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From: jdt@voodoo.ca.boeing.com (Jim Tomlinson (jimt II))
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: An agnostic's question
Message-ID: <Apr.17.01.11.16.1993.2265@geneva.rutgers.edu>
Date: 17 Apr 93 05:11:17 GMT
Sender: hedrick@geneva.rutgers.edu
Organization: BoGART To You Buddy, Bellevue, WA
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Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

Pardon me if this is the wrong newsgroup.  I would describe myself as
an agnostic, in so far as I'm sure there is no single, universal
supreme being, but if there is one and it is just, we will surely be
judged on whether we lived good lives, striving to achieve that
goodness that is within the power of each of us.  Now, the
complication is that one of my best friends has become very
fundamentalist.  That would normally be a non-issue with me, but he
feels it is his responsibility to proselytize me (which I guess it is,
according to his faith).  This is a great strain to our friendship.  I
would have no problem if the subject didn't come up, but when it does,
the discussion quickly begins to offend both of us: he is offended
because I call into question his bedrock beliefs; I am offended by
what I feel is a subscription to superstition, rationalized by such
circular arguments as 'the Bible is God's word because He tells us in
the Bible that it is so.'  So my question is, how can I convince him
that this is a subject better left undiscussed, so we can preserve
what is (in all areas other than religious beliefs) a great
friendship?  How do I convince him that I am 'beyond saving' so he
won't try?  Thanks for any advice.

-- 
Jim Tomlinson                          206-865-6578  \  "falling snow
BoGART Project              jdt@voodoo.ca.boeing.com  \  excellent snow"
Boeing Computer Services   ...uunet!bcstec!voodoo!jdt  \  - Anderson/Gabriel
