If you have religious people in your family...?

Question

are they the source of much friction and division within your family? Cause Jesus-lovers have been ripping my family apart for a decade. Am I alone here?

Answer 1

My family is religious, but I haven't had much problem with them.

Of course, it could be because they are Christian, half my family is Jewish, I'm atheist, and my girlfriend is Muslim. They've had to adjust to the idea of other people having different beliefs. My parents are actually fairly tolerant for being Christian.

Answer 2

It certainly makes for very uncomfortable holiday dinners when the person sitting across the table from you is condeming you to hell. I have the same issue in my family, some are super religious, while others are still good people, but have different views and beliefs. This always starts of as apolitical debate, then moves on to a huge religious battle, at which point they all start explaining why the other are going to hell.
i usually go home right about this point.

Answer 3

Actually, since those of us who don't follow Christianity are in the incredible minority, no. I'm Wiccan, my sister...I have no idea what she is beyond incredibly negative, but she hates all religion, and my brother thinks The Da Vinci Code is far more plausible than most things in the Bible, and we pretty much just let our mom's side of the family do what they want to do and try not to ruffle any feathers.

Of course, if they knew my sister and I were no longer Christian, there'd probably be a huge attempt to bring us back to the Lord. That's why I let sleeping dogs lie.

)O(

Answer 4

ALL of my aunts & uncles are severely Christian, and they are one of the main reasons I do not believe in it at all. They were some of the first people in my life to lie, steal and hurt me under the disguise of doing God's work.

Don't get me wrong, they are good people and we get along fine together. They ARE family, after all. But there is an unspoken agreement that religion is NOT a subject unless they are prepared to go the entire nine rounds of knock-down, drag-out, anti-religious fervor.

Answer 5

I understand where you are coming from. In my family, some of us are christians & some are not. The christians will try to answer questions when asked & inform the others from time to time. The problem is, some people try to force christianity onto others. People need to stop judging others & let them live using their own free will. God gave us free will.

Answer 6

My family is rather tolerant. We have mostly Catholics, some Baptists, a few Agnostics, and a couple Atheists. Everyone seems to get along fine regarding religion.

Now when it comes to politics... the family liberals are always wrecking havoc with the good conservative family members!

Answer 7

Religion causes divisions, that is what the baptism by fire, means. No, you are not alone, many people have suffered the fiery wrath, of religious zealots.
First baptism, water, second, fire, third, Holy Spirit.

Answer 8

My side of the family has people of varying levels of religiosity, ranging from atheist to hardcore Catholic. We all get along fine. My husband's relationship with his brother, however, did not survive when his brother became a fundie.

Answer 9

I'm an atheist as is one of my brothers and the other is a born again Christian. There is no friction at all. It isn't even an issue.

Answer 10

My Mum takes it fairly seriously but thinks more "love thy neighbour, whatever they believe" than "convert, evangelise, and annoy thy neighbour." I'm agnostic, as are my Dad and one of my sisters. The other sister would probably say "Church of England" which generally means "I haven't really thought about it, but hell sounds bad." It hasn't caused any problems but thats probably because my Mum doesn't hit us too heavy with the "you're all going to hell" stick.