When I was a child I didn't really do to well in the friends department. I was sick a lot and as a result I severely lacked social skills. This was because I would be out of school a lot or sick and unable to go out. My mom also wouldn't let me join in after school activities because my asthma was so bad. If it wasn't for modern medicine, I most certainly would have died as a child.
I would often cry at night and ask god for friends. I felt so alone and so hated.
By the time I started high school I began doubting god. I lost all faith around age 16 when personal events made me realize that there was no god and the only person I could depend on was myself. Once I began to accept myself and know that the only one who could help me was me I began to to have more positive experiences with people. I have developed many friendships over the years.
Essentially, when I stopped asking god for friends and started to be myself and reach out to people that way I built many friendships. This past March I had a birthday party attended by about 50 friends, and that probably represented half of my friends. Many were out of state and couldn't attend. I definitely have a close circle of about 10 people who I could trust with anything and then I have many social friends.
Am I saying you need to deny god to have friends? No. I have many friends who are religious and others who are not. Losing faith in god only made me realize I have to do rely on myself...and my friends and family. I don't go to god to feel loved, I turn to a friend and it has had profound meaning for me. I value my close friends as if they were family.
I guess what I am getting at is you need to befriend people based on who they are, not on what they worship, whether you are an atheist or not.
I would often cry at night and ask god for friends. I felt so alone and so hated.
By the time I started high school I began doubting god. I lost all faith around age 16 when personal events made me realize that there was no god and the only person I could depend on was myself. Once I began to accept myself and know that the only one who could help me was me I began to to have more positive experiences with people. I have developed many friendships over the years.
Essentially, when I stopped asking god for friends and started to be myself and reach out to people that way I built many friendships. This past March I had a birthday party attended by about 50 friends, and that probably represented half of my friends. Many were out of state and couldn't attend. I definitely have a close circle of about 10 people who I could trust with anything and then I have many social friends.
Am I saying you need to deny god to have friends? No. I have many friends who are religious and others who are not. Losing faith in god only made me realize I have to do rely on myself...and my friends and family. I don't go to god to feel loved, I turn to a friend and it has had profound meaning for me. I value my close friends as if they were family.
I guess what I am getting at is you need to befriend people based on who they are, not on what they worship, whether you are an atheist or not.
"The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." Benjamin Franklin
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