Can an Atheist and Christian Be Friends? (1 Viewer)

[Muddy Creek]

I think the friendship would have to include respect for the others' religious freedom to not have a religion. Without that, I don't see how preaching to a person could attain a friendship

 

[Quag]

This is inspired by a comment by Fluffyninja. So all props go to him.

I understand that this is a fairly easy question to answer at first. Of course they can. I have a few friends and we NEVER talk about faith. Faith isn't the basis of our friendship and I have no idea what their faith is. But I dig down and I really think about that question.

My closest friend that is "not Christian" was still raised on Judeo-Christian family values. He never really grew up in a religous home, but it was more because his dad was ALWAYS working and so was his mom. We have been close friends our entire life. The discussion of faith is not something we have ever really talked about. He is like a brother to me too. I am Christian for certain when it comes to my beliefs. All my other close friends are Christian though. My family. My girlfriend. All of them are Christian. So ask yourself? Could you REALLY be friends with someone that is atheist/Christian/Muslim/Jewish/Mormon/Hindu/etc? I don't mean aquantences or buddies. I mean true friends too. Could you do it?

I think I could. I think it still comes down to the human element. So I propose a second question:

Could you marry someone that is not of the same faith/lack of faith as you?

I can and I did

 

[ChrisL]

This is inspired by a comment by Fluffyninja. So all props go to him.

I understand that this is a fairly easy question to answer at first. Of course they can. I have a few friends and we NEVER talk about faith. Faith isn't the basis of our friendship and I have no idea what their faith is. But I dig down and I really think about that question.

My closest friend that is "not Christian" was still raised on Judeo-Christian family values. He never really grew up in a religous home, but it was more because his dad was ALWAYS working and so was his mom. We have been close friends our entire life. The discussion of faith is not something we have ever really talked about. He is like a brother to me too. I am Christian for certain when it comes to my beliefs. All my other close friends are Christian though. My family. My girlfriend. All of them are Christian. So ask yourself? Could you REALLY be friends with someone that is atheist/Christian/Muslim/Jewish/Mormon/Hindu/etc? I don't mean aquantences or buddies. I mean true friends too. Could you do it?

I think I could. I think it still comes down to the human element. So I propose a second question:

Could you marry someone that is not of the same faith/lack of faith as you?

I think I could, but of course it is all dependent on the personalities of the two involved and, as others have stated, obviously it would never work out if one or both were fundamentalists. Many people refer to their religious doctrines as a matter of ethics and morals on how to live but are not necessarily sticklers to the basic fundamentals of the religion, so yeah I think it could definitely work for those whose beliefs fall more in with mainstream modern views.

 

[WcBeasley]

This is inspired by a comment by Fluffyninja. So all props go to him.

I understand that this is a fairly easy question to answer at first. Of course they can. I have a few friends and we NEVER talk about faith. Faith isn't the basis of our friendship and I have no idea what their faith is. But I dig down and I really think about that question.

My closest friend that is "not Christian" was still raised on Judeo-Christian family values. He never really grew up in a religous home, but it was more because his dad was ALWAYS working and so was his mom. We have been close friends our entire life. The discussion of faith is not something we have ever really talked about. He is like a brother to me too. I am Christian for certain when it comes to my beliefs. All my other close friends are Christian though. My family. My girlfriend. All of them are Christian. So ask yourself? Could you REALLY be friends with someone that is atheist/Christian/Muslim/Jewish/Mormon/Hindu/etc? I don't mean aquantences or buddies. I mean true friends too. Could you do it?

I think I could. I think it still comes down to the human element. So I propose a second question:

Could you marry someone that is not of the same faith/lack of faith as you?

Could I be friends with someone not of my faith or lack thereof? Absolutely. I am an Agnostic and one of my best friends in this world is a Muslim from Kuwait. I hav other friends who are devoutly Christian and we all will sit and discuss are faith or lack on a regular basis. We don't AGREE but we do respect each other and help one another all the time. My Wife happens to be Wiccan, formerly a baptist. We don't agree on faith and deities but we debate the subject all the time. I love her regardless and she I. Friendship and love doesn't have to have ANYTHING to do with religion. People are people and at the core we are all the same.

 

[joko104]

I am married to an only-child Methodist minister's daughter of a large conservative congregation. She is very churchy. Singing in the choir. Teachs K-1 Sunday school. Works in the nursery. Attends Bible studies. Wears a little gold cross around her neck. However, she despises "fundamentalists" and has really lit into them very pro-actively in the past when they tried to mess with her life.

I'm not a Christian. My life history was of vices, a totally redlight world, life style and values. She does not attempt to convert me. I do not try to dissuade her and admire her devotion to practicing the religion of her heritage - which is how she sees it - actions by her in reverence of her family heritage. She admires my lack of a sense of restrictions. She was the first and only truly decent person I've ever met in my life and I changed my whole life for it - not that I'm all the decent now nor did I convert or anything like that. And she came quite a bit my way too because that is what she wanted to evolve to also.

She walks me into decency gently when I wish to go that direction and I gently walk her thru sin when she wishes to go there too. In the ship of our relationship, she is the anchor and I am the sails. Anyone who knows of sailing knows it takes both. Without an anchor, it is inevitable you will end up doomed on the rocks. Without a sail, you will never go anywhere. For us, it works. Extraordinary, sometimes bizarrely and life is an envolving journey and exploration for us both.

A union of heaven and hell can offer both things and options in life neither otherwise ever would know or have. Very infatuating.

Some of the finest people I've ever known are Christian. Yet there is a lot I don't share in common with them. I share her contempt for hell-and-brimstone fundamentalists.

There is a small sign (literally) in our house stating discussing religion is not allowed in our home.

 

[zgoldsmith23]

Yeah thats not empathy. If everything you said here is true I feel bad for you.

Ok - why's that? :roll:

 

[digsbe]

Of course they can. In fact, those who I consider to be my closest friends on DP are mainly atheists/agnostics (I am a Christian btw).

 

[cpwill]

Ill tell the church and all thier hierarchy that cpwill said that are wrong. LMAO

lol you're going to have to get lmao in line lol because lmbo quite a lot of people lol are telling them that lol, in particular not a few other churches lol :roll:

and you right it doesnt change YOUR point, because they are still married and my OP still stands, YOUR point is meaningless and has no impact just like the first time you posted it.

:shrug: your point is meaningless - it's tautological.

Obviously it's yours too. Not to mention Paul's opinion.

It is New Testament Scripture which, like all Christians, I am rightfully bound to.

 

[AGENT J]

lol you're going to have to get lmao in line lol because lmbo quite a lot of people lol are telling them that lol, in particular not a few other churches lol :roll:



:shrug: your point is meaningless - it's tautological.



It is New Testament Scripture which, like all Christians, I am rightfully bound to.

weird, another post by you and lets go over the facts

- my original post still stands 100%
- they are still married
- the church and hierarchy doesn't care about your opinion
- the church and its hierarchy are Christians

:shrug: oh well

please though, continue to cry about it or feel free to actually say ANYTHING at all anything FACTUAL that impacts my OP? so far you have offered nothing LOL
but please continue to cry about it

are you suggesting that the church and all its hierarchy aren't christians?

 

[spanky]

Frak buddies only.

 

[maquiscat]

lol you're going to have to get lmao in line lol because lmbo quite a lot of people lol are telling them that lol, in particular not a few other churches lol :roll:

OMG! cpwill is Joe Bidden!

It is New Testament Scripture which, like all Christians, I am rightfully bound to.

By your interpretation. I can certainly make the argument, via New Testament scripture, that polygamy is still quite legit for all Christians save the church leaders. I've no doubt that your interpretation is different as are many of the churches'.

 

[cpwill]

OMG! cpwill is Joe Bidden!

:shrug: it's just annoying.

By your interpretation. I can certainly make the argument, via New Testament scripture, that polygamy is still quite legit for all Christians save the church leaders. I've no doubt that your interpretation is different as are many of the churches'.

You are mistaking an injunction against divorce with an injunction against polygamy.

 

[MadLib]

1. Was the term RABID Christian really necessary? We aren't normally associated with rabies you know... that's more of a raccoon, fox and possum type of thing...

Yeah, it's the same thing with "militant" atheists. Do atheists really blow up churches and kill anyone who contradicts reason? I think the revolutionaries in France were the last people to do that :lol:

 

[Ikari]

Yeah, it's the same thing with "militant" atheists. Do atheists really blow up churches and kill anyone who contradicts reason? I think the revolutionaries in France were the last people to do that :lol:

Lots of people like to say "militant" atheists, but many of those people would pitch a fit if you used the same term in regards to theists. And many they label "militant atheists" aren't even close. They're just pissed off and voicing their grievances. Which for some reason is a big deal if atheists do so for some reason I haven't entirely figured out.

 

[MadLib]

Lots of people like to say "militant" atheists, but many of those people would pitch a fit if you used the same term in regards to theists. And many they label "militant atheists" aren't even close. They're just pissed off and voicing their grievances. Which for some reason is a big deal if atheists do so for some reason I haven't entirely figured out.

I can understand some dislike of atheists. A lot of them are arrogant and condescending towards religious people. For some people, I think, being an atheist is just a cover to call most of the people on the planet stupid. However, that doesn't mean that religious people aren't arrogant as well. Atheists tend to be arrogant in an "I'm smarter than you" way, and theists are more "I'm more moral than you and you're going to burn in hell."

I do agree there is a double standard there as well.

 

[maquiscat]

I can understand some dislike of atheists. A lot of them are arrogant and condescending towards religious people. For some people, I think, being an atheist is just a cover to call most of the people on the planet stupid. However, that doesn't mean that religious people aren't arrogant as well. Atheists tend to be arrogant in an "I'm smarter than you" way, and theists are more "I'm more moral than you and you're going to burn in hell."

I do agree there is a double standard there as well.

It can be viewed from either direction. The atheist is saying "Why are you upset at me when all I am doing is spreading my 'word' just like you are?" and the theist is saying "Why are you upset when I am opposing what you are saying just like you're doing to me?"

I'm not sure about any "militant" atheists, but I have certainly see plenty of "evangelical" atheists in my day. I call them that because they "preach" the lack of any deity as vehemently as Jim Baker ever did.

You are mistaking an injunction against divorce with an injunction against polygamy.

I am unaware of any injunction in the NT against polygamy.

 

[Ikari]

I'm not sure about any "militant" atheists, but I have certainly see plenty of "evangelical" atheists in my day. I call them that because they "preach" the lack of any deity as vehemently as Jim Baker ever did.

The real problem with "militant atheist" is that it has become a completely misused word. There are more than a few people who seem to want to classify as many atheists as possible as "militant", but in doing so they've essentially made the term useless. They'll label you as militant less you sit there and keep your mouth shut...so speaking up seems to be enough to draw the militant term from a few less than intelligent individuals. However, the term is proper and I think it does describe a segment of the atheist population. That being, those who continually push to remove religion expression and tread upon our right to religious freedom. They do exist, they are not high number, but they are very loud. There are a greater number of "evangelical" atheists, particularly as it is becoming more and more socially acceptable to be an atheist. Not there yet, but been getting better. I think these signs, the emergence of these "militant" and "evangelical" atheists is just demonstrating how atheism is finally becoming not quite the socially devastating thing it once was.

 

[DashingAmerican]

This is inspired by a comment by Fluffyninja. So all props go to him.

I understand that this is a fairly easy question to answer at first. Of course they can. I have a few friends and we NEVER talk about faith. Faith isn't the basis of our friendship and I have no idea what their faith is. But I dig down and I really think about that question.

My closest friend that is "not Christian" was still raised on Judeo-Christian family values. He never really grew up in a religous home, but it was more because his dad was ALWAYS working and so was his mom. We have been close friends our entire life. The discussion of faith is not something we have ever really talked about. He is like a brother to me too. I am Christian for certain when it comes to my beliefs. All my other close friends are Christian though. My family. My girlfriend. All of them are Christian. So ask yourself? Could you REALLY be friends with someone that is atheist/Christian/Muslim/Jewish/Mormon/Hindu/etc? I don't mean aquantences or buddies. I mean true friends too. Could you do it?

I think I could. I think it still comes down to the human element. So I propose a second question:

Could you marry someone that is not of the same faith/lack of faith as you?

I'm agnostic and my closest friend is a christian. Closest friend for 4 years. So is another good friend of mine whom I've known for 10 years.

 

[Anrch-Cptlst]

I'm an atheist, and one of my closest friends is a christian. We get along great. Never talk about religion though lol.

 

[DashingAmerican]

I'm an atheist, and one of my closest friends is a christian. We get along great. Never talk about religion though lol.

We talk about religion all the time and only once have fought about it.

 

[Ryan25]

I am going to say yes but not speak for all Christians because my views likely differ from many other of my faith. But i haven't ever let someones religious belief come in the way of friendship. I worked with a guy on a overnight stock job that was gay. While as a christian i didn't believe that to be right we carried on and worked together like everyone else. The same applies here, if someone is against my religion or religion in general i simply wont speak to them on the matter in a way that would create controversy.

I have said it in another post on the board, confidence is important when making an opinion known. But so is respect and if you don't respect others opinions that has nothing to do with a religious stance but rather just a lack of respect and open mindedness.

 

[Ryan25]

I'm an atheist, and one of my closest friends is a christian. We get along great. Never talk about religion though lol.

This is exactly what i said in my post and couldn't agree with you more. I am christian and anyone who has ever made it apparent to me that they are atheist i have never once challenged that opinion or expected them to change there views. People are going to think what they want to think and they either debate it respectfully or don't bring it up.