Just tell them that your people wrote it, so they should know. I have looked only superficially at Bible Hebrew, but it would be useful to have more and also the Hebrew of the commentaries. They often appear much more credible to me than the usual Christian comments.AlanGurvey said:Alot of the time it does make it hard to have a discussion on theology, many times they view my Jewish Interpretation as flawed on the old testament, usually belittleing my points as "No, Alan you can't talk you don't know what we are talking about."
If your religious inclinations, or lack of them, often confuse others or isolate you from them in some way, what form does this take? Is it ever a source of tension?
Those who would bring up my views would probably be genuinely interested. Others couldn't care less. When I was a Christian, nobody commented, despite my going to church at least once a week. They kept questions regarding my sanity to themselves. Now that I'm an atheist, positive mainly towards ancient Daoism, I think if somebody would mention my beliefs, it would be out of pure interest and might start an interesting conversation. But I won't hold my breath. Summary: no problems.
The one and only person I know who has taken a new road is my younger sister. She left the Church of Sweden several years before me. I don't know if it was because of a profound inner struggle, or if she just thought she saw no benefit in paying the equivalent of a few hundred dollars per year in church tax. I know nobody else who has made a change. In fact, I know the faith of very few people: two friends from high schools, married, both Lutherans; that guy's brother, ordained in the Church of Sweden, and the neighbour couple, Catholics! (and ethnic Swedes!! strange.) and a teacher and one long-term pupil at the university dept. of Semitic languages, who are Jews. That's all. You will have noticed that I didn't mention any relatives. I don't know what they believe. So, no problems in this regard either.Do you ever find that there is a gulf between yourself and people who have known you for a long time but went in a very different direction to you concerning religion?