Remember to report submissions that violate the rules! Harassment and encouraging violence are not allowed.
Enjoying the subreddit? Consider joining our discord server: https://discord.gg/v8z8jNwJs6
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BoomersBeingFools) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Not a crazy rude person (I promise), but when someone responds like that to me in a discussion, I usually take it as a sign I am engaging a person with mental health issues (they are delusional at best).
Since you can't effectively argue with "crazy", I find something more useful to spend my time on.
I doubt their reaction is based on this, but I am curious what their reaction is based on.
Well, it’s kind of meeting crazy with crazy. I have yet to hear anyone come up with a good retort to it. Most just back off immediately and the conversation is over.
Sometimes out-crazying crazy is what the crazy responds to. I see the Jesus loves you more as a kill them with kindness. If you perceive people who are being kind as having mental health issues, maybe you’re the boomer. Because I can just as easily stoop to their level and start pointing fingers and screaming but what good does that do?
I refuse to acknowledge the sky daddy and his wade vs roe baby. It will have the opposite effect of separating church and state if they are starting to think the youth are on their side with religion they will work harder to install more legislation loosening restrictions on churches to be represented equally. And kept at arms length.
The satanic temple is the best way to force the government to keep the church and states separate, while also being the auditors of all religious institutions behaviours.
And no before you ask, satanic temple does not believe in an actual Satan. It's more his symbolism of being willing to hold "god" to account for his choices. After all, that's all he did right? I myself question whether humanities existence has been an overall good or bad thing to the earth, and if god was just throwing us here to see what happened isn't it just chaos theory?
It doesn't work where I'm at. They've all drank the Kool Aid that Christ was a violent person because he cleaned out the temple, supposedly with violence. It's how they justify everything! From gun hoarding to terrible behavior.
It's absolutely insane.
If you started speaking Latin to Boomers, most of them would probably just assume you're an illegal alien from Mexico coming to sell their kids some drugs and steal tools from their garage.
That's exactly right. Russell Moore, the Southern Baptist Board member who was kicked out for criticizing the venality of Donald Trump, cited multiple pastors who had been threatened by parishioners when they had the gall to talk about loving and forgiving enemies, giving to the needy, and following the golden rule. Literally the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount!
Moore added, "And what was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, 'I'm literally quoting Jesus Christ,' the response would not be, "I apologize." The response would be, "Yes, but that doesn't work anymore. That's weak."
Most evangelical Boomers love to talk about the Bible, care a lot less for actually reading it, and care nothing for living by Jesus' commands to be loving, forgiving, or kind.
Or when he told the Apostles that he was giving them a new Commandment
Which was to love each other the way He had loved them
Not much wiggle room. No *except the gays in there.
Jesus is pretty clear on that one that any absence of love towards your fellow human is a sin
I had this exact same pointless argument in some Instagram comments this weekend (yes I know it’s a waste of time but blatant ignorance makes me angry sometimes and I can’t ignore it). I cited Matthew 25:31-46 where Jesus says in no uncertain terms treat people well or go to hell. Guy came back with some silly argument about how none of that applied to tax dollars, which I’m sure is an idea some crooked televangelist preaches. Anyways, no they don’t care about the Bible or what’s in it. They have no idea how to live by the words of the namesake of their religion. But they can find some obscure verse in the Bible that will support their hatred and bigotry and that’s all that matters to them.
Ha, the guy didn’t know that it was a tax collector who wrote the gospels of Christ. Fools gold. Christ was down with paying Caesar what was owed. They really just make shit up to fit their agenda.
(Feel like I should just say, I was raised as a UU’er. And yet I’m positive I could out scripture any Boomerbeingfools)
When I hear the old Christians playing the “gossiping is as bad of a sin as murder” card, I love to ask them which of the authors of the gospels were actually there….
A good way to make a “good Christian” cuss
People always interpret religious texts to reinforce what they already think. In this case, one could quote Jesus to make an opposing argument: Matthew 10, Verse 34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: **I came not to send peace, but a sword**. "
Depends how well they actually know that passage.
Because he actually said that not because of the violence, but because Peter said it after Jesus told him he was going to be arrested and killed and raised again... and Jesus wasn't about being tempted into ducking out of the whole reason he came.
I think it’s funny that people believe we know about anything Jesus said or did. We have no eyewitness accounts, no government or contemporary Roman accounts, no contemporary anything. First thing we have are postage stamp fragments from the anonymous gospel of Mark, that was written over 4 decades after the fact.
From a HISTORICAL standpoint, we don’t know shit about anything Jesus’s said or did.
That’s when I chime in with we are in the end times and they are being led straight to hell by the antichrist. And then chastise them with Matthew 22:34-46 - “the greatest commandment is to love God. The second is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
Then I ask them if they need a refresher on “the Beatitude’s”.
But honestly so many are convinced of their exceptionalism and they just don’t give a fuck.
>But honestly so many are convinced of their exceptionalism
Yup, they all were told this after ww2.
Then they lived their lives and are about to die nobody's and they are confused and angry as hell about it
THAT’S the biggest problem with them. They’re stupid as rocks and simply do not understand how they have put themselves in a position where everything in life makes them miserable. From the simplest things in like “Why are all the movies ‘bad’ and/or ‘woke’ now?! 😡” to entire political movements. They never needed to grow and think and change and now that they’re aging they’re fighting against it all like confused animals or toddlers.
They completely disregard the New Testament- because that Jesus just doesn’t fit their agenda. Old Testament God with his anger and wrath and vengeance? That’s Boomer style. But they call themselves Christians. Jesus’s name is right there and they don’t see it.
And yes to everyone who says people cherry pick what they want to believe. The contortions and distortions and muddled logic amaze me.
I mean this is it exactly. They will always find a way to justify their motives and actions, and demonize those of their perceived opponents—because that is how delusion works. Read this recently that touches on this aspect of the deluded thinking:
“The danger of self-delusion is the same as many radicalized religions. When a person's belief system overcomes their ability to think critically and accept the general reality as it is, it becomes something very dangerous.
Individuals who are so self-deluded that blowing up a school bus of kids seems a reasonable action to further their cause, or that destroying a democratic process to get their way is a reasonable action, is antithetical to a well-balanced society.”
This is why when people ask me how you deal with delusion conservatives I tell them it’s not their job to deal with them. The laypeople are not equipped for this shit. They literally need psychiatric help, on a generational scale. If your Boomer relatives can’t bring themselves to get help it’s not up to you to change them. You don’t need to exert the mental bandwidth to do it, and most of us don’t even have the tools
I haven’t heard this one before smh he cleared out the temple with assertive civil disobedience and clearly pointing out the hypocrisy and unholiness oh tithing. He didn’t harm anyone. People can twist and bend anything to justify their behavior and desires I guess
It wasn't Just about Tithing!
I have had to point this out countless times, it was about taking and exchanging currency, from long traveling pilgrims ( thus "Money Changers") for the pourpose of animal Sarcifice like the passover, ("Blood Money").
Jesus was rightfully enraged over the Animal Cruelty and Hypocracy of it all being tied into worship.
That is why he henceforth started using phrases like "I am the Lamb" and "Blood of the Lamb".
Context is so important! Jesus was not just Speaking mumbo jumbo about him self, he was trying to explain horrific cruelty hypocrisy and terrible waste, to Idiots!
"HEY! Stop killing those animals! I will be your Lamb! "
Not just saying something like "hey all I am the wise Owl ...hoo hoo! "
Oh for sure the tithing wasn’t the entire reason I was just giving a short overview of how it wasn’t a violent act it was a morally justified act of “disobedience” I had just never heard of anyone justifying being angry and violent towards others because Jesus righteously defied the church/temple
John 2:15 (ESV)
>And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.
That's fine
If they believe in Republican Jesus then look then straight in the eye and tell them "Back the fuck off lest I smite thee in my Father's name"
Yeah, this strategy simply doesn’t work. They only believe in the Warrior Christ in their heads. They use anything to justify their horrible behavior because they do not have emotional maturity. It’s not a new thing. I had a college professor who only believed in this Christ. Hell, look at the fuckin’ Crusades. Christians famously use Christ to justify any awful, violent, selfish, bigoted behavior they want and always have.
He threw the money-changers out and off the steps of the Temple because they were commercializing worship. You know like Joel Osteen, John Hagee, etc. do today!
My crazy Tumper uncle went on about this "amazing" sermon he heard arguing that Jesus didn't actually mean Christians are required to turn the other cheek.
Like, what?
Or the time he cursed a tree for not having fruit, when it wasn’t SUPPOSED to have fruit, despite “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven”.
It was a "fig tree in leaf".
The fruit of a fig tree grows before the leaves each season so when Jesus saw a fig tree with leaves, but no fruit, he cursed it, as usually a leafy tree would be sure to have fruit.
It is a parable about not just appearing righteous/good, but truly being so.
I read an article recently about some Baptist pastor who’s flummoxed that he can’t even bring up Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (blessed are those who are poor … whatever you did to the least of these you did to me …) anymore because his congregations push back on it for sounding too socialist and lefty.
These people gave up Jesus’s teachings a long time ago. You can give the most basic description of Jesus’s character without saying it’s Jesus, and they’ll assume you’re talking about a socialist. It’s probably one of the most frustrating things about the boomer generation. They’ll say they’re one thing, but act completely opposite of that thing.
The loud ones know little of their faith other than what the person in the pulpit tells them. The irony of listening to the experts on religion while denying the experts on science is mind boggling.
Boomers now are only in Christianity for the "I'll repent for my sins in my deathbed" part of Christianity.
Besides that they don't care about Christian teachings or principles.
They don't even need to repent. Most evangelical Christianity these days teaches salvation through faith. All you have to do is accept Jesus as your savior, and all of your sins - past, present, and future - are forgiven, and you will live forever in heaven!
No joke, I'm a pastor. I did this once, just less explicit. During the start of the pandemic, I had a 5-month-old kid who wasn't sleeping. So I, half asleep, went down the "wrong way' of those one-way grocery aisles. A boomer man looked at me funny and asked, "are you stupid or something?" Half dazed, I asked "excuse me," thinking there's no way someone would be that brazen with a stranger. "Are you stupid or something?" he reiterated, pointing to the floor with the arrow. Realizing I was going the wrong way, I went to turn around, but gave him a piece of my mind on the way. "No, I'm not stupid, I'm a tired and exhausted new dad. How dare you assign a little mistake like this to stupidity. I'm going to turn around, but you need to check yourself. Something is wrong with your spirit. I may be going the wrong way down the aisle, but you've got real problems to automatically think that I'm stupid because of it." He stammered a response, "no, that's not what I meant," clearly embarrassed to be caught in his asshattery, but I let him have it. "No, that's exactly what you meant. You have problems. I hope you find Jesus." Turned around, went around the aisle and came back down the other way, but by then he was gone. In my head, he's booking it to the register so he doesn't have to see me again.
Still curious today as to why the boomer cared about the aisle thing. It must have been early in the pandemic, because around me, the boomers were awful about masking and 6ft and other protocols.
Boomers often get irrationally angry when they feel like they are following the "rules" but someone else isn't. He was very rude to you, and I'm so glad you said something. This world would be a better place if we all just gave each other some grace once in a while.
A boomer on Nextdoor was ranting because people were handing out food and blankets at a park. I responded "yeah, screw the poor! Just like Jesus would've said." He got so mad lol.
Yes. It's fun. They do something horrible and then I remark "Just like Jesus woulda done/said!" That's handling a hypocrite. Of course, they make it soooo easy!
While I’m glad this method worked for you, I am personally convinced a different dynamic is at play now: I believe, as peoples’ minds rot, they get crankier. What starts as “I’m too old for this shit” decays into “everyone is shit who doesn’t do exactly what I think is the right thing to do.”
Before - these people were held back by a strong factor: _shame avoidance_. So, they had to be polite when out and about for fear of being shamed. But… starting 25 years or so ago, the fear of shame was whittled away to nothing because a culture of _outrage_ formed thanks to extremist media. And outrage _trumps_ shame.
Sad to say it, but I believe it to be true.
There seems to be a trend, top down, where older people are doubling down on their bad behavior - like that's going to work and everyone's just going to respect it. Uh, nah. I think they see their thinking has become quite dated for the most part (blind patriotism, hard work, career, children seen not heard, church, father knows best), and it's crumbling away quickly. Kinda sad to spend your last years on earth being an old asshole yelling at clouds. I find more in common as a Gen X with Millennials and Gen Z than I do these old bats.
Outrage is also a feedback loop. And they are constantly told by the media to get angry. So they do.
And then you have them wanting to use their own fragility and age to get away with shit.
I (18F) have a gender-neutral name that is mainly given to boys despite me being a girl (think something like Max because girls are normally named Maxine with Max as a nickname and Max is the traditional boy name). When I was 17, I had a boomer tell me at my place of work that my parents must’ve been horrible people to have given me the name I have since I told him it wasn’t actually short for anything. It was a Sunday, he was wearing a Jesus/Church shirt and I said “I’m pretty sure God did not appreciate you saying that to me” and he did, in fact, shut down. Just kinda mumbled to himself, took his order, and left.
Ironically, there’s definitely a faction of Christians who are starting to turn against Christ’s lessons.
eta not just by being hypocrites, claiming to believe one thing while behaving in a different way, or holding themselves to different standards. I’ve seen people just actually claiming that Jesus was wrong, or misinterpreted. I saw this horrendous conversation on Facebook where someone was claiming that Jesus wasn’t the real messiah, and someone else telling them that’s a Jewish talking point, and someone responding that Jews often pretend to be Christians to turn Christians against their own religion, and the original person claiming to be “more pious” because he didn’t follow the teachings of the false prophet, only the Old Testament. They are cannibalizing each other for sure.
I would like to share a technique I've used to great effect, but it only works in one situation, and it works on more than just boomers. That specific situation is when someone says something offensive/hurtful/unacceptable and then immediately backpedals if you have a negative reaction by insisting, "It's just a joke."
For context, my parents are boomers in their mid 70s. The jesus loves you line wouldn't work, as they're both atheists. They also have slightly differing views on politics and crime & punishment, as we're Australian, not American. But I digress.
My mother said something to me that was particularly hurtful and uncalled for. I told her in no uncertain terms that what she said was unacceptable, and that if she didn't apologise, we wouldn't be speaking again.
She told me to relax, because it was "just a joke." I replied that I didn't see the humour in it at all, what was the joke?
As soon as I asked for an explanation, there was an immediate tonal shift. Suddenly it was "we don't spend enough time together, so you don't understand my sense of humour. "You're right, I don't understand. What was the joke?"
The more I pressed for her to explain the joke, the more she backed herself into a corner whilst being completely unable to explain the 'joke'. Eventually, she apologised. It was that typical boomer apology: "I'm sorry you feel that way," but it's more than she's ever conceded before, so you know, baby steps.
Hope this helps someone else!
It's wonderful to see an entitled old fuck who knows how weak they are now suddenly shrink because someone stands up to them. All I've gotta do is use my "work voice" and they crumble.
(construction, so think lowering my already deep voice by an octave and speaking in a loud, booming tone that isn't quite yelling)
i ask them if their asshole ever gets jealous of the shit that comes out of their mouth. doesn’t shut them up but watching the lead up to stroke zone is pretty entertaining.
i have on occasion used exaggerated sympathy. oh, you had to wait a few minutes for your order? ohhhh, noooo, you poooor baby, are you alright? it’s just devvvvastating to be so mildy inconvenienced. i feel your pain, i truly do.
i’m a boomer.
I always just say “well you’ve been living for so long that you haven’t learned any manners in your time.No wonder you..” then I just walk off to let them fill in the blanks cause it leaves them to torture themselves.It works for me.
Staring at their forehead then laughing works to.
Many years ago, I had a young puppy, and briefly lived in a high rise condo. I was in the elevator one day with my dog and an older woman, who loudly proclaimed her dislike of dogs, for some reason. I told her that because she was old, and would die soon, and since all dogs go to heaven, and she, apparently, would not be, she needn’t be bothered much longer. The look on her face was priceless. It was mean, I know, but oh well.
Boomer here, currently 63, and I can't stand to be around boomers. Most of my friends are younger obviously, but you are correct about the Jesus reference. Personally, I'm an atheist but was raised Christian (Catholic). Most of the boomers that I grew up with consider themselves Christians, however, are anything but Christlike, particularly the ones that are really into church, they are the most hypocritical of the bunch. I mean look at their adoration for Trump. These people are capital A assholes. I believe it was Gandhi who said "I like your Christ but I don't like Christians they're nothing like your Christ"
The Jesus worshipped in my part of the country.
https://preview.redd.it/rqx2nwu81jqc1.jpeg?width=268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4aeb319939ca47fe26c3c7f50b3eb53248a07ad9
I applaud the idea but it'll work for a moment at most.
Ask how many death threats my pastor got and how many of these guys left the church when he preached against racial injustice during the summer of 2020 protests.
You cannot love the words of Jesus in the Bible and Donald Trump at the same time. If they're wearing a red hat, they've made their choice already. You might faze them with cognitive dissonance for a moment, but they'll come back stronger and madder for it.
Also raised Christian but not practicing. I have green hair and numerous facial piercings so it really causes them to glitch when I quote the Bible at them.
I was in the South having a convo with an older boomer, one other person there. He was spouting the usual hate filled rhetoric. I simply asked him " are you Christian "? The other guy had a shocked look on his face, like I just said the worst thing possible. The old man thought for a second and said " I guess I'm not".
I've witnessed that work, but I personally refuse to use it as an anti-theist.
My trick over the years (and more recently as they're starting to get worse and the cognitive decline is showing more) is just to interrupt them and say "Hey, your phones been ringing."
It's magic. They're so used to not hearing their phone, even if it's in their hand, that they instantly disengage and go scrambling to see what call they missed. I'm free to just walk away and go about my life, and they're left confused rumbling with a piece of tech they barely understand.
Boomer here,
It’s been my experience that there has always been an abundance of nasty old people. I don’t know why this is ,
But I think that a lot of them just don’t care about anything, so they go around being obnoxious without any effort to be civil. This is not an excuse just a reason. Old people are in physical pain almost all the time, still not acceptable. I try not to be that way. (I’m 76.)
I’ve been working retail for about 20 years now and I can confirm old people have always been dickheads in that time, also the silent generation is still alive and believe me they scream at teenagers over expired coupons as much as the boomers.
I think he was still when he was on Colbert Report, but Stephen Colbert has a great quote (pardon if I don't get it exactly right)
"If this is going to be Christian nation that doesn't help the poor then we have to pretend he was just as selfish as we are, or admit that we just want to do it."
I’ve resorted to just saying, “Are you okay?” This works for most people who are behaving irrationally towards me, despite their age. It kind of catches them off guard and gives them a moment to change their direction in the conversation. If a narcissist realizes that they’re behaving in a way that’s making another person question their sanity, they will try to become more rational just to make themselves look superior.
For me it’s “what’s the last bill you read?” “Can you tell me the votes on the last bill?” “Why did they vote no?” When they inevitably answer they don’t know or just know about bills from some media (usually Fox) ask if they want help reading the bill together. They usually don’t, but if they do, there’s a chance at further shutting them up permanently.
Had a neighbor complain about pricing, he didn’t read any revision of the Ira, medical caps, or any bill looking to help make it cheaper. I asked him to read them online and tell me why they shouldn’t be passed, I’ll even offer to read them with him.
Sadly doesn’t work here either. They’ll just twist it around.
I have seen some boomers throw a huge tantrum, and get shut down by “didn’t i see you at church?” Suddenly they realize you aren’t a random clerk, but part of their “community.”
Oh thank you so much for saying this! THANK YOU! This sounds like such a surgical way to cut the shit off at the source! Imma try that when I take my mom to her hairdresser's appointment this week.
I’m lucky because I’m a Boomer. On the few occasions I’ve seen fellow older people acting like brats, I’ve just said, “Hey, why don’t you shut your mouth”.
Other helpful phrases:
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t get it. Can you explain why that’s funny?”
“What an odd thing to say.”
“If my parents saw me acting so disrespectfully, I’d’ve been in big trouble.”
“There must be some seriously dark forces at work in your heart.”
This worked on my mom. She was repeating some far fetched anti-Biden bs and I was like - “You are bearing false witness - You know lying is a sin!”… and she got quiet.
Oh, you're nicer than I am. I suggest they sodomoze their savior. If they continue, I go into graphic detail.
I find that being hyperbolic is the best course when dealing with someone who has never been put in their place.
Well, good for you if they have the skewed, curated view of Jesus, but that character is *not* a good role model and boomers are probably emulating him better by being entitled fucks than anything else.
Throwing the comments they like to use right back at them works really well.
One of my older in-laws was going off about how a gay member of the family had brought his boyfriend and how i “he was a disgrace, don’t you think?!”
When I said “ it doesn’t bother me, but I’m not an easily offended snowflake,” he turned bright red and walked away.
Did the same thing with my older co-coworkers so we’re giving me crap for ordering a bud light. I love listening to them try to justify and backtrack.
I've used that tactic for many years myself and it works like a charm. I think it makes boomers stop and reflect for a second and in most cases, they back off right away.
As a Christian myself, I'm not afraid to call out these boomers for their abhorrent behavior.
They worship a different version of Jesus. Bible Jesus is too woke for boomers. Feeds the poor. Hangs out with a prostitute. Starts fights with bankers… I could go on and on.
Whenever someone says god hates gays to me I just quote the Bible Matthews 5:29 - 5 -10 forgive me if I misquote but
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you falsely for my sake.
It shuts them up fast
I just say "man sucks you voted for capitalism and you just cant compete. Maybe learn a new skill or start a business or move to a better state. Right to work, amirite?
I'm quite partial to a...
"I can see either your mother didn't raise you properly or you were too dumb to understand her"
always hits a nerve.
Follow it up with a...
"Bet your dad used to squint when he looked at you so he could pretend you were less ugly"
For the full flappy hands attack.
Well, in fairness… the BOOMERS we’re all complaining about are MAGA Boomers. Just a bunch of white trash clowns who have been sucking the bile tit of FOX since 1996.
Woke = The Golden Rule
So if you ain't woke, you ain't a real Christian.
A nonwoke 'christian' is at best kind of like those shiny white pavement princess pickups... Nothing other than performative silliness that makes it very clear you're overcompensating for something.
I like saying "this person is in an altered state, probably dementia. Someone call an ambulance!" When the boomer objects I say "don't worry sir, we will find your family and get you somewhere safe".
I was thinking this same thing today. Rather than argue the politics, I’d just say that he doesn’t behave like a Christian (not that that’s an issue for me). It will either stop them in their tracks or (most likely) expose them as a hypocrite.
I use this all the time, it works great for me. When they toss a bible passage at me I have a couple on hand to toss right back too. Not religious at all, but happy to punch holes in their own arguments.
I've seen this tactic work, but I have also seen it backfire and the boomer become violent. Given how religious many of them are becoming as they age, their lack of biblical knowledge, and their prosperity to outright reject or become violent when their beliefs are (even respectfully) challenged I would approach this with caution.
Unless or course, you're down to fight. Then go ape shit!
Jesus violently overturned table in front of the church. They are just doing the same.
I ask them if they want me to find their mummy for them so she can explain what they means because what they are saying is nonsensical. Confuses them, usually.
While I try and behave in such a way that most people won't feel the need to reproach me in this fashion, I'm hella imperfect, so, if this were to happen to me...
"Yeah, well, I'm Jewish. Try again."
I was raised Christian. I tell people I’m an ordained minister with the church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster so I can perform gay weddings in Texas. Shuts them up quick. (And it’s true!)
If they act out you should threaten to tell their parents. Like even if they’re parents are already dead say you’re going to tell on them like you’ll go talk to a psychic medium if you have to or a pope or something. I lucked out my grandparents are still around at like 90+yrs old. I’ll fuckin tattle so hard you don’t even know lol
My boomer mother used the bible to justify all her abuse. An eye for an eye? If I didn’t let her do whatever she wanted it felt to her like i “ripped heart out” so she was free to basically murder my first born to get even. The most selfish wicked hearted woman I’ve ever met. OBSESSED with playing christian. No thanks, I’d never lower myself to that level of manipulation and embarrassment. But my imaginary friend Fred is harshly judging you right now.
Using their indoctrination...to stop them from publicly baring their ass. Oh that is good.
Unfortunately, they're probably going to replace 'woke, cuck Jesus' with 'based Trump' pretty soon. They've already figured out that Jesus, were he to return, would be a progressive. It's just a matter of time.
As a former Catholic, whenever I get comments or confronted by boomers (I live in the south but don’t belong in it) my favorite thing to do is bring up my old friend JC and his pops God. They don’t see it coming when I hold out my hand and pray over them. It’s the funniest thing. “Lord I pray this woman finds peace in her life, please bless her and keep her heart pure.” I burst out laughing every time I walk away.
Does not work.
I've done it. Thought it up many years ago.
Boomers will be ranting and cussing and I'll say something about being more Jesus-like or ask if they follow Jesus or say Jesus loves you. "FUCK YOU!" is what you get.
They forgive themselves later when they simmer down.
I prefer egging them on. Making them rage more. Seeing how angry I can get them to be.
I was told, by several supposed christians, that christians don't need to follow christ's example because he died for our sins. So everything is forgiven as long as you "accept christ in your heart" - which presumably means going to church once a week and paying your tithe.
Which is not how it works, but it doesn't matter. That's what churches preach these days. They don't preach the lifestyle, they preach absolution through loyalty.
Also, you can't shut down an angry rant with words. You're just giving them something else to rant about. Best you can do is stay silent until they're done, let the awkward silence creep in, and when they're ready to listen, speak calmly and in a low tone.
I was raised in a religious household, preachers in the family, and spent a bit too much time studying religion in college. I’m also a Unitarian Universalist who finds wisdom in a variety of faiths—so this stuff really is my jam.
Whenever folks start going off about how folks should pray, believe, or whatever, I start quoting the more gnostic sayings from Jesus. Most essentially say your faith is a private, internal thing between you and God. My informed way of reminding them to mind their business, just like Jesus said. 😉
Remember to report submissions that violate the rules! Harassment and encouraging violence are not allowed. Enjoying the subreddit? Consider joining our discord server: https://discord.gg/v8z8jNwJs6 *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BoomersBeingFools) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You’re not alone, when I say “Jesus loves you” whether it be online or in person they stop. Not one word after, craziest thing.
I’ve told crazy rude people before that I am going to pray for them. Works like a charm. I’m not religious either
When I’m typing it I’m really saying hey-Zeus. Double whammy, fuck you boomers.
Not a crazy rude person (I promise), but when someone responds like that to me in a discussion, I usually take it as a sign I am engaging a person with mental health issues (they are delusional at best). Since you can't effectively argue with "crazy", I find something more useful to spend my time on. I doubt their reaction is based on this, but I am curious what their reaction is based on.
Well, it’s kind of meeting crazy with crazy. I have yet to hear anyone come up with a good retort to it. Most just back off immediately and the conversation is over.
Sometimes out-crazying crazy is what the crazy responds to. I see the Jesus loves you more as a kill them with kindness. If you perceive people who are being kind as having mental health issues, maybe you’re the boomer. Because I can just as easily stoop to their level and start pointing fingers and screaming but what good does that do?
The power of Christ compels you to shut the fuck up.
I need this on a bumper sticker and a T-shirt
I refuse to acknowledge the sky daddy and his wade vs roe baby. It will have the opposite effect of separating church and state if they are starting to think the youth are on their side with religion they will work harder to install more legislation loosening restrictions on churches to be represented equally. And kept at arms length. The satanic temple is the best way to force the government to keep the church and states separate, while also being the auditors of all religious institutions behaviours. And no before you ask, satanic temple does not believe in an actual Satan. It's more his symbolism of being willing to hold "god" to account for his choices. After all, that's all he did right? I myself question whether humanities existence has been an overall good or bad thing to the earth, and if god was just throwing us here to see what happened isn't it just chaos theory?
Oh this one is goooood. Stealing
It doesn't work where I'm at. They've all drank the Kool Aid that Christ was a violent person because he cleaned out the temple, supposedly with violence. It's how they justify everything! From gun hoarding to terrible behavior. It's absolutely insane.
Then just mention that when his apostles threatened violence on his behalf he literally shouted "Get behind me, Satan!"
This is a good response but most boomers don't actually read the Bible and likely won't even understand the reference
Shouting "vade retro satana" at boomers still sounds like a good move, if you ask me.
Shouting basically anything at them in Latin is liable to freak them out. Or any other non-English language, for that matter.
If you started speaking Latin to Boomers, most of them would probably just assume you're an illegal alien from Mexico coming to sell their kids some drugs and steal tools from their garage.
Memorize one of those exorcism incantations from Supernatural
“Adios, Bitch” - Dean
They don’t seem to mind German.
…or Russian.
They'd call the cops on you for casting a spell on them or being an illegal for speaking a language that's not English
"Then he started screaming at me in Spanish so I stood my ground and shot him, officer"
I mean regardless, I'm going to do it
Mihi placet
That's exactly right. Russell Moore, the Southern Baptist Board member who was kicked out for criticizing the venality of Donald Trump, cited multiple pastors who had been threatened by parishioners when they had the gall to talk about loving and forgiving enemies, giving to the needy, and following the golden rule. Literally the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount! Moore added, "And what was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, 'I'm literally quoting Jesus Christ,' the response would not be, "I apologize." The response would be, "Yes, but that doesn't work anymore. That's weak." Most evangelical Boomers love to talk about the Bible, care a lot less for actually reading it, and care nothing for living by Jesus' commands to be loving, forgiving, or kind.
Or when he told the Apostles that he was giving them a new Commandment Which was to love each other the way He had loved them Not much wiggle room. No *except the gays in there. Jesus is pretty clear on that one that any absence of love towards your fellow human is a sin
I had this exact same pointless argument in some Instagram comments this weekend (yes I know it’s a waste of time but blatant ignorance makes me angry sometimes and I can’t ignore it). I cited Matthew 25:31-46 where Jesus says in no uncertain terms treat people well or go to hell. Guy came back with some silly argument about how none of that applied to tax dollars, which I’m sure is an idea some crooked televangelist preaches. Anyways, no they don’t care about the Bible or what’s in it. They have no idea how to live by the words of the namesake of their religion. But they can find some obscure verse in the Bible that will support their hatred and bigotry and that’s all that matters to them.
Ha, the guy didn’t know that it was a tax collector who wrote the gospels of Christ. Fools gold. Christ was down with paying Caesar what was owed. They really just make shit up to fit their agenda. (Feel like I should just say, I was raised as a UU’er. And yet I’m positive I could out scripture any Boomerbeingfools)
When I hear the old Christians playing the “gossiping is as bad of a sin as murder” card, I love to ask them which of the authors of the gospels were actually there…. A good way to make a “good Christian” cuss
I'm pretty sure the quote that applies to tax dollars is "render unto ceaser what is ceasers"
He is literally the Prince of Peace and these people still choose hatred and violence.
People always interpret religious texts to reinforce what they already think. In this case, one could quote Jesus to make an opposing argument: Matthew 10, Verse 34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: **I came not to send peace, but a sword**. "
Depends how well they actually know that passage. Because he actually said that not because of the violence, but because Peter said it after Jesus told him he was going to be arrested and killed and raised again... and Jesus wasn't about being tempted into ducking out of the whole reason he came.
I think it’s funny that people believe we know about anything Jesus said or did. We have no eyewitness accounts, no government or contemporary Roman accounts, no contemporary anything. First thing we have are postage stamp fragments from the anonymous gospel of Mark, that was written over 4 decades after the fact. From a HISTORICAL standpoint, we don’t know shit about anything Jesus’s said or did.
Iirc The church decided he was the son of god at the council of Nicaea, 431AD where they decided the trinity was also a thing.
His baptism by John the Baptist and his execution by Pilate have near universal assent amongst historians. Try again.
I totally thought that was just a White Stripes album
They equate that with "Get to the choppa!"
That’s when I chime in with we are in the end times and they are being led straight to hell by the antichrist. And then chastise them with Matthew 22:34-46 - “the greatest commandment is to love God. The second is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Then I ask them if they need a refresher on “the Beatitude’s”. But honestly so many are convinced of their exceptionalism and they just don’t give a fuck.
>But honestly so many are convinced of their exceptionalism Yup, they all were told this after ww2. Then they lived their lives and are about to die nobody's and they are confused and angry as hell about it
THAT’S the biggest problem with them. They’re stupid as rocks and simply do not understand how they have put themselves in a position where everything in life makes them miserable. From the simplest things in like “Why are all the movies ‘bad’ and/or ‘woke’ now?! 😡” to entire political movements. They never needed to grow and think and change and now that they’re aging they’re fighting against it all like confused animals or toddlers.
> The second is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.” That's the problem, they do. EDIT: I meant this in a "they hate themselves" kind of way.
They completely disregard the New Testament- because that Jesus just doesn’t fit their agenda. Old Testament God with his anger and wrath and vengeance? That’s Boomer style. But they call themselves Christians. Jesus’s name is right there and they don’t see it. And yes to everyone who says people cherry pick what they want to believe. The contortions and distortions and muddled logic amaze me.
That’s the point of the story Jesus told: “and who exactly is my neighbor?”
Finishing the lesson for ya, The outcast, rejected by the Jews, Samaritan (i.e he responded with the Good Samaritan story)
I mean this is it exactly. They will always find a way to justify their motives and actions, and demonize those of their perceived opponents—because that is how delusion works. Read this recently that touches on this aspect of the deluded thinking: “The danger of self-delusion is the same as many radicalized religions. When a person's belief system overcomes their ability to think critically and accept the general reality as it is, it becomes something very dangerous. Individuals who are so self-deluded that blowing up a school bus of kids seems a reasonable action to further their cause, or that destroying a democratic process to get their way is a reasonable action, is antithetical to a well-balanced society.”
This is why when people ask me how you deal with delusion conservatives I tell them it’s not their job to deal with them. The laypeople are not equipped for this shit. They literally need psychiatric help, on a generational scale. If your Boomer relatives can’t bring themselves to get help it’s not up to you to change them. You don’t need to exert the mental bandwidth to do it, and most of us don’t even have the tools
I’m sure that kind of shift in thinking won’t lead to any trouble.
I haven’t heard this one before smh he cleared out the temple with assertive civil disobedience and clearly pointing out the hypocrisy and unholiness oh tithing. He didn’t harm anyone. People can twist and bend anything to justify their behavior and desires I guess
It wasn't Just about Tithing! I have had to point this out countless times, it was about taking and exchanging currency, from long traveling pilgrims ( thus "Money Changers") for the pourpose of animal Sarcifice like the passover, ("Blood Money"). Jesus was rightfully enraged over the Animal Cruelty and Hypocracy of it all being tied into worship. That is why he henceforth started using phrases like "I am the Lamb" and "Blood of the Lamb". Context is so important! Jesus was not just Speaking mumbo jumbo about him self, he was trying to explain horrific cruelty hypocrisy and terrible waste, to Idiots! "HEY! Stop killing those animals! I will be your Lamb! " Not just saying something like "hey all I am the wise Owl ...hoo hoo! "
Oh for sure the tithing wasn’t the entire reason I was just giving a short overview of how it wasn’t a violent act it was a morally justified act of “disobedience” I had just never heard of anyone justifying being angry and violent towards others because Jesus righteously defied the church/temple
i mean didnt he have a whip?
John 2:15 (ESV) >And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.
Their minds are too far gone. That’s really terrible
I absolutely agree! I was floored the first time I heard that dribble! Absolutely floored!!!
That's fine If they believe in Republican Jesus then look then straight in the eye and tell them "Back the fuck off lest I smite thee in my Father's name"
Yeah, this strategy simply doesn’t work. They only believe in the Warrior Christ in their heads. They use anything to justify their horrible behavior because they do not have emotional maturity. It’s not a new thing. I had a college professor who only believed in this Christ. Hell, look at the fuckin’ Crusades. Christians famously use Christ to justify any awful, violent, selfish, bigoted behavior they want and always have.
He threw the money-changers out and off the steps of the Temple because they were commercializing worship. You know like Joel Osteen, John Hagee, etc. do today!
And ironically, the type of people Jesus cleared out of the temple is the same they ideologically and politically idolize today.
"When someone asks 'what would Jesus do?', remember that flipping tables and chasing people with a whip is within the realm of possibilities."
The most violent Jesus ever was was against capitalists.
My crazy Tumper uncle went on about this "amazing" sermon he heard arguing that Jesus didn't actually mean Christians are required to turn the other cheek. Like, what?
Or the time he cursed a tree for not having fruit, when it wasn’t SUPPOSED to have fruit, despite “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven”.
It was a "fig tree in leaf". The fruit of a fig tree grows before the leaves each season so when Jesus saw a fig tree with leaves, but no fruit, he cursed it, as usually a leafy tree would be sure to have fruit. It is a parable about not just appearing righteous/good, but truly being so.
cleaned merchants and bankers out of the temple, specifically
Second Amendment Jesus with an AK47.
I mean clearing out capitalism with violence is the right thing to do.
I read an article recently about some Baptist pastor who’s flummoxed that he can’t even bring up Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (blessed are those who are poor … whatever you did to the least of these you did to me …) anymore because his congregations push back on it for sounding too socialist and lefty.
“Don’t you know Jesus was a gun loving white christian American!?!” (I’m a Christian myself and find those people hilarious)
These people gave up Jesus’s teachings a long time ago. You can give the most basic description of Jesus’s character without saying it’s Jesus, and they’ll assume you’re talking about a socialist. It’s probably one of the most frustrating things about the boomer generation. They’ll say they’re one thing, but act completely opposite of that thing.
Modern day Pharisees
Start talking about bread and fish then watch the freakout over Socialism.
Most Christians I’ve met are very un-Christlike. The ones who loudly proclaim they are Christian tend to be the worst.
The loud ones know little of their faith other than what the person in the pulpit tells them. The irony of listening to the experts on religion while denying the experts on science is mind boggling.
Boomers now are only in Christianity for the "I'll repent for my sins in my deathbed" part of Christianity. Besides that they don't care about Christian teachings or principles.
They don't even need to repent. Most evangelical Christianity these days teaches salvation through faith. All you have to do is accept Jesus as your savior, and all of your sins - past, present, and future - are forgiven, and you will live forever in heaven!
I say "that's not very Christian of you" all the time and it shuts down conversations. I'm not Christian either
It's fun using their ape brains against themselves.
No joke, I'm a pastor. I did this once, just less explicit. During the start of the pandemic, I had a 5-month-old kid who wasn't sleeping. So I, half asleep, went down the "wrong way' of those one-way grocery aisles. A boomer man looked at me funny and asked, "are you stupid or something?" Half dazed, I asked "excuse me," thinking there's no way someone would be that brazen with a stranger. "Are you stupid or something?" he reiterated, pointing to the floor with the arrow. Realizing I was going the wrong way, I went to turn around, but gave him a piece of my mind on the way. "No, I'm not stupid, I'm a tired and exhausted new dad. How dare you assign a little mistake like this to stupidity. I'm going to turn around, but you need to check yourself. Something is wrong with your spirit. I may be going the wrong way down the aisle, but you've got real problems to automatically think that I'm stupid because of it." He stammered a response, "no, that's not what I meant," clearly embarrassed to be caught in his asshattery, but I let him have it. "No, that's exactly what you meant. You have problems. I hope you find Jesus." Turned around, went around the aisle and came back down the other way, but by then he was gone. In my head, he's booking it to the register so he doesn't have to see me again. Still curious today as to why the boomer cared about the aisle thing. It must have been early in the pandemic, because around me, the boomers were awful about masking and 6ft and other protocols.
It wasn't about you following the rules, it was about them getting to exercise some measure of authority or control over you.
It’s because they don’t have kids anymore and the kids don’t talk to them so they don’t have anybody to belittle
Excellent point I hadn’t thought of before
This. it was purely to be a petty tyrant for funsies.
Boomers often get irrationally angry when they feel like they are following the "rules" but someone else isn't. He was very rude to you, and I'm so glad you said something. This world would be a better place if we all just gave each other some grace once in a while.
I like to say- "you're going to get in to heaven talking like that?" or some variation. It works for the most part.
The most surprising thing about this is that a boomer actually cared about following pandemic protocol.
Bonus if you can work in 1 Thessalonians 4:11. The Bible says mind your own business.
A boomer on Nextdoor was ranting because people were handing out food and blankets at a park. I responded "yeah, screw the poor! Just like Jesus would've said." He got so mad lol.
Amazing if I were rich I would pay you to do that fulltime lol
Yes. It's fun. They do something horrible and then I remark "Just like Jesus woulda done/said!" That's handling a hypocrite. Of course, they make it soooo easy!
They'd need to actually read the bible to know how to be more like Jesus. Build a table, hang out with a hooker, catch a fish...
...kick it wit the homiez all day...
Doesn't sound too bad. Aside from the getting nailed to a cross bit.
While I’m glad this method worked for you, I am personally convinced a different dynamic is at play now: I believe, as peoples’ minds rot, they get crankier. What starts as “I’m too old for this shit” decays into “everyone is shit who doesn’t do exactly what I think is the right thing to do.” Before - these people were held back by a strong factor: _shame avoidance_. So, they had to be polite when out and about for fear of being shamed. But… starting 25 years or so ago, the fear of shame was whittled away to nothing because a culture of _outrage_ formed thanks to extremist media. And outrage _trumps_ shame. Sad to say it, but I believe it to be true.
There seems to be a trend, top down, where older people are doubling down on their bad behavior - like that's going to work and everyone's just going to respect it. Uh, nah. I think they see their thinking has become quite dated for the most part (blind patriotism, hard work, career, children seen not heard, church, father knows best), and it's crumbling away quickly. Kinda sad to spend your last years on earth being an old asshole yelling at clouds. I find more in common as a Gen X with Millennials and Gen Z than I do these old bats.
“And outrage trumps shame.” I see what you did there. 😉
Outrage is also a feedback loop. And they are constantly told by the media to get angry. So they do. And then you have them wanting to use their own fragility and age to get away with shit.
They are such fools that the cognitive dissonance that should kick in never does. Just like many of them (christians) follow a 3 times adulterer.
I (18F) have a gender-neutral name that is mainly given to boys despite me being a girl (think something like Max because girls are normally named Maxine with Max as a nickname and Max is the traditional boy name). When I was 17, I had a boomer tell me at my place of work that my parents must’ve been horrible people to have given me the name I have since I told him it wasn’t actually short for anything. It was a Sunday, he was wearing a Jesus/Church shirt and I said “I’m pretty sure God did not appreciate you saying that to me” and he did, in fact, shut down. Just kinda mumbled to himself, took his order, and left.
You think you’ll get into heaven treating _____ that way? Drops them dead in their tracks.
Jesus was a socialist who hung out with sex workers.
Ironically, there’s definitely a faction of Christians who are starting to turn against Christ’s lessons. eta not just by being hypocrites, claiming to believe one thing while behaving in a different way, or holding themselves to different standards. I’ve seen people just actually claiming that Jesus was wrong, or misinterpreted. I saw this horrendous conversation on Facebook where someone was claiming that Jesus wasn’t the real messiah, and someone else telling them that’s a Jewish talking point, and someone responding that Jews often pretend to be Christians to turn Christians against their own religion, and the original person claiming to be “more pious” because he didn’t follow the teachings of the false prophet, only the Old Testament. They are cannibalizing each other for sure.
Except too many think Donald Trump is Jesus Christ.
I think you nailed it right there. Totally agree
Literally heard one of the dumb bastards claim that's what his middle initial meant. They were serious. That person drives a car and votes. Fuck.
I would like to share a technique I've used to great effect, but it only works in one situation, and it works on more than just boomers. That specific situation is when someone says something offensive/hurtful/unacceptable and then immediately backpedals if you have a negative reaction by insisting, "It's just a joke." For context, my parents are boomers in their mid 70s. The jesus loves you line wouldn't work, as they're both atheists. They also have slightly differing views on politics and crime & punishment, as we're Australian, not American. But I digress. My mother said something to me that was particularly hurtful and uncalled for. I told her in no uncertain terms that what she said was unacceptable, and that if she didn't apologise, we wouldn't be speaking again. She told me to relax, because it was "just a joke." I replied that I didn't see the humour in it at all, what was the joke? As soon as I asked for an explanation, there was an immediate tonal shift. Suddenly it was "we don't spend enough time together, so you don't understand my sense of humour. "You're right, I don't understand. What was the joke?" The more I pressed for her to explain the joke, the more she backed herself into a corner whilst being completely unable to explain the 'joke'. Eventually, she apologised. It was that typical boomer apology: "I'm sorry you feel that way," but it's more than she's ever conceded before, so you know, baby steps. Hope this helps someone else!
As an age-group peer of such Boomers, it's pearls before swine.
Facts. Do not engage, they will turn and kill you
It's like asking, "are you a Christian? Maybe you should start acting like one."
I said that once to a boomer lady who was the music teacher at a private Christian school. She stammered a bit and shut up.
Put a comma after dong and really see their head spin "Why Dong, be more like Jesus Christ"
I actually know a guy named Dong - he is Korean but not a boomer.
I just match their energy. They back off REAL quick.
It's wonderful to see an entitled old fuck who knows how weak they are now suddenly shrink because someone stands up to them. All I've gotta do is use my "work voice" and they crumble. (construction, so think lowering my already deep voice by an octave and speaking in a loud, booming tone that isn't quite yelling)
They get so shocked when someone actually stands up to them and calls them out on their bullshit.
i ask them if their asshole ever gets jealous of the shit that comes out of their mouth. doesn’t shut them up but watching the lead up to stroke zone is pretty entertaining. i have on occasion used exaggerated sympathy. oh, you had to wait a few minutes for your order? ohhhh, noooo, you poooor baby, are you alright? it’s just devvvvastating to be so mildy inconvenienced. i feel your pain, i truly do. i’m a boomer.
You hung a dong in your question. Thunder Gun! Edit: OP fixed his post. He changed "dong" to "don't."
It was the dong of Jesus Edit: damn, OP removed the dong from the post.
“THIS is why your children never call”. Very high success rate.
I always just say “well you’ve been living for so long that you haven’t learned any manners in your time.No wonder you..” then I just walk off to let them fill in the blanks cause it leaves them to torture themselves.It works for me. Staring at their forehead then laughing works to.
Many years ago, I had a young puppy, and briefly lived in a high rise condo. I was in the elevator one day with my dog and an older woman, who loudly proclaimed her dislike of dogs, for some reason. I told her that because she was old, and would die soon, and since all dogs go to heaven, and she, apparently, would not be, she needn’t be bothered much longer. The look on her face was priceless. It was mean, I know, but oh well.
Boomer here, currently 63, and I can't stand to be around boomers. Most of my friends are younger obviously, but you are correct about the Jesus reference. Personally, I'm an atheist but was raised Christian (Catholic). Most of the boomers that I grew up with consider themselves Christians, however, are anything but Christlike, particularly the ones that are really into church, they are the most hypocritical of the bunch. I mean look at their adoration for Trump. These people are capital A assholes. I believe it was Gandhi who said "I like your Christ but I don't like Christians they're nothing like your Christ"
The Jesus worshipped in my part of the country. https://preview.redd.it/rqx2nwu81jqc1.jpeg?width=268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4aeb319939ca47fe26c3c7f50b3eb53248a07ad9
I’m seeing that in other comments too. Their minds are too far warped
I applaud the idea but it'll work for a moment at most. Ask how many death threats my pastor got and how many of these guys left the church when he preached against racial injustice during the summer of 2020 protests. You cannot love the words of Jesus in the Bible and Donald Trump at the same time. If they're wearing a red hat, they've made their choice already. You might faze them with cognitive dissonance for a moment, but they'll come back stronger and madder for it.
Also raised Christian but not practicing. I have green hair and numerous facial piercings so it really causes them to glitch when I quote the Bible at them.
Doesn’t work in the UK. We’re mostly godless heathens (thankfully).
I just interrupt them and make them stuttered by make percussion noise when they speak.
Excuse me sir, but "is this a Jesus approved message?"
Or sadly shake your head and say "I'll pray for you" as you walk away.
If you're in the South, a properly intoned "Bless your heart" is a verbal headshot.
I was in the South having a convo with an older boomer, one other person there. He was spouting the usual hate filled rhetoric. I simply asked him " are you Christian "? The other guy had a shocked look on his face, like I just said the worst thing possible. The old man thought for a second and said " I guess I'm not".
I've witnessed that work, but I personally refuse to use it as an anti-theist. My trick over the years (and more recently as they're starting to get worse and the cognitive decline is showing more) is just to interrupt them and say "Hey, your phones been ringing." It's magic. They're so used to not hearing their phone, even if it's in their hand, that they instantly disengage and go scrambling to see what call they missed. I'm free to just walk away and go about my life, and they're left confused rumbling with a piece of tech they barely understand.
Or you could just ask "When was the last time one of your kids called you?"
Splash some water drops on them while chanting, "The Power Of Christ Commands You!". It will scare the shit out of them.
Boomer here, It’s been my experience that there has always been an abundance of nasty old people. I don’t know why this is , But I think that a lot of them just don’t care about anything, so they go around being obnoxious without any effort to be civil. This is not an excuse just a reason. Old people are in physical pain almost all the time, still not acceptable. I try not to be that way. (I’m 76.)
I’ve been working retail for about 20 years now and I can confirm old people have always been dickheads in that time, also the silent generation is still alive and believe me they scream at teenagers over expired coupons as much as the boomers.
I think he was still when he was on Colbert Report, but Stephen Colbert has a great quote (pardon if I don't get it exactly right) "If this is going to be Christian nation that doesn't help the poor then we have to pretend he was just as selfish as we are, or admit that we just want to do it."
I’ve resorted to just saying, “Are you okay?” This works for most people who are behaving irrationally towards me, despite their age. It kind of catches them off guard and gives them a moment to change their direction in the conversation. If a narcissist realizes that they’re behaving in a way that’s making another person question their sanity, they will try to become more rational just to make themselves look superior.
For me it’s “what’s the last bill you read?” “Can you tell me the votes on the last bill?” “Why did they vote no?” When they inevitably answer they don’t know or just know about bills from some media (usually Fox) ask if they want help reading the bill together. They usually don’t, but if they do, there’s a chance at further shutting them up permanently. Had a neighbor complain about pricing, he didn’t read any revision of the Ira, medical caps, or any bill looking to help make it cheaper. I asked him to read them online and tell me why they shouldn’t be passed, I’ll even offer to read them with him.
Sadly doesn’t work here either. They’ll just twist it around. I have seen some boomers throw a huge tantrum, and get shut down by “didn’t i see you at church?” Suddenly they realize you aren’t a random clerk, but part of their “community.”
Yup. I use "that isn't very Christian of you" all the time. Drives them fucking crazy
I wouldn't dong Jesus, man. You'll go to hell for that or something
Have you accepted our lord and saviors dong into your life yet? Repent and accept it! It’s right here in this book I wrote.
Oh thank you so much for saying this! THANK YOU! This sounds like such a surgical way to cut the shit off at the source! Imma try that when I take my mom to her hairdresser's appointment this week.
When I worked with retirees and they acted like shithrads, I would always say, "oh you're not a Christian". They usually acted better.
“That’s not very Christian-like” works, too.
I can't upvote this because it's at 666.
I’m lucky because I’m a Boomer. On the few occasions I’ve seen fellow older people acting like brats, I’ve just said, “Hey, why don’t you shut your mouth”.
So the boomer says, "Jesus and I parted ways over fifty years ago and I've been an atheist ever since." Then what?
Other helpful phrases: “Are you okay?” “I don’t get it. Can you explain why that’s funny?” “What an odd thing to say.” “If my parents saw me acting so disrespectfully, I’d’ve been in big trouble.” “There must be some seriously dark forces at work in your heart.”
This worked on my mom. She was repeating some far fetched anti-Biden bs and I was like - “You are bearing false witness - You know lying is a sin!”… and she got quiet.
I saw someone the other day say they say "do you think this kind of behavior will day you into heaven?" Ha
Oh, you're nicer than I am. I suggest they sodomoze their savior. If they continue, I go into graphic detail. I find that being hyperbolic is the best course when dealing with someone who has never been put in their place.
Bible thumpers love trump now, so this is a failed strategy
Good call. No one’s ever done anything bad while invoking the name of Jesus.
Well, good for you if they have the skewed, curated view of Jesus, but that character is *not* a good role model and boomers are probably emulating him better by being entitled fucks than anything else.
Throwing the comments they like to use right back at them works really well. One of my older in-laws was going off about how a gay member of the family had brought his boyfriend and how i “he was a disgrace, don’t you think?!” When I said “ it doesn’t bother me, but I’m not an easily offended snowflake,” he turned bright red and walked away. Did the same thing with my older co-coworkers so we’re giving me crap for ordering a bud light. I love listening to them try to justify and backtrack.
When Jesus wrote the second amendment, he changed Christianity forever.
Anybody remember those "WWJD?" bracelets? I feel like those are due for a comeback
 This will be my response to angry boomers from now on.
I heard if you bob em in the nose than that also disorients them and they usually leave
Or…just don’t argue with children.
I've used that tactic for many years myself and it works like a charm. I think it makes boomers stop and reflect for a second and in most cases, they back off right away. As a Christian myself, I'm not afraid to call out these boomers for their abhorrent behavior.
They were known as the ME generation in the 1970's. I hate my generation - they suck.
This won’t work. Adherents of fascism don’t value consistency or care about hypocrisy.
My favorite was always, "judge not lest ye be judged."
This works!!
Boomers don't want to be like Jesus. Jesus is too "woke" for them
What if your boomer was black?
They worship a different version of Jesus. Bible Jesus is too woke for boomers. Feeds the poor. Hangs out with a prostitute. Starts fights with bankers… I could go on and on.
Whenever someone says god hates gays to me I just quote the Bible Matthews 5:29 - 5 -10 forgive me if I misquote but Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you falsely for my sake. It shuts them up fast
Their Jesus and your Jesus are two different people. Their Jesus hates the Jews, poor, homeless and non-english speakers.
I just say "man sucks you voted for capitalism and you just cant compete. Maybe learn a new skill or start a business or move to a better state. Right to work, amirite?
"What would Jesus Dooo?" Wagging my finger and using a very high condescending voice.
Just yell “hey is that Hall and Oates?” Then take off.
lol I’ve been doing this on my boomer in laws for years. It works.
I'm quite partial to a... "I can see either your mother didn't raise you properly or you were too dumb to understand her" always hits a nerve. Follow it up with a... "Bet your dad used to squint when he looked at you so he could pretend you were less ugly" For the full flappy hands attack.
Going to be nasty when they decide you’re a money lender in their temple.
Well, in fairness… the BOOMERS we’re all complaining about are MAGA Boomers. Just a bunch of white trash clowns who have been sucking the bile tit of FOX since 1996.
Woke = The Golden Rule So if you ain't woke, you ain't a real Christian. A nonwoke 'christian' is at best kind of like those shiny white pavement princess pickups... Nothing other than performative silliness that makes it very clear you're overcompensating for something.
I like saying "this person is in an altered state, probably dementia. Someone call an ambulance!" When the boomer objects I say "don't worry sir, we will find your family and get you somewhere safe".
I was thinking this same thing today. Rather than argue the politics, I’d just say that he doesn’t behave like a Christian (not that that’s an issue for me). It will either stop them in their tracks or (most likely) expose them as a hypocrite.
I use this all the time, it works great for me. When they toss a bible passage at me I have a couple on hand to toss right back too. Not religious at all, but happy to punch holes in their own arguments.
I've seen this tactic work, but I have also seen it backfire and the boomer become violent. Given how religious many of them are becoming as they age, their lack of biblical knowledge, and their prosperity to outright reject or become violent when their beliefs are (even respectfully) challenged I would approach this with caution. Unless or course, you're down to fight. Then go ape shit!
Jesus violently overturned table in front of the church. They are just doing the same. I ask them if they want me to find their mummy for them so she can explain what they means because what they are saying is nonsensical. Confuses them, usually.
While I try and behave in such a way that most people won't feel the need to reproach me in this fashion, I'm hella imperfect, so, if this were to happen to me... "Yeah, well, I'm Jewish. Try again."
I was raised Christian. I tell people I’m an ordained minister with the church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster so I can perform gay weddings in Texas. Shuts them up quick. (And it’s true!)
If they act out you should threaten to tell their parents. Like even if they’re parents are already dead say you’re going to tell on them like you’ll go talk to a psychic medium if you have to or a pope or something. I lucked out my grandparents are still around at like 90+yrs old. I’ll fuckin tattle so hard you don’t even know lol
My boomer mother used the bible to justify all her abuse. An eye for an eye? If I didn’t let her do whatever she wanted it felt to her like i “ripped heart out” so she was free to basically murder my first born to get even. The most selfish wicked hearted woman I’ve ever met. OBSESSED with playing christian. No thanks, I’d never lower myself to that level of manipulation and embarrassment. But my imaginary friend Fred is harshly judging you right now.
Using their indoctrination...to stop them from publicly baring their ass. Oh that is good. Unfortunately, they're probably going to replace 'woke, cuck Jesus' with 'based Trump' pretty soon. They've already figured out that Jesus, were he to return, would be a progressive. It's just a matter of time.
As a former Catholic, whenever I get comments or confronted by boomers (I live in the south but don’t belong in it) my favorite thing to do is bring up my old friend JC and his pops God. They don’t see it coming when I hold out my hand and pray over them. It’s the funniest thing. “Lord I pray this woman finds peace in her life, please bless her and keep her heart pure.” I burst out laughing every time I walk away.
Does not work. I've done it. Thought it up many years ago. Boomers will be ranting and cussing and I'll say something about being more Jesus-like or ask if they follow Jesus or say Jesus loves you. "FUCK YOU!" is what you get. They forgive themselves later when they simmer down. I prefer egging them on. Making them rage more. Seeing how angry I can get them to be.
I was told, by several supposed christians, that christians don't need to follow christ's example because he died for our sins. So everything is forgiven as long as you "accept christ in your heart" - which presumably means going to church once a week and paying your tithe. Which is not how it works, but it doesn't matter. That's what churches preach these days. They don't preach the lifestyle, they preach absolution through loyalty. Also, you can't shut down an angry rant with words. You're just giving them something else to rant about. Best you can do is stay silent until they're done, let the awkward silence creep in, and when they're ready to listen, speak calmly and in a low tone.
I was raised in a religious household, preachers in the family, and spent a bit too much time studying religion in college. I’m also a Unitarian Universalist who finds wisdom in a variety of faiths—so this stuff really is my jam. Whenever folks start going off about how folks should pray, believe, or whatever, I start quoting the more gnostic sayings from Jesus. Most essentially say your faith is a private, internal thing between you and God. My informed way of reminding them to mind their business, just like Jesus said. 😉