Should I ignore my friend for his disbelieve?

Andy0099 said:

Hello,
So my best friend in school came out to me last week telling me that he's no longer christian and that now he calls himself an agnostic.

I was shocked. We go to church together, I couldn't believe that he's agnostic now.

His parents think he's a practicing christian. He still goes to church.

I haven't talked to him since last night. He called me up and asked me to please not talk to his parents about his agnostic beliefs and to keep it a secret.

I feel sorry for him because he's my best friend and he trusted me. I don't think I should talk to his parents about it because I have no business interfering into his private family life. I think he should come out by himself.

Should I keep ignoring him? Do you think I should tell his parents about it?

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I say don't tell his parents, but don't alienate yourself from, or ostracize him. Just treat him like any other Christian. You can even encourage him and say that it is possible to be a Christian agnostic for a time. Perhaps you can even study the topic together or with a group and maybe answer any questions he may have!

I would respect his decision to keep it from his parents. I think it should be up to him to decide when and if he tells his parents.
I don't think him not being Christian is a fair enough reason to no longer be friends with him. The bible teaches to love others not judge so I think it's best to stand by him.
That's just my opinion though.

I would say absolutely don't ignore him or leave him. This is your chance to show him love as a Christian and prove it's genuine and not some "religion" people do, but a relationship. Love him regardless, because Christ showed love to us regardless. Hopefully he will come around, but just continue to live life with him and show Christ through yourself. Ignoring him would just make things worse.

I think you should just say friends with him. Treat him the way you always have. You've been friends for three years after all.

I think your friend has to be the one to tell his parents.

Please don't ignore him and show him the Christian love always. Pray for him always too.

I've had a close friend like that once too. Out of the blue, she told us that she wasn't a Christian anymore. She told us that she doesn't feel anything from God at all. She doesn't feel passion or love from God. She started believing in the existence of mystical creatures after that. That made me worry a lot. She also purposefully didn't listen during Chapel time or Values Class.

I always took the opportunity to show my love for her. I also always took the opportunity to share God's word with her. I kept encouraging her to sing and clap her hands and enjoy God's presence during Chapel Time. I kept praying for her every night.

Anyway, my point is not to ignore your friend. Take the opportunity to encourage him back to God. BUT don't force him to. It's going to be his choice in the end and you can't make that choice for him.

As for my friend, she's a Christian again..

i, personally, do not think ignoring him is the right answer. he is struggling with his faith and you should embrace him. (okay, maybe not literally, that's up to you.) we are called to show God's love to those who are lost and do what is within our power to return them to him. i think that showering him with the love of God and acceptance is the best way you can help him. take it from a reformed agnostic, amor vincit omnia ('love conquers all") is true: with out the love and support of my fellow believers i probably wouldn't have made it back into the church again.

Seriously, DO NOT ignore him. That is shallow and terrible. It would turn him off of the faith even more. Besides, most Christians are in the same boat as him, they don't know what they believe because they've been raised on Churchianity. They're just not man enough to admit the fact that they have doubts... They think doubting is bad for the faith, but it's really not at all. Besides, doubting is how I became what I am today, and I can safely say that I am far more close to knowing the Creator than I once was. Keep supporting him and let him go his own way. Do not cram anything down his throat. He will go to the Father on his own terms, just make sure you provide a good example for him.

Why would you even consider ignoring the poor kid? Just because he's no longer a Christian doesn't mean he still isn't a human being. The fact that you're considering this disturbs me slightly.

Quick question: Do you ignore atheists, deists, Muslims, Hindus etc. in the real world? If you do, how do you survive?

And it sounds like your friend told you because he trusts you. Don't betray that trust. He obviously considers you a good friend. Don't prove him wrong.

No way....if he was your best friend before, why would you let something as unimportant and irrational as his religious beliefs change your entire view of him?

dont ignore him why would you even want to ignore him any way if youve been friends with him 3 years.he is still a human wheather he is christian now or not.your friend shouldnt go to church just to make his parents think that he is a conservative christian.he should own up to it and tell his parents and be able to talk to his parents about these things not keep it a secret from his parents.he trusts you or he wouldnt of told you that any way praying for you and your friend be encouraged keep the faith