I don't want any closed minded religious person here, because I don't have strength for argument. I recently got enlightened, and exposed to the truth about 4 years ago. Obviously, I no loner believe in the fairy tale stories of a man in the sky and all that...I am totally free, and loving it. But, the problem is dealing with my old friends. Although some of them know about my new beliefs and have accepted me like that, there are some really close friends that just don't understand and think I have gone MAD from my too much reading. I really want to cut them off...men! I never thought I would have to do this...I mean cut off friends I have known for so long. Anyway, I just want to hear from other atheist and free thinkers on how they deal with friends and family who don't understand their beliefs.

Thanks in anticipation.

Simply don't talk about your personal beliefs with them. Just live together as people but if they challenge you, then give them a hushing answer.

being an ECKIST i am also caught in that cross-fire of severe disapprovals mostly from my friends who are Christians as they usually classify us as cultists.

my friends who are moslems generally see me as a christian until they ask me my denomination then they become surprised that another religion relatively unknown to them is present in Nigeria. generally i have stopped all forms of religious arguments with people as i focus more on living the life of a ready channel for the Holy Spirit simply expressing the love that has filled my being to all life and all persons irrespective of their beliefs or non-belief. there is nobody that does not appreciate love and that to me is what matters in life.

Better don't argue anything about religion with them, or better still don't raise any debate that gat to do with religion.

My atheism is actually a lack of belief and as such don't have anything to prove to friends. So they withered away.
I don't know what you expect of your friends. Do you want them to stop being religious or what?
I still have one or two religious acquitances but they respect themselves as they know that bringing up religious topics with me hurts them very much.

I generally don't talk to people about my religious beliefs to avoid wahala. When they ask me, I tell them I'm an atheist, but I don't volunteer the information. The only exception is at work when my bosses ask, where I always lie through my teeth that I'm born again and I love Jebus. I'm not interested in dealing with religious bigotry and discrimination if I don't have to.

My advice to OP is to be as nice and friendly as you can to those people. However, if they start disturbing you too much, don't hesitate to cut then off. If they ask you why you stopped talking to them, politely explain that you respect their religious beliefs and that you expect them to show you the same courtesy, otherwise, you're not friends.

Don't allow anybody to disturb your life over religion.

Friends?......no fuss....If they remain persistent........Cut 'em off!!.
Family?......Hell No!!.....wouldn't advise it......talking outta experience

Thanks for all d great responses...i really appreciate them. And to the guy who asked if i want my friends to stop being religious, of cos not. I just want them to respect my beliefs and let me be.

All these years, i av avoided the discussion, but it came up yesterday with a long time friend of mine. I snapped...i should have controled my emotions better, but he was talking all these things i dont like, like~ that we have to fight a continuous war with witches and wizards and d devil...and that my destiny is written by God and there is nothing i can do to change it...all that stuff. I lost it.


Anyway, i will avoid such discussions in d future. And for that religious person that sneaked in here to see what we are talking about, you see that Atheist ain't bad after all...we are just misunderstood by pple.

@Ghostface, i def wont distance myself from my family...they r all i got. So, u said u r speaking from personal experience...did u distance urself from family at some point?

In country like nigeria its best you keep your beliefs to yourself. There are people who I can never tell that am not religious because it will be a shock to their system that I don't believe in jewish fairytales they would say I need deliverence. So I keep it to myself but I do drop hints when I can.

Yea, me too...i drop hints when i can. But what do u do on sundays?

I don't know whether its only me but i usually enjoy staring at a religious person's eye while telling them that all these fairy tales in their scriptures are all bull_shit Try it and see, there is nothing sweeter than the expression you'll see on their face.

^^^Just remembered i didn't caution you to never try that when you're in the midst of people like vedAXEcool and sweetNECKta otherwise they will use an AXE to chop off your NECK.
This is a million dollar advice i got from uncle Musk when i first declare my disbelieve on this forum.

Here in Europe most people are atheist any way. . .In Denmark being religious is out of fashion. . .In Nigeria just keep your atheistic beliefs to yourself if you want to have a cordial relationship with people, if you are very rich and famous then you can easily let them know about your atheism, but as long as you are just the man next door keep your beliefs to your self. . .You can't reason with people that are willfully ignorant. . .people that still believe in juju, charms, demons, devils, gods and all those mythical nonsense out there. . .

Like other people have said- be careful when telling people your disbelief, especially in Nigeria.

I told my family and i wasnt an easy route to take. What saved me was that my parents were well educated and still had a appreciation for logic. It took a year before they accepted my beliefs.

@Logicboy, i dont think i can ever tell my family members...i dont think my parents can ever understand. I told some friends i grew up with in my old neighbourhood, and i later heard that one of them said he is scared to move with me again...this person i am talking about was a cultist in school n has done so much havoc that i know of, but he is scared of me now...it's just so funny. It is impossible for pple to understand...anyone that can truly open his mind and reason logically will understand...but he would also become an atheist in d process.

@mazaje, i wish i could relocate to europe a.s.a.p. Yesterday, Masters degree friend was telling me about demons n witches and wizards, n spiritual enemies and all that...I felt like just cutting d line cos there was no use even disputing his beliefs...he is in too deep into his beliefs

@3310, lol! Very funny. I used to do that when i first got enlightened, but not anymore. I just try n keep my mouth shot now.

@OP:

I'm theist so I hope I'm permitted here.

It happens to everyone, as long as you're running against the wind. I'm a Christian with very unconventional beliefs; and it doesn't help that I used to be a kind of pastor (now I don't buy into a lot of what I used to teach) and most of my oldest acquaintances still hold on the beliefs I've discarded. I eventually became a lone ranger and learnt to stop having religious conversations with old friends except they particularly insist on hearing my opinion. In general, I avoid the topic or when I MUST respond, I
just parry it off with a smart response. So they'll leave me alone.

You'll either learn to keep your worldviews to yourself and tell only willing ears, or else live a life of pretense to protect your worldviews against discrimination.

@

Interesting...watching from sidelines.

@InesQor, thanks for ur response.

When with family
With born-agains and Muslims
On NL

Na my mantra. In real life, there are no mods or bans. The Mclatunjis and Alexleos will make your life miserable. Call me a coward, I call it wisdom, atheists no get soul o, na only one life we get.

InesQor: @OP:

I'm theist so I hope I'm permitted here.

It happens to everyone, as long as you're running against the wind. I'm a Christian with very unconventional beliefs; and it doesn't help that I used to be a kind of pastor (now I don't buy into a lot of what I used to teach) and most of my oldest acquaintances still hold on the beliefs I've discarded. I eventually became a lone ranger and learnt to stop having religious conversations with old friends except they particularly insist on hearing my opinion. In general, I avoid the topic or when I MUST respond, I
just parry it off with a smart response. So they'll leave me alone.

You'll either learn to keep your worldviews to yourself and tell only willing ears, or else live a life of pretense to protect your worldviews against discrimination.

@

You are always on point. . .

mazaje:

You are always on point. . .

Thanks, brother man