What would cause someone from a normal background to become a religious zealot?

[Anonymous]

Often times in the Catholic church it is the converts who are the most zealot-y.

[Anonymous]

OP, what business is it of yours? And why did you feel you had to come on to DCUM to trash him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just happened to look up a few people I knew back in the day just out of curiosity, and this one guy I knew is full-on Jesus Freak. Like he's got quotes like " Child of God" " Washed in the Blood" etc all over his social media Definitely a quiverfuller, has like 4 kids under 6 and 1 on the way #childrenare a blessing, lots of memes of Bible quotes and religious figures.

Back when I knew him he was a normal guy, grew up in your average American family, with one other sibling, they went to church but it wasn't extreme. Majored in biochemistry. It's not his wife, she was normal too when I knew them back then. They drank, smoked weed, had intellectual debates. The church was not a regular occurrence. They both are now Christian extremists. How does this happen?

I'm about as suspicious and negative re: quiverfull and the like as they come, but "Christian extremist"?

I grew up in a community where Protestant Evangelicals were hugely dominant. Like, I wouldn't wait tables during Sunday lunch because your tip would regularly include a card asking if you had been saved. Or they would ask you directly. It's not my jam, but I knew a lot of people that, in their words, made Christ the center of their life. They are all relatively normal people with responsible jobs, families, etc. And yeah, some people like big families. Have you heard of Mormons or Catholics? I know a Mormon couple with six kids. She told me she wanted to have enough children that the kids could say my brotherS and sisterS when asked about their siblings. He was in the Foreign Service and spoke a couple of difficult languages. She had a college degree and was smart as a whip. Another Mormon family also had six kids and the mom had a PhD. A Catholic guy I worked with had TEN kids. Dad was a lawyer and mom was a doctor. They even did the whole Tridentine Mass.

I just find the premise that people are extremists because they've chosen to make their faith a much bigger part of their life than the average totally false. I also think as people age and start families it's not uncommon to look for a church or return to religion.

This. Does OP also call Orthodox Jews extremists?

He made different choices than OP did. These aren’t my choices either, but I don’t have my parties in a wad over the fact that someone is different from me. He’s not hurting anyone. OP, tolerance is a great thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just happened to look up a few people I knew back in the day just out of curiosity, and this one guy I knew is full-on Jesus Freak. Like he's got quotes like " Child of God" " Washed in the Blood" etc all over his social media Definitely a quiverfuller, has like 4 kids under 6 and 1 on the way #childrenare a blessing, lots of memes of Bible quotes and religious figures.

Back when I knew him he was a normal guy, grew up in your average American family, with one other sibling, they went to church but it wasn't extreme. Majored in biochemistry. It's not his wife, she was normal too when I knew them back then. They drank, smoked weed, had intellectual debates. The church was not a regular occurrence. They both are now Christian extremists. How does this happen?

I'm about as suspicious and negative re: quiverfull and the like as they come, but "Christian extremist"?

I grew up in a community where Protestant Evangelicals were hugely dominant. Like, I wouldn't wait tables during Sunday lunch because your tip would regularly include a card asking if you had been saved. Or they would ask you directly. It's not my jam, but I knew a lot of people that, in their words, made Christ the center of their life. They are all relatively normal people with responsible jobs, families, etc. And yeah, some people like big families. Have you heard of Mormons or Catholics? I know a Mormon couple with six kids. She told me she wanted to have enough children that the kids could say my brotherS and sisterS when asked about their siblings. He was in the Foreign Service and spoke a couple of difficult languages. She had a college degree and was smart as a whip. Another Mormon family also had six kids and the mom had a PhD. A Catholic guy I worked with had TEN kids. Dad was a lawyer and mom was a doctor. They even did the whole Tridentine Mass.

I just find the premise that people are extremists because they've chosen to make their faith a much bigger part of their life than the average totally false. I also think as people age and start families it's not uncommon to look for a church or return to religion.

This. Does OP also call Orthodox Jews extremists?

He made different choices than OP did. These aren’t my choices either, but I don’t have my parties in a wad over the fact that someone is different from me. He’s not hurting anyone. OP, tolerance is a great thing.

Is astounding you can’t see the difference in religious and extremist.

[Anonymous]

It always comes on the heals of a tragedy. Addiction, jail, abuse.

Cults always look fir people that are alone, dine have family or are separated from
Family … that is why they are on college campuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, will you call someone a Muslim extremist too or does it apply only for Christians?

If they were extreme yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just happened to look up a few people I knew back in the day just out of curiosity, and this one guy I knew is full-on Jesus Freak. Like he's got quotes like " Child of God" " Washed in the Blood" etc all over his social media Definitely a quiverfuller, has like 4 kids under 6 and 1 on the way #childrenare a blessing, lots of memes of Bible quotes and religious figures.

Back when I knew him he was a normal guy, grew up in your average American family, with one other sibling, they went to church but it wasn't extreme. Majored in biochemistry. It's not his wife, she was normal too when I knew them back then. They drank, smoked weed, had intellectual debates. The church was not a regular occurrence. They both are now Christian extremists. How does this happen?

I'm about as suspicious and negative re: quiverfull and the like as they come, but "Christian extremist"?

I grew up in a community where Protestant Evangelicals were hugely dominant. Like, I wouldn't wait tables during Sunday lunch because your tip would regularly include a card asking if you had been saved. Or they would ask you directly. It's not my jam, but I knew a lot of people that, in their words, made Christ the center of their life. They are all relatively normal people with responsible jobs, families, etc. And yeah, some people like big families. Have you heard of Mormons or Catholics? I know a Mormon couple with six kids. She told me she wanted to have enough children that the kids could say my brotherS and sisterS when asked about their siblings. He was in the Foreign Service and spoke a couple of difficult languages. She had a college degree and was smart as a whip. Another Mormon family also had six kids and the mom had a PhD. A Catholic guy I worked with had TEN kids. Dad was a lawyer and mom was a doctor. They even did the whole Tridentine Mass.

I just find the premise that people are extremists because they've chosen to make their faith a much bigger part of their life than the average totally false. I also think as people age and start families it's not uncommon to look for a church or return to religion.

This. Does OP also call Orthodox Jews extremists?

He made different choices than OP did. These aren’t my choices either, but I don’t have my parties in a wad over the fact that someone is different from me. He’s not hurting anyone. OP, tolerance is a great thing.

Is astounding you can’t see the difference in religious and extremist.

It’s astounding you freely post your bigotry.

People are “extremists” about so many things—model trains, triathlons, shoes. As long he’s not hurting anyone, MYOB.

[Anonymous]

My best friend from college and her husband are like this. Educated people who grew up in normal, suburban families. They were becoming more religious in the early 10’s but the 2016 race accelerated it. Her DH began carrying a gun to church “to protect when Muslims try to attack good Christians”. Never mind that there’s been zero attacks on white Christian houses of worship.

They were becoming mild preppers, all the while delving deeper into bible studies and more evangelical church. Based on her FB feed, they are by now full-in on aprocyphal Christianity, the Patriot movement, the whole nine yards. I don’t know exactly how, but it was incremental over fifteen years. It’s heartbreaking and has torn their family apart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My best friend from college and her husband are like this. Educated people who grew up in normal, suburban families. They were becoming more religious in the early 10’s but the 2016 race accelerated it. Her DH began carrying a gun to church “to protect when Muslims try to attack good Christians”. Never mind that there’s been zero attacks on white Christian houses of worship.

They were becoming mild preppers, all the while delving deeper into bible studies and more evangelical church. Based on her FB feed, they are by now full-in on aprocyphal Christianity, the Patriot movement, the whole nine yards. I don’t know exactly how, but it was incremental over fifteen years. It’s heartbreaking and has torn their family apart.

This is extremist. Not what busybody OP is describing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My best friend from college and her husband are like this. Educated people who grew up in normal, suburban families. They were becoming more religious in the early 10’s but the 2016 race accelerated it. Her DH began carrying a gun to church “to protect when Muslims try to attack good Christians”. Never mind that there’s been zero attacks on white Christian houses of worship.

They were becoming mild preppers, all the while delving deeper into bible studies and more evangelical church. Based on her FB feed, they are by now full-in on aprocyphal Christianity, the Patriot movement, the whole nine yards. I don’t know exactly how, but it was incremental over fifteen years. It’s heartbreaking and has torn their family apart.

This is extremist. Not what busybody OP is describing.

Quiverfull is extremism and no matter how much name-calling you do it won't change that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just happened to look up a few people I knew back in the day just out of curiosity, and this one guy I knew is full-on Jesus Freak. Like he's got quotes like " Child of God" " Washed in the Blood" etc all over his social media Definitely a quiverfuller, has like 4 kids under 6 and 1 on the way #childrenare a blessing, lots of memes of Bible quotes and religious figures.

Back when I knew him he was a normal guy, grew up in your average American family, with one other sibling, they went to church but it wasn't extreme. Majored in biochemistry. It's not his wife, she was normal too when I knew them back then. They drank, smoked weed, had intellectual debates. The church was not a regular occurrence. They both are now Christian extremists. How does this happen?

I'm about as suspicious and negative re: quiverfull and the like as they come, but "Christian extremist"?

I grew up in a community where Protestant Evangelicals were hugely dominant. Like, I wouldn't wait tables during Sunday lunch because your tip would regularly include a card asking if you had been saved. Or they would ask you directly. It's not my jam, but I knew a lot of people that, in their words, made Christ the center of their life. They are all relatively normal people with responsible jobs, families, etc. And yeah, some people like big families. Have you heard of Mormons or Catholics? I know a Mormon couple with six kids. She told me she wanted to have enough children that the kids could say my brotherS and sisterS when asked about their siblings. He was in the Foreign Service and spoke a couple of difficult languages. She had a college degree and was smart as a whip. Another Mormon family also had six kids and the mom had a PhD. A Catholic guy I worked with had TEN kids. Dad was a lawyer and mom was a doctor. They even did the whole Tridentine Mass.

I just find the premise that people are extremists because they've chosen to make their faith a much bigger part of their life than the average totally false. I also think as people age and start families it's not uncommon to look for a church or return to religion.

This. Does OP also call Orthodox Jews extremists?

He made different choices than OP did. These aren’t my choices either, but I don’t have my parties in a wad over the fact that someone is different from me. He’s not hurting anyone. OP, tolerance is a great thing.

Is astounding you can’t see the difference in religious and extremist.

It’s astounding you freely post your bigotry.

People are “extremists” about so many things—model trains, triathlons, shoes. As long he’s not hurting anyone, MYOB.

I got a better idea how about you follow your advice and run along to another thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just happened to look up a few people I knew back in the day just out of curiosity, and this one guy I knew is full-on Jesus Freak. Like he's got quotes like " Child of God" " Washed in the Blood" etc all over his social media Definitely a quiverfuller, has like 4 kids under 6 and 1 on the way #childrenare a blessing, lots of memes of Bible quotes and religious figures.

Back when I knew him he was a normal guy, grew up in your average American family, with one other sibling, they went to church but it wasn't extreme. Majored in biochemistry. It's not his wife, she was normal too when I knew them back then. They drank, smoked weed, had intellectual debates. The church was not a regular occurrence. They both are now Christian extremists. How does this happen?

I'm about as suspicious and negative re: quiverfull and the like as they come, but "Christian extremist"?

I grew up in a community where Protestant Evangelicals were hugely dominant. Like, I wouldn't wait tables during Sunday lunch because your tip would regularly include a card asking if you had been saved. Or they would ask you directly. It's not my jam, but I knew a lot of people that, in their words, made Christ the center of their life. They are all relatively normal people with responsible jobs, families, etc. And yeah, some people like big families. Have you heard of Mormons or Catholics? I know a Mormon couple with six kids. She told me she wanted to have enough children that the kids could say my brotherS and sisterS when asked about their siblings. He was in the Foreign Service and spoke a couple of difficult languages. She had a college degree and was smart as a whip. Another Mormon family also had six kids and the mom had a PhD. A Catholic guy I worked with had TEN kids. Dad was a lawyer and mom was a doctor. They even did the whole Tridentine Mass.

I just find the premise that people are extremists because they've chosen to make their faith a much bigger part of their life than the average totally false. I also think as people age and start families it's not uncommon to look for a church or return to religion.

This. Does OP also call Orthodox Jews extremists?

He made different choices than OP did. These aren’t my choices either, but I don’t have my parties in a wad over the fact that someone is different from me. He’s not hurting anyone. OP, tolerance is a great thing.

Yes Orthodoz Jews are extremists as are all the people pp listed. answere the question or skip the thread.

[Anonymous]

So the only “good” Christians in OP’s little world are the ones that only go to church on Christmas and Easter and forget about it the rest of the year. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the only “good” Christians in OP’s little world are the ones that only go to church on Christmas and Easter and forget about it the rest of the year. Got it.

It seems you are an extremist as no one is allowed to question anything about your beliefs without being attacked your anger and replies in this thread are appropriate and unless you want to actually answer the question you should maybe skip the thread. Or you can share why you went from maybe attending Church with your family a few times a year or even weekly to posting about it daily on social media, labeling yourself not just as a Christian, but a Child of God, multiple references to being washed in the blood, a quiverfuller, and anti LBGTQ anti you were never any of these things before?

[Anonymous]

OP, MYOB. It sounds like you haven’t even been in contact with this guy since college and you only follow him on FB. You’re even guessing about stuff, like the fact that he has a lot of kids must mean he’s a quiverfuller.

People make different choices than you. Get over it.