Do any Atheists have Religious friends?

Question

I do, and only last week I drove one of my friends to Church. She was a kind elderly lady who suffered quite badly from arthritis. I even gave her $2 to put in the collection box because she had forgotten her purse.

Now, before all you religious bigots pat me on the back for being a nice person, just understand that because I know (along other scientists) that religious belief is a result of mental illness, does not mean that Atheists will not help those in need. Just because I believe that religious people are mentally handicapped, does not mean Atheists will not extend them the hand of friendship. It happens all the time on Yahoo Answers.

If Atheists can continue to set an example for humanity to follow, then I think our world will become a much happier and safer place to live.

Answer 1

Yes. And they deserve our understanding and compassion. Hopefully, someday we'll find a cure.

Answer 2

Well, I'm agnostic, so perhaps I'm just mentally ill about half of the time.

However, I did grow up in a very religious community. But I don't measure any of the friends that I have from being brought up in church in the context of their beliefs. The strongest influence on me as a pretty screwed up teen-ager was a straight shooting member of the church who just happened to be my soccer coach. My respect for him is borne from his teaching me how to handle success and failure.

A religious lifestyle is chosen by a person - or they may believe that god chose them - but to me, that is secondary. The real question is whether a person is making a positive contribution to their community.

My brother and his wife and still church-goers, but it's their commitment to family and their humility that makes me gush with pride when I think of them. I have an older brother who is an ordained minister who seeks out the spotlight, and I am really embarrased by his actions.

It's really easy to toss lables back and forth, but in the end you do just want to come back to basic humanity - treating people with respect, and expecting the same for yourself.

It's a well-worded question and thought-provoking.

Answer 3

No way man, all Christians hate all atheists, and all atheists want nothing to do with Christians. An atheist can always tell when someone is a Christian, and never chooses to talk to them unless it's to argue or fight. And Christian can always tell an atheist from the rest, and never talks to them unless it's to say mean things or convert by force.

Of course atheists have religious friends. Practically every single one of them does. Christians, on the other hand, sometimes don't have a single atheist friend.

Answer 4

My mom was quite religious. She took quiet comfort from her beliefs. She never presumed to thrust her beliefs upon anyone else. I would never even have dreamed of telling my mom that I thought her beliefs were stupid and irrelevant.

When she was on her death bed, I called the church and arranged for a priest to come to her bedside to administer last rites. I even participated... because I knew that it was important to her, and would ease her passing; and it certainly did not hurt me any to do that. And I had no quibbles or qualms about it being against my beliefs because, after all... I have no beliefs. To quote Jefferson, "It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

Answer 5

I am not an atheist, but rather one of the "mental illness" sufferers, but I do have friends that are atheists (and friends that wouldn't call any one group of people "mentally handicapped")

I would say that you are no friend to any religious person if this is the standard way you refer to them. Judging by your previous questions, I would say this is your norm.

However, I am sure that if you were in need of emergency surgery, you wouldn't wait for an atheist doctor to show up, would you?

Answer 6

My hubby is Jewish, my side of the family is all christian, my best friend is christian.

Thing is, I see the strength, hope and happiness it gives them and I can't bare them any ill will. Yes, I think they're fooling themselves. Yes, it drives them to some non-sensical, harmful and even hateful conclusions...

But if you focus on that, you're only going to make yourself angry, drive away the people you care about and even potential friends, and you will ignore the vast good that their happy fiction does in their lives and in the lives of others.

Pix

Answer 7

unquestionably, i do no longer handle the situation. I chill out and civilly enable them to run their mouths approximately what they suspect. exciting sufficient, they declare to be very solid Christians, yet none have study the Bible - this we stated. So, because i be conscious of they have not unquestionably study the Bible to be conscious of or comprehend what they suspect, I take what they say as that's. i be conscious of that there is not any way they might cope with a deep in intensity communicate approximately faith with me, distinctly approximately their very own faith. basically positioned, they does no longer be waiting to maintain up with me. yet, all of this is okay. Do they know my ideals? no longer in all probability. I generally come again exceeded compliments and statements from them. They nonetheless think of they might convert me, which i locate a chuckle.

Answer 8

Yes.

More of my friends and family are theist than atheist.

In fact, only 20 % of the people I would call friends are atheist.

Answer 9

Yes I have religious friends and family.

Answer 10

All my real life friends are religious to some degree.