Have any of you been able to maintain a close friendship with anyone who is still actively a part of your former religion/church?
I keep in touch. We never became friends because of religion, we're not going to stop being friends because of religion.
I have been an atheist almost all of my life, save for a few brief periods where I really wanted to believe.
Virtually every person I know, except for my dad who passed away a couple of years ago, and my daughter, are believers.
If I did not cherish and nurture those relationships, I would have nobody.
I am open and direct about being an atheist. Almost all of my relationships respect my views and we simply don’t talk religion. Occasionally it comes up in terms of their own beliefs as they tell a story, but I have Only had two or three experiences with discomfort in those conversations. One of my old friends, was very condescending when she told me how surprised she was there I research everything and put so much effort into finding answers, but I have never done that as it relates to god. She could not have been more wrong, and I was offended. That was about eight or nine years ago.
Living in a rural area, I would have no friends if I rejected Christians.
We don't discuss religion. They love me for who I am.
Absolutely! I have friends who are Christian. The Sikhs from India do not believe in the cast system and believe there is no such thing as one true religion. They believe in equality, and are only 500 years old as a religion if you want to call it a religion. They also carry a sword in a sheath in front of their waist eventhough they are peaceful. I find them very interesting
Nope! Too many of them was convinced I was the devil and was doing his work to turn as many people away from god.
I am friends with limited church people. Most of them even today think that god will bring me back to something I have proven to myself does not exist. Gods and holy books are imaginary.
I never grew up in any religious community but i have lots of religious friends not just Christian! I'm happy my friends have there beliefs and i'm happy they listen to me when we don't agree. I have helped many friends at certain religious gatherings and excuse myself when needed as not to offend anyone.
Yes a Gay Atheist Socialist and a Muslim can be friends and he looks good in his taqiyah
Yeah not people I hang out with much outside of necessity but my sister and work friends are all still religious. A few friends from high school and college are probably still christian but quite liberal about it. As long as they aren’t the super judgy fundamentalist type I couldn’t care less.
Only my family, my friends, my work colleagues and the wider community...not much choice really..
I steer clear of religious nuts..self righteous Christians..and happily challenge the preaching ones that call to the door..or approach me in the street...
Yep....we don’t talk about religion. I’m the only atheist in my large group of longtime friends.
I have a number of good friends who are very deeply religous, mostly christians, but none from when I was. I gave up a belief in a god when I was about 12 years old though and am now nearly 40, so...
I am a Satanist now, which is an atheistic religion. So funny story, ran into a guy I know who is very involved in anti-poverty worth through a religous organization, very Christian man. I was wearing my Satanic temple shirt. Sat down on the bus, then when I was about to get off I noticed him, I made the joke "just didn't wanna be seen with me eh?" to which he replied. " not at all true, hell, I'll even stand beside you in your Satanic Temple shirt."
My best friend and her family is an evangelical Christian. She is well aware of my atheism. We respect each other and find other things to talk about. In fact, I get along with her and her family better than I do my own sister (sister keeps trying to convert me).
Yes. The majority of my extended family are practicing Christians to some degree. We all get along just fine. Religious beliefs in others doesn't trouble me.
My dearest and oldest friends are the type of Xians that "walk the talk" - they volunteer at the food pantry, drive housebound people to the bank, etc. They accept for who I am and I love them to pieces for who they are. I maintain a respectful silence when they pray over dinner, and they don't ask me to participate. We have a respect for each other. I know this is often not the norm, but I have been friends with them for well over 30 years.
I respect peoples beliefs and admire them if they practice what they espouse. I don't like Hippocrates.