Dear Dish-it,
I’ve gone to church with a friend's family for a long time, but I realized that I don’t believe in the stuff at church. I don’t live in the same state anymore, but I go down there in the summer, and this is the first summer I’ll be going there after realizing that I don’t believe in the same things anymore. Do I still go with them to church or tell them I don’t want to go?
FreakedOverSummer
Dear FOS,
Your beliefs are your own, and no one else should be upset with you for believing in whatever it is you choose to believe in. I’m not sure whether or not your friends will be accepting of your decision or upset about it, but the fact is that religion is about peace, kindness and equality. That means you should treat other people with kindness and understanding, no matter what they choose to believe. I hope that when you reveal to your friends that you no longer wish to join them for church in the summer, they will understand and not get upset about your decision.
When you tell them about your decision, be just as kind and understanding about their beliefs as you want them to be about yours. That means don’t put them down for wanting to go to church; just explain to them that while you respect the fact that they are committed to their religion and to going to church every Sunday, you just don’t think it’s the right thing for you to do anymore. They may have questions about why you made your decision, and it’s totally up to you whether or not you want to explain the details.
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