Could you be a friend with a christian?

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Joined: 22 May 2014
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26 Dec 2014, 12:13 am

My best friend is an atheist, and he is friends with a Mormon missionary. I'm agnostic, and I have Christian, Pagan, atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Jewish friends.

So long as you are open minded about others beliefs, you can make many friends.

The way I made many friends are s visiting religious services. Not just church, but temples, Ramadan, mosques, etc. it's fun, interesting, and a good way to meet people.

And, if somebody gives you a hard time about your religion, they aren't worth being friends with anyway.

IncredibleFrog
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26 Dec 2014, 12:18 am

whatamess wrote:

Yes. I am an atheist, however, I have friends that are Buddhist, Christians, Santeros, Agnostics, etc…I don't care what religion you are as long as you do not hurt people and either accept everyone that is good or keep your mouth shut if you don't accept their lifestyle. I don't go around making fun of any religion although I do not believe in any, but I have found that MOST people I know that suspect I am not a Christian start moving away from me, so I just keep my thoughts to myself.

Sometimes, it's actually better to get things out in the open (in my opinion at least). Talking about religious beliefs is taboo, but if more people were open about it there would be less controversy and more acceptance.

IncredibleFrog
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26 Dec 2014, 11:31 pm

Fnord wrote:

Skibz888 wrote:

Fnord wrote:

I tell them this, and instead of reasoning with me, they call me "mentally ill", "heretical", and a "damned trouble-maker". So much for the religion of love and forgiveness.

"I merely tell these people that everything they believe is wrong and they have the nerve to get mad at me! I just don't understand it!"

Yeah! And just ... Yeah!

Okay, so I come on a little strong with my Biblical understanding; just like an evangelist who is determined to prove that everybody is a sinner and going straight to Hell when they die.

But what of it? All I'm doing is sharing what I've learned from the Bible, and using valid Biblical references to support my findings - same Bible, different conclusions. I'm not trying to change their beliefs, just add to them.

It's like when I present a fact-based argument against what someone has posted in WP - because they can not refute the facts or dispute the reasoning, they resort to personal attacks against me.

That's when I know that I'm right.

The Bible is an interesting document, including stories about murder, incest, theft, lies, slavery, fraud, perjury, torture ... Yet Christians seem to have some form of selective blindness when it comes to those parts of the Bible. They seem to act as if those parts don't matter, and that anyone who knows about them - especially those of us who speak of them - are blasphemous creatures undeserving of love and mercy.

And THAT is why I don't have many Christian friends.

Many Christians automatically disagree with other religions. So I don't think its wrong to point it out if you disagree with theirs. But, I can understand why they would be upset too. Of course, if both parties are understanding and don't try to change each other's beliefs, even if they disagree, there is no reason they can't be friends.

mr_bigmouth_502
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27 Dec 2014, 12:32 am

I've had many friends over the years who have identified as Christian. Most of them just seem like normal people to me.

Outrider15
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28 Dec 2014, 7:19 am

Most friends I've had have been really different people to me but still the same enough to find common ground.

Anyway, yeah, I am mostly agnostic and can be friends with people of all religions. I just have a problem with religious extremists (which you and many other christians are not). Mild religious people are fine though.

However, I can still see why you and many others can see how religious differences can change relationships. In my experiences many people have shown while they can be friends with someone of a different religion/belief system, they just cannot date/marry one.

Tigurinn
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28 Dec 2014, 7:31 am

I wouldn't care what religion she/he had, as long as they wouldn't try to force their religion down my throat

Shadow Wolf
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28 Dec 2014, 8:43 pm

As long as they respect others, don't push their religion, and don't go out of their way to condemn others and make them feel bad, it's no problem being friends with Christians.

Fnord
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28 Dec 2014, 8:56 pm

Shadow Wolf wrote:

As long as they respect others, don't push their religion, and don't go out of their way to condemn others and make them feel bad ...

We are talking about Christians, aren't we?

The only ones I have personally known to fit your description were dead.

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Evil_Chuck
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29 Dec 2014, 12:44 am

Fnord wrote:

Shadow Wolf wrote:

As long as they respect others, don't push their religion, and don't go out of their way to condemn others and make them feel bad ...

We are talking about Christians, aren't we?

The only ones I have personally known to fit your description were dead.

I'm happy to say I don't share that experience, Fnord. I've known some Christians who practiced more and preached less, and always got on well with them. Besides, the only reason this thread was made is that one Christian member wanted to know how receptive we were to having someone like him/her as a friend...and maybe is looking for a friend. If this becomes just another religion topic, it won't serve that purpose anymore.

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Browncoat
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29 Dec 2014, 11:39 pm

I've been christian, atheist, antagonistic, and now agnostic.
My approach is simple- "If you want in one god, fine. If you want to believe in many gods, fine. If you want to believe a giant purple goat sneezed reality into existence, fine. As long as you don't try to force your belief(s) on me, we won't have a problem"
I'm fine with making another friend. I'd relish another mind to converse with. I do tend to avoid the subjects of religion and politics since usually somebody (not me) ends up with hurt feelings.

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Sweetleaf
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29 Dec 2014, 11:48 pm

I don't really care if someone is a christian, as long as they aren't pushing it on me and don't put me down for not being one....and have some similar interests, thus a reason to hang out then I would be open to a friendship.

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Feyokien
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30 Dec 2014, 6:14 am

Yeah. I consider myself to have 3 semi strong friends. One's a follower of Norse Paganism/Asatru. One's somewhere between Agnostic and Atheist. The other is a reformed? Catholic, he doesn't take everything he was taught to heart, he's a progressive individual. I myself am somewhere between deism and agnostic and am pretty spiritual. Religion isn't that big of a deal to me unless you get militant about it.

It's weird to think back that everyone who burned me in my youth were Christian, but I suppose that's just because I grew up in the Midwest of America. I don't harbor ill thoughts against Christians. Like I said I do however dislike those that are militant and would force their religious dogma on others.

Tim_Tex
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30 Dec 2014, 8:53 am

I'm a Christian (Lutheran to be specific) and have no problems being friends with people of other/no faiths.

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white_as_snow
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31 Dec 2014, 8:19 pm

Fnord wrote:

white_as_snow wrote:

Fnord wrote:

Skibz888 wrote:

Fnord wrote:

I tell them this, and instead of reasoning with me, they call me "mentally ill", "heretical", and a "damned trouble-maker". So much for the religion of love and forgiveness.

"I merely tell these people that everything they believe is wrong and they have the nerve to get mad at me! I just don't understand it!"

The Bible is an interesting document, including stories about murder, incest, theft, lies, slavery, fraud, perjury, torture ... Yet Christians seem to have some form of selective blindness when it comes to those parts of the Bible. They seem to act as if those parts don't matter, and that anyone who knows about them - especially those of us who speak of them - are blasphemous creatures undeserving of love and mercy. And THAT is why I don't have many Christian friends.

Yes, the bible have some horrible s**t in it, mostly in old testament. What you dont understand however is that we are followers of Jesus Christ, Jesus was/is very kind and a teacher of love.

Then maybe "Christians" should follow their leader a little more closely.

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." -- The Mahatma, Mohandas Gandhi.

Truer words are rarely ever spoken.

True. But we are better now then we were before.

white_as_snow
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31 Dec 2014, 8:23 pm

Fnord wrote:

Shadow Wolf wrote:

As long as they respect others, don't push their religion, and don't go out of their way to condemn others and make them feel bad ...

We are talking about Christians, aren't we?

The only ones I have personally known to fit your description were dead.

thats strange, where do you live? are you lying? :wink:

christians that I know are not like that.

Fnord
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31 Dec 2014, 8:33 pm

white_as_snow wrote:

Fnord wrote:

Shadow Wolf wrote:

As long as they respect others, don't push their religion, and don't go out of their way to condemn others and make them feel bad ...

We are talking about Christians, aren't we? The only ones I have personally known to fit your description were dead.

thats strange, where do you live? are you lying? christians that I know are not like that.

California.

No.

You don't know many "Real World Christians", do you?

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