I'm afraid to let a religious friend know my beliefs, what should I do (details)?

I have to tiptoe all around everyone’s godamned beliefs here in the south. It gets old and often people get visibly offended when they find out I’m not christian. So many get uptight and judgemental, It’s exhausting.

you can add another user and log in with that one you still will have your old one to log into whenever you want

Last thing you need is to lead a double life on PlayStation. That sounds like way more hassle than it’s worth.

Either add him or don’t. I’d lean toward don’t, myself.

Well, but that’s ridiculous. You have a friend who feels a certain way about you based on an untruth. He surely deserves to know so he can either adjust his thinking about you based on this info or continue to like you despite this info. Either way, you’re “Hiding in shadows where you don’t belong” (Livin’ in darkness to hide our wrong, you and me. At the dark end of the street) Do you see? You may have to have a dialog or two, but these often lead to greater understanding for all invovlved, so it’s probably worth an investment of your time. You obvioiusly value the friendship despite his relligious feelings or you wouldn’t be asking. Trust his value for your friendship.
And if this sin’t about value of friendship but just being outed as an atheist, well. That was inevetable at some point. You don’t get to play for another team and not have people find out sooner or later. This may just be your later.
But you say you don’t want him to look at you differently. It is unfair that they look aat you a certain way based on false or incomplete info. You may just have to live with being looked at differently in light of finding out who you choose to be. This may be a new chapter in your life, that’s all.

Tell them. Let them decide whether or not to be “offended.”

All depends on how important or not your being an atheist is. :)

I would tell him. You may find he is more open-minded than you think. If you decide that he is someone you want to become better friends with, then telling him will be a way for that friendship to become closer. This is your chance to tell him something and see how he takes it. If he doesn’t take it well, then oh well, you tried.

I don’t choose my friends based on their religious beliefs and my friends are everything from Pagan to Catholic to Jewish to Atheists. I’m not overly invested in my religion so as long as nobody’s preaching to me, I’m not preaching to them. My friends don’t have to believe what I believe in or with the lack of fervor that I have.

@Seek has it exactly right. And is Playstation really so important in your life that you aren’t willing to start a new profile?

@Pachy – the profile represents time and money investment. I wouldn’t nuke my progress because some dude might not like the fact that my handle includes a word that makes his imaginary friend sad.

Just teabag the fucker & to hell with it, pwned pilgrim

To thine own self be true.
Honesty is always the best policy but some things are better left unsaid.

Do not, under any circumstances make the mistake of attempting to counter religious beliefs with the “facts” of science.

It’s as tragic as two bums arguing over a street corner in entirely different languages.

I’ve faced the same thing fairly recently, being invited to church by someone I house and pet sit for. I was totally caught off guard and relied ” maybe I will”, while thinking the whole time ” WHY did I say that!?” haha
I have yet to be formally invited but plan on keeping it simple and just saying that I prefer the “church” of nature. If pressured I plan on being honest and saying that after a very diverse religious upbringing I don’t participate in organized religion. I will NOT disclose that really, I am 99.9% Atheist and don’t believe that humans are any more or less significant than a Mosquito or a Toad. lol

Just keep it light and neutral but do not leave it so open as to be victimized by attempted conversion by saying something like you are not really sure what you believe.
I also have told people that I enjoy the eastern philosophies and that I am more inclined towards a philosophical path rather than a religious one.

Why would you use an “in-your-face” name like Atheist if you are shy about it?
Just tell them, and say it was a goof.

@ARE_you_kidding_me I have to tiptoe all around everyone’s godamned beliefs here in the south.
Our beliefs prevent us from being God-damned.

“To thine own self be true.
Honesty is always the best policy but some things are better left unsaid.”

A lot of words to say nothing.

From my experience, it becomes difficult to maintain friendships and relationships when fundamental differences in beliefs and attitudes are exposed.

You know your friend better than I do, but I suspect that it might not be worth him knowing.

Well, I feel like anyone who would change the way they treat you based on something so trivial isn’t really a friend worth having.

On the other hand, I do know how you feel. I’ve never said anything to my kids or family about my change of heart so many years ago.

@filmfann It was a long time ago when I chose the name. I’m a bit more mature now and would change the name if I could lol.

He hasn’t asked for my PSN yet, when he asked I just told him I took a great nap and went for a walk in the sun (it’s been raining 3 months straight here, everyone has cabin fever) and that I wasn’t online at the moment.

I’m gonna make a new profile and see if that will detract him lmao. We don’t even play the same games so who knows.

If I have to tell him I will and just deal with it though.

Thanks a lot guys :)

@filmfann yes I know, that was for effect

I think if there is any way to make a new profile and change your name do it. I would be turned off by a user name that said “Jesus is God” so I wouldn’t make my user name “atheist.” I understand that you already have rethought having made your username atheist, I’m not lecturing you, more I’m agreeing with you.

It’s not so much that they would find out your an atheist, more that it’s obnoxious.

However, I myself usually stay quiet about being an atheist around many of my religious friends. Especially, the Evangelical Christian, living in the Bible Belt, friends. I just stay silent and let them assume I’m a theist.

Honesty is the best policy. If people cannot accept you for who you truly are, are they really worth being friends? You need people in your life who encourage you to embrace who you are and not who they want you to be.

At the same time you being an atheist is a very personal thing and you don’t have to explain yourself to anyone.

I don’t think this has to do with honesty. I’m the first to say that in many cases withholding information can rise to the level of lying, but in the case of religious belief I make an exception. The OP isn’t being asked about his beliefs by his friends. They aren’t using it as a prerequisite to be friends with him. Religion and politics is off the table with many people in social situations. It’s not a bad policy. Most atheists want people to keep their religion to themselves.

@NerdyKeith Being an atheist is personal, but if you make it your user name you aren’t keeping it personal.

@JLeslie Well yes, thats true. I’m just saying that he doesn’t have to elaborate on it any further.

If push comes to shove, a new account could always be made.

You don’t think much of your friend.

Why would you say that @MollyMcGuire? If my Mom were alive, I’d never breath a word, not a hint, of where I stand on the God things now. Not a word. Is it because I don’t think much of her, or because I know it would devastate her?

I don’t have friends that I can’t talk openly to.

You must not care much about your friends if there is nothing you would refrain from mentioning even if it might cause them unnecessary distress @MollyMcGuire.

If the distress is because of me, so be it. I’m me and if something about me distresses you, we will never be close friends. That is part of the definition of a real friend…...being able to just be you.

In certain situations I can agree, @MollyMcGuire. But in others, I think discretion and consideration is far more important than some misplaced sense of proud entitlement. I think that goes for any relationship, whether it’s friendship, family or marriage.

We are talking about friendship here…..not marriage or family.

It goes for friendship too.

I agree with @Dutchess_III that there are certain things I won’t discuss or mention with friends or family if it’s going to upset them. I don’t see the point of needlessly upsetting people if it’s something I don’t need to mention or discuss.

I certainly can’t discuss my lack of belief where I live. If someone straight up asks I may or may not give a slippery answer

^^I just say I’m not religious. Very few people ask straight out, “are you an atheist?” Usually they ask what religion you are, or what church you go to.

I do something similar to @JLeslie. If someone asks me what religion are you, I’ll say “I’m Protestant but I’m not really religious.” I might also add “I don’t go to church, except maybe on Christmas eve.”