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I have several Facebook friends who are constantly proselytizing. They post daily prayers, constant references to Christian values and how, and how angels are watching them. They are not this way in person, and I find it annoying that they do this online. Any suggestions (short of blocking or unfriending them) to tell them how annoying this is to people who are not like minded?

jeff2145 4 Feb 18
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29 comments

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6

One approach might be to try to figure out why it annoys you so much.

skado Level 9 Feb 18, 2022

I agree. Why not just ignore it and self soothe?

It annoys him because apparently he's actually friends or even related to these assholes.

@barjoe
What’s the philosophy there? My relatives and friends have an obligation to align their worldviews with mine? I can’t tolerate being exposed to ideas different from the ones I currently hold? What?

@skado Exposed? I don't want to hear it. That goes for their politics and the fairy tales they subscribe to. If they want to post what they had for dinner or where they went on vacation or their grandchildren, I probably don't want to see that either, but I'll scroll along.

@barjoe
You can scroll all of it. I do. It doesn’t annoy me that people have ideas different from mine. It’s just a point of curiosity for me. But I feel no obligation to engage any of it.

@skado I prefer to not have anything to do with their warped view. I merely unfollow them as it would be perceived as hurtful to unfriend them. I pretty much snooze everybody in the second category, vac pics, foodie posts or children and grandchildren. It's all annoying as is Facebook in general. As far as the strangers? I just block them if they annoy me or I don't want to read nonsense that goes against my values.

@skado I am with you there. It does not annoy me either and I scroll happily on without taking offense.

6

You can unfollow them and you'll never see those post's.

Exactly. To each his own.

4

I just unfriend them. It's fb you don't need to put up with that shit. I don't.

4

I would block them. It’s wrong to try to control them in any way. Let them be. The only action you can control is your own. If it bothers you, don’t listen. We have to realize that our actions are separate from others. Not much bothers me but if it does, I take my own action to change the situation. I think you are asking for permission to use control over someone else.

3

I will join my vote to the many others here recommending the option to unfollow. I check back every so often for some folks to see if they've cleaned it up, and if not, they remain unfollowed. I've stopped arguing with people online - I used to do that a lot when I was younger and it never ever resulted in anyone changing their minds and it just got me cranked up for nothing. There are lots of other good suggestions in the comments too - you can experiment trying each one to see what works best for you. Good luck!

3

Ignore it. Not important.

3

Personally, I hide all that stuff so I don't have to see it.

I've also blocked a number of people who do that.

You do you.

3

Unfollow them for a bit. That will give you a reversible breather from them without permanently burning any bridges. You can complain to them about the religious posts if you want, but its THEIR page. They can post whatever they want…

Zster Level 8 Feb 18, 2022

there you go!

3

Just tell them. It may do no good but at least you have expressed yourself.

2

If the posts are being shared from another site you can block the other site there is a spot to the side of the post that you right click and get a menu from which you can select hide all from ............ what ever the site is named. They can post as many as they like but you will never see them. I do it a lot as some friends constantly share things based on their interests which are decidedly not mine. Also some friends are religious and post that shit as well.

2

"Unless and until you can provide falsifiable evidence to support your existence claim of your particular god, you are wasting your time with me."

2

I used to have that problem. I just joined as a lot of atheist Facebook groups and now repost a lot of their memes. The people who used to proselytize (Well I guess they probably still do), have either unfriended me or have put me on "hide all from". A few I have had to put on "hide all from".

2

Stay friends and "unfollow" so you don't see their posts. They won't know and your sanity will be saved.

MizJ Level 8 Feb 18, 2022
1

I don't use FB that much, but the "unfollow" suggestion, made by others, is one that I would also make. Unfollow does not mean unfriending, but I think it does mean you'll see much less of those posts in your feed.

For what it's worth, I personally am ambivalent about seeing theistic friends sound off strongly for what they believe. I have had similar situations to yours where they don't bring it to me to my face, but do represent their views in some forums (FB, some whatsapp groups, etc.). On the one hand, I do respect and like them for standing up for what they believe, and for respecting my boundaries when dealing with me face-to-face. I also don't hate everything they have to say (though the theistic bits are nonsense and much of the morality in my view is also). On the other hand, it does mean that I usually end up feeling somewhat less friendly to them (disappointed), to find out that some of the most important things to them go against what I believe in.

There is another point here, which is to ask similar questions about those who do believe similarly to me on some key points. Some are loud about this in public settings, and some are not. Some who are loud might only be so in a relatively closed forum, but some may bring debate to others. I seldom "sound off" to those who do not believe as I do, but I wouldn't go so far as to try to discourage others of similar beliefs to myself who might do that a lot. This whole business (of the personal choice of whether to sound off about one's most deeply held beliefs) is not confined to theism or Christianity. I think it's a more universal set of questions that we all (including atheist existentialists, other Atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindu, and many others) face, both in what we will want or tolerate from friends, family, others, and what we choose to do ourselves, and in which settings.

kmaz Level 7 Feb 19, 2022
1

I am thankful when they are not that way in public!

1

Tell them.

1

I rediscovered a couple of people like this I knew years ago. He was religious but seems to lose his religiosity over time. They were of Irish descent and moved to Ireland and then they (he especially) turned into rabid proselytizers. My solution was to counter all the crap he spouted and eventually he blocked me. Don't be the blocker but be the blockee instead.

1

So many responses to this one. It is a common problem on fb. I have the same problem and it's my own sister! So annoying! I often block her for a month to not have to see her bs! But she's fam so what can you do... she thinks she's doing good! Use whatever tools to not feel too annoyed is what I say. Friends don't have to agree on everything. They are just easier to disown, unlike family who you have to keep. Sometimes I just hide the posts too.

1

If you can afford to, reply with links to Hitchens, Dawkins, Harris, Krause, or Dennett. Otherwise, unfollow. Or spell out how their beliefs are idiotic.

1

Keep scrolling. The coolest conservative friends don't even acknowledge my liberal posts. Instead of throwing tantrums, stalking my liberal friends and family, and never shutting up - they they go about their lives. Scores big points with me.

1

For the few "valuable" friends I have who advertise their religion, I often respond with kind words letting them know that I don't do religious belief systems. Often, they're asking for prayers for somebody who's ill. I say, sorry, I don't do prayers. But I'm sending some healing thoughts your way. For less than valuable people, I unfriend or block them. I don't allow them the privilege of influencing me.

1

Why are you not doing the same with your (assumed) atheist beliefs ? It might help to think why???

1

Unfollow them if you don't want to see their bullshit. I prefer to berate them and let them block me.

1

When people are on line they become more bellicose than they ever would in person. That is all you are witnessing.

1

Yes. You can be anybody you want online, but if they have two faces which are different, then you have to question just how good a friends they are, at the very least for reliability.

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