LogFAQs > #979412909

Kradek posted...

Could I get some elaboration? This is a pretty interesting premise.

It was a very lengthy bout of high school drama. As a precursor, by my junior high years, I was frustrated with the non-answers I was getting from the leaders at my church (I was raised Lutheran, and they were not particularly well versed in apologetics). So I was essentially already on my way out as a Christian due to my doubts and questions.

Regarding my best friend, we grew up very close, but distanced during that "boys/girls are icky" phase of middle school. We became close again in high school.

Cut forward a little bit to my junior year, and my mental health is in a complete free fall unrelated to those religious frustrations. My friend, who recently had reignited her faith (Pentecostal, of the tongue-speaking variety), felt very strongly that I should join her, and I did for a while. I would like to think I was genuine in my efforts, and I did feel some comfort for a time.

That held out until just after graduation. My friend was constantly in arguments with a classmate who enjoyed pushing her buttons on religion. I steered clear of those because I liked the guy despite him occasionally going a bit too far in antagonizing her. But about two weeks after graduation, he sends me a whole bunch of Facebook screenshots of him and my friend arguing online showing her repeatedly referencing me as evidence of her being correct. Essentially saying things like "even the smartest guy in our class believes," "God cured his depression," etc. She aired a whole lot of my personal troubles that I confided in her about, and it made me feel like I was a trophy more than a friend. Coupled with some other rifts that had developed between us, I was hurt. I confronted her about those screenshots and other issues, but she just blew me off. She blocked me shortly thereafter, and we went our separate ways.

A very abridged summary, as I don't like to dwell too much on that part of my life. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't some horrible betrayal (more of a "don't attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity/immaturity" moment), but it did show the problems that can arise when people prioritize evangelism over treating others like people.