An acquaintance of mine who is aware I am not a believer, keeps inviting me church functions like picnics & other social events. Several years ago I went to a christmas concert. I had nothing else to do that Saturday afternoon & I like music. Her pastor ended up sermonizing for at least 1/2 an hour of the 'concert'.
Since then I've declined most other invitations because these functions are much too "preachy" for me. Still she keeps persisting.
Finally, last weekend I lost my patience & asked her why she didn't take the hint & stop inviting me to these things.I wasn't interested in being preached to under the guise of entertainment.
She got into a snit & said I was "insulting" her closely held beliefs. I reminded her that she'd shown no respect for my beliefs over the years.
Could I have handled this in another, more diplomatic way?
S
You must be quite young because the answer was to never even get to that point., Be proud of yourself and amplify that with respectful ways that they are out too lunch and you do not want to go
In our younger years we continue to care about hurting other;s feelings and that is a wonderful training ground for reality, We know we are good, as to even care, but the only reason they keep trying is that they do believe you are the one lacking and they can indeed save you.
You are the one knowing and you may serve them a wonderful experience by saying bye bye
I'd say you were good.
However, I am perhaps them most outspoken atheist I know and, surrounded by theists, live alone with no expectations of every finding a suitable rational (not theist) woman to share my life with so my opinion is rather biased.
Diplomacy doesn't work in trying to reason with a person with a narrow, self-imposed,intolerant frame of reference. It can be neither appreciated nor understood by them.
I'm happy for you at least that you recognize or relate to them as an acquaintance and not a friend.
Yeah they spend all the time trying to cram their religious crap down your throat but when you tell them to leave you alone you've offended their beliefs what a bunch of hypocritical assholes
You could have handled it in a more diplomatic way but I don’t see what you did wrong. I’ve often wondered why I have to be respectful to people’s religious beliefs but the religious don’t have to respect my (lack of) beliefs.