Pushing Religion

[TabbyCat]

Ok so I had this friend right, (online friend), she's a yr younger than me, and I just got really fed up because she kept pushing religion on me, and I don't think that's a good thing to do. And she kept asking if I was "saved" and stuff like that, and I talked to her dad a few times, and he made me feel REALLY bad that I wasn't more religious, and she even called me ungrateful because of it!
I hate religion being pushed on me with a passion. Anyone else feel this way??

[Whaaatever]

No one would like it, you feel the same way they would if an atheist would question their views. It's all the same in the end, it's unfair of them to make you actually feel bad about it. Calling you ungrateful?

Seriously, I'd just stop mingling with such people, or just put them in their place. There's no need for religion to interfere with people's lives as much as it does. :/

[theatregeek]

You talk to your online friend's dad?
If her and her family make you feel bad for not being religious why be friends with her? Online friends I assume are easier to ditch than ones you know in real life.
But to answer your question i don't hang out with people who push their religion on me and I usually just avoid the topic because I don't care to talk about it. My views effect me alone.

[InSovietRussiaORGASMGotU]

Originally Posted by TabbyCat

Ok so I had this friend right, (online friend), she's a yr younger than me, and I just got really fed up because she kept pushing religion on me, and I don't think that's a good thing to do. And she kept asking if I was "saved" and stuff like that, and I talked to her dad a few times, and he made me feel REALLY bad that I wasn't more religious, and she even called me ungrateful because of it!
I hate religion being pushed on me with a passion. Anyone else feel this way??

Before I give my answer, your post sounds rather hard to believe. If you have an online friend, then how do you manage to talk to the online friend's father? And if you did, why would that father not ask a bit who you are and not answer you? In fact, you talked to this supposed online friend's father on several occasions. It's hard to believe your situation is true.

But assuming this is somehow true, there's a great advantage to online friends: block them. If you dislike your online friend pushing religion onto you so much, why do you continue to associate yourself with them? Just block them and you've solved the problem. This makes your situation even harder to take seriously.

[emerson]

Sorry, but this made me think of a song, so I'm posting a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyURV-I1UWM

[unfortunately i could only find a live version on youtube. ah well.]

[TabbyCat]

Originally Posted by YourNightmare

Before I give my answer, your post sounds rather hard to believe. If you have an online friend, then how do you manage to talk to the online friend's father? And if you did, why would that father not ask a bit who you are and not answer you? In fact, you talked to this supposed online friend's father on several occasions. It's hard to believe your situation is true.

But assuming this is somehow true, there's a great advantage to online friends: block them. If you dislike your online friend pushing religion onto you so much, why do you continue to associate yourself with them? Just block them and you've solved the problem. This makes your situation even harder to take seriously.

well I dont like being called a liar when I'm trying to get advice. :P
I was at this other forum, it's a father/daughter relationship forum and I had been talking to her for probably 6 months or so...and she got her dad to come to the computer.
I talked to her even though it was bad, yes. I'm lonely and I don't really have friends..so I guess it was better than nothing. I've tried getting people to hang out with me from HS but no one was interested..I try to be friendly and social.

[Dream]

My response to religion is philosophy.

[fresco]

It's really not fair for your friend to push religion on you. I can understand where she's coming from though.

I'm religious as well and in my beliefs it is better to be saved and I just want to help kind of spread the word to whoever will listen.. but not everyone's gonna listen, or go convert, and like a bunch of things in life, your belief system is a choice. To me it's like this: not everyone will make the "right" choice (what's "right" depends on who you're talking to) and that's something you (being me or your online friend, etc) have to deal with.

(I'm sorry if the point-of-view thing is kinda unclear.)

So the persistent pushing of the subject on her part shouldn't be happening. She could remain your friend even with the difference of religion but maybe the bigger problem is how she's treating you. I have a lot of friends of different faiths. One used to believe the same as me but hasn't been actively practicing. I mean, it got me down, and I just let her know if she believes she should follow but it's just a one-time "maybe you should...", you know? Still, she's one of my best friends and it can get awkward if religion comes up in conversation but when it all comes down to it, we're friends. "It's all good."

I really hope I didn't offend you. Hoping also that maybe you understand her point of view a lil more now. I have been in her shoes before and the last thing I want to do is make someone uncomfortable when I'm telling them about how much I enjoy my religion, the benefits I believe are associated with it, whatever. But if you have told her repeatedly that you don't want to convert, she should understand that and if she doesn't you should really talk to her and set her straight.

[WhySoSerious?]

Your friend is obviously not a very good friend if they put you down about your beliefs and force their religion on you. A friend would respect you. It's not a problem to have friends with different beliefs than you, in fact, having friends with a variety of beliefs can be very interesting. However, if she isn't showing you the respect you deserve, then she isn't your friend.

My suggestion, tell her how you feel about it and if she isn't understanding, then disassociate yourself with her.

[msbunnykins]

I know you're lonely, but you don't want to be friends with people who are not respecting your wishes.

It's quite simple- you tell her that she must stop, and religion is a topic you do not wish to speak of with her, or, you tell her that the friendship is over.

[TabbyCat]

You guys are right..I like the advice. I don't want anyone thinking I'm against religion, I'm not. I'm a Catholic but I'm just not really interested in at the moment. I try to stay away from topics like religion and politics with friends because it just leads to a lot of arguments. She was just saying, you're so selfish, it's God, you have to put more into it, stuff like that. When I'm interested I'm interested, but it isn't bad if I'm not.