How do I tell my friends I don't want to do the Alpha course?

[BumperliciousVsTheDailyHate]

Some lovely friends of mine have just asked me and DH if we want to do the Alpha Course. I'm not completely adverse to it but I don't particularly want to at the moment for several reasons:

1. I work 9 hour days, and by the time I get done with dinner and putting 2 yo DD to bed I get about 2 hours before having to go bed, the last thing I want to do is go and be sociable, articulate and thoughtful
2. I'm an atheist, though I was into religion and church until I was a teen then got completely put off it after my mum dragged me a along to a born-again Christian church.
3. We couldn't get a babysitter, though I could go on my own, I just really don't want to
4. I don't think it would make me change how I feel, I don't want it to change how I feel, I am perfectly happy as an atheist. I think it would be a waste of time.

Can anyone help me let my friends down in a nice way, that doesn't belittle the way they feel. We have discussed religion, and they know how I feel. They are very strong in their beliefs and very up front about them, though not in a pressurising way. They are really lovely and I don't want to offend them but to be honest I struggle to muster up the energy to make conversation with my husband at the moment. But I need a better reason than 'I can't be bothered'. I'm not adverse to the Alpha Course per se, I have seen very good reviews on it, but it smacks a little of brain washing to me.

What do I say?

Well, yes. Unnecessarily over-complicated. I suppose that's what I mean.

How, Grimma? Was it an exam looking at the amount of effort footballers put into the game, with according marks?

On the percentage asides, I teach and mark psychology and soc sci courses, would never give 100% for an essay, it would have to be utterly brilliant for me to give it anything even vaguely close. For the same sorts of reasons Hab gives about humanities essays.
But maybe I'm just mean. Others might give 100%. I also don't know the 20/20 system, my universities haven't used it.

By answering more questions than I was meant to; the Prof kindly awarded me half marks for the excess. Which my now-DH thought grossly unfair .

So a bit of an oddity but proof that 'impossible' marks can exist.

DH says that 20 is (say) 80% +. I don't like it, tbh - he thinks it's quite good, and he's the one marking, I guess.

Grimma, you swot.

I suppose it's your definition of 'barely startled', UQD. I think a lot of people would be offended by the language of imaginary friend, superstition etc for something that is real to them. Personally, as I said before, I'm not offended, I can take it quite happily and enjoy a bit of debate around it all.

Oh btw Grimma, yes I do know exactly what you mean, unfortunately

SLighlty OT but his bloke for example, is a twat.

gentle mockery?
"screaming myths"
"bollocks"

hinduism: does not harass people?

merely keeps millions oppressed in its name

but it doesn't come knocking on your door sgb so that's alright

Sure, SGB is wrong to let the Hindus off the hook. You really wouldn't want to hear my DHs opinions on all theistic religions and their followers , but he came back from a work trip to India truly shocked by the caste system. Christianity has at least moved on a little from 'the rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate'

i shouldn't post and run but I must

back later

grimma -- don't presume to know "of course" what I think

actually I am the one who posted the argument that the Christian God is impossible

it was multiple atheists on here who failed to understand it

so i thought, if you can't beat em join em

there is an atheists' creed too of course

Christianity has not moved on from 'the rich man at his castle...' it began as a fiercely political and subversive set of teachings based on social justice and equality - give up your belongings, give the shirt on your back to the man that needs it, do not judge others, judge only yourself, love unconditionally, that were conveniently blended into the background by the church and fake morals were brought in to replace it, church doctrine [largely based around the oppression of women/poor and sex.] Christianity was hijacked by the church. And Paul.

Sorry sceptic, that comment was only meant as a joke. No presumption intended.

And I hope you weren't presuming all of us didn't understand the 'impossibility of god' argument ... I didn't quite get what people were quibbling about there TBH.

there is an atheists' creed too of course

Is there? Please do tell....

There's the creed of one atheist here. But I don't think there's, like, y'know, offishul dogma as yet.

ok, fair enough Po. Its moved back a bit closer to the laudable parts of its beginnings.

I wonder where Christianity would be today without Paul? That could be a whole other thread though I suspect!

OMG Grimma are you my dad? He is always banging on about where would christianity be without Paul. He was invited to a pre-alpha course but equivalent thingy by our happy clappy church in the 70's. 2 meetings later, the discussion group was changed to prayer meetings.

Actually I'd love to read more about the early history of christianity, and how it spread. If anyone can recommend some books please do, it's been on the list for about 20 years.

I have a friend who runs a church and often invites me to things. I'm fairly non-committal, occasionally- once or twice a year- I go (unlike many atheists I actually quite like church), but I wouldn't sign up to something regular like the alpha course.

I think my dad would like your dad turnip He's the same. I can ask him about some good books about early christianity.

no, just musing en passant, not something I've given a lot of thought to.

ooh thanks pofaced.

So the tip is if ever invited on a christian course ask where would christianity be if it hadn't been for Paul.....

That would go down like a lead balloon on an Alpha course...

Oh are you not allowed to question?

with regards to that Atheist's creed oldlady, it is all a bit self-important and heroic.

Evangelicals usually are pretty hooked on the Pauline side of things, so its almost as bad as asking where Christianity would be without Jesus.

I don't think you are actually, to question. Anything beyond 'Would you like to come back to my South Ken penthouse and eat fondue whilst I ascertain your family background and see if you are worthy of my hand in marriage?' anyway.

Yeah, pofacedandproud, but there are others.