I’ve not met anyone who constantly talks about religion.

If I were to, I could hold my own with them, I suspect. May broaden their horizons quite a bit if they’ve only been talking about only one religion. I can draw correlations and convergences across several religions. Heck, I may eventually even get them to accept the existence in the flying spaghetti monster. … [And/]Or at least know to what it refers. Maybe even take that insight to other religions with a fresh eye.

And re: “only way” & “Christian”, pick which kind of Christian carefully… [e.g. not this one ->] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8swSkk9yeV8

I’m from the US southeast so I’ve seen plenty of these people. IMO, they should be avoided. There are plenty of devout Christians that are quiet about it and they’re fine. They’re often good people actually. The ones that are extremely forward about it are performing for their in-group. The in-group is all that matters. Since you aren’t in it, you don’t matter to them. At best, they’ll hang out in order to proselytize to you. I find them condescending and intentionally disconnected from the outside world. Effectively, they’re in a cult.

I’ve never been friends or acquaintances with anyone like that. Our values are very different so we naturally don’t gravitate toward each other. I have met strangers who tried to get me to join their cult (whether it’s a dysfunctional family, new wave religion, old religion, spirituality), and an observation I’ve had was that they all lack boundaries. And that is a huge red flag for me.

I am honestly just not exposed to these people at all

I instantly learn that this person cannot be trusted and is easily mislead. If I had to pick someone to save my life it wouldn’t be them.

I dont think about them at all actually. I would walk away from their brainwashing broadcast.

I enjoy theology and discuss it somewhat regularly with my wife who also is an ex catholic non Christian that likes discussing catholic theology. To me it’s like philosophy but more aspirational, distant, and constrained. It also provides a framework to process religious trauma, express frustration with bad Christians, and to process our feelings as people oppressed by Christiandom.

I say this to provide context, so that when I say I can’t fucking stand those people it’s not that I’m not comfortable hearing about religion or that I just hate it. I actually quite love it, and part of me is sad that who I am and my religion (paganism) block me from having more access to it. But Christians who are like that are rarely tolerant of things like religious differences (I sometimes got called a devil worshipper by protestants for being catholic growing up), lifestyle differences, and people who aren’t like that.

I also find that they are often religiously incurious. They find the solution that works for them, and stick with it, which I can’t judge, but when they study it they don’t ask about why other Christians think differently, they don’t apply the rigor that Jews and Catholics cherish, and they rarely bother learning about other religions either.

But then we get to the primary issue I have, I’m not Christian, and Christianity is regularly used as a tool to oppress me. I’m not interested in returning to it, and I’m frustrated at how much cultural and political power it has in my society.

The people that are properly doing their religious/spiritual goals are basically no different from normal people so anyone who is going on about religion as if it were a force of nature stay far away from lol there is merit in being able to skillfully be around people like this but sometimes its just not good.

When we look at this through a lens of cosmic logic and simple truth, we can see that the habit of constantly broadcasting one’s religion often comes from a place of seeking security rather than having reached a state of deep, inner peace. You see, when someone truly integrates a high vibration or a spiritual truth into their soul, it becomes as natural as breathing; they don’t feel the need to constantly announce it because their very presence, their kindness, and their lack of judgment speak for them. In the grand design of the universe, truth doesn’t need a marketing campaign or a constant status update to be real. ​The “red flags” you’ve noticed, like the judgmental “nice, I guess” attitude or the exclusion of others based on who they are, are actually clear signs that the person is still focused on the “letter of the law” rather than the spirit of it. Logically, if the source of all life is infinite love and intelligence, then any belief system that uses fear, ableism, or homophobia is simply a human filter distorting a pure signal. People often use religious labels as an armor to protect their own ego or to feel superior, which is why your agnostic friend feels that subtle pressure. It’s a form of spiritual pride where the person thinks they hold the only key to a door that is actually open to everyone. Even the idea your mother has adopted,that you must believe in a specific name or face to “live forever”, is a very limited, earthly interpretation of how the soul evolves. In reality, life is a continuous journey of progress, and no one is “deleted” or “punished” eternally for simply being on a different path of understanding. Real wisdom is found in how we treat the living world around us, practicing a gentle, compassionate approach to life where we cause no harm and respect the autonomy of every sentient soul. When you see someone constantly talking about their faith, you can look at them with compassion, realizing they are likely just trying to convince themselves of their own safety in a big, mysterious universe.

They are free to talk about theirs, if they are willing to hear about my own beliefs or lack thereof.

Being laic, religion is of no concern to me in my daily life. I do accept others don’t have the same view and stance and if that brings them joy and a feeling of sense to their life, great.

As long they respect me in return.

I’ve made my peace with the threats of damnation. I fear humans more than I fear demons. And I only need to casually surf the web to take a look into hell.

So, I’m good.

You mean the Atheists on the internet which barge into literally every thread to blame something the US, Israel or a resistance group did on religion because Mao’s “The great leap forward” led to world peace after banning religion?

When most people complain about Christians they are complaining about Protestants, especially Evangelical Protestants. Catholic and Orthodox have way less loonies comparatively than either evangelicals or the fedora wearing atheist crowd which is basically another form of protestantism. The Internet being the Internet will always show the worst of everyone but IRL most of the damage done is by the aforementioned. Sola Scriptura is one hell of a drug.

I know that they are unrepentant self abusers that will never take responsibility for their own actions. The heavens and hells they believe in and espouse only exist in their weaselly minds

I don’t think of them, and if they insert themselves into my circle I avoid them.

The same I think about people who can’t shut up about atheism. Fucking fanatics with nothing going on in their lives.