to ask how you feel when someone is at the opposite end of the faith spectrum?

[Morphene]

I've recently discovered two separate people I have been getting closer to (professional/friendship wise) are at the other end of the faith scale from me. I have actually felt a little upset and unbalanced by it.

IABU? I mean I know I am, but do other people get this? Does it make a difference if you are the one with or without faith?

I am sure I will still get on just fine with them, but I feel a little sadness that in this important respect we are very far from each others wavelength.

Then*

Actually I think it depends. For example if you're a Christian and you find a friend is a devil worshiper, doesn't your religions dictate that you should be swarm enemies. To be honest I'm surprised there isn't more conflict between different religions given that they all claim to be the only right way. I think the fact there isn't more conflict is a testament to our humanity and ability to set aside our religions belief.

Melissa1771

Thank you for coming back - I've been a little busy so haven't been around myself.

I think most people can accept general beliefs but when it comes down to things that directly contradict science or believe things like gays are an abomination and so on would in my opinion matter to the majority who said they would accept anyone's religious views.

To me these things are all part of the same spectrum of illogical however if someone does keep it private and doesn't really make a big deal of it then ofcourse I can still associate with them.

For example see Atenco who either willfully or out of ignorance misunderstand basic science.

Sorry for repeated post - I imagine if the example was a child who needed medical care to the extent his or her life was at risk but the parents refused on the basis of a religious belief many many people would not be able to tolerate that belief in a friend.

I am an atheist and have quite a few friends who are religious. It doesn't bother me at all and in fact I am slightly envious of the way that they, as very intelligent and thoughtful people, have found a way to reconcile their faith with their modern understanding of science and generally liberal outlooks. I have tried but failed to understand God as a concept that I can reconcile with my particular understanding of the world. It is a shame in many ways because I think religion can be a very positive force and I love the musical tradition of the Church!

However my atheist "narrow-mindedness" kicks in when people who are religious have very different and strongly held views as a result of their faith on matters such as LGBT rights, abortion, women's rights, creationism, etc. I would struggle to be friends with somebody whose views were at the opposite end of the spectrum to mine on those matters because I see them as vitally important issues and can't quite understand how somebody intelligent and educated could have such different views. I once cut off a vague friendship with a man when I found him organising an anti-abortion protest outside my college. I didn't mind him being Catholic, but didn't want him waving pictures of dead babies and shouting emotive slogans at me and other potentially vulnerable women.

Several of my friends are worshippers of the goddess which would freak out the fundamentalists but my friends are people that I like to spend time with. My experience is that people of faith get on well together as we have a lot to learn from each other and finding the bits were we are really different makes you think hard about why.

fakenamefornow it's an interesting point. I cannot speak for all people of faith obviously, but for me as an evangelical Christian I do not see people of other faiths or none as "the enemy" and have literally never heard thinking like that espoused at churches I attend. I don't set aside my faith, but just because I might think that what someone believes or does is wrong, doesn't mean that the person themselves is an enemy (and vice versa with people who are friends with me). But I think many people conflate the two - thinking you have to agree with someone almost entirely or hate them. I think that leads to lots of echo chambers or relationships that are fearfully repressed when neither person feels they can say what they think.

Hi op
Just to say I totally understand how you feel
I once gad a catholic friend who one day decided to rip the piss out of Scientology
She thought I'd agree with her
I'm an atheist and don't see that ot was fair for her to take the piss out of another religion
Anyway, going forward I don't think I'd choose to have any friends who were deeply religious
A bit religious I can manage I guess.

(I should clarify - I didn't mind him being Catholic and taking the view that he was against abortion but thought that the manner in which he publicly expressed those views made it too difficult for me to be friends with him)

Gold

I also find the behaviour of desruve strange - to me being Catholic or practicing Scientology are two examples of the same thing. Interesting that someone with religious beliefs finds theirs acceptable and probably many others but Scientology is a step too far.

I have to admit, when my best friend got baptized I felt a little unsettled. I knew she was going to church, but socially, for coffee mornings and such. Then she posted on Facebook pictures of her being dunked in a pool in white clothing and it just felt odd. To me, she has always been a drinking smoking degenerate (obviously I mean that in a jokey/affectionate way) then she went through a nasty divorce. I don't know if this is a phase, or something that is going to stick, but I think I was most upset that she didn't tell me about the spiritual journey she was going through. I'm atheist and probably have said some unsavoury things about religion which may have put her off telling me though. Still, it just felt odd. She's still the same person.

It's not strange to make a distinction between different religions.

It's reasonable to look at the proportionate harm done by the religion. Scientology has engaged in a great deal of harmful and illegal behaviour for such a tiny group of people.

The harm seems disproportionate to the number of people involved.

With respect the cattolic church has caused a huge amount of harm too.

Both religions are, to me equally illogical.

Catholic*

I did make clear I was talking about proportionate levels of harm.

There are, what, about a million Catholics and fifty thousand scientologists?

One of my close friends is a Muslim. I am an atheist who was once Church of England (until old enough to decide for myself). I respect her rights and beliefs and she mine. Simple.

And in my opinion the Catholic Church has caused an enormous amount of harm - even in proportion to their size.

Almond "Scientology has engaged in a great deal of harmful and illegal behaviour for such a tiny group of people"

She didn't mention that.
Also I never criticised her religion but I know she gets very upset when people point out problems with it. She was taking the piss, in her words, "because there's no basis for what they believe in".
I was just silent.

Sorry, a billion Catholics.

My PILS are relgious and as such my children have zero to do with them. You sound delightful. Your poor family.

The sexual abuse and systemic cover up of it for decades is pretty grim, tbh. The Catholic Church has a lot to answer for.

As long as you respect each other beliefs, I really don't see what the problem is!

In fact I might go so far as to say the size and subsequent power of the Catholic Church is the reason so much harm has been caused.

Anyway. As gold said to me it's not so much that but the sheer hypocrisy of someone with one belief criticising another due to there being no basis for that belief !

Birds, if you value logic, then harm isn't a matter of opinion. You would have to logically consider the proportionate harm caused by the belief system of 1 billion people.

Goldfish jane, I would consider there to be more of an issue with the belief system of a religion whose core beliefs were in direct contradiction to Science, but I do see your point.