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I'm well past a teenager and still have this problem. the hardest part is resisiting the tug to "be cool" and laugh it off or roll with it when your religion is under assault. for some reason too, catholics seem the most persecuted christians here lately. it seems it's ok to believe in God and Christ but not to be a Catholic, here. All I can tell you is to stand your ground. you will be tested, and not to deny Christ in front of your friends.... but you know all of that.
I don't make a big deal out of pushing christianity on anyone who doesn't ask. I should, it just doesn't come naturally. if they show some interest, then I jump in, with both feet. otherwise, I don't HIDE my beliefs, I just let them be in the background.
I'm probably wrong though, so don't take my word for it...
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!Just Me... Happy Wife of & Proud Mommy to
Don't bother quoting from scripture, its like talking louder and louder to someone who doesn't speaking English
Know your stuff - Evolution has nothing scientifically to do with the question of how life started, for instance, little stubs that eventually evolved into wings ARE useful, etc...
Realize that there are a lot of people (more likely your friends' parents in this case) that have suffered at the hands of 'religious' people doing what they thought was right.
Understand your similarities - hopes and dreams at school, loving their family, etc...
Understand not how they are different from you, but how you are different from them.
Maybe you'll change your view, and realize that rather than a 'problem', seeking out people with different opinions than you will help you become a more understanding person with a better understanding of what makes you different.
We are all on this journey called life... and the destination has not been reached yet.
It's only what map one is looking at and the route they are taking to get there.
Is there a wrong way? A right way? A few detours to go around? Perhaps some landmark sights to see along the way? Whether one takes the 'high road' and another takes the 'low road'... they both lead to Scotland...
Faith starts with a seed... and grows! Knowledge also increases... with learning. Understanding comes into focus... usually after life's experiences (hindsight has a new kind of light).
And once it is felt in the Heart... Charity is there. If the Good Lord allows one's Free-Will to make mistakes (harmful choices), should we be anything else? Also, doesn't He forgive us these trespasses? Should we do anything else?
Dance to the music in YOUR Heart... Perhaps some others will wonder why you do... then you can be Charitable and 'simply' tell them.
Pray. God will let you know how much he wants you to do. even in university, I still feel this kind of tension in myself. What is the right way to witness? How much is too much? IS there too much?
Peacefully and confusedly yours...
Spirithound
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I let them be. As long as they don't push their beliefs on me, or non-beliefs, then I have no problem with them.
Really they turn me off just a bit, but I'm nice to them because they are people too. I don't hold any discrimination against them and would treat them just like anyone else.
I'm not an atheist, I guess you could say I'm borderline agnostic. I can see how there are no real arguments against our faith, but I don't really see any arguments for it, other than I grew up with it surrounding me convincing me that it is true in the same way that Islam convinces it's followers that it is true. I don't see how anyone can make a conscious decision concerning faith, or at least a logical one. It seems to me you either try to decide and then guess or you simply ignore the issue. I can't stand ignoring the issue.
Or an interesting argument I heard (forgot what this argument is called)
Imagine all the knowledge in the universe. Draw a circle to represent this.
Imagine all the knowledge of mankind. Draw a circle inside the first one to represent this. Obviously it is smaller and 100% contained within the larger circle.
Imagine all the knowledge you have. Draw a circle inside the humanity's circle. (I'm too humble, I'll put a dot.)
In order to know there is no God, one must have all the knowledge of the universe (which we don't have) - otherwise, what is more likely: knowledge of God's existence is outside of your circle or outside of humanity's circle? It can't be outside the universe's knowledge circle (this is logically impossible). Since we don't have all the knowledge in the universe, it is quite arrogant to claim that there is no God since we don't have the proof of this.
Once they believe in God, I'd invite them to download Fulton Sheen's discussion of the Claimants. Here he goes one by one for all the claimants to have spoken for God and chops one at a time away until only Christ is left.
If the ultimate power created reality
Why is mans' life so short?
Mans' body lives its biological limit
But no-one can disprove that mans' soul is eternal.
I would distinguish between atheists and anti-theists. Those who don't believe in any gods (or God) should have no problem with your beliefs--what's it to them? In their eyes, you just have an imaginary friend.
Anti-theists, though, can be a real pain in the neck, as they will try to convince you that you're wrong to believe in God, because the world is so evil, religion is so bad, blah blah blah. They're religious extremists about their non-religion. (Anyone remember Madalyn Murray O'Hair?)
Tell them that you're praying for them, and do your best to tune them out when they turn funny colors in response.
All I ask is for them to respect me. That means no nasty comments. No funny gestures when I pray before a meal.
In return, I don't preach to them. I live my life my way and they live theirs their way.
(It is a little different with my husband. He attends Mass, occasionally. He waits until the family is through prayers before he eats. He is one of the most Catholic, non-Catholics I know.)
Or an interesting argument I heard (forgot what this argument is called)
Imagine all the knowledge in the universe. Draw a circle to represent this.
Imagine all the knowledge of mankind. Draw a circle inside the first one to represent this. Obviously it is smaller and 100% contained within the larger circle.
Imagine all the knowledge you have. Draw a circle inside the humanity's circle. (I'm too humble, I'll put a dot.)
In order to know there is no God, one must have all the knowledge of the universe (which we don't have) - otherwise, what is more likely: knowledge of God's existence is outside of your circle or outside of humanity's circle? It can't be outside the universe's knowledge circle (this is logically impossible). Since we don't have all the knowledge in the universe, it is quite arrogant to claim that there is no God since we don't have the proof of this.
Once they believe in God, I'd invite them to download Fulton Sheen's discussion of the Claimants. Here he goes one by one for all the claimants to have spoken for God and chops one at a time away until only Christ is left.
There is a third type of atheist: They that don't believe but want to. They want someone to show them, but are afraid to ask. I know, because I was one before I was a Fundamental Evangelical.
In order to know there is no God, one must have all the knowledge of the universe (which we don't have)
Actually, many (most? all?) atheists admit that they can't know for 100% certainty that there absolutely is no God. Every atheist from Richard Dawkins to Sam Harris has admitted that, and prefer to phrase the "belief" of atheism as a "lack of" rather than a belief that there "is not" - or say that they live under the assumption that God does not exist
Quote:
- otherwise, what is more likely: knowledge of God's existence is outside of your circle or outside of humanity's circle? It can't be outside the universe's knowledge circle (this is logically impossible). Since we don't have all the knowledge in the universe, it is quite arrogant to claim that there is no God since we don't have the proof of this.
Actually, you could have all the knowledge of the Universe and still you could not disprove the existence of an omnipotent, invisible creator any more than you could disprove the existence of the invisible, silent cat living in my room. But it's not arrogant to say and live under the assumption that "there is no cat" anymore than it is to say "there is no god," given the lack of evidence, even when you know that there is, in fact, no way to completely disprove either.
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