and he's a great friend, we get along great and we always have good conversations, but I am not a believer in religion. I have faith in myself and that's what gets me by, and to everyone that is religious I respect you and your beliefs, everybody has something different to believe in, as long as it makes you happy. But...my friend likes to send me emails and tell me stories about Christ and the Bible, and even though this friend knows what I believe in, he continues to do it. It makes me feel uncomfortable, and not listened to. It kind of feels like he's forcing me to believe what he believes in, even after telling him that I just want to hear from him, and not these stories. What should I do? Serious replies only. Thank you!
2007-01-22 01:20:15 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Family & Relationships ➔ Friends
And as much as I respect people with thier beliefs, please don't force them on me, Daver. I accept what he believes in, and I never knock him down or make him feel bad for it. Don't judge me or my friend. I am just here to find a good solution. Thank You.
2007-01-22 01:53:10 · update #1
Maybe his only topic is religious and he feels comfy speaking it with you since you're his friend. But I get your point. Respect is a double-face coin. And he should respect your beliefs as you do his. I'm catholic too. But you'll never see me pester anyone with my religious thoughts or anything. Tell him once more. If he keeps disrespecting your decision, then it's his loss.
2007-01-22 01:28:08 · answer #1 · answered by M'lady 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just have a heart-to-heart talk with him.
You've said he's a great friend, surely he will understand more of you. Don't be afraid to tell what you like and you don't like. And if he's really that great, he'll stay with you through thick and thin, accept you for what you are and will respect you all the way.
Or maybe, he's the one who need your assurance about his beliefs, so you also do the same to him by listening to what he says but that does not mean that you will also embrace his belief, not if you don't really want it.
That's a two-way communication, not just based on limited ideas. You also talk on some other things which you may both believe in..
That's what friends are for...acceptance.
2007-01-22 09:41:02 · answer #2 · answered by Tess 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sit him down, and explain to him that while you respect his beliefs, you feel he is disrespecting you by continuing to try to force his beliefs on you--especially after you asked him not to. If he continues to do it, then you need to decide what the friendship is worth to you. If he's a good friend in all other respects, perhaps you can just tolerate the nonsense, delete the e-mails, and firmly but kindly tell him you "don't want to talk about religion" if he starts talking to you about it. If he's pushing you to the point of being uncomfortable, though, and ignoring your request to stop, then I'd ask myself what kind of friend he really is.
2007-01-22 09:36:21 · answer #3 · answered by Jess H 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Faith in yourself isn't waht's getting you by. God is helping you get by. Whether you want to believe it or not, that is the Truth.
Your friend is trying to enlighten you to this fact. And, based on the information you have provided, he is not "forcing" anything upon you. He sends you email with stories of Jesus. Yeah so? He may send them to you, but it is entirely up to you whether or not those stories are ever read. You don't have to read them, though ignoring them would be a mistake, in my opinion.
Your friend is tolerant of your "belief". He is merely trying to show you something better to believe in. This is what he is supposed to do. He is practicing his religious beliefs when he shares them with you. Please be patient and allow him to do his thing. Remember, you don't have to read anything he gives you, or believe anything he tells you. That's your call but he's not wrong in trying.
Be tolerant, maybe even open, to his stories.
2007-01-22 09:47:50 · answer #4 · answered by Daver 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He isn't really a great friend if he isn't respecting your requests. You are respecting his religion. Tell him that you wish he would respect your feelings too. Bottom line, there is no friendship without mutual respect.
2007-01-22 09:27:37 · answer #5 · answered by rowan 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tell him that you respect his beliefs but you just don't share them. Tell him that you don't want his beliefs to be forced upon you just like he wouldn't like it if you constantly tried to convince him that there was no god.
2007-01-22 09:24:17 · answer #6 · answered by Jimmy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Accept that he believes it and it is important to him. And tell him just what you told us. In the same words. It makes you uncomfortable. He can accept that, I feel sure.
2007-01-22 09:23:46 · answer #7 · answered by TheseUnitedStates 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's time for the heart-to-heart, blunt talk with your friend. I've had to do that myself not just with friends, but with family members too. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don't. Good luck.
2007-01-22 09:24:07 · answer #8 · answered by GirlinNB 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋