Paranoid of Fundies

[DeepWaters]

Ever get the feeling that Christian Fundies are just waiting to ruin your life, to hurt you in some way, to annoy the hell out of you by attempting to convert you? No wonder I don't have many friends here in the Bible Belt. I'm afraid that I'll make friends with someone, but once they find out I'm not religious they'll treat me differently than they did before. Anyone feel like this? How can I make friends with people when I'm so paranoid of rejection or of someone hurting me because they don't like the fact that I don't believe in God? I have a few theist friends who are nice (I have no atheist/non-theist friends), but I'd like more friends (of any sort, religious or non). How do you make friends? How do you keep them after they find out you're an atheist (or after you tell them)???? Please help. :(

[Ultimate Atheist]

Don't tell them your an atheist. It should be a non-issue. Once you get to know someone and they get to know you your religious differences would more than likely not matter if you were really friends.

[Autonemesis]

Slightly off-topic, but when I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was about "what do you call a group of fundies" (as in murder of crows, gaggle of geese, pod of whales, etc.). A Paranoid of Fundies sounds about right. :D

[Stout Drinker]

Most evangelicals are not bible banging intolerants. For people at work or socially you can go out drinking (if they drink they ain't too religious)

Just tell them that you are not churchgoing

Some may try to convert you but you can politely decline. If they continue, you will know that is someone you don't wish to associate.

[Never]

I'm not in the Bible Belt, but what has always worked for me is to avoid the subject. I'm not likely to even try to hang out with someone who talks about religion all the time. For those who are friends and mention something about it now and then I just smile, nod and change the subject.

As to the question of why you don't go to church or will you accompany them to church, play up the fact that you're not into ORGANIZED religion and prefer to sleep in on Sundays. Most folks will accept that.

[Boomeister]

Ever get the feeling that Christian Fundies are just waiting to ruin your life, to hurt you in some way, to annoy the hell out of you by attempting to convert you? No wonder I don't have many friends here in the Bible Belt. I'm afraid that I'll make friends with someone, but once they find out I'm not religious they'll treat me differently than they did before. Anyone feel like this? How can I make friends with people when I'm so paranoid of rejection or of someone hurting me because they don't like the fact that I don't believe in God? I have a few theist friends who are nice (I have no atheist/non-theist friends), but I'd like more friends (of any sort, religious or non). How do you make friends? How do you keep them after they find out you're an atheist (or after you tell them)???? Please help. :(

Some might, but many are genuine in their beliefs and really believe they are "helping" you by trying to convert you. Yes, it's annoying, but I don't think many are out there intentionally setting out to annoy or hurt.

Don't be paranoid of rejection. Realize Christians are people just like anyone else. Some will like you, some won't.
Try not to make it an issue. If they don't want to be your friend after finding out you're not Christian, then that's their problem. If you make it an issue, it'll probably be a self-fulfilling prophesy..."see, I knew they wouldn't like me." Try not to annoy them with your non-Christianness...I think it can go both ways.
By the way, I'm not a Christian, but I know many Christians (fortunately or unfortunately) and I see them as human first (with all the stuff that goes along with being human, good or bad).

Hope that helps.
Boomeister