"V" <v...@aol.com> wrote in message

news:1183338041.011422.291680@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...

What about atheists and theists friendships?

Do atheists avoid friendships with theists at almost any cost?

Or do you put your religious differences on the back burner as long as
they leave you be with your no god lifestyle?

And what about old theist friends that may have dropped you when they
found out you are an atheist?

By and large, religion is a non-issue amongst my friends and I. A fairly
significant portion of my friends are basically non-religious, but as for
how many would classify themselves as atheists, I don't actually know.

However, I ended up marrying a theist, so obviously some of them can put up
with a "no god lifestyle".

--
Aloha, G-Ride

The force that's forcing you to feel like busting up a Starbucks.

"V" <v...@aol.com> wrote in message

news:1183338041.011422.291680@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...> What about atheists and theists friendships?

Do atheists avoid friendships with theists at almost any cost?

Or do you put your religious differences on the back burner as long as
they leave you be with your no god lifestyle?

And what about old theist friends that may have dropped you when they
found out you are an atheist?

Take care,

I can't find many atheists to be friends with, so the few friends I have are
theists. I once had an atheist friend who was a sort of Communist. We used
to discuss politics.

On Jul 1, 6:00 pm, V <v...@aol.com> wrote:

What about atheists and theists friendships?

I would imagine that for most atheists, at least those living in the
United States, most of their friendships are with theists.

Do atheists avoid friendships with theists at almost any cost?

No. Why would they? At least, no more so than Christians avoid
friendships with Jews or vice versa.

Or do you put your religious differences on the back burner as long as
they leave you be with your no god lifestyle?

Since the vast majority of religious people don't really believe in
their religions, it mostly doesn't matter.

And what about old theist friends that may have dropped you when they
found out you are an atheist?

I've never had that happen. I've been an open atheist for decades, and
I have never had that happen, even with the most devout theists. (Even
after I proved to them that their own priests don't believe the things
they claim to believe, they are always polite and friendly as they
explain that I am the devil and then we have drinks together.)

DS

No. Why would they? At least, no more so than Christians avoid
friendships with Jews or vice versa.

On Jul 2, 2:00 am, V <v...@aol.com> wrote:

What about atheists and theists friendships?

Do atheists avoid friendships with theists at almost any cost?

Or do you put your religious differences on the back burner as long as
they leave you be with your no god lifestyle?

And what about old theist friends that may have dropped you when they
found out you are an atheist?

I do have friends who are even more dysfunctional than you are, V. One
of them is an evangelical, fundamentalist, apologetic Christian. I
have been one of only two of her friends who visited her during her
spells of statutory hospital treatment. None of her Christian friends
did. That's to do with a thing called compassion.

Part of her delusional thinking is that I can be "saved" as she puts
it. I have never been less than frank with her regarding my views on
religion, our friendship is based on things other than what either of
us believe in.

On Jul 2, 2:00 am, V <v...@aol.com> wrote:

What about atheists and theists friendships?

Do atheists avoid friendships with theists at almost any cost?

Or do you put your religious differences on the back burner as long as
they leave you be with your no god lifestyle?

And what about old theist friends that may have dropped you when they
found out you are an atheist?

I do have friends who are even more dysfunctional than you are, V. One
of them is an evangelical, fundamentalist, apologetic Christian. I
have been one of only two of her friends who visited her during her
spells of statutory hospital treatment. None of her Christian friends
did. That's to do with a thing called compassion.

Part of her delusional thinking is that I can be "saved" as she puts
it. I have never been less than frank with her regarding my views on
religion, our friendship is based on things other than what either of
us believe in.

Most of my friends are Christians. A few are agnostic, one Jewish, and
none are atheist that I know of.

On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 01:00:41 -0000, V <vfr44@aol.com> wrote:

What about atheists and theists friendships?

Do atheists avoid friendships with theists at almost any cost?

Most of my friends are theists, for the simple reason that most of the
people I know are theists. I would probably have a hard time being
friends with a fundamentalist of any religion, because they tend to
proselytize to the point of obnoxiousness, but I certainly wouldn't
shun anyone simply for their beliefs.

Or do you put your religious differences on the back burner as long as
they leave you be with your no god lifestyle?

My "no God" lifestyle is pretty much the same as theirs. Religion
really plays a minor role at best in most people's lives, at least in
New York City. Theists around here tend to limit their religious
involvement to paying lip service to the idea, possibly attending
church or synagogue on the weekend, and holiday and milestone
(wedding, funeral, etc) observances. It's not like the Bible Belt
where people are obsessed with the topic. Actually, the most
religiously observant people I know personally are Wiccan or Buddhist.

And what about old theist friends that may have dropped you when they
found out you are an atheist?

Never happened. Most New Yorkers are very much about "live and let
live".

On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 01:00:41 -0000, V <v...@aol.com> wrote:

What about atheists and theists friendships?

Do atheists avoid friendships with theists at almost any cost?

Most of my friends are theists, for the simple reason that most of the
people I know are theists. I would probably have a hard time being
friends with a fundamentalist of any religion, because they tend to
proselytize to the point of obnoxiousness, but I certainly wouldn't
shun anyone simply for their beliefs.

Or do you put your religious differences on the back burner as long as
they leave you be with your no god lifestyle?

My "no God" lifestyle is pretty much the same as theirs. Religion
really plays a minor role at best in most people's lives, at least in
New York City. Theists around here tend to limit their religious
involvement to paying lip service to the idea, possibly attending
church or synagogue on the weekend, and holiday and milestone
(wedding, funeral, etc) observances. It's not like the Bible Belt
where people are obsessed with the topic. Actually, the most
religiously observant people I know personally are Wiccan or Buddhist.

And what about old theist friends that may have dropped you when they
found out you are an atheist?

Never happened. Most New Yorkers are very much about "live and let
live".
--

"O Sybilli, si ergo
Fortibus es in ero
O Nobili! Themis trux
Sivat sinem? Causen Dux"

V wrote:

What about atheists and theists friendships?

They are common as dirt. Of course, lots of theists don't
realize that many of their friends are atheist.

Do atheists avoid friendships with theists at almost any cost?

Not in the least, as far as I can tell. I'm atheist, and
most of my friends are theist. I have met only a few
atheists, whose atheism I was aware of. I am open to
friendship with just about any acquaintance who is friendly
towards me. I try to set an example of friendliness. I
also whistle a lot.

Or do you put your religious differences on the back burner as long as
they leave you be with your no god lifestyle?

In some cases we discuss religion and belief on occasion,
but most people I know simple assume everybody hey meet
believes in the same things they believe in, and the subject
never comes up. I have had one friend abruptly ask me if I
was "an atheist", once. I answered, "Of course!" and we
proceeded to have a nice, long talk on the subject of
belief, skepticism and faith. Since then, neither of us has
mentioned the subject to the other.

And what about old theist friends that may have dropped you when they
found out you are an atheist?

If it happened, they were slick enough about it that I never
realized why they drifted away. If they have caused me
negative influences, I am blissfully unaware of that.

Then, my head is in a cloud of bees, most of the time. I'm
not especially sensitive to social signals.

I'm a nerd. But not one who feels compelled to expound on
my lack of belief in deities to everyone I meet.

John Popelish