Does anyone on here have really religous friends? I live in a pretty conservative place so most people are religous, which I guess doesn't give me much choice. Don't get me wrong I love my friends they really are good people but we disagree on so many things on a fundamental level that I don't feel comfortable being honest about my opinions and thoughts with them to avoid confrontation. Anyone else in a similar situation?
I have plenty of Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist friends here in Thailand, but the only people who have harrassed me about my faith have been a few expat Christians. The nominal Christians are OK, and are friendly and kind.
As a minor scholar/student of the Bible, having attended Catholic schools and forced into a seminary high school, am aware of theological agruments and owe a lot to the Jesuits. Of course they don't admit to being borderline agnostics, but felt a few were, trapped in their choices made as young adults. Yet I find the pure message absense all the Bible babble is love & care.
I've had two work relationships with Jevovah's Witnesses, hard core crazies. As part of my subcontractors. We talked scripture while we built homes. One close neighbor who was a minister in the rural community would stop by for talks. Over the years my commitment to helping the least of these as a agnostic/atheist, caused him to struggle with his faith. When I'd say. 'I hate what you have done to my Jesus.' It generally blows their minds. I claiming Jesus as one of my favorite philosophers. And am offended by Christianity's selling him like a perfume. I live for Socratic dialogue and am writing a book on the sell of Jesus and the crimes of scriptural contradictions.
As a design builder, I chose to partner with State/Local governments and NGO's to build group homes for the least of these. And tell them while they spray on the scent of Jesus, I took his message to heart and have lived a purpose driven life while sacrificing mammon/gold to do this. And I ask them why they've done so little to mirror a man they call God?
The two neighbors/preachers who got close, had their faiths shaken. As they saw me living the gospels, but no fear or reward expected. Generally most Christians know little about the best book ever written. Haha. To be honest, though I enjoy Jesus' philosophy, I study the bible to fight their incursion into our Public Commons. And that way, Trump is a gift for showing Evangelicals as Christian fascist. And believe this will in the long term help us reclaim our secluar state.
Yes I live in southern ky and almost everyone I know is a conservative Christian I feel like if I voice my opinion that I would in constant turmoil and having to defend my thoughts and beliefs or lack of belief it gets me so frustrated and angry
Ugh. That is a tough gig. Not sure what to suggest - getting out of Dodge City would seem a reasonable prospect, but I figure you have reasons to stay.
Family is the reason I stay around here although I often say I should just move to a more liberal part of country it's just hard to leave a place when u lived there all your life
Ahh, that would be a no. I don't know anyone who is religious. I mean, seriously, no one. And I am about to move to a country town in Australia, and apart from the neighbour who flies the national flag on his flag pole (which, in an Australian context, is just weird) I don't expect anyone to ask me which church I will be attending. So, sorry, I've got nothing for you - other than an invitation to move to Australia. Apart from the drop bears and hoop snakes, we don't bite.
Only got one very religious brother for away an ex with her wild mob ,I live in peace and quit in this Australian village ( sorry I know the word village is not Australian, but Township is a bit too big ) The birds look after my orchard and the roos after my garden , so, no worry at all
Sold!
No none really I have one friend who admits she is hedging her bets so I am not tkaing her very seriously - I come from England and its pretty godless there - now living in Northern Ireland where most people profess to be on one side or another politically adn the religion follows catholics are Nationalist or Irish protestants see themselves as british or loyalist So though I have froends here we don't really talk about any of that!
Yes, I have very religious friends and we don't disagree on politics or values or morality or spirituality, just on God. I wouldn't trade these couple of friends for anything. But I also value those people who I'm on the same non-believing page with, too.
Yes, I have religious friends. with most of them, however, we simply do not discuss religion. One old friend, though, I have to remind occasionally that his deliberate insertions of religious matters into the dialogue and/or attempts to onvert are disrespectful and will not be responded to in any way except to ignore.
Religion, or the lack of it is a personal choice, it's generally something you keep to yourself and as it is personal, it doesn't matter who agrees with you or does not, live and let live.
Just as a friends sexual orientation is personal to them, why would you let that effect your friendship.
People are either good or bad, you simply need to decide who you want in your life, for who they are, not what they believe.
I have friends that range from hardcore Christians to Satanists to Buddhist to Pagans and just about every religion and every degree of being religious. And the reason behind it is because I like to keep the people I know as diverse as possible. Sometimes I see things that I would normally miss from a different perspective.
I’ve studied the Bible and the Quran. And I am a firm Agnostic. I just like diversity. In my music, friends, food, tv shows, movies...etc.
We all disagree on many different aspects of life and the afterlife. But I still find it interesting to see things from their aspect. Even if I disagree on it.
I do, plus I have some very very very religious family who I try to avoid because their hypocrisy and rabid support of Trump. We don’t have certain conversations. I suppose I kind of still love them but they have been a range of ugliness because I am an openly Gay man. So it’s especially challenging for me to feel much love. Some are Evangelicals aka Scamvanelists. Good people are not rude about others, period .
Oddly, I teamed up with NGO's to build group homes for the disenfranchised. And found at this dedicated, mostly women social workers, were secular. All that dedication and achieving a Master's degree to work in the helping fields that don't pay, were shockly secular. So the people working to make Jesus call come to life weren't at all deeply religious. The irony of Christianity. Actively, joyfully bombing the middle east while blind to the beggaring that capitalism does to humanity.
Hard to free fools from the chains they revere. Voltaire-
Being stuck in east tn it's hard to be me and not step on people's toes with religion. There is a church literally everywhere you look. You can't travel 5 miles without seeing at least 2 churches.
@Dollwiser I'm just20 min south of knoxville, I know exactly what you're talking about lol
Everyone I work with the exception of one person, is religious. There are crosses around every neck. I don't express my views on religion. I would probably get fired. I work for Baylor....enuf said. It's frustrating at times....God heals but medical personnel are responsible for any mistakes. Again, logic and consistency, people!!
Other than family members and a few on Facebook I don't run with overtly religious folks.
I like the new housemate. She is half Vietnamese and her Mom full Vietnamese is visiting soon...that food.
But she mentions god like every second sentence and I'm like...
Yeah that face. How long until that question and that really awkward moment.
Thankfully, most of my friends are pretty understanding when it comes to topics of religion. We mostly avoid the subject in each others pressence. I do have a couple who recently have been being a tad pushy. Namely a gal that I think was interested in me but lost interest once I told her I wasn't going to church ever. We are still in contact with each other, but I very specifically avoid the the subject with her.
I have a few religious friends, as well as family.
Yes. Boundaries, boundaries. We are ex lovers, she always been deeply religious, I always been lifetime atheist, we are each other best friend, go to dinner and movie on a weekly basis. We go dancing. I sleep over, everything but sex benefits. We are Okay with it... Boundaries, boundaries. When I live in another state, we stay in touch and visit each other. I realized and we both understand we got unresolved issues, we did never broken up the way couples do but friendship is whats left... the ashes after the fire. Boundaries, boundaries.