How do you deal with mingle with "world people"?

[Henrywrites]

I had to make use of the "world people" so that it won't sound offensive. I am simply asking how you deal with those that are not believers. They don't go to church and prefer to enjoy their life. Do you feel relaxed relating with them?

 

[Lees]

I had to make use of the "world people" so that it won't sound offensive. I am simply asking how you deal with those that are not believers. They don't go to church and prefer to enjoy their life. Do you feel relaxed relating with them?

The unbeliever, or worldling, enjoys his life without God and Christ. Which is foreign to me, a Christian. As a Christian I am in their world, through no choice of my own. Work, military, politics, all require me to be with unbelievers.

None of this requires me to fellowship with the world in their unbelief. I can work with them and be the Christian among them. Usually it is they who are not relaxed with me. Just me being a believer makes them uncomfortable.

But you have to be careful. Over time, you can become friends with those of the world. And it's tempting to partake of their fellowship when invited. That is where you must draw the line.

Years ago, after a long hot hard day of work, the foreman on the job brought a chest full of beer for us to enjoy with each other. But, though I have no problem having a beer, I did have a problem willingly sitting among these as though I was one of them. In other words, enjoying the fellowship of the world. I just told them, no thanks, I need to get home.

They knew the difference. The next day the foreman came up to me and asked, why wouldn't you have a beer with us?

I have to be in the world. I don't have to fellowship with the world.

Lees

 

[Albion]

I had to make use of the "world people" so that it won't sound offensive. I am simply asking how you deal with those that are not believers. They don't go to church and prefer to enjoy their life. Do you feel relaxed relating with them?

Hello, Henry. Yes, I feel relaxed when interacting with non-believers. That's unless the non-believers are determined to ridicule religion and Christianity in particular. If that is the case, conversation becomes difficult.

Fortunately, most people with whom I would talk about personal matters and values have better manners than that, so it isn't a big problem anyway.

At the same time, there are also belligerent believers, so it's not just a problem with non-believers. Catholics, particularly recent converts, are often in that category, imagining (or having been taught) that their church is the special target of criticism from other Christians.

After all is said and done, I think that the best way to handle "world people," both the critics and those who are just not believers, isn't to debate with them but to quietly show by your own lifestyle how your faith manifests itself. Kindness, charity, respect for others, and etc. can go a long way towards changing the attitude of non-believers.

 

[Faith]

I had to make use of the "world people" so that it won't sound offensive. I am simply asking how you deal with those that are not believers. They don't go to church and prefer to enjoy their life. Do you feel relaxed relating with them?

i mostly am around believers. I had an atheist friend in my neighborhood growing up but we only talk on FB now and never about religion.

 

[Faith]

Hello, Henry. Yes, I feel relaxed when interacting with non-believers. That's unless the non-believers are determined to ridicule religion and Christianity in particular. If that is the case, conversation becomes difficult.

Fortunately, most people with whom I would talk about personal matters and values have better manners than that, so it isn't a big problem anyway.

At the same time, there are also belligerent believers, so it's not just a problem with non-believers. Catholics, particularly recent converts, are often in that category, imagining (or having been taught) that their church is the special target of criticism from other Christians.

After all is said and done, I think that the best way to handle "world people," both the critics and those who are just not believers, isn't to debate with them but to quietly show by your own lifestyle how your faith manifests itself. Kindness, charity, respect for others, and etc. can go a long way towards changing the attitude of non-believers.

Most of my friends are Catholic and used to always make subtle but clear suggestions that I should return. Or they’d talk tome like I still was Catholic. “Pray the rosary” “take it (your problems) to Mother Mary, etc.

 

[tango]

I had to make use of the "world people" so that it won't sound offensive. I am simply asking how you deal with those that are not believers. They don't go to church and prefer to enjoy their life. Do you feel relaxed relating with them?

Sure, why not?

A lot of my friends are people I know from church. Some of my friends are people I know from outside of church based on some other common interest.

Why should it be difficult to talk to someone who shares our interest in something, even if they don't share our faith in God? How can we fulfil the call to "go into the world and preach the gospel" if we don't, you know, go into the world?