Oh, bullshit. I’ve had plenty of friends with whom I disagreed about a great many things. Sure, there’s lots of commonalities, but we don’t have to agree about every damn thing.
Ah, but I don’t have a problem with religious people. Sure, I may not agree with them, but I have never tried to force my views on them and I certainly wouldn’t end a friendship just because I found out a person went to church every Sunday. My post expressed my opinion, but it’s fine by me if others disagree.
I like to think of it as “apatheism” - the conviction that there are far more important things to care about than who believes what.
I may be wrong, but it sounds like there might be a little more to this than meets the eye; perhaps your friend has recently come under some sort of special pressure from her church to ‘win souls’ or some other ‘issue’. Doesn’t excuse what she did though.
Although I’m a believer myself, I really don’t understand why some people think it is OK or even a little bit helpful to try to force someone to believe; quite apart from the social stupidity of it, it doesn’t make any sense from the freewill issue of faith either.
Discussion and argument is fine, even sometimes fun, but forcing the issue like that is just silly and immature; don’t worry about it.
I haven’t posted much recently because a very dear friend has been staying with me for the past few weeks. He’s a Wiccan. I am a devout, church-going Episcopalian (by the way, Colophon, please excuse me while I peer out from between the bristles of the brush you’ve painted me with). One of the things both of us value most about our friendship is the discussions we have about theology and related topics including ethics. I freely admit that I am a better and stronger Christian because of this friendshp and the discussions that we’ve had. Flamingbananas, I’m sorry your friend didn’t see what she was missing.
On the other hand, it’s been a long time since I was a teenager, and my beliefs are pretty solid. I also can’t tell you how many times my friend and I said, “Now, I’m not trying to convert you.” in the early stages of our friendship. We wanted to make absolutely sure that the other person knew that telling them what we believed and why was not an attempt at conversion, but explanation. Maybe Flamingbananas friend is worried that Flamingbananas will try to damage her faith. Maybe she’s been told that non-Christians cannot be good people and she doesn’t want to deal with finding out that may not be true. When I was more on a Christian message board, I read posts from people who sincerely believed that Christians should not associate with non-Christians. It’s obviously not a position I agree with but it exists, and perhaps it’s one of Flamingbananas’ friends’ church’s teachings. Whatever the reason, losing the friendship does suck, and I’m sorry it happened. On the other hand, I agree that you’re better off finding that out now.
By the way, that friend I mentioned in the first paragraph is coming to the Central PA Dopefest, so with him, me, Polycarp, Iampunha, Triskademus, norinew etc. coming, I expect there’s going to be a good discussion of theology, not that I’m trying to lure anyone into changing their minds about joining us. cough gobear cough 
CJ
So, Milum, you moronic chickenshit full of pubescent confusion, how come you’re still posting here? Didn’t you “grow tired of tiny house dogs nipping at your heels”?
You’re beyond pathetic.
Hey ** Priceguy**, good to hear from you, goodbuddy! Where in the world have you been hanging?
Me? I’ll go anywhere to help someone who needs to hear the truth and not a sring of pacifying words with no substance. Even to depths of this vile pit full of small town jerks and fools.
Lel’s do lunch.
Milum, you are not helping anybody here, unless you just want to offer proof of what a jerk you are.
Hahahaha… that’s hilarious Milum. I think you guys are taking him too seriously.
No, I think cows are more agnostic than anything else. Dogs, OTOH, are theists.
Milum, you crack me up.
Robin
You’ve made me see the light. From now on, all my posts will be positive.
I’m positive you’re a schmuck.
I can kind of see where the girl is coming from. If someone starts spouting off half-baked theories when I meet them then I’m going to be cautious about investing a lot into the relationship. I consider myself to be pretty tolerant, but there are some beliefs that will cause me to evaluate my relationship with people that I’ve known for a few weeks too. This girl just has a different threshold for what she’s willing to accept.
I’m a dyslexic agnostic. I’m not sure dogs exist.
You guys are talking about “cults” and I’m not part of one. I just don’t believe in any God, therefore I label myself as an Atheist. Religion is not a part of my life what so ever, and I will not talk about my “religious faith” unless another forces upon the subject.
BTW, I was reading Salem’s Lot the other day, and pretty much, you have to be Catholic to be protected from vampires. What about me?
I also have disagreements about a variety of topics with many of my friends and loved ones. Keeping that in mind there are certain traits I would not tolerate in someone I would call a friend.
Marc
Likewise, so lighten up on the rhetoric…your generalized view of religious folk is skewed. I have never cracked on anyone for any religious or non-religious views that they may have, but have no problem discussing each other’s views if there is a mutual agreement to do so.
Right here.
I can’t wait for you to grow up and realize these words you wrote in your adolescence won’t ever go away.
Priceguy:* I can’t wait for you to grow up and realize
these words you wrote in your adolescence won’t ever go away.*
Hey Priceguy, good news, you want have to wait, this is your lucky day.
I am 35 years old and in the 23 grade.
The reason you thought I was young is because I like to hang around with
young folks so I can always be the brightest bulb in a dim batch.
I do pray to high Heaven that the words that I wrote in my
adolesence went away.
Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t.
So my advise to you, Priceguy, is to watch what you write.
Later Dude.
I’m sure there are many voluntary community programs where you can feel incredibly gifted compared to those around you.
Milum, you are a constant source of amusement. Really. I mean, even a 40-watt bulb is brighter than a 25-watt bulb.
Asshole.
Robin
“Sadness” is a better word. I mean, if the guy is really 35… he needs some serious help.