone on a religious pilgrimage is not. It would also go against a pledge I made long ago, a story of which is....

From time to time envelopes are passed around in a bar or restaurant. It's for people to make a donation to the local Wat (temple). People don't bother giving me one now because they know my religious views or they understand what the picture on my t-shirt means. Few months ago I was at a party and a girl was handing out envelopes which refused. She asked me why so I gave the stack phrase as always, "because I object to the perpetuation of irrationality in society". A girl had a good hearty laugh close by and she was Thai. The first Thai person to understand that phrase after around 13 years.

[scaramouche]

Mar 18, 2012 18:40:57 GMT mrjohnno said:

It's interesting to note that both chemo and religion involve poisoning.


I wouldn't do it. The hospital example is flawed IMO because taking someone there could save their life while taking someone on a religious pilgrimage is not.

I think maybe you miss the point of the hospital example. The OP was feeling rather sorry for herself - the horror of having to go through such a "terrible" ordeal ... What no. 79 actually pinpointed was that people are faced with far worse ordeals in life and such that they have no choice in the matter. A case of sorting out priorities really.

Mar 18, 2012 18:40:57 GMT mrjohnno said:

It would also go against a pledge I made long ago, a story of which is....

From time to time envelopes are passed around in a bar or restaurant. It's for people to make a donation to the local Wat (temple). People don't bother giving me one now because they know my religious views or they understand what the picture on my t-shirt means. Few months ago I was at a party and a girl was handing out envelopes which refused. She asked me why so I gave the stack phrase as always, "because I object to the perpetuation of irrationality in society". A girl had a good hearty laugh close by and she was Thai. The first Thai person to understand that phrase after around 13 years.

Could have been that she was actually laughing at the absurdity of your statement (in her opinion).

[mrjohnno]

Mar 18, 2012 19:12:02 GMT scaramouche said:

Mar 18, 2012 18:40:57 GMT mrjohnno said:

It's interesting to note that both chemo and religion involve poisoning.


I wouldn't do it. The hospital example is flawed IMO because taking someone there could save their life while taking someone on a religious pilgrimage is not.

I think maybe you miss the point of the hospital example. The OP was feeling rather sorry for herself - the horror of having to go through such a "terrible" ordeal ... What no. 79 actually pinpointed was that people are faced with far worse ordeals in life and such that they have no choice in the matter. A case of sorting out priorities really.

I understood the 'there are worse off people than you' argument which is why I added the story. Am I willing to lie to someone to make them feel fluffy? No.

Mar 18, 2012 18:40:57 GMT mrjohnno said:

It would also go against a pledge I made long ago, a story of which is....

From time to time envelopes are passed around in a bar or restaurant. It's for people to make a donation to the local Wat (temple). People don't bother giving me one now because they know my religious views or they understand what the picture on my t-shirt means. Few months ago I was at a party and a girl was handing out envelopes which refused. She asked me why so I gave the stack phrase as always, "because I object to the perpetuation of irrationality in society". A girl had a good hearty laugh close by and she was Thai. The first Thai person to understand that phrase after around 13 years.

Could have been that she was actually laughing at the absurdity of your statement (in her opinion).

She agreed but pointed out that very few people would understand. Nice girl, spent 7 years in the US with her parents, also likes 2 eggs over easy for breakfast.

[scaramouche]

Mar 18, 2012 20:27:32 GMT mrjohnno said:

She agreed but pointed out that very few people would understand. Nice girl, spent 7 years in the US with her parents, also likes 2 eggs over easy for breakfast.

lol - Most original chat-up line I've ever heard ;D (even though it took 13 years of practise before it finally worked)

[watchman]

No dilemma here ..... no trip to Nock either.
2 points...
1/ If I had a religious mother would it be in any ones interest for her to accompany me to a venue where I am guaranteed to "upset" people.

2/ This sounds suspiciously like a classic case of emotional blackmail. Why should "mothers" idea's trump my own.

Besides this is obviously an ambush scenario being set up by the mother...
Post 15 ..."she's not that old, early 50's so she is perfectly capable of being Independant and going on her own."
There are church organised trips also I believe so why is the atheist daughters presence required.?

[mrjohnno]

Mar 18, 2012 21:03:39 GMT scaramouche said:

even though it took 13 years of practise before it finally worked

Who said it did?

[redbaron]

what is "going to knock "? never heard that expression before.

[mrjohnno]

Mar 19, 2012 0:28:24 GMT redbaron said:

what is "going to knock "? never heard that expression before.

Knock (Irish: An Cnoc, meaning The Hill – but now more generally known in Irish as Cnoc Mhuire, "Hill of (the Virgin) Mary") is a small town in County Mayo, Ireland whose notability derives from the Knock Shrine where it is claimed the Virgin Mary, together with St Joseph and St John the Evangelist, appeared in 1879. In the 20th century it became one of Europe's major Catholic Marian shrines, alongside Lourdes and Fatima. One and a half million pilgrims visit Knock Shrine annually. It was visited by Pope John Paul II, a supporter of devotion to the Virgin Mary, in 1979 to commemorate the centenary of the apparition.

[/color]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knock,_County_Mayo

As an aside, from the link.....

Knock was bypassed by the N17 Road in December 2002.

I laughed.