Prayer request.

[goldsaberwarrior]

Hey everyone what's been going on. I haven't been on here for a few months so I figured I would check in. I'm asking everyone that can, will, and sees this to pray for our youth group and some of my friends. A friend of mine an athiest recently brought down another friend of ours and he no longer believes in God. I ask that you pray for the ones that fell as both of them were christians at one time and I believe were really saved. This is a serious thing what's been going on as such we're going to talk to the 2 as they're now going out and getting drunk and they got one of my friends who was recently in a car wreck drunk as well. We're going to have to confront them because we won't let our other friends be brought down. This concerns me deeply because it's not like the guys I know to be like this. Anyways be praying everyone. We're going to confront them in love but still it doesn't make what we have to do any easier.

[Novastar]

Sometimes learning by experience is the best way to learn.

This isn't to say I'm not being heartfelt right now... it's just... not everyone can learn via enlightenment.

That being said... whether or not one believes in "God", I think it's safe to say that anyone reading will at least think positive thoughts for these friends of your.

[psab keel]

I hope your friends can find their way again. And though you may not see eye to eye with them I hope you can remain friends.

[Lord Preston]

I'm Christian, so I'll pray.

[goldsaberwarrior]

Thanks guys. This is a trying time for the youth group. it's not something we want to do but we have no choice. We're not giving up on them though. Jesus wouldn't give up on them and neither will we. I hope this works and they come back to Jesus. He paid too high a price for us not to at least try.

[astromech_kuhns]

as i am a christian they will be in my prayeres as well.

[TimeRender]

Having lost friends to alcoholism, I certainly hope that your friends do not develop a drinking problem. However, you seem to be drawing a link between their use of alcohol and their choice to be atheists. That conclusion could be viewed as ignorant, judgmental, and offensive by atheists like myself. One's religion is a deeply personal choice. No one should seek to make that choice on behalf of anyone but themselves. If these people are truly your friends, why not respect the choice that they have made, rather than wish to change their hearts and minds?

[Darth Vane]

they are in my prayers as well.

what is the youth group called if i may ask?

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

It is greatly to your credit that you are not giving up on your friends. However you might find that being confrontational in a manner that links your newly-atheist friend's new beliefs with his drinking in an accusatory manner might possibly be perceived by him as not respecting him choosing his own beliefs and thus might backfire and drive him further away from your group and towards more negative behaviours as well as further from Faith.

Perhaps addressing the drinking problems separately by themselves in a supportive non-confrontational manner may yield better results...if you try and turn the drinking issue into a Faith issue and he becomes resisting then you might lose whatever influence you still have.

I know you are concerned by what you see as him falling away from Faith into Atheism but it is also possible to fall back into Faith from Atheism.

I know because at one time I lost Faith and became atheist for a time but later found my Way again.

But I had to find it for myself and would only have been driven further away if people had been 'confrontational' with me.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned in 45 years is that no one can 'make' anyone else believe anything...and even trying to can push people away...humans ultimately choose their own beliefs for their own reasons not anyone else's.

I do hope you can help them both avoid developing self destructive drinking problems...and that someday he will find his way back to Believing...and I will pray for that.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

I work with the youth group at my church and I will keep them in my prayers. There had to be something that originally drove them away and made them lose their faith. If you can find out what really happened and deal with that issue it may help them find their way back. Whatever happens do not give up on them and keep praying for them. Have a Blessed Day.