Politics and Friendship

[Darkwind]

Now.. I'm all confused. I guess friendship isn't as valuable as I was once taught.

I wasn't going to comment in this thread, but this post needs a reply.

To Me, it never was a friendship if both parties cannot agree to disagree. For one side or the other to demand that you adhere to a political viewpoint, or that you denounce your own personal beliefs, tells Me that this is nothing more than an acquaintance.

A real friendship, like the one you were taught to value, has room in it for people to simply see the world differently and still enjoy the company of the other in other areas.

Just My two coppers....

 

[Darkwind]

where would religions be without 'shunning'

Has nothing to do with religion. Has everything to do with people.

 

[editec]

It's pretty hard to stay friends with people who have contempt for you and what you believe.

 

[TemplarKormac]

It's not more valuable than your devotion to God. You can't be true to friends, if in doing so, you are betraying God. That means condoning behavior that is abhorrent to God...we can't do that. We're supposed to hold ourselves apart from other people. Sometimes those other people are people we like...even family.
If my best friend ever made me choose between her my faith, I would choose my faith. If she ever said "you must condone this or we can't be friends" I wouldn't condone it. And we've been friends for a very, very long time.

Then it appears I made the right decision.

 

[TemplarKormac]

where would religions be without 'shunning'

Believe it or not, I didn't shun her. She shunned me. And yes, I had more tolerance of her stances than she had of mine.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jesus said in John 13:34-35. I stick by that each and every day, whether the person is gay or not, Democrat or Liberal, American or North Korean. Love is indiscriminate. So is tolerance.

 

[rightwinger]

It's not more valuable than your devotion to God. You can't be true to friends, if in doing so, you are betraying God. That means condoning behavior that is abhorrent to God...we can't do that. We're supposed to hold ourselves apart from other people. Sometimes those other people are people we like...even family.
If my best friend ever made me choose between her my faith, I would choose my faith. If she ever said "you must condone this or we can't be friends" I wouldn't condone it. And we've been friends for a very, very long time.

Then it appears I made the right decision.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone

 

[koshergrl]

He didn't cast a stone. You people aren't listening. He stood by her as a friend even though she lied to him. It wasn't until she tried to change HIS views that SHE rejected him. He's stated it twice or three times, and I've restated it twice now. What are you not getting?

 

[koshergrl]

I've learned that if people are dishonest the relationship has no value anyway. Any value you've given it is based on a lie. Move on.

 

[TemplarKormac]

I've learned that if people are dishonest the relationship has no value anyway. Any value you've given it is based on a lie. Move on.

I will. I've moved on. I guess that the spirit of the thread was lost because of my own doing.

 

[rightwinger]

He didn't cast a stone. You people aren't listening. He stood by her as a friend even though she lied to him. It wasn't until she tried to change HIS views that SHE rejected him. He's stated it twice or three times, and I've restated it twice now. What are you not getting?

He put her in a position to choose their friendship or her wife

She chose her wife

 

[koshergrl]

I've learned that if people are dishonest the relationship has no value anyway. Any value you've given it is based on a lie. Move on.

I will. I've moved on. I guess that the spirit of the thread was lost because of my own doing.

No, the spirit of your thread was lost because dishonest trolls deliberately misrepresented it. Happens all the time with them. It's why they aren't worth the time, and why we don't need to sweat being friends with them. They're dishonest scum. They would have to have an integral shift in their character to be anything else, and that isn't something that can be wrought by us.

 

[Ava]

Politics and Friendship

I can be with people whose vision for America, is directly in contrast with mine, but I don't enjoy their company in the way I used to. The respect has gone. I feel a betrayal, however obscure.

 

[koshergrl]

He didn't cast a stone. You people aren't listening. He stood by her as a friend even though she lied to him. It wasn't until she tried to change HIS views that SHE rejected him. He's stated it twice or three times, and I've restated it twice now. What are you not getting?

He put her in a position to choose their friendship or her wife

She chose her wife

No, you idiot. He didn't know her wife existed. Then she presented the wife to him, and decided she didn't want to be friends with him anymore.

We can continue in this vein if you insist. With you presenting the lie, and me continuing to re-state it for you, if you like. I'll just cut and paste, mmmk? It's called...patterning. It's quite successful with autistic children who need to experience certain stages in their development that they skipped over, and it allows the brain to develop. 1.2.3. GO!

 

[Ernie S.]

James Carville and Mary Matalin are married.... It can work.

 

[Foxfyre]

Friendship does not require agreement on controversial issues and matters but it does require respect for one another's views.

I consider myself a spiritual person and enormously enjoy spending time with other people of faith. But I don't appreciate those who are in my face telling me that I'm going to hell or I am an abomination to the Lord or some such. And I sure as heck don't do that to other people.

I have a lot of liberal friends and family, but I don't get in their face re my conservative politics and I don't appreciate it when others get in my face.

I love a lot of gay people among my friends, coworkers, family, and neighbors and enjoy them a great deal. But I don't get in their face about their sexual orientation and I don't appreciate it when people get in my face. I can be a strong advocate for traditional marriage and my gay friend appreciates that even as I attend her commitment ceremony to her significant other.

I love a lot of people of other races and ethnicities and have these too among my friends, coworkers, family, and neighbors. But I don't appreciate the militant types who get in my face or dictate to me how I am supposed to feel and conduct myself. If they don't want me to treat them like I treat everybody, well that's tough. I won't and I don't. And I expect that to be respected by those I call friend.

In other words we should all hold our opinions, convictions, attitudes, and perceptions but also allow others their different opinions, convictions, attitudes, and perceptions. We don't have to agree with somebody to appreciate that their beliefs are part of who they are. And a live and let live attitude by everybody is the only way to go.