Problems with friends?

[Voskhod]

Allo, I've been having problems with some very close friends of mine who are all very devout Christians. Problem is, I am an Atheist, but they don't know that, and recently they've been questioning my true faith, and being unable to come up with an easy answer I've tried masquerading as a (dubious) believer, however I'm not sure how long that play will hold up.

So I ask of you, all of you, how can I talk my friends into a soft landing and convince them to simply accept me for who I am and not for my beliefs?
Please and thanks.

 

[texastig]

Just tell them the truth and tell them of your struggle. They should have no problem with it.

 

[salida]

If they are true friends they will accept you for who you are.

 

[Mr Dave]

Allo, I've been having problems with some very close friends of mine who are all very devout Christians. Problem is, I am an Atheist, but they don't know that, and recently they've been questioning my true faith, and being unable to come up with an easy answer I've tried masquerading as a (dubious) believer, however I'm not sure how long that play will hold up.

So I ask of you, all of you, how can I talk my friends into a soft landing and convince them to simply accept me for who I am and not for my beliefs?
Please and thanks.

I agree with the others, they should accept you for the individual that you are. I assume that you all became friends because you get along well (?) so this should be able to continue.

Were you brought up in a more atheist/agnostic environment or were you brought up in a Christian environment (Eastern Orthodox I presume) and have come to where you now are? If/when you do tell your friends this may come up, the reasons why in (according to wikipedia, forgive the lack of knowledge on my own part) a country that is about 90% EO, you would call yourself atheist (again on wikipedia, atheists make up only 0.4% of Moldova's population).

There would be a way of telling your friends, and I wouldn't recommend just blurting it out one day. You know them best and the best way to speak to them, but I'd say that it would be wise to gather them together somewhere you feel comfortable in a (relatively) social environment and explain to them that you don't share the same faith that they do, possible explain why (although they would probably ask). If it seems necessary, depending on how the conversation goes, you may need to remind them that this isn't you saying that you shouldn't continue be friends, but that you really appreciate their friendship but just don't have this common faith that they thought you had.

I hope that helps you.

 

[bling]

I especially want and expect my freinds to be honest.

Lots of people have been agnostic or athiests for a time.

 

[DreamOutLoud]

If they are true friends they will accept you for who you are.

Exactly.
If they don't accept your atheism, they just pretend to be your friends.
Well... You'd better not to hold off telling them truth.
Calmly explain that religion can't influence on your friendship. Tell them that you're not going to offend teir believes and you expect the same from them.

 

[seashale76]

Allo, I've been having problems with some very close friends of mine who are all very devout Christians. Problem is, I am an Atheist, but they don't know that, and recently they've been questioning my true faith, and being unable to come up with an easy answer I've tried masquerading as a (dubious) believer, however I'm not sure how long that play will hold up.

So I ask of you, all of you, how can I talk my friends into a soft landing and convince them to simply accept me for who I am and not for my beliefs?
Please and thanks.

Tell them you're agnostic. Simply say that you don't know, but are more than willing for God to reveal Himself to you. Well, say that so long as it would be a true statement on your part, anyway. I would let them know that pushing you or questioning your lack of faith is no way to win you over. I would also be honest regarding the fact that you've worried about their reactions to your non-belief. I have plenty of family, friends, and acquaintances who are not believers. We get along quite well. I think the problem comes from you pretending and them assuming you're coming from a position of faith. If one of my good friends had me thinking they were a Christian, I'd likely express concern as well- depending on the situation- as a way to encourage them in the faith. It wouldn't occur to me that they weren't a Christian in such a case. It just seems there's a lot of assumptions being made on both sides, and it isn't doing any of you any favors.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

There is a verse in the bible that says "For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that you should receive him for ever" - it was talking about a slave who ran away from a christian home, but became a christian afterwards, thus ensuring he was an eternal friend of his masters. I hope that will be your story, running away from your current faith (or lack of it) only to receive it more fully afterwards, ensuring your friendship lasts forever. Praying you will see how much God really loves you, and how real he is.