Being Mocked

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MJPalomo

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I am twenty years old and in college. The group of people I hang out with know that I take my religion very seriously to the point of where I will limit myself from other college activities because of what the good lord wants from us. For example I will not sleep with other girls on campus and I will not go out on Saturday nights because I have Church the next day. I learned the other day that a few of the people just think its an excuse being afraid to do things. They imply that I use being Catholic as a front because I am just afraid to do things, mainly cause things such as sex are human nature and its natural. I do not remember giving signs of being fake, I’ve always been for real with what I do by going to church and reading even quoting the bible in my everyday life. Just not sure what to think of all this. Help anyone? Just for the record its not all my friends, just like two of them.
 
Your friends are probably uncomfortable with their own lifestyle to a certain degree and take it out on you. Or they’re totally cool with what they do and think everyone should conform to what they do. In either case, who cares?

For the record, I think you can go out on Saturday nights just fine and have a good time. Just be sure to be able to hit Mass the next day. I was out until 2 or 3am plenty of Saturday nights and hauled myself up by 9am the next day to get to 10am Mass. It’s no big deal. You’re allowed to have a good time, just keep doing what you’re doing in terms of avoiding premarital sex and excessive drinking.

If other people have a problem with it, well then it’s their problem. Not yours. Do you get up in their grill about their lifestyle? Probably not. Note that to them and you might find that they’ll shut up.
 
Get new friends.

Seriously, one of my best friends in college was a devout Mormon. Not only did she not drink or have sex, she didn’t watch any ‘R’ rated movie, she didn’t watch anything PG-13 if it had sexual content, and she didn’t drink coffee or tea. Also, she went to church twice a week, once for church, and once for the young singles group.

The rest of us were pretty liberal, partied a fair bit, and never went to church. And she was never mocked. In fact, we went out of our way to be supportive. If there was going to be a party we always picked up Sprite and Grenadine for Shirley Temples for her. On movie nights we always made sure that the first movie was acceptable for her, and then if she wanted she could duck out of the second.

Get better friends.
 
You’re on the right track. Don’t let your friends comments bother you. They’ll eventually quit or you’ll move away from them and be with people that share your same values. I made a mess of my college life because of drinking and being with the wrong people. I really wish I had been more spiritual during those years.

God Bless you and you will be in my prayers.

EricW.
 
MJPalomo said:
I am twenty years old and in college. The group of people I hang out with know that I take my religion very seriously to the point of where I will limit myself from other college activities because of what the good lord wants from us. For example I will not sleep with other girls on campus and I will not go out on Saturday nights because I have Church the next day. I learned the other day that a few of the people just think its an excuse being afraid to do things. They imply that I use being Catholic as a front because I am just afraid to do things, mainly cause things such as sex are human nature and its natural. I do not remember giving signs of being fake, I’ve always been for real with what I do by going to church and reading even quoting the bible in my everyday life. Just not sure what to think of all this. Help anyone? Just for the record its not all my friends, just like two of them.
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I would distance myself from those “friends”–they don’t sound like real ones.

If they say anything mocking or otherwise inconsiderate in front of you, I would definitely confront them about it. If you have incontrovertible evidence that they spoke ill of you behind your back, you might wish to bring it up with them as well.
 
I think you should say your piece and if they don’t respect you, procure better friends.
 
Galatians 6:7!!!

If they refuse the Gospel, it is on them. You stay strong in the Lord.
 
God bless you for your faith and faithfulness! We are very proud of you, and thankful for your love of God and of others. May God continue to carry you with His grace. And they mocked Jesus, so you’re in good company! 🙂
 
MJPalomo said:
I am twenty years old and in college. The group of people I hang out with know that I take my religion very seriously to the point of where I will limit myself from other college activities because of what the good lord wants from us. For example I will not sleep with other girls on campus and I will not go out on Saturday nights because I have Church the next day. I learned the other day that a few of the people just think its an excuse being afraid to do things. They imply that I use being Catholic as a front because I am just afraid to do things, mainly cause things such as sex are human nature and its natural. I do not remember giving signs of being fake, I’ve always been for real with what I do by going to church and reading even quoting the bible in my everyday life. Just not sure what to think of all this. Help anyone? Just for the record its not all my friends, just like two of them.
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I could not hang out with people that bash my beliefs or good behavior. I would be up front and honest. Tell them how you feel. Draw a line with them. Tell them what it is that they are saying / doing that’s bothering you. If they cross that line and continue doing what they’re doing…I would suggest finding new friends…

Hope this helps. I’ll say a prayer for you. God bless.
 
Well, it depends. This is an excellent opportunity to educate your friends one why you believe the way you do. Who knows, you may convince one or two of them. If, however, tehy refuse to accept your decisions, and continue to mock you, then I would seek better friends.

I am good friends with a couple of non-religious people, and we engage in debate frequently. I use it as a means to enhance my faith because I have to learn more in order to debate him. He does not mock me for my faith, just as i do not mock him for his lack of faith. This sort of relationship could be good for you because it forces you to identify why you believe what you do.

If, however, they do mock, then you should, as said, find better friends.
 
MJPalomo said:
I am twenty years old and in college. The group of people I hang out with know that I take my religion very seriously to the point of where I will limit myself from other college activities because of what the good lord wants from us. For example I will not sleep with other girls on campus and I will not go out on Saturday nights because I have Church the next day. I learned the other day that a few of the people just think its an excuse being afraid to do things. They imply that I use being Catholic as a front because I am just afraid to do things, mainly cause things such as sex are human nature and its natural. I do not remember giving signs of being fake, I’ve always been for real with what I do by going to church and reading even quoting the bible in my everyday life. Just not sure what to think of all this. Help anyone? Just for the record its not all my friends, just like two of them.
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If you are hated… know that Christ was hated first.
 
Peer pressure can be rough, but stand by your faith in God.

The pleasures of life are short, and an eternity of eternal flames for unrepented sins can be…we’ll just say unpleasant.

God Bless you!
 
BlueEyedLady said:
Get new friends.

Seriously, one of my best friends in college was a devout Mormon. Not only did she not drink or have sex, she didn’t watch any ‘R’ rated movie, she didn’t watch anything PG-13 if it had sexual content, and she didn’t drink coffee or tea. Also, she went to church twice a week, once for church, and once for the young singles group.

The rest of us were pretty liberal, partied a fair bit, and never went to church. And she was never mocked. In fact, we went out of our way to be supportive. If there was going to be a party we always picked up Sprite and Grenadine for Shirley Temples for her. On movie nights we always made sure that the first movie was acceptable for her, and then if she wanted she could duck out of the second.

Get better friends.
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Ahh if only more people did things that way.
 
I had a similar experience, a long time ago in the mid sixties, about being religious. I
would mostly ignore these observations and just try not to make too big a deal out of it or
let it bother me too much. I had several friends who were also religious, many of them Protestant, who sang The Messiah in the Kings Point Academy choir on Christmas.
But there was one jerk in my class who said that, " I rooted for Notre Dame because God was on their side".

The only thing is you don’t want too overdo your spirituality, either. Like, I don’t think there’s any harm going out with your friends on a Saturday evening, as long as you don’t get back too awfully late and make it difficult to get up Sunday morning to go to church. If
you don’t do much at all with your friends, they might not only consider you overly religious but also just not being friendly or even a little snobbish.

At my school, a military academy, you had to get up every morning at 0600, but on Sundays you could sleep in until 11 o’clock. But I had to get up at 0800 to go to 9 o’clock mass, and with my loving to sleep in and hating to get up real early in the morning, this was a huge sacrifice for me.
 
MJPalomo said:
I am twenty years old and in college. The group of people I hang out with know that I take my religion very seriously to the point of where I will limit myself from other college activities because of what the good lord wants from us. For example I will not sleep with other girls on campus and I will not go out on Saturday nights because I have Church the next day. I learned the other day that a few of the people just think its an excuse being afraid to do things. They imply that I use being Catholic as a front because I am just afraid to do things, mainly cause things such as sex are human nature and its natural. I do not remember giving signs of being fake, I’ve always been for real with what I do by going to church and reading even quoting the bible in my everyday life. Just not sure what to think of all this. Help anyone? Just for the record its not all my friends, just like two of them.
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It really sounds more like they are acting phony. If they’re teachable, be assertive and call them on their rudeness, and if they shape up, fine, if not, I agree with others on this thread that you should probably find some more like-minded and supportive friends.

When I was your age it was difficult being at a secular college - although my friends weren’t so much into partying, but both my friends and the faculty at times would put down my Catholic Faith. This led to a lot of stress and inner tension for me, which was not healthy. Even now, some 25-plus years later, I find that I can only have a few friends who are too opposite of my beliefs. And even with them I sometimes have to set limits on what is open for discussion and what’s not.

[SIGN]Good Luck![/SIGN]
 
Acting like you’re afraid is an old method by people who want to tempt, pressure or manipulate you into doing something they want you to do. Another favourite is shame. Trying to make you feel shame if you don’t do what they do. Recognise temptation for what it is and it may become easier.

For the record, you have huge respect at least from me here and I’m sure almost everybody else too for firstly having the courage to put God first and secondly having the courage to stand up for that choice.
 
Just be confident in who you are and ignore their comments. If you don’t make an issue of your choices, then they’ll probably get bored with bringing them up.
 
MJPalomo said:
I am twenty years old and in college. The group of people I hang out with know that I take my religion very seriously to the point of where I will limit myself from other college activities because of what the good lord wants from us. For example I will not sleep with other girls on campus and I will not go out on Saturday nights because I have Church the next day. I learned the other day that a few of the people just think its an excuse being afraid to do things. They imply that I use being Catholic as a front because I am just afraid to do things, mainly cause things such as sex are human nature and its natural. I do not remember giving signs of being fake, I’ve always been for real with what I do by going to church and reading even quoting the bible in my everyday life. Just not sure what to think of all this. Help anyone? Just for the record its not all my friends, just like two of them.
Click to expand...
Their will always be a reason for the world to see you as different, because you are, your a Child of God adopted through Baptism. You should be afraid to sleep around, those kind of people always end up in trouble and would follow someone off of a cliff if their friends started doing it! Take your joy in this! You are a Child of God!!!
 
BlueEyedLady said:
Get new friends.

Seriously, one of my best friends in college was a devout Mormon. Not only did she not drink or have sex, she didn’t watch any ‘R’ rated movie, she didn’t watch anything PG-13 if it had sexual content, and she didn’t drink coffee or tea. Also, she went to church twice a week, once for church, and once for the young singles group.

The rest of us were pretty liberal, partied a fair bit, and never went to church. And she was never mocked. In fact, we went out of our way to be supportive. If there was going to be a party we always picked up Sprite and Grenadine for Shirley Temples for her. On movie nights we always made sure that the first movie was acceptable for her, and then if she wanted she could duck out of the second.

Get better friends.
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This says it all! 👍
 
I would ignore the comments and don’t defend yourself. If they ask and then you give them a reason, and then they use your reply to mock you more, you have “tested the spirit,” so-to-speak, and you know to keep quiet the next time or else they are getting more ammo.

I have experience with bullies and I have bullied myself (realized this in recovery program) that’s how I know how it works.

Lily
 
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