Thinking about renouncing Christianity

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As a liberal and a confirmed atheist I find myself in the odd position of being in total disagreement with much of your stated beliefs but also think you are moving in a very wrong direction to deny what you feel is correct and true in order to find friendship amongst people with whom you have nothing in common. This is a fake relationship and probably will make you angry with yourself and with the people you are trying to attract. There must be social groups, clubs, discussion groups etc. where you can find people who agree with your ideas.

It is possible to have liberal/atheist friends without compromising your whole belief system. You could be a sell out to try to make friends, but you'd still have aspergers and you'd still have the same trouble making friends.

That's true.

For example, I'm a vegan, but most of my friends are meat eaters. Most people who hate me are also meat eaters... but if I'd changed my diet to try and compromise and get on with them I'd a) have betrayed my principles, and b) not have made any friends.

Real friends don't mind that you're different. Your belief system is not the problem here.

I think it all depends on why you're a Christian in the first place. If it's just the default because that's how you were raised and you don't actually believe it, then you already gave it up and are merely renouncing a now-innacurate label.

But if you actually believe the central premise of Christianity, a premise shared by all denominations from conservative Christians on the right to liberation theology Christians on the left, then you really shouldn't try to do this. Like other posters say, regardless of their own beliefs, it wouldn't win you any new friends and you would be miserable pretending you didn't believe something that you actually do believe.

It sounds like what you actually want to renounce is hanging around with conservative Christians. You can renounce that without renouncing Christianity itself. You should hold tight to your belief in Jesus (assuming you have that belief, or you wouldn't be a Christian) but let go of the stereotype that all liberal fans of certian TV shows who also are ok with premarital sex are therefore anti-Christian. They may say things against conservative Christian groups or politicians in your area but that doesn't make them anti-Christian per se. It just makes them anti-whatever-the-local-conservative-strain-is. Some of them may be Christians themselves.

Keep your Christian beliefs. Renounnce your stereotypes.

I've known a few liberals along the way who were very devout Christians so that's not your problem. The problem is being so closed minded and rigidly adhering to stereotypes. Aspies rarely have freinds. Maybe you need to leave Texas.

From how you're complaining about it, it sounds what needs to change more than a benign choice like religion would be to change your perspective and change your approach. Announcing you are or aren't Christian won't change your problems...it'll just redirect them elsewhere. You can affect change in yourself beyond some petty labeling. I believe in you.

I tend to see Shrek as my hero--I'd much rather live by myself in a swamp, with no-one interfering with me, than be accepted by anyone. Christians and non-Christians can both go and bugger themselves--that's my motto.

I was going to say to wait because Sand would probably show up and tell you not to do such a thing: He might be a life long atheist, but he'd say rejecting your core values will never make you happy.

But it seems he already did. Thats a pretty big concession from a man who would like to see everyone to adopt rationalism, but I think the three of us would agree that the right course of action is usually the hardest one. So if Sand the atheist says "dont give up your religion"... then dont. It galled him to say it, but he did.

I do too.

I am speaking from experience as someone that has in the past been fairly religious. The transition to a life based on internal morality isnt easy and you certainly wont find yourself very comfortable for some time. The deeper your old faith is, the longer it takes.

There is a saying that an atheist is someone with no invisible means of support. The converse is also true: an atheist will not try to stand on anything intangible. From this comes a certain sort of clarity and confidence, but I dont think it is any greater than the confidence of someone sure of their fate(both sides are pretty sure). But that middle ground leaves you in a sort of quagmire of self doubt. You will careen from one extreme to the other at times.

Until you mostly resolve that, you wont fit either group.

One thing you might consider is travel. People in new areas and different cultures can be pretty accepting of strangers. They will accept your unusualness as a result of you being foreign. In some circles they will be excited about meeting someone considerably different from them. They will prize your individuality.

I dont know what to say. Nobody was ever made happy by pretending to be what they are not. It will eat at you.

When I was a pot smoking atheist, I had dozens of friends, we all had the same interests. However, they all had a bad influence on me.

Now that I'm a conservative Baha'i, I have only one good friend, who lives an hour's drive away. He's soon moving further away, a two hour's drive. He's been nothing but the best influence on me. Initially, we had no similar interests, but now, his interests are mine, and my interests are his.

My life is now much better than it was before.

These decisions can have a profound impact on our lives.