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I was raised in a religious family and community. I attended private schools and made life long friends while at school. I am 43 now but still friends with people I attended grade school and high school with.
My issue is that while I have put religion behind me, I would say most of my friends have not. Of course most of them are not a problem. What I have been noticing are those that are so religious, they can't get two words out without it sounding like a sermon about their personal relationship with god, so forth and so on. Of course, everyone has the right to live how they wish and talk about it if they want to. The problem is on my side, I don't want to hear it and end up feeling like people who talk like this, live on a completely different planet then I do.
I keep in contact with friends on Facebook and if I had a dime for every post that some make about their religion, I would be wealthy. There have been a few friends from the past that became nasty and I have de-friended them. Now I am running into those that are friendly enough but they really don't have anything to say that I want to hear. Its not that I don't like them, I just don't have anything in common with them anymore.
Do you guys run into this? What do you do??
I think I am going to have to do a housecleaning with my friends list. I am to the point where I don't feel like I can say what I want on there for fear of what will be said in response.
I don't have any über-religious close friends. I have über-religious acquaintances, but those kind of people won't accept me as a heathen. My cousin is 'et up with it', but he's family. I simply try to avoid the topic.
I don't have any über-religious close friends. I have über-religious acquaintances, but those kind of people won't accept me as a heathen. My cousin is 'et up with it', but he's family. I simply try to avoid the topic.
I agree, I avoid the topic as well. I don't comment and I don't initiate however with the uber religious, its impossible to avoid with them because that's all they can talk about. I find it rather annoying for lack of a better word.
I just went through my friends list and deleted about a dozen people. They won't miss me and I won't miss their preaching. One guy I had to delete some time ago was really put out about it, tried to get in touch with me through others etc. Kept writing to me after I deleted him. I think he thought he was really going to bring me back into the fold. I had to block him to make him STOP. Of course he was relatively normal in high school, we dated. Then he saw the light and became a minister. Our friendship went downhill from there...
Last edited by Lindsey_Mcfarren; 02-09-2011 at 01:16 AM..
I don't really have any close religious friends...in fact the majority of my friends are Agnostic, Atheist or simply Apathetic about religion. I do have a few friends on Facebook that go on and on and on and on about religion, but they're still good people so I keep em on. I do have one that constantly invites me to 'pro life' and 'Christian only' stuff though..I think he hopes that eventually I'll come around. He should definitely know better by now
I find it kind of boring to be around people who agree with me.
It is more fun to be around religious people, especially ones who are Democrats. I find it fascinating trying to understand how they think. One of them even explained why he was not against illegal immigration and it was the first meaningful discussion I have ever had on that topic.
I like religious people because are very sincere and they look at the big picture of life, even if their big picture is diferent from mine.
I have a few very religious friends - but they are all very respectful. I don't think it's really about how religious someone is but how respectful they are when talking to others who are not religious. I have no problem with someone being religious as long as they don' try to force anything on me - and my good friends do not. They accept me and love me for who I am.
Have you ever heard of The Artist's Way? Anyway, it's for artists (I'm a performer) and it helps you unlock all your potential and get in touch with your creativity. Point being - one of the tasks that you are supposed to do is look at all your friends and make sure that they all have a positive influence on your life. You should surround yourself by people who nurture you and make your life better. And you should slowly try to rid yourself of the people that bring you down.
This being said, I don't think it's a black and white issue - get rid of all religious friends and only keep atheists/agnostics. I think it's more about taking care of yourself. If some of these uber religious people no longer serve a purpose in your life - talk to them about treating you better or let them go.
Now - if it's family - that's a little different! You can't really rid yourself of family!
I don't have any uber religious friends, if they tell me they are believers, I try to make a deal with them, if they don't preach at me, I won't bad mouth their religion. I have met very few who can pass up the temptation to preach or try to save and I have a low tolerance for either. I do have a couple of catholic priests I call friend and one Episcopalian minister. This is N.C. we discuss Basketball, fishin', gardens, football and baseball and books other than the bible. Our conversations can get quite lively.
I have a few very religious friends - but they are all very respectful. I don't think it's really about how religious someone is but how respectful they are when talking to others who are not religious. I have no problem with someone being religious as long as they don' try to force anything on me - and my good friends do not. They accept me and love me for who I am.
Have you ever heard of The Artist's Way? Anyway, it's for artists (I'm a performer) and it helps you unlock all your potential and get in touch with your creativity. Point being - one of the tasks that you are supposed to do is look at all your friends and make sure that they all have a positive influence on your life. You should surround yourself by people who nurture you and make your life better. And you should slowly try to rid yourself of the people that bring you down.
This being said, I don't think it's a black and white issue - get rid of all religious friends and only keep atheists/agnostics. I think it's more about taking care of yourself. If some of these uber religious people no longer serve a purpose in your life - talk to them about treating you better or let them go.
Now - if it's family - that's a little different! You can't really rid yourself of family!
That is exactly what I am in the process of doing.
I think you're handling things the right way. Look at this as a good way of weeding out who your real friends are.
Although most all of my friends believe in God, none of them are really fanatical about it. That's only natural, I suppose, as any religious fanatic and me just wouldn't work out.
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