I am the lone Democrat in my family.

[MikeG]

Just so you know what I have to deal with. Both parents, three brothers and three sisters are all Pugs.

Why? The abortion issue. Parents are fundies. Siblings think they have to be Pugs or they'll go to hell.

No cajoling, begging, talking, yelling screaming or anything else has budged them from their position since the 80's.

I've given up. Anyone think there's any chance they'll ever change their minds.

[swag]

1. No,

I'm from a similar family.

Brother thinks the Pukes are the party of self-interest. Boy is he getting doubly fucked.

[Tosca]

2. No.

No.

[senseandsensibility]

3. No, I'm in exactly the same

situation, on both my side of the family and my husband's. Makes for some tense family gatherings, let me tell you. It's been a painful issue for me over the years. I hate to say it, but I have given up ever changing their minds. I can't compete with Rush, and at this point my attitude is "life's too short."

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

4. Guess Republicans LYING is okay.

Funny, that made the top 10 of the commandments too.

[yardwork]

5. Your siblings might eventually change their minds.

Try to keep the lines of communication open. Don't try to discuss politics or religion, just let them know that you are there for them.

One day, they might surprise you. I've seen in happen in fundamentalist families.

There are folks here at DU who were raised like that - and they saw the light.

[NuttyFluffers]

6. self-righteousness and denial are sure paths to hell too.

let that truth sit like a seed and grow in their stone hearts. eventually the roots of truth and love will crumble and crack their defenses. just hopefully it is before they're too old.

[Delano]

7. Maybe you should visit the folks...

at the "liberals like Christ" site, and get some info about why Christianity is much more compatible with liberalism than conservatism.

http://www.liberalslikechrist.org/index.htm


Personally, I don't do the religion thing, but I hope that helps.

I wonder if your folks could handle the black Jesus pic on their site! LOL.

[classof56]

8. Tell your siblings this:

When they die, God is not going look at their political affiliation. He's going to ask them if they believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and if they accepted Christ as their Saviour. If they're true "fundies" they'll know what that means, and if they've been saved, they can be assured that God will not consign them to eternal hell based on how they vote.

As for your parents, try this: Wouldn't it be better for a fetus to be aborted than to be born, grow to the "age of accountability" and die without accepting Jesus as Saviour, at which time the person would be condemned to an eternity apart from God (aka hell)?

This may not change their slammed-shut minds, but at least you will have given them the bottom line. You could also tell them you'll pray that they will know the truth, and it will set them free. Might work. Worth a try! Good luck!

Tired Old Cynic

[tnlefty]

9. So am I and so is my spouse....sucks doesn't it?

My kids started saying "It's all Clinton's fault" in front of their grandparents, uncles, and all for everything that was mentioned. My Mom mentioned something about her brakes had to be repaired, "It's all Clinton's fault", it's raining, "It's all Clinton's fault". It irritates the hell out of them.

I've learned to not bring things up and family gatherings, but if they do I'm vocal and I'm not going to back down anymore.

[matcom]

10. YES! FUCKING A YES!!!!!!

my dad (ex CIA) converted.

send them the facts. NO editorials. only FACTS. they CAN'T dispute them. CONVERT THEM!!!

IT CAN BE DONE!!!

trust me. do NOT (under NO circumstances) give up on them.

we need EVERY FUCKING VOTE!!!

you CAN do this

[MikeG]

12. Thanks. I'll keep trying.

[gratuitous]

13. What Buttboy said

Facts are incredibly stubborn things. Keep a ready supply handy.

Also, practice the gentle art of verbal jiu jitsu: Use your opponent's strength and "advantages" against him. Learn a few Bible verses. 1 John 4:20 is a good one (how can you hate another human being whom you can see and claim to love God, whom you can't see?). Amos 5 is useful for the "end times" fundies who are awaiting the Rapture, and eagerly looking for the Great Fricassee of the Unsaved.

Keep the lines of communication open. Life has a nasty way of bringing low even the most haughty. Oh yeah, that's in the Bible, too.

[tnlefty]

14. You've done a great job with Dadcom, but some of us have relatives

who don't have analytical minds nor open ones. Your Dad dealt with facts and analysis - others don't want the facts and they are much more difficult to deal with. If you need another challenge have I got a crew for you!!!

[matcom]

15. then give them to me

Dadcom was/is a stubborn son of a bitch. make no mistake.

he can be arrogant and pompous

it was NOT easy.

i gave him the facts for almost 2 years.

it FINALLY changed him.

a life-long Repuke

it CAN happen. if you give up, you might never know

[Tosca]

11. Frank

There is an excellent article written by a Mr Frank in Harper's Magazine and he's coming out with a book called something like "What Happened to My Kansas?" which exposes how the Repubs use social issues to win elections and then frig over the Repub voters on economic issues. It's all "we'll say what you like on social issues and then clean up with dollars we put in our pockets".

It's a heart-breaking article. Harper's, I think April edition, I'm not sure.

Get it! Take it to your family!

[bushvoodoo]

16. Welcome to the club!

I'm in a similar position. But remember, our hearts are big enough and open enough to make up for our misguided family members black hearts

[jeffrey_X]

17. same here

mom, dad, two sisters and two brother-in-laws are all repukes.

We all were back in the day because Dad was, so that made it right. Thank God my wife helped convert me to become an independent thinker with an open mind. It wasn't easy after 30 years of brain washing.

[Bunny]

18. Perhaps one of your nieces will find herself with an

unwanted pregnancy. Or maybe one of your sibs will become pregnant with a severely deformed fetus. Sometimes people have to walk in someone else's shoes before they can truly empathize. I sincerely hope nothing like that befalls them, but sometimes life experiences can change people's minds.

Other than that, don't waste a lot of time trying. Maybe someday they'll come around, be supportive if they do. My family is mostly republican, although not flaming looney about it. We've learned to avoid sensitive topics, and family unity prevails.

[MikeG]

19. On the good side, I signed up my secretary and her husband.

They are both Dems now. I also give a voter registration form to every new client I see. Bankruptcy clients for some reason are easy to convince.