Friends with different Belief - how it works

A Muslim, a Hindu, a Christian, a Jew and an atheist walk into a restaurant. They have fun, share a good talk and enjoy their evening before going home to sleep.

I read these lines somewhere and had to laugh. You would think that this combination of people, all from different beliefs, including one with no belief at all, is an explosive one. It is not true however – we can all live alongside each other well, as long as we don’t try to convince each other! That is actually what I prefer in my private life as well.

I really never want to convince anybody. Yes, in my blog or on social media, I write down my thoughts. Nobody however has to read anything he doesn’t want to read! I cannot and don’t want to force anybody to read my words or listen to what I am saying. If you are interested, open and would like to read or hear another point of view, you are welcome and we may have an interesting conversation. If not, fully fine, I don’t need to talk to you about religion or belief!

I have some friends who are religious. I can sit together with them and just spend a nice hour or two, talking about family, business and what is going on in our lives. I don’t even need to start the topic of religion. I would actually be annoyed if they did because we all know very exactly that this conversation won’t lead anywhere.

Yes, it is true, my talk cannot go very deep with someone who has very strong religious sentiments because we will have fully different opinions for so many topics that it would not be much fun going in detail. But if there is love and friendship, it can exist even with that difference in opinion.

In any case, I would never try to convince another one or even start a fight. If you ask me for my opinion, I can give it to you. If you want to know more, I can tell you why it is like this. If you are open, I will do this all with pleasure. If you are fixed on your point of view and just ask me because you want to oppose and start an argument, I am not interested. I will get quiet, maybe nod sometimes and in general just not be very happy to continue the conversation. I tell you my views only because you are interested and have asked me – please don’t tell me yours until I am interested and ask you.

Believe what you want to believe or don’t believe anything but do it without disturbing others. Don’t disturb yourself by reading my words if you don’t like them – and don’t disturb me with the wish to fight because of them!