My Dilemma

[Space Sheriff Gavan]

[Kevin]

[Angelcake]

[Joe_Shimamura]

[ancalagon3]

[strobe_z]

Hmm... interesting dillemma.

Now I'll start off by saying that, at least in my experience, 'Capital "C"' Christians will rarely (if ever) relinquish their world view. You'll probably be fighting a losing battle. I spent much of my life in Grade 6 & 7 trying to convince a French Catholic school that Dungeons & Dragons was not inherently evil to no avail. However, it sounds like she's worth the effort.

While I agree with Kevin that books are in and of themselves neither good nor evil, I think the first distinction you want to make with your girlfriend is that MW is NOT a Satanic Bible (sorry to any Satanists who feel wronged by my example). This may take a while to wrap your (and her) head around, but MW is in fact making a very clear anti-Evil statement. Unlike the afore-mentioned Satanic book, it is not promoting the notion that

[cmoon]

Good call Strobe. MW isn't an evil book, it's a book about evil. That's different. No glorification whatsoever; in fact, if you don't feel repulsed by the book, you're probably missing the point.

There is another side however I'm hesitant to touch on, being a free-thinker (or is that 'drinker'?) which is namely the difficulty -I- would have with anyone who wasn't open minded to all ideas (even those most horrifying) if for a least theoretical purposes.

But I digress, every relationship requires compromise while somehow maintaining individuality. Good luck!

[Huscheli]

Well, I can understand if someone has something against "evil stuff" which glorifies gruesome acting or something like that (like many Games or manga do). But as strobez stated MW is not evil, it's "about" evil. It's a huge difference. Maybe if she really read it, she wouldn't think like that.

But honstly I don't know how someone can make such a fuss about a book one doesn't like. If you would be collecting child porn manga I could understand, but something like that? Just keep it.
If she feels unwell just by thinking that this (not really evil) book is in your house, maybe she needs a doctor (and I don't mean this as an insult!).

[Jeffbert]

I know nothing about MW, but I was a fundamentalist Christian for about 20 years. My recollection of the mindset is that they regard the BIBLE as history, as God's word, etc, & they do not comprimise. I know that I did not. I would not even enter the room if the TV was on, lest I be beguiled.

The thinking is confined to a very small box, & anything outside the box is either disregarded or condemned as evil. The Pastor insisted we attend services twice on Sunday, once on Tuesday for prayer, & on Thursday for Bible study. I think the idea was to continually expose the people to the dogma so that they would not have a chance to clear their minds of it, & think clearly and without bias about things. I am one very fortunate man to have freed myself from the psychological dependancy that held me for so long. Many people left that congregation, but I recently got a call from one who had left long ago, who seemed convinced he was going to hell for leaving, & wanted my help. He was out for ten years, but still under the convictions he had while a member.

I am sorry if anyone takes offense to this, but I am being brutally honest.
I think that if your girlfriend is a devout Christian & you are not, that is asking for trouble. In those 20 years I knew of a few who married non-Christians, even Christians in different sects, and there were quite a few prayer requests for unsaved husbands, etc. These people went against the pastor's advice & married unbelievers, & likewise the unbelievers married them, & trouble soon followed.

Sorry, but I think you need to reassess your situation, count your common points, & those on which you differ, & etc.

While you might be hoping she wil eventually change her mind, she is likely hoping you will change yours. she might be hoping to convert you. After all, that is the great commission, & nearly every Christian sect believes in the necessity to convert 'sinners.' Beware of their most basic directive, their primary task. Belief is a funny thing, 100 people can look at the same book, and all interpret it differently. many will believe the others are doomed to hell. They will think that about each other, argue endlessly over certain quotations that they insist are true, and meant to be taken literally, & I know what it is like to do that, but now I see clearly.

My brother nearly married, he was not only engaged, but had her stuff moved into his home, where it has remained ever since. She was very aggressively pursuing him, & he backed out a few weeks before the wecdding would have been. she rented her condo to someone & moved her stuff into his house, expecting to marry him. He is just too nice to make her put it into storage, but she stores it in his house free of charge, and now lives with her parents. He is a landscaper, & she was the only one on E-Harmony who showed interest in him. He was desperate, and thought she was his only chance.

Sorry, I should not have writtenso much, I fear this post will be unwelcome.

[Kevin]

[Angelcake]

[strobe_z]

[Kevin]

[Huscheli]

[Space Sheriff Gavan]