I'm a bit conflicted: over the last year I've observed no less than three- close friends going from atheist agnostic to full time believers and progressively filling their social media pages with whole bunch of spiritual messages and scripture and checking in to church and being super active to very annoying with their posts. I never interact with any of those posts and I used to like their neutral stuff but now there are no more neutral posts on their walls and I'm forced to watch their stories and click through them really fast because they watch and comment on all my stuff so I feel compelled to return the favor. However they're making it super difficult with all the scripture and one of them got pissed off I didn't like nor commented on her son's baptism picture, the son she raised as an atheist then convinced to turn christian and find god. I'm not sure how to handle all this and I've been ready to unfriend them just so I won't be subjected to that stuff but that would mean the end of our friendships in real life as well. Should I endure it or end those friendships for good. Not sure if I'm being selfish here but definitely fed up. I just don't want to come across like those believers that can't handle our view (atheism)and take drastic actions.
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8 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I feel for your situation. Finding out that a good friend has "found god" is kind of like finding out they've decided that heroin use is suddenly a great lifestyle choice.
Of course time passes and situations change for all people. And of course not everyone follows you along on your journey much like you haven't followed along everyone you have known on theirs. I think much of our socialization is dependent on commonalities. When those common things change or disappear so do the connections. It might seem at first glance that your "friends" have moved into the " not much in common anymore" category.
One thing I have come to realize is that there is no shame in walking away from people or situations that are an impediment to my well being. The question for me is how to do it. I do not feel that simply walking away or "ghosting" someone who has had a relevant importance in my life is a respectful thing to do. So I try to be honest with them as to what has occurred to make me feel the way I do and why I'm taking the action that I am. Depends on how you feel about closure I suppose.
It may turn out to be that your honesty will help your friends temper their expectations of you and that you can remain friends in the long run. It's never easy cutting ties.. but if it's causing you enough stress to seek advice from this forum.. might be time to do it. Good luck!
Davekp
Level 8
Oct 7, 2018
1
I am the only atheist in my community that I know of. I’ve been to baptisms, weddings, funerals and the like in churches and ‘like’pictures on FB. I don’t ‘like’ thier stupid memes. I share in thier lives like friends do, but they know who I am and how I feel and respect that. I can like someone’s life or thier life experience without buying into it.
Green_eyes
Level 8
Oct 6, 2018
3
I defriended/blocked all Trump followers on Facebook, which seemed to include most of my childhood Haiti MK (missionary kid) friends and half my relatives, including three siblings.
Personally, I have zero interest in being friends with, or ever contacting again, people who support a president or political party that promotes rape, sexual assault, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny, corruption, treason, gaslighting the public, and putting children in cages.
Since remaining friends with people like this is apparently OK with you, you could just "unfollow" them and stop seeing their posts.
birdingnut
Level 8
Oct 6, 2018
0
you get but 1 life stuff that makes it harder and unpleasant i would personally get rid of where i could at the end i had 18 friends and 2 of those were dead 6 family 5 never spoke to 2 from poker group 3 drinking buddies and even that seemed to much though none were religious a couple were spiritual
weeman
Level 7
Oct 6, 2018
0
Hate to say it they will likely distance themselves from you on their own. Kill them with kindness!
DavidLaDeau
Level 8
Oct 6, 2018
0
Enjoy being online again!
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