RE: How to avoid losing respect for friends
April 16, 2012 at 7:57 pm
(This post was last modified: April 16, 2012 at 7:58 pm by TheJackel.)
(April 15, 2012 at 1:47 pm)compass Wrote: I chose to put this post in the psychology section because it refers to my feelings about friends who believe in religion and (shall we say) unproven phenomena.
Over the last four years I have increasingly found it very hard to stay friends with anyone who doesn't think scientifically, which is a problem.
I respect other view points and opinions, but all to often non scientific minds will assumes to know the answer to something without research, which I find arrogant.
Last night I learned that one of my best friends is a creationist. I was shocked and hurt that he would dismiss all the years of research and combined scrutiny that produced the evolution theory. I see him as someone who is therefore arrogant and foolish.
I preferred to see him as a great friend (which he is), rather than someone who I have lost respect for. How do I balance those two thoughts simultaneously?
Religious beliefs and differences are not a necessity to friendship.. Nor is it needed to be a topic of discussion between two friends.. So here is the solution I gave one of my friends when it came up:
Quote:You believe in GOD, and believe that we were all created to which makes you feel like you have a purpose in life..It makes you feel special. I believe that we are uniquely emergent beings without prefabrication or creation by another being.. However, in either case we are still amazing, unique, and living lives with a sense of purpose. So despite the differences of how we think we got here, we are friends, and we should value that as deeply as we value our personal beliefs.
It solved the problem, and I've been friends with my friend now for over 8 years.
