Non-Christian Friends

[45Auto]

I'm wondering if folks here have friends who are not Christians. Such as, Jews, Moslems, Hindu, Budist, etc? Any friends who don't have any religious beliefs at all?

[hunter29180]

actually we do have friends who would match you discription of non-christian. we also have great discussions on how we each believe in very simular ideas ans some that we differ on greatly. the key is to discuss not argue. be prepared to agree to disagree!

[jack404]

lotsa folks , anamlists , pagan, new age earthers .. i've picked up a few from some of the lesser sects of islam as well funnily enough , fair few jewish folks some taoists ,

a few confusionists in the chinese folks , good folks be good folks , i pray for many who aint Christian .. but thats me .. ;)

[JLA]

here too. mostly agnostics, folks who do not recognise any form of supreme daety.

[Alpo]

Interesting question. How would you know?

I do know people that you just KNOW are religious. I used to know a guy that called everyone "brother" and "sister", and "praise God" was in, at least, every third sentence. My ex-sister-in-law could not seem to have a conversation without her church showing up in it.

Then there are other people I know that I have known for years and years and years, and have no idea what their religion is, or even if they have one.

Do y'all go around saying, "Hi, I'm a Christian. What are you?"

[JLA]

Thats a good point Alpo. Guess I dont know for sure, none of them openly admit to being agnostic. I just assume. It makes no difference to me though. As Jack said, good folks is good folks. I like to surround myself with good folks. Dont particularly care if they worship a gold idol in their kitchen floor at night, thats their business.

[Juker]

I've got a few. I look at folks this way - God chose Paul, a man who made a living torturing Christians, to be redeemed and write more than half of the New Testament. So no one is beyond redemption. This doesn't mean we're beyond the law (God's and man's); we are all accountable for our actions. Even someone who receives Christ on death row must still pay the piper.

As for going around saying I'm a Christian, I reckon I'm more of a doer than a sayer. We are here for a specific reason, and I do what I can to reflect the fact that I am saved.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, KJV)

This important passage doesn't mean Christians are to strut around showing everyone how wonderful they are, or doing good deeds to be recognized - it means that our walk through life is meant to be pleasing and glorifying to God. I know more Christians who are all talk, rather than living a life that bears any fruit. And I know plenty of Christians who think everyone should be like THEM, instead of like Christ, and they're more than happy to spot that speck in someone else's eye.

At least once an hour I ask myself, "Is God pleased with me right now?" An honest answer to this question will do wonders for the soul.

[ka64]

I've got a few. I look at folks this way - God chose Paul, a man who made a living torturing Christians, to be redeemed and write more than half of the New Testament. So no one is beyond redemption. This doesn't mean we're beyond the law (God's and man's); we are all accountable for our actions. Even someone who receives Christ on death row must still pay the piper.

As for going around saying I'm a Christian, I reckon I'm more of a doer than a sayer. We are here for a specific reason, and I do what I can to reflect the fact that I am saved.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, KJV)

This important passage doesn't mean Christians are to strut around showing everyone how wonderful they are, or doing good deeds to be recognized - it means that our walk through life is meant to be pleasing and glorifying to God. I know more Christians who are all talk, rather than living a life that bears any fruit. And I know plenty of Christians who think everyone should be like THEM, instead of like Christ, and they're more than happy to spot that speck in someone else's eye.

At least once an hour I ask myself, "Is God pleased with me right now?" An honest answer to this question will do wonders for the soul.

AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[carver]

The only difference between a sinner, and a saved person is that the saved person has a relationship with God, and has the blood of Christ applied to their sins! We all still sin! The best man at my wedding was a really good friend named David Ginsburg. Can't get more Jewish that that! I have many friends that are Christian, including other religions, and none Christians. But we don't hang out together a lot, because they go places, and do things, that I don't do, or go to.

[JohnHenry]

Let me stick my "$0.05" in with definations of some of the terms I expect to see here;

Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities.[1] In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities.[2] Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist.[

Agnostics on religion (Christianity, Islam, Buddhists, etc): Religious zealots are often viewed as ignorant by agnostics’ because of their blind following of a supreme being which may or may not exist. Agnostics will often question the existence of a supreme power because a lot of modern religious beliefs have no basis in modern logic; therefore blind following of popular religions is viewed as an easy out for people who chose not to think for themselves.

Where does that leave me ..... JH, firmly, believes in God, BUT, he finds organized religion requiring the dogmatic belief in many contradictory things beyond his ability to
accept ..... So, by defination JH must be an Agnostic.
That, however, does not make him any better ( or worse ) than anyone else .

[Bobitis]

I don't choose my friends based on their religious persuasion. I choose them by their words and their actions.

Evil is. Good is. Neither has a root in any specific religion. It's what's in your soul that matters.

Sorry if that sounds goofy.:rolleyes:

[jack404]

JH i too dont follow a religion , or sect of Christianity , raised half Mennonite and the other half Anglican and a accute watch of humanity , i may my own little way , I was looking for what was right when when i realised i did not need to stress about finding a church cause no matter where i went i was the church along with others , i fellowship with salvation army mostly , but occasionally the Church of Christ folks or the local Anglican or who ever is holding services at the RSL chapel , Its worked out real well

[hunter29180]

many times in a long friendship, things are said and a belief is shared. I am talking friendships where you spend time together, playing cards, fishing, hunting and soforth.
the rest are aquaintances, not friends. so over time you will usually determind reglion and what you say and do determines if the friendship survives and grows or withers and dies. its not that you try to find out but it will crop up.

Bobitis has it exactly right! as do most of the people here. I believe any person who acknowleges there is a GOD has or may have a relationship with GOD. some do NOT fit the popular defination of a "saved" person. I think GOD will have to be the judge of that question.

[jack404]

He's the only one that counts

[user]

I find I have no commonality with people who have no spiritual awareness. That said, I also find that most of the "religious people " fall into the category of what Jesus referred to as blind and deaf, not to mention zombies ("...leave the dead to bury their dead..."). I paraphrase, "woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you..." this way: "Watch out, there, you clergy and fundamentalists, hypocrites, because you do this, that and the other thing..."; on the other hand, I have friends who purport to be all sorts of things, Hindu, Buddhist, "Spiritual" (though not many Jews or Moslems, who are as trapped by their "religion" as most "Christians").

People who reject God often do so, not because they actually reject The-God-That-Is, but because they already have a connection with the real God and because of that reject the God of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling (figuratively speaking). What they're really rejecting is the absurd descriptive language that religious people use, not God. People I'm friends with are people who already have that spark of awareness, and are on their own paths and are moving. There is "one way", and Christ embodies that one way, and I think these folks are doing it. Jesus didn't say, "worship me", he said, "follow me." And where the Bible says that all who are saved are saved through Christ it doesn't say that they have to make a lot of religous hoo-hah about Jesus. "For he maketh the rain fall upon the just and the unjust alike."

[carver]

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

[Insulation Tim]

Though a Christian, I try to avoid discussions on religion. It is a no-win and I personally think that one's religion and how they choose to practice it is very private. I've always felt that those who tend to flaunt their religion usually have a different agenda.

[red14]

I am a Christian, but I usually avoid most talking about religion.

I have never met anyone who agrees with me on everything. Religion is the same way, sooner or later, we will disagree. People can get quite excitable when 'discussing' religion and politics. Sometimes, they can't get over their 'disagreements'. Now, I've lost a friend.

I avoid discussions on religion, politics, and I don't loan friends money.

[4EvrLearning]

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

I think if we take this verse in immediate context, it appears to refer to the concept of fellowship (defined by Strong's as association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse, intimacy).

Starting at verse 14, and finishing the chapter:

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what [B]portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

"I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty."

(The verses with quotes refer to verses in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Verse 17 refers back to Israel's bondage in Egypt; "unclean things" refer to either ceremonially, morally or spiritually unclean--as in idolatry.)

Jesus touched and healed the lepers (which was radical in His day); he ate with the tax collectors (which was also radical, as they were seen as the worst of the worst); he associated with the "undesirables" of society at the time He lived. He came to seek and save that which was lost...and He commands us to go and make disciples of all nations. To do that, we cannot associate only with those who know Him.

One of the best tools I have found for a thorough understanding of context, definitions, and cross-references is blueletterbible.org. It's a wealth of information!

[carver]

You are right; up to a point. That point being that Christians should stand out, or stand above, the avarice of man. Just because Christ ate with the tax collectors, and drunkards, doesn't mean that he was like them! As Christians we are go to the ones that need Christ in their lives, and tell them of the Gospel. It doesn't mean that we get drunk with them, or join in the gambling.

[4EvrLearning]

You are right; up to a point. That point being that Christians should stand out, or stand above, the avarice of man. Just because Christ ate with the tax collectors, and drunkards, doesn't mean that he was like them! As Christians we are go to the ones that need Christ in their lives, and tell them of the Gospel. It doesn't mean that we get drunk with them, or join in the gambling.

Exactly, carver...and I think we're really saying the same thing. Verses 14-16 give us our parameters--our cautions--for the level of relationship we are to have. Spiritual discernment and wisdom is necessary at all times as we balance loving our neighbors as ourselves, being "Good Samaritans," and sharing the gospel with those who've never heard it.

[carver]

Exactly, carver...and I think we're really saying the same thing. Verses 14-16 give us our parameters--our cautions--for the level of relationship we are to have. Spiritual discernment and wisdom is necessary at all times as we balance loving our neighbors as ourselves, being "Good Samaritans," and sharing the gospel with those who've never heard it.

Amen, and Amen!