Difficulty in Friendship

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Hello,

I would like to get some advice about a difficult time I’m having regarding friends. I’m trying to follow what God teaches us and I’ve praying to the Holy Spirit to be guided as what’s the right thing to do.

I have some friends that I hang out with. Frequently I encounter myself hearing jokes that are judgmental or discriminatory toward other people or political jokes. Once in a while I’d try to change the topic or ask them not to say that kind of stuff but often I don’t and then at home I regret that I should have done something different, which then leads me to being upset to them and not in peace.

I’ve told them about God and Jesus and have ask them if they want to come to Church but I’ve been rejected several times, to the point that one of them got even upset, perhaps I was too pushy. Since then I’ve trying not say anything else about religion. I just feel each time I hang out with them I feel bad later on, I don’t know if it’s the age difference as I’m 8-9 years older than them (I’m 35).

Often I wonder if God has put me there to help them change or if it’s better I stop going out with them or perhaps less often.

Thanks for any advice you may have.
 
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If you have tried to ask them to stop, and invited them to church and they declined, I think that is your answer. They have no desire to stop. So are you willing to put up with it, or will you look to cultivate some new friends? The age difference could be the problem especially if you are in your teens or early 20s. I don’t know how old you are, but throughout our lives, we outgrow friends, or our interests change, or friends move on. We just need to move forward and find new friends with similar interests and values.
 
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First thing, political jokes are not necessarily sinful. God does have a sense of humor and I am sure he laughs at jokes about the OTHER party.

When jokes become cruel, that is a different thing. It sounds as if your friends are in some sort of arrested adolescence.

Cultivate some new friends, reach out to your fellow Catholics.
 
If you feel bad after being with your friends, that may be a sign that they’re not good friends for you. Friends should make you feel good, warm and happy.
I recommend that you find some friends in the church. Ask someone out for coffee, perhaps another single person.
You can also continue to visit with them, without mentioning your faith, but not laughing at racist jokes or gossip. You will get a reputation as a puritan or prude, which is okay. That’s what I have.
24 year olds are in a much different stage of life than 35 year olds. Perhaps it would be better to find friends your age.
 
Lots of people find political jokes or “edgy” jokes funny. There’s nothing (necessarily) wrong with that sort of humor.

If your goal is to try to convert these people, it’d probably be better not to try to constantly try to correct their humor. That’s not likely to do anything but annoy them.
 
well… not knowing what the jokes are, I can’t say if it is a sin or not. But I can say that when you are on a different wavelenght, there is nothing more boring than watching someone laugh at something you find dull at best.

It is up to you. If it is a once and a while joke, let it go. If it is all the time, sounds like you be happier doing something else
 
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