I have a friend, who I bowl with. He often tries to convert me to Christianity. Today, he sent me a video about a bible quote narrated by Mike Huckabee. He told me to "take a good look at this, and consider what it means" in my life. When I told him I told him what I thought, he called me closed minded. I told him that if he's so concerned with people being open minded, he must at least consider the idea that HE is wrong. Otherwise he's just as closed minded as he says I am. He didn't respond, but instead proceeds, for some reason, to talk about how there are many atrocities committed in the world, "but none by Christians"...
I'm tired of being nice. But I bowl with him every week. I don't want a bad relationship with anyone, certainly not a team mate. I'll probably change leagues after this, but the season doesn't end until June. I also work at that bowling alley as the bowling league coordinator, so I will continue working with him, in some capacity, and I don't want to do anything to anger my corporate overlords.
I've tried to explain to him the issues I have with, not just his religion, but religion in general. And I've asked him to just not try to convert me. I'll respect his right to believe what he wants, if he respects my right not to.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Is not a friend...he doesn't respect your way of thinking... I """remove myself """ from toxic people.
I wonder if you were to avoid engaging in religious conversation, would he then drop it? I suspect that as long as you engage in any reasonable way, he sees an opening, and so keeps trying. So whenever he brings it up, just say "I don't want to talk about it" or shrug it off. Just shut down the convo from the start, even if it means an awkward silence then follows. If the silence bothers you, then be ready with a non-religious topic and change the topic right away.
All he's done is to redefine the term Christian as good. So the huge numbers of Christians who have and still are doing evil are not true Christians (see the True Scotsman fallacy).
Most likely to avoid huge numbers of Buddhists, Jainists and others including witches (how many witches killed Christians v Christians killed witches and other Christians) he will also add that as well as never doing harm the True Christians (copyright) claim Jesus is their Lord and savior.
It's still the True Scotsman fallacy. Christianity is made of factual and logical fallacies.