I have a question...does anyone come from a non-religious family where your met with awkwardness because of your devout faith. My husband and I are both very religious but his family is not. I feel like we are always disassociated with them because of this.
Recently his father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and I feel like he could benefit or find comfort in the words of the lord and would like to approach him about it but am not sure as to how to approach the situation.
I'm interested in hearing anyones similar experience with this kind of family dynamic as well as any ideas as to how to introduce my father-in-law or at least open the door to religion.
thank you
Non-Religious Family?
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helenavner
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- Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:05 pm
Non-Religious Family?
Ask him for permission to tell him what gives you peace, hope and joy. If he gives you permission, tell him. Don't try to persuade and leave church out of it. When you have told him, thank him for letting you tell him then leave it alone unless and until he brings it up.
If he doesn't want to hear you, start preaching but don't say anything unless he asks.
If he doesn't want to hear you, start preaching but don't say anything unless he asks.
Schooling results in matriculation. Education is a process that changes the learner.
Non-Religious Family?
IMO the best way to give him peace is to respect his views and not see him as a potential convert to your religion.
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kayleneaussie
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Non-Religious Family?
I respect the fact that you are religious but I dont think this is the time to start pushing religion on a person who does not believe. That dosent mean you cant say prayer for him.
FOC THREAD PART 1
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helenavner
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:05 pm
Non-Religious Family?
I agree and I have been praying for him. I get the feeling though that he could be open to it, but am not sure. The thing is that he really has no opinon on what happens when one dies. Although my siblings aren't particularly religious they have their own unique beliefs which i respect albeit don't agree with it.
I am not looking to force anything upon him I just feel like he is searching for something and I think i can help.
I am not looking to force anything upon him I just feel like he is searching for something and I think i can help.
Non-Religious Family?
In my life whenever I have gotten the smallest inkling that anyone is going to try to push their religion on me, I avoid them like the plague. Not only do I find the recruitment tactics boring, I also resent anyone presuming to know what my personal relationship with my God is. The fastest way to influence anyone spiritually is simply by being an example. When your life reflects joy and happiness and compassion, people are drawn to you.
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Non-Religious Family?
Personally I feel he didnt need religion in his life up to now so why try to convert him now. I personally wouldnt like it but id be very happy and content with your love and devotion to me in my hour of need.:-6
Non-Religious Family?
helenavner;776105 wrote: I have a question...does anyone come from a non-religious family where your met with awkwardness because of your devout faith. My husband and I are both very religious but his family is not. I feel like we are always disassociated with them because of this.
Recently his father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and I feel like he could benefit or find comfort in the words of the lord and would like to approach him about it but am not sure as to how to approach the situation.
I'm interested in hearing anyones similar experience with this kind of family dynamic as well as any ideas as to how to introduce my father-in-law or at least open the door to religion.
thank you
I am a 73 year old father, grandfather and soon to be great grandfather with cancer, although I am not dieing of it yet.
My daughter, her husband, all of the married grandchildren are religious, attend church regularly, and much of their life is centered around the church and it's activities. They do not know the extent of my non belief, just that I never went to church, never said grace at meals, nor gave any indication of being religious in any way. I know they pray for me, as they have said so. I appreciate that but feel it's really for their benefit and makes them feel better. I think they are wise enough to realize that now or on my death bed, would it be of any avail to try and open the door as you say. I am quite content and comforted by my non beliefs, believe it or not.
Recently his father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and I feel like he could benefit or find comfort in the words of the lord and would like to approach him about it but am not sure as to how to approach the situation.
I'm interested in hearing anyones similar experience with this kind of family dynamic as well as any ideas as to how to introduce my father-in-law or at least open the door to religion.
thank you
I am a 73 year old father, grandfather and soon to be great grandfather with cancer, although I am not dieing of it yet.
My daughter, her husband, all of the married grandchildren are religious, attend church regularly, and much of their life is centered around the church and it's activities. They do not know the extent of my non belief, just that I never went to church, never said grace at meals, nor gave any indication of being religious in any way. I know they pray for me, as they have said so. I appreciate that but feel it's really for their benefit and makes them feel better. I think they are wise enough to realize that now or on my death bed, would it be of any avail to try and open the door as you say. I am quite content and comforted by my non beliefs, believe it or not.
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Kathy Ellen
- Posts: 10569
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 4:04 pm
Non-Religious Family?
Hi Helen,
Welcome to the garden:-6
No disrespect to your beliefs, but I just feel that people don't need to be saved by others. People have their own mind and conscience and have the right to believe what they want.
I am not a religious person, but I do believe that if there is a God then that God will forgive no matter what...if not, then we have a problem Houston
Welcome to the garden:-6
No disrespect to your beliefs, but I just feel that people don't need to be saved by others. People have their own mind and conscience and have the right to believe what they want.
I am not a religious person, but I do believe that if there is a God then that God will forgive no matter what...if not, then we have a problem Houston
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suzycreamcheese
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 8:47 am
Non-Religious Family?
weeder;776230 wrote: In my life whenever I have gotten the smallest inkling that anyone is going to try to push their religion on me, I avoid them like the plague. Not only do I find the recruitment tactics boring, I also resent anyone presuming to know what my personal relationship with my God is. The fastest way to influence anyone spiritually is simply by being an example. When your life reflects joy and happiness and compassion, people are drawn to you.
Thats how I feel too.
I really dont like it when people presume that I havent actually thought about it myself too and come to my own conclusions. Its presumptious to assume someone wants or needs "saving" and to try and push that on someone on their deathbed is a bit much. If he wants to talk to you about religion, im sure he will ask you, and if he doesnt want to talk about it, then he wont.
Thats how I feel too.
I really dont like it when people presume that I havent actually thought about it myself too and come to my own conclusions. Its presumptious to assume someone wants or needs "saving" and to try and push that on someone on their deathbed is a bit much. If he wants to talk to you about religion, im sure he will ask you, and if he doesnt want to talk about it, then he wont.
Non-Religious Family?
I believe in God, and I don't go every Sunday to Church, but I bet I'm more of a Christian than most that go every Sunday.
Non-Religious Family?
I am from a non religiosu family, completely atheist.
but it never stoped me to walk my own path nad they dont care and my mum was never opposed to that, on the contrary, she had us all 8 kids baptised from birth in the catholic church, in case we chose later on to be christian, so that was doen. At her time there wasnt any other religion anyway, and i dont think she was crazy enough to baptise her kids in all existing religions anyway..
I think tha tit si you that feel the need to have him religiosu now becasue you do not know how to shopw yoru support to him in any other way than by speaking of God as you are sued to hear it all yoru life and thats why oyu are in front of a dilema.
My advice to you is to support him with your love, an duse your faith to pray for his health, but do not try to press him in anyway, i think he is under enough pressure already,a nd he could feel yoru approach as being a kind of emotional pressure.
Many so call non religious people often live more like christians than people calling themselves chrisians and going to church on sunday.
It is what you do, how oyu live your life and htink, your mentality, how you respect people and love them, how you are that determine yoru faith, not what faith you say you are into.
thats how i see it.
and reality around me confirm it. Many people whjo never heard the words of church people and never read the bible, often say and do things like taken from the bible, because their ethic, inside them guide them into the path of God, and not going there becasue they feel obliged to, or looks like they do so, becasue that the faith they say they have..
I DO NOT SAY ALL WHO SAY THEY ARE CHRISTIAN ARE HYPOCRITE, nor any othe rreligion, but simply that often atheist people are more close to God in their demaneour than religious ones. they are more tolerant, more open to others, andless confined at judging and condemning others and more compassionate.
those quality are christians at the very basic, so therefor dont dismiss the fact that your grand father have qualities that are close to thsoe required by yoru faith.
I he wants to talk to God he will on his won premisces.
but it never stoped me to walk my own path nad they dont care and my mum was never opposed to that, on the contrary, she had us all 8 kids baptised from birth in the catholic church, in case we chose later on to be christian, so that was doen. At her time there wasnt any other religion anyway, and i dont think she was crazy enough to baptise her kids in all existing religions anyway..
I think tha tit si you that feel the need to have him religiosu now becasue you do not know how to shopw yoru support to him in any other way than by speaking of God as you are sued to hear it all yoru life and thats why oyu are in front of a dilema.
My advice to you is to support him with your love, an duse your faith to pray for his health, but do not try to press him in anyway, i think he is under enough pressure already,a nd he could feel yoru approach as being a kind of emotional pressure.
Many so call non religious people often live more like christians than people calling themselves chrisians and going to church on sunday.
It is what you do, how oyu live your life and htink, your mentality, how you respect people and love them, how you are that determine yoru faith, not what faith you say you are into.
thats how i see it.
and reality around me confirm it. Many people whjo never heard the words of church people and never read the bible, often say and do things like taken from the bible, because their ethic, inside them guide them into the path of God, and not going there becasue they feel obliged to, or looks like they do so, becasue that the faith they say they have..
I DO NOT SAY ALL WHO SAY THEY ARE CHRISTIAN ARE HYPOCRITE, nor any othe rreligion, but simply that often atheist people are more close to God in their demaneour than religious ones. they are more tolerant, more open to others, andless confined at judging and condemning others and more compassionate.
those quality are christians at the very basic, so therefor dont dismiss the fact that your grand father have qualities that are close to thsoe required by yoru faith.
I he wants to talk to God he will on his won premisces.
Non-Religious Family?
Jerry;777733 wrote: I believe in God, and I don't go every Sunday to Church, but I bet I'm more of a Christian than most that go every Sunday.
i agree completely with that one.
i agree completely with that one.
Non-Religious Family?
Some step of the Church steps and you wouldn't even know they had went to Church.
Non-Religious Family?
Thats very good said and thats also how i see it, and some are even like that inside the church already, cant hide it so much or dont even care..
hypocrite completely i ask myself what they are doign there? what for they make pollution with their car everysunday morning to make an act of themselves.. for whom? for the other? certainly not for God cause Him they cant fool, even if some even fool themselves!
think that most people go to church to shwo themselves off like you go to a private club! and the more close is the church the more paon like they show off!'¨
i hate it.
make the church meeting on sunday morning looks like a gay parade, and the allusion is made on purpose completely cause thats how gross and obvious it often is. A shwo of faulse pent up emotions drawling out like a flode of crocodiel tears.. spare me for the kleenexes, and lets protect the environemt.. that wood paepr there, forest beign destroyed, begin protecting Gods creation there, that will help better than palying moron or oh so well thinking for those who are not.
A drunkard homeless will lend a penny, a shoulder, and a ear, where a rich christian wont. and thats a fact.
hypocrite completely i ask myself what they are doign there? what for they make pollution with their car everysunday morning to make an act of themselves.. for whom? for the other? certainly not for God cause Him they cant fool, even if some even fool themselves!
think that most people go to church to shwo themselves off like you go to a private club! and the more close is the church the more paon like they show off!'¨
i hate it.
make the church meeting on sunday morning looks like a gay parade, and the allusion is made on purpose completely cause thats how gross and obvious it often is. A shwo of faulse pent up emotions drawling out like a flode of crocodiel tears.. spare me for the kleenexes, and lets protect the environemt.. that wood paepr there, forest beign destroyed, begin protecting Gods creation there, that will help better than palying moron or oh so well thinking for those who are not.
A drunkard homeless will lend a penny, a shoulder, and a ear, where a rich christian wont. and thats a fact.
Non-Religious Family?
I know someone that washed cars for their Church..was a guy and his son. Do you know where the money went, hun. Not to the Church, like they thought. The guy found out that they went on a vacation with the money that they he help to make for the Church. The guy and his son stop going to that Church.
Non-Religious Family?
thats why nobody should trust another man in religious matters.. they are humans.. and often worse than any other cause they always wash their hands.. on the poor guy htat wash cars for them...
this si as sicka s can be he should have reported it and put the priest in jail its call detounement of fonds for personal needs.
vacations..t hats good.
we should make a church and go to Florida 3 months a year..
and also there is those who use the church goers to make money for them, and who are nto priests and there si also those ho go to chruch where therer is money already to ask for help.. they always found soemthing to abuse of, health care vacations and furnitures anythinggoes.
thats emotional abuse. its like rape and all othr abuses. and thats what makes me sick about hte church. The rats that thrives in it.
this si as sicka s can be he should have reported it and put the priest in jail its call detounement of fonds for personal needs.
vacations..t hats good.
we should make a church and go to Florida 3 months a year..
and also there is those who use the church goers to make money for them, and who are nto priests and there si also those ho go to chruch where therer is money already to ask for help.. they always found soemthing to abuse of, health care vacations and furnitures anythinggoes.
thats emotional abuse. its like rape and all othr abuses. and thats what makes me sick about hte church. The rats that thrives in it.