Challenging an introverted atheist

[ahplshutup]

My new facilitator performed an unethical code of practice by mentioning religion in one of our lectures. Nowhere in our syllabus or any unit standard concerned with maritime has ever covered this subject.

I'm an introvert and am usually dead silent unless I
have a question. And I choose to sit in front in all my classes so I'm not left to deal with the task of "speaking up" all the time.

On this particulars day he happened to be very concerned about me and asked if I was okay, which is a typical question any other introvert has to deal with in their life.

But this old fella decides he'll push this small talk until he thinks he'll get somewhere with me and asks "which church to do you attend" - note this is during a lecture. When he finally learns of my nonreligious ways. He jokingly says "I'll convince you to return to Christianity" I smirk and ignore him, to make my disinterest blatantly evident.

I've never felt so emotionally violated, I can tell he was ready to challenge me. I was not ready to argue and give him all the dirty facts he needed to know. I wanted to leave him bruised inside, the only thing stopping me was my reservedness, the fear of not making myself look like a fool in front of all my colleagues, because I was honestly very cross.

I usually prefer being kind to everyone and everything, but there's nothing I resent more than  when I feel so arrested. I'm very frustrated with him and he will never be favored by the introvert kindness I show to my colleagues and other facilitators. I will make it so obvious, it certainly will fuck with his brain.

Are there other introverts here, how do you handle these challenges?

[Mike Cl]

I'm not sure what a 'facilitator' is or what your role (besides student) you play in this.  What I mean, is this guy a teacher/professor?  Or is this a job related/service related thing?  Maritime?  Are you in the Navy--or college?  Or neither? :)  If the facilitator has power over you, tread lightly.  This is especially true for christian men and women they have power over.  So, I need to know more.

[Solitary]

I'm an introvert until someone like this happens to abuse me or someone else, no matter who they are, insubordination or not, then I become a Pit bull. I have a big problem with authority figures that don't respect me or anyone else. If they get to me I scare the crap out of them or get swinging and kicking. I never lost the confrontation, but paid the price many times. I'm black and white on this issue.     

[ahplshutup]

I'm an introvert until someone like this happens to abuse me or someone else, no matter who they are, insubordination or not, then I become a Pit bull. I have a big problem with authority figures that don't respect me or anyone else. If they get to me I scare the crap out of them or get swinging and kicking. I never lost the confrontation, but paid the price many times. I'm black and white on this issue.   

I understand this, I really do..I'm usually feeling this kind of rage inside but I resist if it becomes a verbal argument.

[Johan]

"Which church do you attend?"
"I don't discuss religion with anyone outside of my family"

Done.

Also consider going to whomever this douche nozzle reports to and letting them know that he is actively trying to recruit for his religion during class. Those who are signing his paycheck ought to know what he's doing while on their time clock. 

[ahplshutup]

I'm not sure what a 'facilitator' is or what your role (besides student) you play in this.  What I mean, is this guy a teacher/professor?  Or is this a job related/service related thing?  Maritime?  Are you in the Navy--or college?  Or neither? :)  If the facilitator has power over you, tread lightly.  This is especially true for christian men and women they have power over.  So, I need to know more.

No. It is sort of weird. I'm in a learnership program with a logistic/transport company
that trains (excuse the pun) its selected learners in varies departments. And I'm in the
company' s maritime school. The facilitators are sort of like uni professors but not
really if you know what I mean. They are experienced, and they are outsourced by the
company. Their job is to provide adequately training. I'm neither sure about power or
the level of hierarchy all i know is that he's outsourced and providing a service for the
company but then again I'm also an investment of the company.

[Mermaid]

That is not ok.

[Aletheia]

Are there other introverts here, how do you handle these challenges?

I am an  introvert by nature, but I've learned to adopt many "extrovert" features in social settings. The average person is an extrovert, and therefore interprets silence to be a negative thing - since an extrovert will stop talking if they fear their words will do them harm. An introvert doesn't fear the effects of their words in the same way - rather the silence stems from the fact that introverts would rather talk around people they feel will appreciate their words. However, I came to realize that I'll need to speak my thoughts if I want people to either leave me alone, understand what I really mean, or to deflate a few egos.

In my sociology class I had a teacher who was a devout fundamentalist Christian who routinely interspersed her brand of Christianity into our curriculum. Everyday, I gave that woman a polite form of hell, correcting her fallacies, questioning her sources, and when necessary, putting her logic to the test to show its inevitable idiotic conclusions. Other Christian members of the class spoke up in support, but I wasn't bothered by their attempt at solidarity through majority. In short order, other members of the class would start to ask me questions, and I'd explain how I drew these conclusions. My teacher was left trying to save face for her job was on the line, and remained extremely polite. When she did ask what my religious preference was I told her and the class that I was an atheist. I did not waver in my response. For many of the students in that class, I was probably the first openly atheist person they've seen and I wasn't hateful, angry, or dejected. Rather, I was polite, curious, and willing to speak up if something seemed amiss. Other students did confide in me that they were agnostic, non-religious, atheist, or simply enjoyed the class more because they had a chance to see things from a different perspective.

In regards to your facilitator, you can ask him point blank why he would ask such a question. I've learned with extroverts that when a person asks a probing question that it turns attention back on them if you ask a probing question in return. This publicly questions the person's motives. If they are bold, then they will state their motives and if they are not so bold, they will dally and let the subject fade. If the person does state their motive then you are in the position to state openly that you do not wish to participate or you can ask how this line of talk is relevant to your training for the company. In the world of extroverts, the one who flinches in conversation is often perceived as the weaker one.

It can be uncomfortable to be out of your comfort zone, but it is often a necessity in an extroverted world.

[stromboli]

If you feel that being vociferous will cause you problems, merely point out that your religion is your business and if he has issues with that take it up with higher authority, and that you didn't come there to discuss religion.

Probably half the people on the forum are introverts, so you don't have any explaining to do.

[SGOS]

I like the idea of showing your disinterest.  I guess it depends on how you pull it off.  I know in ordinary life, my internal reaction to religious challenge is disinterest:  Don't need to go there, no discussion required, I'm not interested.

[aitm]

I am not an introvert, but I am not a vocal reactionary either, especially when parts of one life or educational aspirations are being partially controlled by some fuck like that. However, I have had people say to me things similar and I would tell them, "convince me? Hell you are not convinced yourself" What do you mean I firmly believe in god and jesus christ!

"Really? Do you buy insurance? Do you go to the doctor? Do you put on a seat belt? Do you avoid dangerous situations? Do you jump off of buildings? Are you afraid of going into alleys at night? Bullshit, you may SAY you believe in your god, but you don't really BELIEVE in GOD. Because you have seen that god has shown quite an amazing habit of ignoring the prayers of his followers, and indeed quite an ambivalence towards them, a very very scary ambivalence"

[Green Bottle]

I would'nt say im an introvert though it depends on the situation, if some theist is trying to preach or ridicule me for not believing the same bullshit as them then im not slow in telling them where to go.

[GSOgymrat]

I'm very introverted and I can definitely understand why being asked irrelevant, personal questions during a lecture made you uncomfortable. If I found myself in your unfortunate situation my death stare would have communicated everything I cared to say.

[Termin]

  I think all you can do is have a discussion with this person, one on one, and just be blatantly honest and tell him you do not appreciate what he said, or did, and what you think about it and that you expect him never to do it to you again.

Politely of course.

[Mermaid]

I don't know what introversion or extroversion has to do with anything. I think that sort of question is inappropriate for either, and is one that would make a lot of people very uncomfortable.