I’m not interested in hearing about it!
One of the blog suggestions was “How to talk to friends about God who may not want to hear it”. That is a great question and very hard to answer in a general format because everyone of your friends is a unique individual in a unique stage in their life.
If a friend asks me to stop inviting him to church, should I respect their wishes? Probably so! That is a hard thing to do, but we aren’t in the business of saving people . . . that is the Holy Spirit’s job. I’ll let the Holy Spirit work on my friend, but there is one thing that I can’t do. I can’t stop talking about Jesus. My friend is going to hear about Jesus, what He’s doing in my life, what’s happening in my church, etc.
The only way my friend isn’t going to hear about God is if they stop hanging around me. I hope that doesn’t happen!
April 17th, 2009 on 12:16 am
I have been put in the situation where I was told not to talk about my beliefs last month. I work in a profession that obviously has a lot of non-believers. These guys don’t put down religion, but they don’t believe it or want to hear about it.
I was invited to go out with a group last month to a club I was not going to consider going to. When asked why I wouldn’t join them, I stated I am a Christian and won’t go to a place like that. I was right then and there told to never talk about that again. I agreed not to and there has never been a problem since.
I still make the regular statements I would normally make and they ignore it since I haven’t changed any. I am doing what they wished without worrying about what I say and I have found I get more respect for it.
The one thing I am happy about is because of making the statements I have met a few guys that are believers which gives me people to talk to and will support me if I need it.
April 28th, 2009 on 7:08 pm
Hello.
I just found this through Skribit – I’m an atheist, so I might be one of the friends you’re trying to get through to. Equally, you might not care about my opinion, so feel free to delete the comment if you like.
I’m gonna say this: it’s very difficult, as a friend, to ask another friend to stop talking about something that’s important to them. Those of us who don’t share your religious beliefs still do – largely – respect them. We respect your right to hold those beliefs, and we’d be really grateful if you’d respect our right to hold our beliefs to.
So if you’re one of those Christians who feels compelled to tell us – all the time – that we’re wrong, that Jesus loves us or we’re going to hell, well, please quit it. My mother is like that and it has ripped our relationship apart. We rarely speak anymore, because I know that the only thing she wants to talk about is her God. And I’m not interested in hearing that.
If you want to be an effective witness, be a friend first. Be that ultra-reliable friend, the one I can always count on, the one who’s stable, loving, kind, generous — in fact, go check that list Paul wrote about the fruits of the spirit – be that list! And live your life as you believe Jesus would wish you to live it.
One day, your non-believing friend might be ready to hear your message, and you’ll be right there to tell them. Because it’s better to share the love of God with someone who wants to share it, than force religion at someone who’ll shut you out forever because they don’t agree with you, right?