I don't believe in any gods. I prefer utilitarian/consequentialist values over dogmas.
I have an acquaintance from work who is very nice and smart… except for his strong mormonism. I'd like to be his friend and help him.
Anyway…
Bad experiences with lying, aggressive theists etc made me wary and jaded.
I'm inspired by the respectful approach of Magnabosco or Daryl Davis (who respectfully addressed the KKK).
But for friends; I find it challenging to let my guard down. It's hard to make any friends with people who uphold irrational belief systems.
I'm an open person. I'd like to talk ethics, morality, and reality, and even psychonautics. But I find that religious people are not only closed, they are, in my experience, always deceitful and sometimes violent.
How can I make friends and possibly even support theists who may be struggling with irrational beliefs (what they would call "dealing with doubt" or "crisis in faith"). And how can I do it without getting in trouble?
I don't want others to discriminate me or hate me for my beliefs. How can I avoid doing so to them (feminists, ageists, theists, statists, etc).
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