Does religion affect your friendship?

[geometer]

Well, I am not a confirmed member of any church. I trust God and do pray. I have never had many friends. My best friend of 40 years is an atheist. He is a very likeable person, but does not seek God.

He never mentions God, but he will make fun of religious people from time to time. On one occasion he invited some Jehovahs Witnesses into his house and listened to them talk about their beliefs. And then he told them, that he had listened to them so now he would like them to listen to him.

So he made up this big story that he was a Satan worshiper, and there were people in his back yard who are preparing to sacrifice a goat. He told them that they were welcome to participate in the cerimony.

He really terrifed them, he said they bolted out of the house.

But, anyway I do pray for my friend from time to time, and God has helped him. He has said that he appreciated that I had prayed for him, but he credits me for the outcome rather than God.

 

[cthulhubryan]

One of my best friends from college is Jewish. And aside from the occasional screams of “Die Christian” when he sees me there is not problem. I cannot return the call of “Die Jewboy” as I did in the dormitory as that could get me arrested these days.

To this day I still cannot read Hebrew, but I would still recognize a “Warning Minefield” sign in Hebrew from the one he had on his wall.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I have many acquaintances who are not Christians. I never discuss my faith with them unless they ask. As for friends, I have Catholic friends that I share my faith with and that makes it possible to bond on a certain level. With other friends I bring up faith but don’t discuss it indepth unless they want to. When they say things about religion that I find offensive I let them know. So faith is not an issue because it is not really addressed.

But to be honest, I find it all difficult because I am the one that adapts to circumstances most of the time. Lately I’ve found myself growing stronger in faith and feel the need to know people with same beliefs (Hello Catholic Forum )

 

[rtconstant]

It does affect relationships. Mostly mine have been with family. They don’t approve at all. They do still support me in all other aspects of life, but we can’t talk about religion. Just telling them I’ve been to Church creates a moment of tension. I think part of it is that their evangelical assumptions just make things problematic. Anyway, I now tend to avoid the subject around them, so as not to give them reason to make jabs. But instead they take that to mean I’m unsure about my faith. But when I do engage them about it, its massive explosion.

Friends wise it hasn’t been a major issue, other than the fact that we have totally different world views.

 

[Publisher]

My faith has affected a few acquaintences…but not true friendships. After 9-11 particularly I received some flack. I refused to fly a flag and had some less than nice comments stated by neighbors…even though they knew I was a Quaker.

When I visited a worship service with a Baptist friend of mine, I didn’t sing the National Anthem nor recite the Pledge of Alligence during their meeting for worship. We had recently become acquainted at my place of employment and he was persistant in inviting me to his church service. I agreed IF he came to Meeting one First Day with me.

We remained cordial…but he avoided me after the incident. He eventually left for a new job.

 

[kalt]

My faith has affected a few acquaintences…but not true friendships. After 9-11 particularly I received some flack. I refused to fly a flag and had some less than nice comments stated by neighbors…even though they knew I was a Quaker.

When I visited a worship service with a Baptist friend of mine, I didn’t sing the National Anthem nor recite the Pledge of Alligence during their meeting for worship. We had recently become acquainted at my place of employment and he was persistant in inviting me to his church service. I agreed IF he came to Meeting one First Day with me.

We remained cordial…but he avoided me after the incident. He eventually left for a new job.

What’s the reasoning behind not flying flags or singing the anthem? I’m asking that in the negative, for lack of a better way to ask. Asking it this way probably sounds like a challenge and criticism (Why won’t you…), but I’m really just interested.

 

[lil_flower_luv]

I have only this advice - Think it. Don’t say it.

You don’t have to say aloud every thing that comes into your head. God can be your life without annoying and losing your very good, long-time friend.

Well, maybe I have more advice. Call her and make plans for lunch, telling her that you realize you’ve been making her uncomfortable. Promise that you won’t bring up your religion at all during your lunch together.

Thank you for that first advice. I have such hurt that she can’t share what I have. I think it was only this past year that I started taking my faith seriously and maybe she saw this change and felt like I would start making her go to daily mass with me or something. I will try to plan a lunch date and bring up the distance we have had from eachother, because I don’t think religion is the whole reason. But thank you!

 

[Jerusha]

I don’t talk about religion unless they initiate the subject.

 

[Publisher]

What’s the reasoning behind not flying flags or singing the anthem? I’m asking that in the negative, for lack of a better way to ask. Asking it this way probably sounds like a challenge and criticism (Why won’t you…), but I’m really just interested.

Nothing is wrong…it is however an issue of conscience.

I embrace the Peace Testimony of Friends. “We deny all outward wars and strife and fighting with outward weapons for any end…neither for the Kingdom of Christ, nor for the kingdoms of this world.” I do not sing songs that glorify war. In the wake of 9-11 flying a flag carried with it a notion of “solidarity” and signified for me a call for violent retribution against those who attacked the WTC. As a matter of conscience I was not able to “Pledge allegience to the flag…” if such allegience signified my support or promotion of war.

For those who’s conscience called them to do so, it was between them and their Creator.

I did however participate in lighting a candle and placing it on my front porch with the rest of my neighborhood in recognition of and to remember those who died in 9-11…not only those in the towers…but those in the planes…both the innocent and the guilty as all were victims of hate and cruelty.

There was a time among Friends when those who chose to join the armed forces were “read out of meeting” (excommunicated)…but that is not our practice now as we came to accept others who also were people of conscience and felt led to go to war…we continued to “hold them in the Light” and remained their Friends and offered comfort and a place to heal if they returned to the Meeting.

 

[Prague]

I have a very dear LDS friend. Have know each other for almost 40 years. She is still trying to convert me, but here we still are. Great friends.

 

[GodIsGracious]

I seem to get along better with atheists. The ones I have met have a “live and let live” attitude so mostly if they find ou I’m Catholic (and usually the topic of religion is brought up by them first, not me) it’s an, “Oh, cool” response. We’ve been able to discuss our beliefs without threat too. Then we go on to other topics.

For some reason, non-Catholic christians … oi. Can’t go there.

 

[rev_kevin]

I’m sure people here have friends who are of different faiths, I’m just wondering if it affects your friendship? Years and years ago a good friend of mine was soon to be married in a Methodist church and our differing religions drove us barely apart.

If they are true friends your religion shouldn’t matter. If you feel that your different views will hurt your friendship then don’t discuss religion. Just say you have your beliefs and I have mine. I believe that everyone has the right to belong any religion they want. Or you can ask them do you believe in God, if the answer is yes then whats the problem. Tell them you have one way of worshiping God and I have another way. Its still the same God.
Why did your friend getting married in a Methodist church drive ya’ll apart? That sounds kind of childish to me. I don’t know who’s falt it was probably both of you blame eachother.
Did you disagree with him being married in a Methodist church? Did he not invite you because of your different religious views? I have friends of different religions and I don’t let it get in the way of our friendship for the reasons stated above. I’m of the board of trustees with other religions and we work together for a common need. Friends religion beliefs were never a problem for me. My son-in-law doesn’t believe in God, he’s a athiest. He has his views and I have mine. We respect eachothers views. He knows I’m a minister and he likes the way I preach beccause I bring different views into my preachings. My point is different religion views, if they believe in God or not shouldn’t be a barrer to your friendship. It didn’t change the way I feel about my son-in-law I still love him and hang around him. So the answer to your question is NO as far a I go.

 

[jean29]

Hasn’t affected my friendship with my non-Catholic friends.

One friend is a charismatic Fundamentalist, and when she found out I was becoming Catholic, she asked a few questions but that was it. Another friend is trying to find her way with a faith practice–she believes totally in Jesus but doesn’t know where she “belongs”, and we talk about our faith walks frequently; my Catholicity doesn’t bother her at all. I had friends who were Hindu, and it never bothered them, either.

sweet girl,
pray for your Hindu friend. Do you know anything about Hinduism?

God bless,
jean29

 

[StrawberryJam]

Not really. Sure, it has not always been easy. But, I think I did okay.

 

[butterflygirl12]

I have many friends who are prostant and one who is Evangical (sorry if I spellt that wrong). And one that is either Evangical or Pentecostal not sure which. But we all love eachother and support each other in our faith journeys. They actually encourage me to grow in my Catholic faith. Now with family sometimes its more difficult. I leave the Judging up to Jesus. In Chirst.

 

[a_cermak]

I have friends all over the map of the world’s religions. My best friend is a Hindu, my life partner is a non-believer, I’m a Jew, former Episcopalian before that Catholic… I’ve had fascinating conversations with a friend of mine who’s a Muslim. We’ve found, in fact, that our faiths are closer together in spirit and practice than is Judaism to Christianity.

Ironically, my Sister in law is far more comfortable with me being an entirely different faith than she was with me being a liberal Catholic. I guess she figured once I left the fold all together I became a non-combatant in the Catholic culture wars.

One of the things that turns me off is when people try to witness to me after I’ve told them I’m not interested (whether 15 minutes ago or last year–not interested is not interested). It’s a sign to me that my viewpoint is not respected.

 

[JustaServant]

I’m sure people here have friends who are of different faiths, I’m just wondering if it affects your friendship? Years and years ago a good friend of mine was soon to be married in a Methodist church and our differing religions drove us barely apart.

Quote from an old email from a pastor when he heard I reverted:

Jim and Helen, we will be your friends for friendship does not rest on church affilation but trust and relationships. **There no doubt will be some hinderences to fellowship **as we are certainly on different pages doctrinally.

 

[jean29]

Not sure about friendships but my wife and I’s faith ripped her family apart. The last thing her father said to her was that he thought she was worth fighting for and that he had lost her to a lie. They haven’t talked since.

Friends wise not really. I have moved around a lot so I have made and lost a lot of friends the last 3 years. Not because of religion but because of distance and difficulty keeping in touch.

God bless

roman_

I’m sorry to know that your faith has caused trouble within your family.
It is faith that draws christians together.

Jesus gave this command in Jn.13:34
"A new command I give you: “Love one another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another. verse 35. By this you will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
You may want to pass this onto your family members, with kindness and love.

God bless,
jean

 

[faith_seeker]

Well,once on the job I had a female coworker and a male who started ribbing her on the catholic faith saying it’s sin to do this and that .Blah blah and it went on .Another time in my childhood I had a baptist fiend I had a agreed to go to her church prior to this I had asked to attend a catholic service in the future in the time that I spent there I got the impersssion they were anti catholic .Once when were talking about heaven she said,'she was saved ’ and I I had told her about the catholic faith and tried to reason with her.That her faith was no more superior than mine .It left me with a bad taste now that I am thinking in more detail .We were close before but this left us distant.That’s about all the detail I am going to into on a public board.

 

[ZAKI]

no
i have hindu friends, christian friends, atheist friends and i even have one friend who is a sikh and another who is jewish. all their names i can imagine in my head and i am prepared to protect all of them and in one case i have. one time a group of racists beat up my sikh friend-so i got some of my friends, we owned them and i told them never to touch any of my friends for any reason again

wasalam