Lots of overtly religious messages from colleague. WWYD?

[riverrune]

I work freelance and go to lots of industry networking events as part of that. A few weeks ago I ran into a very old colleague who I’d always got on well with and had wondered what had happened to over the years. We swapped details, and I was glad to have reconnected with them.
They’ve clearly found religion in the intervening years, and now I’m regularly getting messages about God (not personalised, I’m assuming the messages are going out to everyone in their contact book). It’s really awkward, I’m glad for them, but I really don’t want to receive this stuff and it feels inappropriate. I work in a small, freelance industry and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but this is making me really uncomfortable. What would you do?

Is it on WhatsApp? Then I'd mute her.

“Hello X, could you delete me from the religious message list please? Not my thing. Thanks :)”

Is it really that hard just to ignore them?

"As an atheist/humanist/heathan/pagan (take your pick) I find your religious messages offensive. Do not send any more."

Someone who lives near me turns every passing conversation into a god fest so I ignore or cross the road. "Nice day, isn't it?" "Yes, we are so blessed by God that he has sent us the sunshine."

I sometimes think it is a form of mental illness.

This.

I just mute anyone who does this - same as those that start selling MLM products and decide they need to message you every day to buy.

There is a (perfectly nice) parent on DS’s class WhatsApp who has as her contact name something like ‘The Lord Provides’ (altered so as not to be outing). Which is particularly odd when talking about lost PE kit…

If they are email just ignore and delete.

Such things are irritating but not that big a deal.

There’s a LOT of them, and it’s all mixed in with regular work stuff…

Why can't you be direct and just say that you are pleased to hear from them but don't want any religious messages?

This is perfect @TiptoeTess, thank you!

Unless they're homophobic, antisemitic, abusive to single mothers or otherwise offensive I'd ignore. This is probably something she believes she's required to do, like prayers, or wearing specific clothing.

Quit the godspam. Thank you.

I would just follow that up with isn't it a shame about the flooding…

I’d be pretty blunt in these circumstances. These people never give up trying to “spread the word”. I had to end a friendship over it - repeatedly telling her that I didn’t believe in God and didn’t want to have to justify it didn’t stop her.

Maybe you might get lucky and she’ll actually respect that you don’t share her beliefs. You’ll never know if you just keep hoping she’ll stop of her own accord (spoiler alert: she won’t).

Another vote for this. And if needed, rinse and repeat after every single message.

If you want/need to stay in contact with her because of work then I would just ask her politely to stop sending the religious stuff as you aren't interested in it.
If you don't need her as a work contact then I'd just block her.
It's really annoying.
I don't understand what they think they are achieving sending stuff like this out, or plastering facebook with God stuff. People who already believe aren't going to be influenced by it because they already believe and many will find it annoying. And those who don't believe aren't going to be swayed by a load of memes and quotes and shit and are more likely to just get extremely pissed off with it.

If she persists send her lots of amusing memes such as the 'Jesus in a dogs bum hole one'.

Years ago, my email was hacked and it kept sending these sorts of messages to very random people on my behalf, I have NO idea how this benefitted the hacker. I didn’t find out for ages because people were too embarrassed to ask WTF was I doing??!! I’m pretty sure some people still think I sent them (I didn’t 😂). You could ask if she knows they’re being sent?

Tell her to stop and if she doesn't, block her.