I felt this was safe to post under issues... Several of my best friends these past few years have 'found' Jesus. I personally believe that you can't find something that doesn't exist, but these are my friends, so I'm supportive. (NOTE: Those are my beliefs. I'm not trying to force them upon anyone. So do not attempt to push your beliefs upon me) Well, a major church here has a very influential youth group here. Influential to the point where it gets mentioned in our high school's yearbook. And now that I think of it, isn't that crossing the line between religion and education? One night I was getting a ride home from the youth leader of this group, who up until this night had always been a dear friend of mine. Anyways, he drives several miles out of his way, stops his car and proceeds to tell me that I'm going to hell for my sexuality and that I must repent and see the light as soon as it were possible. Regardless to say, I got out of the car and walked 7 miles home in the rain and mud. And lately all of my friends have been finding Jesus and losing me. So what if I'm gay? So what if I'm atheist? They knew this when we met and it didn't bother them then. Why should it matter now?
It shouldn't matter to them. They are your friends and they should be supportive of you unless you were to do something stupid like become a drug dealer or kill kittens. Jesus, in my eyes, is not about hate and sending people to hell. Jesus is about love and acceptance. But, that's my opinion. I just wish everyone would see it that way. There are many that do. Most of my friends are Christian, go to church every Sunday, and some of them even started up a prayer group and Bible study at my school. I'm not getting into the entire Church vs. State thing because that would take way too long, but what I'm trying to say is, they don't care about my sexuality. They care about me. That's what friends should care about. Your friends might be straight and Christian, but that doesn't mean that you have to be too. Like I've said before, they should stand by your side as friends.
Some Christians are of the belief that, should they hang around "sinners," they, too, will become sinners. Added to their compulsion to try and convert non-believers, and you have a recipe for trouble. Granted, that really isn't following the example of Christ to just abandon your friends like that; I mean, Jesus hung out with sinners he had no personal connection with. And that's operating on the assumption that you are, in fact, a sinner. Suffice it to say, your "friends" seem to suck as both friends and Christians. Perhaps you should enlighten them?
The one schoolmate who knows I'm an atheist is someone who was never my friend to begin with and only found out by chance, so I don't know how much help I can offer on that... The best I can tell you is to try and find people who are not as Jump For Jesus hail-the-lawdy obsessed as your current friends are. Trying to change them or spin them around will only push them further away.
Do you go to a private or public school? If you go to a public school I'm sure there are people there who aren't christian or catholic or whatever religion all those people are that are in the same position as you. Is there a gblt youth group near you? It might be worth it to check it out I'm sure if there is one you could meet a lot of great people there. Your friends that you lost are probably just trying to fit in with the crowd but that's just how it is in high school.
i know what you mean i had a friend and i told him i was gay and we didnt talk for weeks cause he kept saying your going to hell and i dont believe you and i know you your not gay ahhhhh and the thing is even though my dad is a preacher i think im athieast
please do. tell them what jesus is really about. tell them that he preached love and acceptance. he taught that we are all children of God. and please, tell them that because of them, liberal christians like me are ashamed to be affiliated with them. i really shouldnt continue. :S
Tell them that it's something they could never understand unless they themselves were born gay. There is no gay 'conversion' or enough prayer in the world to change your wiring. I'm a fan of this particularly effective video: [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDiYeJ_bsQo[/YOUTUBE] And the documentary 'For the Bible Tells Me So' could hopefully be effective. Hopefully it doesn't come down to them thinking they're doing God's work by trying to make you hetero or something, and they can simply accept that you have different beliefs. It's always been tough for me not to resent people who think being gay is a sin, lucky for me I have about one friend who is a practicing Christian. Most are agnostic or too lazy to even contemplate religion haha
Well obviously I have more friends than just them But there will never be another Camella, or Kimberly, or Brit etc... I don't want to lose them over something stupid like this
My friends are very accepting and do not care that im gay! But its a shame that they do not want to be friends over something small like that! (*hug*)
