Friends don't let friends talk politics/religion

[Reverend Satan]

As many of you know, I'm passionate about politics and religion/god. Political discussions are subjective but the whole god stuff is cut and dry and you know where I stand. It seems many of my friends who "agree to disagree" are now taking a path where things like "this country's government was founded on Christianity" and "We'll put a boot in the terrorists asses" are common phrases. I can't go along with this.

My question is: how am I supposed to deal with my friends who have radically different opinions than my own? I honestly don't respect people who actively avoid reality in order to preserve their opinion but does that mean I should cut these folks loose or just let them spout their ignorance and ignore it.

I've tried engaging some of them in debates but they either avoid the situation or get angry to the point where a rational converstation is unrealistic.

[Pammie]

If their really your friends you accept them for what they are!

[Reverend Satan]

Originally Posted by Pammie

If their really your friends you accept them for what they are!

Even if I think they are a cancer to the future of this country? Am I enabling their destructive behavior by not addressing it?

Would you remain friends with someone who is a radical muslim or a member of the KKK? I'm not being sarcastic. Would you ignore it?

[Pammie]

Originally Posted by Old Dirty Satan

Even if I think they are a cancer to the future of this country? Am I enabling their destructive behavior by not addressing it?

Would you remain friends with someone who is a radical muslim or a member of the KKK? I'm not being sarcastic. Would you ignore it?

You make a good point Old Dirty Satan..

But I probably wouldn't be friend with those kind of people anyway.

[hanuri]

Originally Posted by Old Dirty Satan

Even if I think they are a cancer to the future of this country? Am I enabling their destructive behavior by not addressing it?

Would you remain friends with someone who is a radical muslim or a member of the KKK? I'm not being sarcastic. Would you ignore it?

hey there certainly is a cancer to cure in your land , been there about six yrs ...
I understand your agony when your friends either play the ignorance game or are not interested. I believe in God Almighty and am 100% positive His way is not the way US has chosen. It´s not something history "gave" as GWB tried to mumble....no it´s by big part self caused. B admin cannot be accused from ALL happening and happened in previous yrs. Not even if I wanted to do so.
No religion allows war and killing as means to spread word. Even the muslims are that way. Once I heard some mullah speaking about jihad . What he said was not the same these fanatic (lunatic) muslim leaders are saying about it. He said jihad meant war against the every day TROUBLES a muslim faces in his / her living..... the very same" war" but under different name do the so called christians face every day. If I got it right he meant something like war against SIN ( an integral part of every religion ), not killing all others who oppose...
I think you are trying to do a big favor for the country of yours by questioning things . Two older members here ( other not active any more) whom I both respect to no end have told me that a. US is not the same country it once was . Those who oppose( the b admin) are blamed for being either liberals( ahhh that magic word)or even worse non patriotic.... and b. US is the ROME of today where people don´t care anymore as long there is bread and circus ( that place where gladiators did they thing).....
Things are bad but as long there are people w own brains there is hope .
I don´t accept religion used as the "guiding light" for politics either. no good has ever come from that.

[hanuri]

if in need of talking politics i´m here.

Have to say that those are 2 subject that I do NOT openly discuss w/ anyone.....

[Spook]

There is an expression that Christians sometimes use..."Love the sinner, but hate the sin." The problem that I have seen with many people who are very outspoken about what they believe is that they do not debate at all. They do not let the other person get a word in edgewise so that it becomes a one-sided argument and the other person essentially blows off the argument because it is pointless to that person to argue with a close minded individual. Are you one of those people DOS? I have seen a great many people like that but they refuse to admit they are that type of personality.

Other than that, why abandon everyone just because they don't see things your way? With that kind of attitude, before long you will have your own reality TV show called, "Drinking at home with my dog."...Oh, wait a sec. Would you mind have a co-star?

[hanuri]

I could produce it....

[Reverend Satan]

Originally Posted by Spook

There is an expression that Christians sometimes use..."Love the sinner, but hate the sin." The problem that I have seen with many people who are very outspoken about what they believe is that they do not debate at all. They do not let the other person get a word in edgewise so that it becomes a one-sided argument and the other person essentially blows off the argument because it is pointless to that person to argue with a close minded individual. Are you one of those people DOS? I have seen a great many people like that but they refuse to admit they are that type of personality.

Other than that, why abandon everyone just because they don't see things your way? With that kind of attitude, before long you will have your own reality TV show called, "Drinking at home with my dog."...Oh, wait a sec. Would you mind have a co-star?

I'm a fair debater. I don't holler or cut people off. I think most people don't like having their beliefs tested because they didn't put much thought into those beliefs to begin with. It's sad.

I like drinking at home with my dog more than anything else as long as the SciFi channel is on.