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[DJ]

OK, let's take a different analogy. What if your friend got a girlfriend that's only with him for his money, and cheats on him all the time, but he's too much in love with her to see it? Should you do nothing, because he has a right to choose his own girlfriends?

*fakeedit*
Whenever a friend is fanatical about *anything*, be it a religion, a woman or a sports team, meddling is required. Fanaticism is *never* good.

[smigenboger]

I like this analogy. Your friend has joined a different sect of the same religion he was in, and now he's very focused on it.

I guess we're now discussing the idea in general, and not this person's problem.

[Huesoo]

I like this analogy. Your friend has joined a different sect of the same religion he was in, and now he's very focused on it.

I guess we're now discussing the idea in general, and not this person's problem.

My point.

[Virex]

Regardless of what oppertunities he may lose out on, the First Amendment protects his right to practice religion as he chooses, and you shouldn't risk your friendship by trying to pull him away from that in any personal or legal way.

The first Amendment also solidifies your right to verbally disagree with him

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Regardless of what oppertunities he may lose out on, the First Amendment protects his right to practice religion as he chooses, and you shouldn't risk your friendship by trying to pull him away from that in any personal or legal way.

The first Amendment also solidifies your right to verbally disagree with him

Yes it does, and he should if he wishes to do so.

[forsaken1111]

Nobody has mentioned anything about a psych ward. How would you react if a close friend was engaging in a harmful activity? Take the religion part out of context, maybe you will see my point of view.

What does this have to do with the OP? We have nothing that says the activity is harmful either. And I already gave you my answer. If the person is under the age of consent, I would inform his parents. If the person was doing something illegal, I would inform the police.

If he is an adult and doing something completely legal that was somehow self-destructive, well welcome to the majority of humanity. Nearly everyone does something self-destructive or harmful. I know people who drink, who smoke, who eat too much salt or fat, who eat too much sugar when they are diabetic, or eat food they are allergic to because they love the taste. It is human nature to be self-destructive, and if the man is an adult it is NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS what he does to himself. If it is legal and not harming anyone else, he has every right to do it as long and as hard as he wants to. All you can do is either DEAL WITH IT or find a new friend.

[Huesoo]

I mean, tell me I'm paranoid?  I'm inclined to send him something like "YOU'RE IN A CULT, YOU FOOL," but I have a hunch that would be turned to fuel.  I suspect my friend will be told to sever ties.  I suspect some insidious psychological manipulation and I'm freaked out by it.  My friend is acting completely stark raving nuts, and I'm saying that as a guy who totally groks the concept of Jesus with mystical powers.

My friend has always been a person of faith, but he's only recently gotten outspoken, obsessive, and illogical. He was never such a ham.

Yes we do, he is his friend, if he is doing something thats self harming then its his right to do something about it. It is his business because he is his friend, do you understand now?

[forsaken1111]

Yes we do, he is his friend, if he is doing something thats self harming then its his right to do something about it. It is his business because he is his friend, do you understand now?

He suspects, he does not know. There is no evidence that anything untoward or harmful is happening. You are leaping to wild conclusions and then justifying your statements by pointing at your own assumptions.

[Huesoo]

Yes we do, he is his friend, if he is doing something thats self harming then its his right to do something about it. It is his business because he is his friend, do you understand now?

He suspects, he does not know. There is no evidence that anything untoward or harmful is happening. You are leaping to wild conclusions and then justifying your statements by pointing at your own assumptions.

I mean, tell me I'm paranoid?  I'm inclined to send him something like "YOU'RE IN A CULT, YOU FOOL," but I have a hunch that would be turned to fuel.  I suspect my friend will be told to sever ties.  I suspect some insidious psychological manipulation and I'm freaked out by it. My friend is acting completely stark raving nuts, and I'm saying that as a guy who totally groks the concept of Jesus with mystical powers.

My friend has always been a person of faith, but he's only recently gotten outspoken, obsessive, and illogical. He was never such a ham.

There I bolded out the assumptions that where made, happy now? And if anything, im not the one leaping to wild conclusions, the Op is. Im pointing out some assumptions and some facts. They arent even mine.

[forsaken1111]

Pointing to someone else's assumptions is somehow better?

Either way, my point has been made. If he truely thinks the person is harming himself, and the person is under age, then he should tell the person's parents. If the person is an adult, he can make his own decisions and if he isn't doing anything illegal then its nobody's place to make him stop. We don't even know if the OP is being truthful, or if this is just a big hoax by his friend.

[Huesoo]

There I bolded out the ones that werent, happy now? And if anything, im not the one leaping to wild conclusions, the Op is. Im pointing out some assumptions and some facts. They arent even mine.

Ooops, fixed.

First of all, the assumptions are better because they where made by the OP, the one experiencing it. The OP posted links of it, and I highly doubt that it was a hoax.

[DJ]

If the person is an adult, he can make his own decisions and if he isn't doing anything illegal then its nobody's place to make him stop.

You don't really grasp the "friend" concept, do you?

[MetalSlimeHunt]

If the person is an adult, he can make his own decisions and if he isn't doing anything illegal then its nobody's place to make him stop.

You don't really grasp the "friend" concept, do you?

You don't really grasp that not respecting your friends choices doesn't make you a friend, do you?

[forsaken1111]

There I bolded out the ones that werent, happy now? And if anything, im not the one leaping to wild conclusions, the Op is. Im pointing out some assumptions and some facts. They arent even mine.

Ooops, fixed.

First of all, the assumptions are better because they where made by the OP, the one experiencing it. The OP posted links of it, and I highly doubt that it was a hoax.

I doubt it too, but the possibility has to be acknowledged.

But really, what do you suggest he do? Hire a deprogrammer to force his friend back to the way he was? Then he's no different from the cult using subversive techniques to brainwash his friend in the first place. His only real recourse is to report it to the guy's parents or the authorities, and the police likely won't care unless they think there are drugs or some other illegal activity involved.

If the person is an adult, he can make his own decisions and if he isn't doing anything illegal then its nobody's place to make him stop.

You don't really grasp the "friend" concept, do you?

Of course I do, I also grasp the concept of individual freedom and rights. My friend has made a decision that I either accept and come to terms with or cannot accept and terminate the friendship. If I thought the cult was going to hurt him, I'd tell the police. There isn't anything else I can do within the bounds of our society without infringing on my friend's rights.

[DJ]

If the choices are wrong, you're not supposed to respect them. Like when you're out drinking, and your friend starts acting douche-like, it's your job to drag him home. Or when he's about to gamble away his rent money, your job is to smack him across the face and remind him he has to pay the rent. You'll note a similarity in these situations - your friend is acting irrationally. And replacing reason with dogma, which his friend seems to be doing, is pretty damn irrational.