Need help in responding to co-workers who think Obama is the anti-Christ.

[japple]

I work in a small hospital in a small town in North Georgia. Most of the people I work with are decent, caring, and dedicated people who were born and raised in my community. They are, for the most part, fundamentalist christians and are very fearful of an Obama presidency because of biblical prophesies similar to those described in this posting at snopes.com

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/antichrist.asp

I am having a real problem in coming up with a response that will be enlightening without being condescending. I like them personally, and respect their dedication to the healing profession, but I also feel like I am betraying my own mission to shed light into the darkness of disinformation and religious intolerance. Most of the time, I just keep my mouth shut and try to distract myself with work, but, sometimes I feel the need to speak out. It's hard trying to find the right words. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[BlueIris]

1. Well, you could try communicating to them in their language, ie; "If Barack were the Anti-Christ,

why would God let him get this far?" "But what about all the voters who feel that Barack is most comparable to Jesus?"

I dunno. I doubt that's going to work.

[davsand]

2. I think I'd just stay out of that conversation.

Sorry, but you are NOT gonna change their minds even if you stand on your head and fart The Star Spangled Banner on a tin whistle.

These are usually the SAME folks who think they don't need to worry about pollution because The Rapture is coming. If they are THAT wrapped up in wingnut religion and fruitloop politics they are a lost cause and about all you are gonna do is make them target YOU next. You live there, you work there, and there are certain things that just don't require comment if you want to continue.

Yep, I am THAT cynical about certain mindsets.




Laura

[rosesaylavee]

6. However, that just might work on me

...that farting on and standing on your head part. Go ahead and let's try that. I am open to trying anything at least once.

:P

[davsand]

8. That is an "extreme" version of persuasion.

Not always pleasant in a closed room, but certainly notable when attempted.

:evilgrin:


I know I sounded flip with my response, but the bottom line, IMO, is that there just are SOME people that I realize I will never reach, no matter HOW persuasive I am (or think I am, anyhow...) If anyone is so tightly married to a religious world view that it allows for an "Anti-Christ" I just have serious doubts about my ability to influence them. Maybe it is a matter of the mote in my eye blinding me, but there are times when you just have to cut your losses and look to self protection.

Good luck to you!


Laura

[rosesaylavee]

9. Actually - I agree

Especially that part that assumes there is or will be an anti-Christ.

Have just discovered recently that one of my siblings is a Creationist. After I regained my balance after that announcement - I came to the same conclusion. Changing her mind is out of reach for me. I wouldn't know where to start. I think I sputtered something inane like 'that is so anti-science'. I am hoping that my shock has caused her to rethink - but I doubt it.

[cate94]

3. Perhaps you could

ask them to quote the actual chapter and verse they are referring in the Bible, that makes them believe Obama is the Anti-Christ. They won't be able to do so, they can only quote the silly e-mails. It might actually encourage them to read the Bible (so they can convince you) and come up with the fact there is nothing in there to support their own statements.

If you don't want to go down that road, you might point out that the Anti-Christ is supposed to denounce and oppose Jesus. Obama has said he is a Christian and in helping the poor while he was doing community service work, was he not doing as Jesus commanded?
Isn't spreading this rumor without any real data to back it up bearing false witness?

[Celebration]

4. just say something like

"Respectfully, I disagree. I feel that this is simply more of the same--the misuse of fear based politics, and if this line of attack should succeed, then we are giving in to fear." Then point them to the snopes site. I might even say "Of course it is your free choice if you decide to believe the politics of fear."

I *might* do that. Or, as Laura said, you might just not say anything. What I wouldn't do for sure is to get into some sort of a nitpicky argument about Revelations.

Or how about "By what authority do you have the right to judge another person in this manner?" The answers to that might be interesting. It might take them aback. At the very least it could give them cause to at least stop speculating about this in your presence, and perhaps other people's presence.

This is really your call. You know them and we don't.

Good luck (and I know this is frustrating).

[Sweet Freedom]

5. The Pope (JPII) thought * was the antichrist

Many links here--
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3413087

[Why Syzygy]

7. The Snopes do a good job

of debunking it. They could just read that. However, since the myth of the "anti-Christ" always mentions a man of "peace", only men of war are going to be acceptable to these people. Right? So, if peace is set up as a DANGER for them, they are indeed in bondage much deeper than their beliefs regarding Obama.

[verdalaven]

10. Ask them -

Do you really trust in the Lord? Do you have full faith that the Lord will protect and keep you, throughout your life and beyond? If you have full faith in the Lord, you do not have to fear the antichrist. Rejoice, for soon Jesus will return and take care of the anti-christ for you.

It won't make them Obama supporters, but it might shut them up for awhile. :P

[PinkTiger]

11. Tell them, NO, BO is not the anti Christ,

But he is the son of Jarel, from Krypton, and was sent here by his father to save the world.
LOL

Seriously, there's nothing you can do. They have to just get over it. I have students who think he is a muslim, as if that is a problem.

[japple]

12. Thanks, everyone. After wrestling with this for a few days,

I have just decided to keep my mouth shut. In the event that I can't, I've printed out the Snopes piece and will keep a copy in my purse to pull out for reference. I've highlighted the paragraph that states "...since the book of Revelation was complete by the end of the 2nd century, but the religion of Islam wasn't founded until about four hundred years later, the notion that Revelation would have mentioned a Muslim at all is rather far-fetched. (And even if it did, it couldn't be construed as a reference to Barack Obama, since Senator Obama isn't a Muslim.)"

[Kookaburra]

13. I thought that was what they were all waiting for...

...the anti-Christ to come around and start the Armageddon, so that they can get raptured up to heaven while God takes care of the evil-doers. Isn't that correct? If so, then why would they want to stop "his will"?

[japple]

14. Yeah, I thought that, too. Maybe they're afraid

of rising up to heaven without their clothes! And all those dead folks who are supposed to rise from the grave. And those beasts described in their favorite passages in the Book of Revelation.

[Kookaburra]

15. Could be -- I know I wouldn't want to be butt naked

rising through the air in front of a bunch of fundamentalist Christians. That would make me very uncomfortable.