- #1
- 1,995
- 7
I`m having a bit of a dilemma and I would really appreciate some intellectual minds on this matter.
I have a friend I know for about 13 years. We met in early high school and have been the best buddies ever. We went to university together, I went to study physics and he went to study astronomy, so we'd thought to be in the same classes for awhile, but after half a year he dropped out. He says it's too difficult (my reassurances and motivational speeches didn't help) and has gone to study cultural antropology. This was about 3 years ago.
Last year he got a girlfriend, an american girl who studied in the Netherlands for some time. I really am glad for him and respect the difficulties of having a trans-atlantic relationship (they see each other a few weeks/year). She's a really nice girl too.
Anyway, she's very religious and my friend wasn't. I guess she invited my friend to read a lot about christianity, probably for relationship-health reasons.
So now, my friend, my best friend, who has never shown any religious interest, goes to church every sunday morning, prays every day and goes to some community stuff (not sure what). This is fine with me, but he actually, suddenly, accepts everything the bible says like how God snapped his fingers and created Earth which was about 6000 years ago (he friggin' studied astronomy!) and goes to say there really isn't any evidence for evolution (!) and sounds like he's implying that I have been blinded. I have only seen the side of science, but science only shows one side of the story, religion the other.
So now he invited me to go with him on a so-called alpha-course to 'broaden my view'. This is a course for people who are interested in christianity, who want to learn more, or who want to discuss ideas. It's an effort to popularize christianity.
I've had a short talk with him over the phone about how I really don't feel like having a science vs. religion debate over at that course so I kindly rejected. I really, really hate to hurt a friendship over this, he sounded disappointed.
Don't exactly know how to deal with it if a science-religion matter comes up everytime. I think it's important to talk with him about it, we're friends after all, but if he's too far gone I know he won't change his mind no matter how much reason or evidence I throw in his face and it will only hurt an otherwise good friendship.
I think it's best to accept and respect each other's decision on this matter and leave it to rest.
I'd appreciate your thoughts on this. Analogous situations and anecdotes too.
Oh, and a good no-nonsense site about the evidence for evolution which displays in an unbiased way the untenable position of creationism. Something a person uneducated in that field (like me) can understand. (It's a lot too ask, I know).
I have a friend I know for about 13 years. We met in early high school and have been the best buddies ever. We went to university together, I went to study physics and he went to study astronomy, so we'd thought to be in the same classes for awhile, but after half a year he dropped out. He says it's too difficult (my reassurances and motivational speeches didn't help) and has gone to study cultural antropology. This was about 3 years ago.
Last year he got a girlfriend, an american girl who studied in the Netherlands for some time. I really am glad for him and respect the difficulties of having a trans-atlantic relationship (they see each other a few weeks/year). She's a really nice girl too.
Anyway, she's very religious and my friend wasn't. I guess she invited my friend to read a lot about christianity, probably for relationship-health reasons.
So now, my friend, my best friend, who has never shown any religious interest, goes to church every sunday morning, prays every day and goes to some community stuff (not sure what). This is fine with me, but he actually, suddenly, accepts everything the bible says like how God snapped his fingers and created Earth which was about 6000 years ago (he friggin' studied astronomy!) and goes to say there really isn't any evidence for evolution (!) and sounds like he's implying that I have been blinded. I have only seen the side of science, but science only shows one side of the story, religion the other.
So now he invited me to go with him on a so-called alpha-course to 'broaden my view'. This is a course for people who are interested in christianity, who want to learn more, or who want to discuss ideas. It's an effort to popularize christianity.
I've had a short talk with him over the phone about how I really don't feel like having a science vs. religion debate over at that course so I kindly rejected. I really, really hate to hurt a friendship over this, he sounded disappointed.
Don't exactly know how to deal with it if a science-religion matter comes up everytime. I think it's important to talk with him about it, we're friends after all, but if he's too far gone I know he won't change his mind no matter how much reason or evidence I throw in his face and it will only hurt an otherwise good friendship.
I think it's best to accept and respect each other's decision on this matter and leave it to rest.
I'd appreciate your thoughts on this. Analogous situations and anecdotes too.
Oh, and a good no-nonsense site about the evidence for evolution which displays in an unbiased way the untenable position of creationism. Something a person uneducated in that field (like me) can understand. (It's a lot too ask, I know).