How to be friends with someone of a different religion

Discussion in 'Spirituality & Philosophy' started by mleighp1, Dec 27, 2008.

  1. mleighp1

    mleighp1 Well-Known Member

    more wiki http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Friends-With-Someone-of-a-Different-Faith/Religion

    Set ground rules. Good ideas are, no disrespecting or mocking the other's faith, no trying to convert the other or if it is required not talking about religion as a whole. Try to think of how you want to be treated.

    Learn. Study your friend's religion and understand their point of view. Go to the library and check out books on it. Ask them questions (Be polite) and share about your faith without being too overbearing.

    Focus on the positives. Learn how religion can make people better. In every faith there is something that speaks to each person and makes them behave better.

    Listen to your faith. Would Jesus hate another person because of faith? Is it good Karma to shun others?

    Remember why your friend is your friend. If this person means a lot to you, why should his/her faith matter?
     
    Erica Faith likes this.
  2. Jennihul

    Jennihul B excellent 2 each other!

    This should go without saying.

    I have many friends who are different faiths and hold different beliefs within the same faith.

    We don't talk about religion. Who does that? It's personal.

    Jennifer
     
  3. mleighp1

    mleighp1 Well-Known Member

    Yeah, I have friends who are Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, and Muslim. I don't really discuss religion much with any of them, aside from recently when one of my Catholic friends talked to me about birth control. Otherwise, we just don't talk about it. The same goes for politics. we talk about it to a degree, but not to the point that the friendship is at risk.
     
  4. Jennihul

    Jennihul B excellent 2 each other!

    Of course, we are talking about real-life friends, not virtual friends. Not that one is any less than the other, but in real life, I'm not sitting in a forum relegated to topic land which is a little boxy and different than the natural flow of ideas when one is in an 'in-person' group setting.

    In person, if we were all in the same room, we would never sound this way or come across this way to each other.

    This forum medium assumes opinions will be expressed back and forth. So it's naturally biased toward conflict. The severity of which depends on the inherent flameability of the topic. Surprise! Religion and politics cause the most debates!

    Who is shocked this happens? Not me.

    Jennifer
     
  5. seekperfection

    seekperfection Focused on success

    If your religion says that there is one way to go to heaven, as in Christianity, then their faith matters very much. If it is a person you really like, you (Meredith) for example, then you would do everything within your power to make sure that your friend was on a path that didn't lead her to hell after she died. I agree with the rest of the article, but allowing your friend to be in immortal danger will trouble you if the person is one who you really care about.
     
  6. Batman

    Batman Dark Knight

    This is so good I exercised my "Phenomenal Cosmic Moderator Powers" (movie ref anyone) and "stickied" it
     
  7. SVLurker

    SVLurker Well-Known Member

    Do you also live in an "itty-bitty living space"?
     
  8. Flower

    Flower New Member

    This is EXACTLY where you come across as forcing a belief, a faith and religion down someone elses throat!

    You should respect the other person for who they are and what they believe in. IF they want to know more about your faith, then they will ask! You should respect and understand that other people have a mind of their own and its their own respondsibility to live the way they see fit accordingly to whatever religion they believe in.

    Jesus was a good example of this! He lived among the lowest of people and yet he never forced his beliefs down on them. He was avaible for them to come to him if they wanted to listen to his prayers, teachings and healings.

    I know you mean well but try to meet the other person with respect and dignity and then you may not come across as someone who thinks he knows it all and has the only true answer to everything.
     
    2 people like this.
  9. Batman

    Batman Dark Knight

    Seek here is the thing though. If you really care about someones immortal soul you will share the gospel with them.

    And then they respond...

    Usually one of three ways

    1. Accept it

    2. Say No and mean it

    3. Say no but mean not now

    For the people that say no and not now... more of them will come to accept Christ because you showed them compassion then because you admonish them with scripture or try to prove your point constantly.

    Jesus met people at their needs. Thats what we are called to do.
     
  10. SVLurker

    SVLurker Well-Known Member

    :applause: :clap: :applause:
     
  11. Flower

    Flower New Member

    Thats a way to go about it! :thumb:
    -just remember to ask if they want to hear the gospels first! Its SO polite to ask someone first before you go about it!
     
  12. Batman

    Batman Dark Knight

    It actually depends on how well you know the person and even if you know the person how sensitive they are.

    Me and an agnostic friend of mine have a running "bet" on who is "right"
     
  13. seekperfection

    seekperfection Focused on success

    That is exactly what I have been doing.
     
  14. KKPDX

    KKPDX Feeling Grateful Everyday

    :yikes:
     
  15. Paul@Pittsburgh

    Paul@Pittsburgh Moving on

    Not sure what you are suggesting here Flower. Jesus was very clear on one thing - there is only one way to eternal salvation and that was through belief in Him. He made it very clear that the rest were condemned to an eternity of hell.

    Now I agree that Jesus did not force his teachings on anyone, but He was equally very clear on the consequences if they rejected His message.

    I believe that it is the duty of the Christian believer to scatter seed, much like Jesus did. Seek, nor I, nor Bats nor anyone else will 'convert' people, nor do I think it is our 'responsibility' to do that. That is the work of the Holy Spirit working on that person and drawing them to Christ. But we are called to share our faith. Jesus, nor the disciplines, nor the apostles, such as Paul, ever, ever shyed away from doing that and were never silenced just to keep the earthly peace, not 'offend' someone etc. Paul was rejected by his own people, the Jews, because of his sharing of the faith and ultimately paid the price of his life in Rome.

    Yes. It's their decision and their consequences.

    In fact what Jesus did in some cases and told the disciples to do also, was dust the sand off their feet and move on if a group of people or a town rejected their message and then move on to the next group or town; and warning those people that they would ultimately suffer and regret their rejection.

    So actually, Seek, maybe I and others have tried to not do that, realizing the consequences of what others rejection means here. But you know, as I have said before, really no one here doesn't know the message. If they want to reject it, that's their decision. So, maybe our 'sin' or 'forum crime' has been caring too much for people here.



    What do I think Jesus would do? Honestly, what I don't think He would be would be someone who would be silenced from saying what He held to be truth just to fit in. He wasn't exactly the least outspoken person of His day was He? I also, don't think He would be sticking around if I had to guess, but maybe I am wrong on that score; I don't know.
     
  16. Paul@Pittsburgh

    Paul@Pittsburgh Moving on

    Totally agree. Also, you don't use whether someone is a Christian or not as a filter as to whether you would help them or show compassion etc.
     
  17. seekperfection

    seekperfection Focused on success

    :hmm:
     
  18. Batman

    Batman Dark Knight

    right
     
  19. SVLurker

    SVLurker Well-Known Member

    Jesus may have not been the "least outspoken person of His day", but He NEVER, with ONE exception, lectured or preached or attacked ANYONE, uninvited.
    The key word, of course is uninvited. When asked, he certainly would express his thoughts - but only when "invited". His actions spoke louder than words.
    And whenever He was asked a question, He would usually respond by asking another question, or with a story/parable, or scripture
    The only exception (that I'm aware of) is when he chased those merchants out of His Father's Home.
    Even then, as angry as He (rightly) was, He still showed them His respect by saying to them "give to Caesar to which is Caesar's" (or something like that).
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2008
  20. SVLurker

    SVLurker Well-Known Member

    Seek, here within lies the problem...
    You think you're doing right...
    You mean to do right...
    But it's not coming out that way.
     

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