In high school, i became close with one of my teachers, and so it only seemed natural to continue the frienship when i graduated. At first, she was very nice, but then my curiosity about faith led her to invite me to one of their christian meetings. I went there, met her husband, also a devout christian, and loved it, so when they asked me to accept christ as my saviour(this being my first time with religion at all), I did. After that, our friendship felt less and less like a friendship, and more like a christian conversion. It seems that is my only reason to talk to them now. Are they still my friends? and if so, am i part of their bigger scheme to be in god's good graces, or do they truly consider me a friend? And lastly, how should i approach this relationship now? Thanks, help would be much appreciated.
2007-02-20 10:40:03 · 11 answers · asked by Belle 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I had a very similar experience in high school. We had 'counselors' from Campus Crusade who had access to the school commons. (This was in the 70s. I don't think this would happen today in a public high school) One counselor was named Roger. He seemed like a nice guy. But he only wanted to talk about getting me to a Campus Crusade meeting. I was already attending YoungLife, and a non-denominational christian church. But Roger seemed intent on making me a Campus Crusader. When I finally told him that I had enough going on in my life, he was much less friendly. I heard from other friends that they had the same experience of Roger. He seemed intent on gathering numbers. This made his show of concern and friendliness much less genuine. In fact, it seemed like an act.
It irks me to see acts of 'christian compassion' that are nothing more than a bait-and-switch. Something along the lines of "I'll be your friend --- IF you eventually accept Jesus as your savior." What happens if you don't accept Jesus as your savior? Why, then, you are clearly full of satan, and they can't hang around you. Was this person actually interested in getting to know you, to show compassion and love? Not in this kind of circumstance. This was the case of someone showing interest in you only to become a notch in their belt.
Whatever happened to doing acts of compassion and love for the sake of doing acts of compassion and love? Seems that's what Jesus did. He didn't seem to stop and say to people, "Sure, I can heal you. But first, listen to this long sermon about how wicked you are and how you need to accept Me as your personal savior."
2007-02-20 11:02:36 · answer #1 · answered by pasdeberet 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First we need to define the meaning of friendship. 1. the state of being a friend; association as friends: to value a person's friendship. 2. a friendly relation or intimacy. 3. friendly feeling or disposition. If your relationship with them doesn't fall within these three categories, then it doesn't sound like a friendship to me. I personal experienced the same thing you did when I first accepted Christ in a Holiness Church. At first, there was many people trying to convenience to accept Christ but as time past, I had fewer and fewer people talking to me. It seem, there is an euphoria state of mind in the beginning but wears off with time. Also, being your friend is married and you are single may also be the reason for the aloofness.
2007-02-20 10:58:03 · answer #2 · answered by MoPleasure4U 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they are your friends and you should approach your relationship the same as you always did. They are probably just letting you see more of them. They probably are very involved in their Christian belief and it is not unusual that this takes up alot of their time and conversation. Do not be put off. If they are truly Christian they know that people are at different stages in their journey to God and they will not look down on you if you still say or do things that do not have anything to do with religion (as long as they are not sinful)
2007-02-20 11:03:14 · answer #3 · answered by Midge 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes we put each other on "special behavior." Maybe now you and your friend feel you can no longer talk about "non-Christian" topics. You don't want to reveal your imperfections to each other. You can't go to a movie with an R rating.
I grew so sick and tired of putting on acts for my fellow Chrisitian folks. I reached the point where I decided to just be myself. Yeah, I let my son watch the WWF instead of watching Bible Heroes all the time. Yeah, I still like to go out dancing with my wife. Yep, this is a good friend of mine who is not a Chrisitian. Etc.
Now they see me as a real person, full of imperfections, but who really loves God. They don't have to be afraid of being imperfect around me. We are all growing in Christ, we have not fully arrived yet. Next time just let your hair down and maybe this will loosen the Christian uptightness you are experiencing with your friend.
2007-02-20 10:59:37 · answer #4 · answered by ignoramus_the_great 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would give her the benefit of the doubt.Sometimes things get in the way in people's lives,and the dynamics of a relationship change.She would not have been trying to convert you to get into 'God's good graces' but because she really cares about you as a person.Maybe you could give her a call sometime to talk to her,and suggest that you two do something together just as friends.
2007-02-20 10:48:13 · answer #5 · answered by Serena 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i'm assuming which you come back from an evangelical protestant background. traditionally speaking from the Scriptures and the witness of the early Church fathers, your view of salvation is heretical/incorrect which will enhance this situation as a organic progression from a pre-conceived errors of conversion/fake conversion. Salvation in a 2d is a favourite heresy, unknown to the Apostles and not taught by ability of Christ. by ability of exclaiming a small prayer asking Jesus to be Lord over us does no longer seal a deal to get us into heaven because of the fact we are able to fall from grace. So there is not any place for fake conversions, only people who chosen to no longer walk in the path of salvation (ie- no longer repenting of sin). ninety% of human beings who replied to altar calls of Billy Graham have been already baptized! They weren't stored on the 2d while they replied, they repented and started out to dedicate their existence to jogging the path of Christ serving and repenting doing works as an outward sign of an inward grace...we are able to be stored God keen while we are admitted into heaven
2016-11-24 20:53:57 · answer #6 · answered by guarnieri 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alas, they were probably just trying to get in good with the "lord." Do they still invite you over? Does she call you on the phone "just to chat"?
If not, then there is the answer to your question. You should have given yourself a little more time to make such an important choice, and they should have too.
2007-02-20 10:49:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Actually, they are your (spiritual) family.
Hopefully, they are your friends too. Sometimes friend drift apart. I hope that there is no bad feelings between you two.
2007-02-20 10:46:59 · answer #8 · answered by Randy G 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you're only friends if you both consider eachother friends
2007-02-20 10:43:31 · answer #9 · answered by Hey, Ray 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes they are your friend. They brought you to Jesus Christ.
2007-02-20 10:44:01 · answer #10 · answered by barbara l 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋