Sunday School Atheist

I am in Sunday School (or youth group?) with an old acquaintance, Melissa, whom I definitely do not know from church irl. The Sunday School teacher is Mr. Tahmores, my mother's former home-schooling supervisor irl. I was never too fond of him - he seemed like all the other pompous, religious asses that I've been more than familiar with for most of my life.

He was teaching a lesson, but I was not paying attention. Instead, Melissa and I were off in a corner, discussing a passage from the Bible that was apparently evidence of a biblical flaw. I was pointing it out to her - since she seems so interested, I end up spending the remainder of class explaining it to her.

By the end of the lesson, Mr. Tahmores seems to have noticed, at some point, that we were not paying attention to his lesson. He doesn't seem angry, however, which seems odd to me until I realize what he's up to.

Somehow, I come to realize that he doesn't know I am an atheist but is slightly aware that I have 'doubts' when it comes to Christianity. He arrogantly assumes that I am 'confused' about a certain passage and that that is what I was discussing with Melissa. He sees this as the perfect opportunity to 'clear up a doubt', which is why he, rather than angrily, 'giddily', seems to be getting off on this.

"Which passage are you two interested in, Tai?" I absolutely hate that stupid, egotistical twinkle in his eye. "I'd rather not say." He keeps urging me to tell him, using various Christianese comfort phrases to help me feel 'safe' enough to 'open up', but I continue to refuse: "No, it'd be better if I didn't."