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Can an Atheist and Christian Be Friends?

I dunno, I think unicorns would be a stretch for most...

Not for this guy!

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so ? ...........

Fluffy got it. Sorry I was busy during that response. I ment being civil and nice to people isn't what I mean by friends. When I say friends, I mean someone that you would die for. There are very few people in this world that I call friend, but I consider that a good thing because when I do I know that they are there.
 
I have noticed a tendency to knock the "devout Christian." I find that odd. People who are Christian and GOOD people would probably be humble and kind. There are people who can be jerks and still be Christian. Everyone has their flaws. Just like there are atheists and Christians on this forum that are incredibly nice, and there are others who feel the need to insult, badger, and belittle because they don't think alike.

My point is that because someone has an extreme faith it doesn't mean they are always judging and badgering. That is my BIGGEST problem with this Phelps loser. He has given his bad name to ALL Christians. Thanks to a 24/7 news cycle and nothing to report...well he all the sensationalized garbage and the loud mouth jerks get all the attention. I consider my faith rock solid. I won't ever "not believe." I might have doubts, but I will never be convinced there is no God. Just like I will always know that there is a right way and wrong way to treat people, and Love (as Jesus taught) is the most important part of that. Does that make me dogmatic? The fact that I recite the apostle's creed whenever I am in Church? The Lord's prayer? Or is that part of the tradition? Does all that make me dogmatic? If it does that is fine, but there are powerful words in those that I agree with from the bottom of my heart. I couldn't see it any other way. But that is for ME to believe. Not someone else. Does that last thought make me not dogmatic?

I think this topic has turned MAINLY to Christianity because it is what we all know. What about Muslims? Hindu? Jewish people? I have "buddies" in all of those faiths. I actually have a Hindu Uncle through marriage. He is a great man that I really respect. Could yall do it?
 
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Sure, lots of my friends are Christians. However, the comment made by Fluffy, as I remember it, were "devout" people, or something along those lines. None of my Christian friends are terribly devout, they are very, very liberal theists and, honestly, most of them just claim Christianity because they think it makes them look good to the neighbors. I doubt most of them have the slightest clue what they are supposed to believe or do.

How do you know what they are supposed to believe? I thought their beliefs were up to them? But more importantly...by your own words...

You aren't friends with people that are strong Christians? Could you be? Someone who felt it was important to be in Church every Sunday, celebrated the holidays, and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? If they didn't push it on you of course. Could you?
 
So, to edit for accuracy.........."lots of your friends CALL themselves Christians" but don't necessarily believe in what they profess publicly?

As far as I'm concerned, if someone calls themselves Christian, I'm going to consider them Christian. Christian is just a label and a very ill-defined one at that. If not, there wouldn't be 30,000+ sects of Christianity out there.
 
You aren't friends with people that are strong Christians? Could you be? Someone who felt it was important to be in Church every Sunday, celebrated the holidays, and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? If they didn't push it on you of course. Could you?

Sure, depending on what else we had in common, that wouldn't bother me a bit. That actually used to describe several people I've been friends with for decades, although they've mellowed significantly over the years.
 
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Oh really?


Bud, that's nothing but baiting. Those are the Westboro freaks, who are well hated by EVERYONE, from atheists and agnostics to left-wing Unitarians to right-wing Baptists.

To attempt to use them as an "example" of Christianity is like says Osama is representative of all Muslims.
 
Bud, that's nothing but baiting. Those are the Westboro freaks, who are well hated by EVERYONE, from atheists and agnostics to left-wing Unitarians to right-wing Baptists.

To attempt to use them as an "example" of Christianity is like says Osama is representative of all Muslims.

He said devout. Nothing says devout like hating everyone that isn't like you.
 
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Oh really?

I already addressed that. If you knew ANYTHING about the subject...you would know that Fred PHELPS is the person that I was talking about in the post you JUST responde to. A guy who disowns family members, gets arrested for assault, and preaches the above is NOT a devout Christian. He is a hate monger. I would throw rocks at him, but Jesus told me not to (look it up). Were you even AWARE of who Fred Phelps was before I told you? Westboro baptist Church has 50 or so members. How many Christians are there? I suggest you do some research before you start typing again. Or should I just treat you like you desire to be treated?
 
Sure, depending on what else we had in common, that wouldn't bother me a bit. That actually used to describe several people I've been friends with for decades, although they've mellowed significantly over the years.

Do you openly mock their faith?
 
He said devout. Nothing says devout like hating everyone that isn't like you.




Thanks, you just admitted to knowing nothing about actual Christianity.
 
Thanks, you just admitted to knowing nothing about actual Christianity.

I know how it has been contorted and mutated. Insert that old hippie quote from the weakling, Gandhi, to Stanley Jones - "Oh, I don't reject Christ. I love Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike Christ."

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I already addressed that. If you knew ANYTHING about the subject...you would know that Fred PHELPS is the person that I was talking about in the post you JUST responde to. A guy who disowns family members, gets arrested for assault, and preaches the above is NOT a devout Christian. He is a hate monger. I would throw rocks at him, but Jesus told me not to (look it up). Were you even AWARE of who Fred Phelps was before I told you? Westboro baptist Church has 50 or so members. How many Christians are there? I suggest you do some research before you start typing again. Or should I just treat you like you desire to be treated?

Yes. Ol' WBC was here on campus today singing some hymn (sounded pretty cultish but that's religion for ya).

Jesus didn't say you can't throw rocks, he just said "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." That doesn't mean you CAN'T, just that you have to be "without sin." Which is impossible given the notion of original sin (that's religious logic for ya, too).
 
Do you openly mock their faith?

If we have theological discussions, I correct them when and where they are wrong, just like I do you. Unlike you though, they don't freak out and act like the world is coming to an end because someone disagrees with them.
 
Friends, usually. Especially those who don't make it the routine topic of conversation or *cringe* try to debate something.

Although my wife, if they are really into it, she can't get over it and it causes problems. Especially people who identify themselves as religious, those I might have to be friends with from afar, my wife will chew my/their ear off if I let them get too close. She prefers just not to know their religious affiliation.

I was freely answering rapid-fire business questions from someone in the elevator the other day, and he was loving all the answers. Then he says "so what church do you go to? It's really an inappropriate question IMO. I suspect he was conservative.
 
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That's pretty funny because it has prominent analogs in politics today.

Democratic freedom! Indistinguishable from some other person forcing you to do what they want you to do.

Have you had that debate with people? It's as bad (and has far more impact on my life) than the religious version. It's like "Yes I understand you think it's for the greater good, but I'm telling you it's YOUR CHOICE vs MY CHOICE". No they exclaim, it's a majority! Yes, it's 10 individuals choice against my choice, it's still at root, individual vs individual. Then they don't understand why it's called mob rule, tyranny of the majority, etc. Well, I think many actually know it, but since they benefit from mob rule, they use rhetoric to hold onto that power. I digress!!!
 
As far as I'm concerned, if someone calls themselves Christian, I'm going to consider them Christian. Christian is just a label and a very ill-defined one at that. If not, there wouldn't be 30,000+ sects of Christianity out there.

Perhaps to you, "Christian" is just a label.....to many it is a complete way of life. :shrug:
 
Perhaps to you, "Christian" is just a label.....to many it is a complete way of life. :shrug:

To very, very few. Of course, if you limit Christianity only to people who live it 24/7, you're left with very, very few Christians, which would piss off a lot of people who want to claim a majority of Americans are Christian. You can't have it both ways.
 
To very, very few. Of course, if you limit Christianity only to people who live it 24/7, you're left with very, very few Christians, which would piss off a lot of people who want to claim a majority of Americans are Christian. You can't have it both ways.

On this I can certainly agree with you 100%. God's word tells us:
How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. Matthew 7:13
 
On this I can certainly agree with you 100%. God's word tells us:
How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. Matthew 7:13

Cool, then let's stop pretending Christians have a majority and tell people who are just pretending to be Christians, according to you, to knock it off.
 
Cool, then let's stop pretending Christians have a majority and tell people who are just pretending to be Christians, according to you, to knock it off.
Agreed..........true Christians have never really been in the majority. :shrug:
 
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