Friend Falling Away

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ChristRocket

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I have a good friend who began living with me and my family about a year ago and has recently moved out.

During his time with me, I watched his testimony of Christ go up and down - his struggle of faith faltered at times and at other times it would come back strong. He would comment on covering his tatoo of a cross with something else and at other times comment on how he was going to add to the cross with more Christ-based themed tatoos.

He was never Catholic, but grew up Pentacostal. He had a bad experience as a child with his preacher but had for the most part kept his faith throughout the years. In this last year, he has become wrapped up with Flavian conspiracy theories that lean towards Christianity being a made up religion to quell the Jewish uprisings (which makes little logical sense to me) and all of the scholarship that questions Christ’s existence. He’s struggled with this - whether or not he was to believe that Christ was a made up fantasy or not.

Moreso than anything, he’s become wrapped up in all of the literature on the “Atrocities” committed by Christianity and this has aided in his falling away from Christ.

At one point, he started attending Mass with me and I believe that he was having a conversion towards Catholicism - but he fought against it. And he now has officially “given the bird” to Christianity and refuses to accept it anymore. He’s covering his tatoo on his arm with a Pagan God and he left his Bible with his name engraved on it at my house.

I’ve literally watched him cry about struggling with his faith to yelling about how he doesn’t need Christ and back and forth to it finally coming to this…

I think that my biggest regret is not being able to be a great enough witness of Christ to prevent this from happening. I feel at fault for this travesty. And… when I told him that I was sorry for his loss of faith, his response was just this… “and this is why I’m leaving Christianity behind, the complex of superiority, why would you be sorry unless you are judging me as having less than you? Consiquently you are putting yourself above me due to your faith by being sorry for me.”

I’m sorry for the long story, but it’s a sad moment for me and a loss. Thanks to anyone who took the time to read it.

Any advice on how to handle the situation, would be appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless.
 
Is your friend emotionally driven in his personal and work life? If so, and it’s as erratic and uncontrolled as this, he may be bipolar. Also, your friend’s age may be a factor.
 
Pray for him daily. Don’t feel guilty, it is not about you.
 
I see this as possibly a positive.

First of all your friend really struggled with Faith and religion. That is a good sign I think. So many barely think it is worth any effort at all.

Secondly, I think you provided an excellent witness and should not accuse yourself for his loss of Faith.

I would remember the prayer of Jesus on the Cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Pray that the Holy Spirit will help him overcome the difficulty that he is having with Faith right now, with the understanding that you are available, if there is anything you can do to help him.
 
AmbroseSJ said:
I see this as possibly a positive.

First of all your friend really struggled with Faith and religion. That is a good sign I think. So many barely think it is worth any effort at all.

Secondly, I think you provided an excellent witness and should not accuse yourself for his loss of Faith.

I would remember the prayer of Jesus on the Cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Pray that the Holy Spirit will help him overcome the difficulty that he is having with Faith right now, with the understanding that you are available, if there is anything you can do to help him.
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This is a really good point. While obviously we want him to be a Christian, we can at least be glad that he cares about the idea of God in the first place; it’s the route Augustine took!

Secondly, remember that faith is a gift from God. Don’t pray that you or anyone else might convert your friend, or hold yourself responsible if it doesn’t happen; pray that God may give him the free gift of faith which only He can give.

Well done for all your effort, though!
 
I agree with the other posters!! Keep him in prayer - if you know of Prayer chains in your church or others share it with them (not necessarily using his name) God will know of whom they are praying. Keep his Bible handy…he will probably come back for it.

As another poster stated, this is God’s work that is happening in him - don’t take it personal at all…just be the good friend that you are and support him (in prayer) now and be ready to support him when he comes back.

Father in heaven, we bring before you this young person’s friend - being pulled by those of the underworld. We ask you, thru your Son Jesus’ blood to send your holy angels to surround him, protect him, fight for him so that he can find peace in your loving arms. We ask this in your Son’s precious name,

Amen!
 
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