Satanist/Athiest Friend freaking me out

LegacyUser

My friend tells me that satanism or athiesm are the only choices that make sense to them. As an Irish Catholic I am freaked out. Has anyone else had to deal with anything like this? I know this site is very 'liberal' politically and don't expect much sympathy but I would still be interested in all opinions on this. How can satanism make more sense than believing in an all-powerful being who does things for his own better wisdom? It is so hard to be a Catholic in modern Ireland. So, so hard. Anyway, to my question again, how do you deal with someone that is a friend and yet diametrically opposed to your belief system?

Victor

Satanism isn't identical to the Satan in the Bible.

Might this post be better placed in the Religion & Spirituality section?

Folks, stick to the topic of how two friends are to get on.

MrStuffins

Satanism makes about the same sense as Catholisism, which is zero!

It is not "So hard" to be a Catholic in morern Ireland don't be ridiculous!

b28

How can satanism be a right choice?
People have killed themselves in Germany because they follow this type of ****!

You can choose what you want! Be a buddha, catholic etc!

Your friend isn't very open minded because he has narrowed satanism and atheism as your choices. Just because he believes in these two, does not make him any more liberal than you! satanism is sick as far as I believe, ever hear of satanic rituals. I may be wrong but screw him/her!

liah

Satanism and Atheism are not the same thing, for the record. One is simple disbelief in religion, the other is adhering to a specific religion. Completely different.

Regardless, how did you get on with this mate before he told you his opinion? Fine? Great. Then you will continue to get on with him.

Nothing about him has changed since he told you this. He is and always will be the same person. Just because you have opposing views on this topic doesn't mean crap. Would you feel weirded out if he liked lemon chicken and you didn't? No. So why feel weirded out about this difference of opinion?

I find people believing in religion strange, but I don't choose friends over it. My opinion doesn't change when I find out a friend of mine is religious. It's just not a big deal, and we don't bring it up in conversation.

Shouldn't be an issue at all tbh.

Edited to add, maybe you should consider doing some unbiased research on both Satanism and Atheism, and maybe then you'll recognize the major differences-- from the sounds of your post he probably just told you he was Atheistic and that believing in a god made no sense to him and you just jumped to the conclusion of Satanism due to Christian propaganda, because tbh someone saying Satanism AND Atheism make more sense than religion makes absolutely no sense at all.. very odd pairing, if you ask me.

Affable

If you were shcoked by satanism, I can get you entirely. If you're shocked by athiesm, that seems a little facsistic.

MrStuffins

I've got friends of all different types of religion, doesnt bother me. And it doesnt bother them that i'm an athiest. We actually have great discussions on the subject and i like learning about their religions.

Although if a mate told me he was a satanist i'd be a big freaked. I dont agree fully with the above poster. Things like this CAN change your relationship with someone. If my mate told me he had commited a serious crime that would change how i look at them

liah

MrStuffins wrote: »

I've got friends of all different types of religion, doesnt bother me. And it doesnt bother them that i'm an athiest. We actually have great discussions on the subject and i like learning about their religions.

Although if a mate told me he was a satanist i'd be a big freaked. I dont agree fully with the above poster. Things like this CAN change your relationship with someone. If my mate told me he had commited a serious crime that would change how i look at them

Yes, but providing he's saying his mate being an Atheist is weirding him out? You said yourself, you've got friends of all different types of religion and they've got you as an atheist friend, and it obviously doesn't bother any of you or change your relationships with them.

If his mate is actually a Satanist and he didn't just make the jump from Atheism to Satanism due to propaganda, then I'd still rather find out what type of Satanist he actually is (like, a literal, goat-sacrificing, hell-worshipping one or an ironic one who thinks it's funny, because by the pairing of Atheism with Satanism it leads me to believe it's the ironic type). For all you know he could be talking about LaVeyan Satanism, which is completely harmless.

Religion should have no effect on one's opinion of another. Same way as colour shouldn't, or the country you came from, your hair or eye colour, the fact that you like dogs and not cats, etc.

Just because someone is a Satanist doesn't mean they're going to hurt you. Honestly, it's none of your business really, if he's been a decent person up to now and you've never had any qualms with him, why take issue with it all of the sudden? It obviously isn't going to make a difference to your already-established relationship.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Unregistered wrote: »

My friend tells me that satanism or athiesm are the only choices that make sense to them. As an Irish Catholic I am freaked out. Has anyone else had to deal with anything like this? I know this site is very 'liberal' politically and don't expect much sympathy but I would still be interested in all opinions on this. How can satanism make more sense than believing in an all-powerful being who does things for his own better wisdom? It is so hard to be a Catholic in modern Ireland. So, so hard. Anyway, to my question again, how do you deal with someone that is a friend and yet diametrically opposed to your belief system?

Atheism going through kind of a "cool" phase. Have sympathy for young religious folk, knowing what internet atheists have the potential to be like can only imagine what smart arse teenage atheists are like.

Now, Me and all my mates are atheist I'll admit, but I don't think its something to be "freaked out" by. Satanism as far as I know is just atheism with some general life guidelines, doesn't usually mean messing around with the anti-christ.

I'd say just ignore your mates if they give you grief about your beliefs, ask them why they care so much if they're so sure. THey'll get bored eventually.

caff

There are so many widely differing variations on satanism its quite hard to judge your friend.

Overheal

Satanism and Atheism are not the same thing, for the record.

Apples and Oranges, meet the Banana.

In short this would make your Friend an Atheist who regards Satan not as a Theistic Diety but rather a Metaphor for Human Nature. Most of these Atheistic-Stanist sects though appear to be quite militant, in the sense that they seem "hellbent" on opposing established religions. And all of them seem to follow the idea that you are your own god, essentially. Do you what you want to do, be kind to who you want to be kind to, and everyone else can fcuk off.

Nerin

If you search the spirituality forum,you will find threads on satanism. A user went above and beyond with a few interesting threads there.

I fail to see the issue,unless your friend is pushing their beliefs on you,this shouldn't be a big deal. Friends don't always have to share the same feelings and stances on everything.

dlofnep

The fact that he thinks atheism and satanism are his only two options is pretty odd. Atheism implies that you do not believe in anything, be it Catholicism, Buddhism or Satanism. You can't just say - oh, I'm going to believe in this, but sure.. if it doesn't work out - I'll just be an atheist. Probably just an attention seeker/trying to be different type lark. I'd ignore it.

Affable

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Atheism going through kind of a "cool" phase. Have sympathy for young religious folk, knowing what internet atheists have the potential to be like can only imagine what smart arse teenage atheists are like.
.

Athiests can be smart arse, but then we are marginalised and in a minority on this earth, and people are subject to huge pressure-there is religious indoctrination and bullying all around the world. I'm asked to defer to and respect people who believe I'm going to burn in hell. They offer us no respect in return, they don't even want to listen to rationality most of the time, just saying it mske me feel better or a life without meaning is depressing.

StormWarrior

How old is your friend? Alot of teenagers get into satanism for a while as a rebellion and usually grow out of it. Also someone claimed that Satanism involves sick rituals. That's not entirely true, perhaps his friend is into LaVeyan Satanism, which doesn't actually believe in Satan but just uses the name as a representation for freedom and hedonism?

Anyway, I don't see why it has to affect your friendship, just don't talk religion when you're together.

Jack B. Badd

Given the extremes between the belief systems that your friend has mentioned, I'd imagine their statement is intended as shock value - and probably trying to wind you up specifically to boot. I wouldn't worry about it tbh, even if they're serious their religion is their own business.

R.D. aka MR.D

I agree with people who have said don;t talk about religion together.

if you are not pushing your opinion on them then no way they should be pushing their's on you.

If you can't be friends with people of other faiths or feel uncomfortable about it, then you really need to take time to think about what kind of world you want to live in.

O'Coonassa

People worshipping a jealous and murderous god who banished us to death for seeking fruit from the Tree of Knowledge aren't a whole lot better than satanists IMO.

However I don't see how it's hard to be a Catholic when it's the majority religion and is in charge of the education system. I think perhaps you're over reacting and also that maybe your freind was just trying to shock you.

Borneo Fnctn

Satanism makes as much sense as catholicism to me. None of it is true. I'm not trying to convert you but your friend is a fool. Atheism and Satanism are totally incompatible. He sounds like an attention seeker.

Overheal

jackpalance wrote: »

Atheism and Satanism are totally incompatible.

Jack B. Badd wrote: »

Given the extremes between the belief systems that your friend has mentioned,

Once again, try reading up on the subject. The two are not mutually exclusive. See my first post.

Jack B. Badd

Overheal wrote: »

Once again, try reading up on the subject. The two are not mutually exclusive. See my first post.

I didn't say they were exclusive. I said they were at extremes which, in comparison to the likes of the Abrahamic religions, they are.

Borneo Fnctn

Overheal wrote: »

Once again, try reading up on the subject. The two are not mutually exclusive. See my first post.

When I use the word "satanism" I mean worshipping the devil and not some kind of philosophy.

Dragan

Satanism = the worship of self as your own God, effective controller of your own destiny.

So, without the word at the start it's not that bad sounding is it?

Tell them they do all that without the rubbishy title.

Or better yet, tell them they don't need the shackle that is an organised or preset ideal around religious beliefs and they are falling into the same trap they are trying to avoid?

StopNotWorking

One of my friends says he is a satanist. I consider him more of a poser though, he goes above and beyond to tell people about satan but he tells people about him from what sounds like christian sources. A friends friend is a self proclaimed "proper satanist". He believes in some sort of all powerful presense in living beings, the earth etc. All of this stuff goes way over my head but last I checked satanism isnt the worship of a guy wearing a red catsuit who gets a kick outta hurting peopel. Its the worship of the earth itself. Sacrifice being a rare gift back to nature etc etc. Please dont get offended if I got things wrong, like I said it goes way over my head, I'm just putting across what I thought it was.

As to the OP, the only way I can see eing catholic hard is if you have to put up with athiest friends who are all up in your business. My friends never forced their opinion on me, I hold the same favour on all of them.

procure11

MrStuffins wrote: »

Satanism makes about the same sense as Catholisism, which is zero!

It is not "So hard" to be a Catholic in morern Ireland don't be ridiculous!

I completely disagree with your statements about Catholicism making zero sense .You are not compelled to believe in any particular religious establishment but on a forum like this ,some measure of civility is expected when posting your comments.

I also concur with the OP that it is increasingly becoming difficult to be a religious Catholic in Ireland as the generality of people look at you as some sort of oddity.

Calibos

procure11 wrote: »

I completely disagree with your statements about Catholicism making zero sense .You are not compelled to believe in any particular religious establishment but on a forum like this ,some measure of civility is expected when posting your comments.

I also concur with the OP that it is increasingly becoming difficult to be a religious Catholic in Ireland as the generality of people look at you as some sort of oddity.

How is it that you telling me that atheism makes zero sense would not make me bat an eyelid. The comment would not be offensive to me all. I wouldn't agree with you but I wouldn't take offense. Why is the sterotypical religious reaction to the corolory to take offense.

Nevyn

Tbh i think your problem is not that your friend is exploring athiestic satanism but that your friend is an attentsion seeking, idiot who is saying things for shock value to get a rise out of you and not showing any consideration for your feelings or your own spirituality.

In short your friend is being a dick which tends to be the case with those who are attracted to the populist notion of what Satanism is about.

Hopefully they will grow out of such behaviour, in the mean time ask them to respect
your religious posistion and spirituality and if they can't do that then you may have to take the hard line and not be around them until they figure out how to do that.

Corkfeen

They're entirely different :pac: What age are ye? Just leave each other to whatever ye believe. Just accept you have different views.
Don't be intolerant, he'll probably try to force his own opinion upon you for a while and get bored. No problems co-existing, I'm an atheist and all my friends are catholics but its not gonna ever impose on our friendships.

bug

Unregistered wrote: »

My friend tells me that satanism or athiesm are the only choices that make sense to them. As an Irish Catholic I am freaked out. Has anyone else had to deal with anything like this? I know this site is very 'liberal' politically and don't expect much sympathy but I would still be interested in all opinions on this. How can satanism make more sense than believing in an all-powerful being who does things for his own better wisdom? It is so hard to be a Catholic in modern Ireland. So, so hard. Anyway, to my question again, how do you deal with someone that is a friend and yet diametrically opposed to your belief system?

I would suggest to my friend that he must be in a really delicate state of mind to suggest or draw a conclusion, (if he/she has), that atheism is on a par for choice with satanism.

I would also question his intellect on knowing the differences between the two.

I would also take a guess and say that said friend is just a confused stereotypical teenager for drawing this conclusion as its text book teenager pre-formed adult behaviour.