Carm'S Matt Slick’S Daughter Shares Her Story

[LoudmouthMormon]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else. Very interesting story.

The Atheist Daughter of a Notable Christian Apologist Shares Her Story

It became a sort of game to watch him go “Mormon hunting”; if he saw them on the sidewalk, he’d pull up in the car to engage them in debate. After the Mormons visited our apartment a few times, they blacklisted us, and none of them ever visited us again. My dad was always very congenial to those he debated, and most viewed him as charismatic — though his debate tactics were ruthless and often more focused on efficiency than relationship-building.

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else. Very interesting story.

The Atheist Daughter of a Notable Christian Apologist Shares Her Story

Blacklisted. I only had one person that I avoided because I was told by my comp that he was a descendant of JS and wished not to be bothered. I have no idea if it was true but I was a greenie at the time and did no question it. Out side of that I talked with every person I could and knocked on every single door I could find. Even the Dean of Liberty University. I would have knocked on Jerry Falwell's door had he been in my area.

[Vance]

Interesting that the problem of evil caused by the belief in ex nihilo creation was her undoing. Sad, really sad.

[Storm Rider]

"Blacklisting" was similar in my mission experience. The only people on the list were those who violently did not want anyone to knock on their door. Everyone else was contacted if they were home as often as we had our rounds in the neighborhood. However, I would not be surprised that some may have chosen a different path. The main objective was to look for the ripened fruit when they were ripe rather than trying to force the message.

[Ahab]

Interesting that the problem of evil caused by the belief in ex nihilo creation was her undoing. Sad, really sad.

Someone whose concept of God is a God who created all from out of nothing would classify me as an atheist too.

All she needs to find is the correct concept of God, preferably by getting to know him through Jesus Christ.

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

"Blacklisting" was similar in my mission experience. The only people on the list were those who violently did not want anyone to knock on their door. Everyone else was contacted if they were home as often as we had our rounds in the neighborhood. However, I would not be surprised that some may have chosen a different path. The main objective was to look for the ripened fruit when they were ripe rather than trying to force the message.

I guess I can see this. It is probably wise counsel. I could have saved some of my time because I engaged in some really pointless dialogue with some really hostile people.

[bluebell]

I guess I can see this. It is probably wise counsel. I could have saved some of my time because I engaged in some really pointless dialogue with some really hostile people.

We had a few people that could have been called 'blacklisted' for this exact reason. They weren't interested at all in learning about the Gospel, they just wanted to argue and prove how wrong we were (and try to get missionaries to lose their testimonies).

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

We had a few people that could have been called 'blacklisted' for this exact reason. They weren't interested at all in learning about the Gospel, they just wanted to argue and prove how wrong we were (and try to get missionaries to lose their testimonies).

Interesting. I was just thinking that I probably would have went to this ( Slick's daughter) person house just to see what they would say if she was in my area. Kind of funny I think. I guess I have a small amount of insanity in me?

[boblloyd91]

This kind of reminds me of James White's sister converting to Catholicism

[Ahab]

This kind of reminds me of James White's sister converting to Catholicism

You see a connection between Catholicism and Atheism??? Okaaaaaay. Hmm. I wonder what you're seeing.

[Avatar4321]

Im sure the Lord will remember her and call her to Him when it's time.

It's sad that she isnt talking with her father though.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else. Very interesting story.

The Atheist Daughter of a Notable Christian Apologist Shares Her Story

I have debated him and the end result was Calvinism. To Mormons, salvation is a family affair...to, too many it is everyone for themselves. To be fair, I would guess Catholics, it is also a family affair

[EllenMaksoud]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else. Very interesting story.

The Atheist Daughter of a Notable Christian Apologist Shares Her Story

I was evangelical christian for 32 years, and was not born to it because I did not come to Christianity until I was 27 years old. So, everything I learned about the Bible and God came very hard because I had to study for myself. In the early years of being a christian, reading the bible generated a lot of questions and sometimes they would just get exasperated and tell me to get under authority. Interestingly, I have the same issue with authority in the Mormon church but so far no one has shouted me down.

I can see why the girl would become an athiest, with that for a father.

After I left the evangelical church, anger so filled me that I looked for Christians to consume. I doubt that my words did a thing for the cause of Christ, but for several years, I felt quite happy to give them a dose of their own medicine. I even marched in a Pride parade because I knew there would be christians holding signs along the way, and unless the police prevented me, I took a verbal swipe at any of them I could. I had sat in too many sermons were the pastor would rant and rave about these issues, all the while the words of Jesus Christ rattled around in my head.

The idea that ev folk are attacked by gays is just pure blarney, the accusation being just another stab at getting sympathy.

So, when I went into Islam, it was easy to hate infidel christians.

Oddly, Mormonism has had such a strong effect on me that the fire has gone out. I'm not generally wrathful any longer, but I do not feel sorry for them.

I want to clarify that there are a good many very Christ like Christians who are not Mormon. There is a half dozen different denominations that seem to live on the strife. I hope that someday they begin to seek out true religion.

Of Interest, he was only one of many purveyors of hate in the 90's. There was Jerry Falwell, John Hagee, and several others. Mormons seem to be generally unaware of these people, and that is good.

Edited July 17, 2013 by EllenMaksoud

[DBMormon]

It's interesting when I read stuff like this, that I am drawn to analyzing those in a religious story to evaluate where they are at in Fowler's stages of faith. The dad here is so stage 3 he is the extreme of dogmatic, black and white, us vs them.

[bluebell]

The dad here is so stage 3 he is the extreme of dogmatic, black and white, us vs them.

And that's probably why she is now an atheist. He set her up to believe that either his idea of Christianity is true, or it's all false. She was so molded to accept this fact that when she was faced with something that caused a problem, she didn't even consider looking into whether or not her father was wrong in his interpretation, she just threw the baby out with the bathwater and moved on with her life.

[DBMormon]

And that's probably why she is now an atheist. He set her up to believe that either his idea of Christianity is true, or it's all false. She was so molded to accept this fact that when she was faced with something that caused a problem, she didn't even consider looking into whether or not her father was wrong in his interpretation, she just threw the baby out with the bathwater and moved on with her life.

You got it. It is often times this rigidness that prevents us from moving forward in faith rather then retreating in disbelief

[bluebell]

You got it. It is often times this rigidness that prevents us from moving forward in faith rather then retreating in disbelief

I also have a HUGE issue with her philosophy teacher trying to talk her out of her belief in God. I almost minored in philosophy and have taken classes on the subject and my professors were very vocal about how it would be wrong of them to attempt to weaken anyone's belief in a religious system. They went so far as to refuse to even tell their students what their own personal beliefs were because they did not want to influence us-they truly wanted us to come to our own conclusions. My most favorite professor (who i'm sure did NOT believe in Christianity) went out of her way to help Christian students who might be facing a faith crisis to enlarge their view of Christianity rather than leave it.

[boblloyd91]

You see a connection between Catholicism and Atheism??? Okaaaaaay. Hmm. I wonder what you're seeing.

To better explain, both Slick and White are unpleasant "Christian" apologists who tear down everyone who disagrees with them. Then, in both cases, a loved one ends up joining a group they condemn which in this case would be atheism and catholicism

[Ahab]

To better explain, both Slick and White are unpleasant "Christian" apologists who tear down everyone who disagrees with them. Then, in both cases, a loved one ends up joining a group they condemn which in this case would be atheism and catholicism

Ah, okay, I get it now. Thank you for clarifying. And I suppose you could put Mormonism in the list too since they both hate that and are very outspoken against it.

[stemelbow]

This is a sad case. I don't really pay attention to Slick but he has seemed very unpleasant to me to say the least.

But let's not kid ourselves, there are plenty of cases out there that match this nearly to a T, but it just so happens the parents are LDS.

Is it a big concern for us?

[bluebell]

This is a sad case. I don't really pay attention to Slick but he has seemed very unpleasant to me to say the least.

But let's not kid ourselves, there are plenty of cases out there that match this nearly to a T, but it just so happens the parents are LDS.

Is it a big concern for us?

Rigidity in any religion can cause this, for sure.

[wenglund]

It isn't uncommon for people who have lost faith to blame the loss on "rigidity"--of their parents and/or religion.

Rarely, if ever these days, do they accept personal responsibility for the part they played in their faith crisis--whether LDS or Evangelical or otherwise.

In Rachael's case, and looking a bit beneath the glossy cover she put on her exit narrative, she wants to have elicit sexual relations with her boyfriend without feeling pricks of conscience, and she blames those pricks of conscience on religious rigidity rather than her own immorality. In part, and in reality, she lost religious faith because it was expendable in the face of her more compelling drive to be immoral. She needs to own up to that, and not fault her parents or her former faith--as if that will ever happen.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am no big fan of Matt Slick. He and I went the rounds for years, and I have little respect for his persistent animosity towards my faith. It is just that it serves no one's interest to shift the blame entirely to him and his Calvinist beliefs for his daughter's loss of belief in God.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[bluebell]

It isn't uncommon for people who have lost faith to blame the loss on "rigidity"--of their parents and/or religion.

Rarely, if ever these days, do they accept personal responsibility for the part they played in their faith crisis--whether LDS or Evangelical or otherwise.

In Rachael's case, and looking a bit beneath the glossy cover she put on her exit narrative, she wants to have elicit sexual relations with her boyfriend without feeling pricks of conscience, and she blames those pricks of conscience on religious rigidity rather than her own immorality. In part, and in reality, she lost religious faith because it was expendable in the face of her more compelling drive to be immoral. She needs to own up to that, and not fault her parents or her former faith--as if that will ever happen.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am no big fan of Matt Slick. He and I went the rounds for years, and I have little respect for his persistent animosity towards my faith. It is just that it serves no one's interest to shift the blame entirely to him and his Calvinist beliefs for his daughter's loss of belief in God.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

I didn't read her account of trying not to feel guilty about sleeping with her boyfriend as being at all connected with her decision to leave.

[ERayR]

It isn't uncommon for people who have lost faith to blame the loss on "rigidity"--of their parents and/or religion.

Rarely, if ever these days, do they accept personal responsibility for the part they played in their faith crisis--whether LDS or Evangelical or otherwise.

In Rachael's case, and looking a bit beneath the glossy cover she put on her exit narrative, she wants to have elicit sexual relations with her boyfriend without feeling pricks of conscience, and she blames those pricks of conscience on religious rigidity rather than her own immorality. In part, and in reality, she lost religious faith because it was expendable in the face of her more compelling drive to be immoral. She needs to own up to that, and not fault her parents or her former faith--as if that will ever happen.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am no big fan of Matt Slick. He and I went the rounds for years, and I have little respect for his persistent animosity towards my faith. It is just that it serves no one's interest to shift the blame entirely to him and his Calvinist beliefs for his daughter's loss of belief in God.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

I gave you one rep point and would have given a couple of more if possible. In a word it is choice.

[Maidservant]

Perhaps Brother Slick might find some comfort in considering that in the Mormon story, his daughter is not ultimately destined for hell even in the condition she is choosing now.