friends with someone who wants everyone of an entire religion obliterated? =/

[Khadra]

I logged on to facebook today to see that one of my friends joined the group "Adolf Hitler". This worried me so I decided to check out the group. Sure enough the group idolizes Hitler, and under the picture of Hitler has "one day will come you will curse me since I didn't kill all the jews". My friend had written in german that he loves hitler. I feel disgusted and creeped out.

This is an online friend from Egypt that I've been talking to for four years. We used to be quite close (for an online friendship anyway) and talk often. This issue never came up.

What do you think the best thing to do is? Should I just block him and never talk to him again? Should I try to talk some sense into him? or do I just accept it because he is my friend?

What would you do? What beliefs/opinions can you personally accept in a friend and which cross the line?

[Blackwing]

So you met him over the internet? For all you know he could be a skinhead,KKK member??

[Hyper Sonic]

I think you should respect his opinions and beliefs and continue as normal. His political beliefs really are none of your business

[TigerTank77]

IF it really bugs you, then tell him and explain to him that you need to cut ties.

If it doesn't really bug you, then try to just push it aside. If he talks about it, tell him you don't like that kind of thought. If he pushes it, then see step one.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by EDGE

So you met him over the internet? For all you know he could be a skinhead,KKK member??

Yeah, the much vaunted Egyptian KKK.

Personally I would either talk to him about it or ignore that facet of his personality. However the chances are that he wouldn't see your point of view even if you talked to him, but it may make you feel better to be able to think "at least I tried". Maybe if you looked at it from his point of view you'd be able to feel less mortified? He lives in a country where anti-semitism is incredibly high due to Israel's proximity and there it's quite a widely held opinion and one I've heard expressed by several people from Egypt, while to us it's obviously abhorent to them it's not so.

While you two will never agree about it there is no reason you can't still be friends, you never have to talk about the subject and you can ignore the fact that it even exists. However if you can't do that then maybe you'll have to block him, it all depends on how you can cope with it?

[Blackwing]

Anyone on the internet can claim to be anywhere they want. So if I wanted to say I live in England who's gonna no I don't really live there?

[Khadra]

Originally Posted by EDGE

Anyone on the internet can claim to be anywhere they want. So if I wanted to say I live in England who's gonna no I don't really live there?

I used to talk to him on the phone regularly and he had an egyptian area code, so I think it's safe to say he really is more than likely from there.

[udontno]

If it was up to me, I'd probably talk to him about it out of interest. I respect people and their beliefs. I wouldn't bring it up again, wouldn't think about it. None of my business.

[Khadra]

Originally Posted by Jack

While you too will never agree about it there is no reason you can't still be friends, you never have to talk about the subject and you can ignore the fact that it even exists. However if you can't do that then maybe you'll have to block him, it all depends on how you can cope with it?

Is it okay to ignore something that extreme? I mean it's not like we're just voting for a different party or something.

[Hyper Sonic]

It is fine to overlook something that extreme. Ultimately it comes down to what you as a person can cope with

[Jack]

Originally Posted by Khadra

Is it okay to ignore something that extreme? I mean it's not like we're just voting for a different party or something.

Yes it is. After all, he's most likely been this way for years and you've still been friends with him. The only difference is now you know about it. If that knowledge sours you so much that you can no longer continue to be his friend then you have your answer. However subjects can be avoided and aspects of people ignored, you don't need to stop being his friend and maybe the fact you're friends with him will eventually guide him in the right direction.

[havok098]

I think, if it really offends you, then you need to mention something to him, as you are a friend. You can not judge him for his beliefs or non beliefs. You have gone this long without doing so, so don't let something like this change it.
It is a little creepy I'm sure. But it's about what you can handle as an individual.

[Khadra]

Thanks everyone. I think maybe I'll talk to him about it or perhaps just ignore it. I felt a little guilty accepting it because I thought it was like I'm saying it's okay to be anti-semitic, but I guess it's not the same thing. It's still a bit of a shock.

I think other people have given good advice, I just for the sake of information want to point out, it's not specifically about the entire religion, but the ethnic group. Anti-seminism covers both religious Jews, and those who are ethnically Jewish, but dont practice Judasm.

[Prozac]

I don't think that you should let it affect your friendship.
For all you know, these whole four years he could have worshipped Adolf Hitler, and you might not have known about it. I don't see why you should stop being friends with someone just because they have a different opinion or thoughts upon something to you. You may want to talk to him about his views upon Nazism, he may not even be anti-semetic, he may appreciate other elements of Right Wing politics. I remember that you used to have a communist symbol/quote from Che Guavara in your signature (Im 90% sure it was you, and if it wasn't, someone did anyway) and I dislike communism and che guavara. However, I still help people who have different opinions and political ideologies to me - because thats just it, an opinion. I wouldn't stop talking to someone who I've had a good friendship with for years just because they decide to turn to a different political party to me.

[BECCALICIOUS!]

I think you should talk to him about it and find out his opinions and point of view. I personally would have a problem with it because I am 100% Polish... but I'd try to have a calm, logical discussion with him about it. If it turns ugly, however, and neither of you can respect each other's differences about it, then I'd break off the friendship.

[Claire]

I think the fact that you were friends with him and got along really well before you knew anything says that you should still be friends with him. You can't just stop talking to someone just because of their beliefs, as strong as they are. If you had known this about him when you first met then I'd say don't get to know him , but you are friends now. I disagree with some of my friends beliefs, but they are my friends and I respect them.

[ShaunHellend]

Originally Posted by EDGE

Anyone on the internet can claim to be anywhere they want. So if I wanted to say I live in England who's gonna no I don't really live there?

By scanning your IP Address. It doesnt give exact location, but the country is near enough spot on ...unless your using AOL. Then it always come up as america :S go figure

[Oiseau the Little Bird!]

Well, there's always the chance that he joined the group as a joke in poor taste. If it really bugs you that much, you should talk to him about it.

I have a number of friends who are completely and totally racist, but that's how they feel. Aside from their decision to hate everyone who's black, they're decent folk. We just never talk about race. Or the president. Or anything else that can trigger a very nasty conversation. I have the same relationship with a Mormon friend of mine. Not that she goes around telling me that I'm hellbound (not anymore, anyway). But we just avoid that conversation.

There are some people who honestly and truly hate Jewish folk and wish all the worst on them simply because they are Jewish. And sometimes that encompasses their entire being to make them seriously terrible people. If you feel that your friend is this way, then you make the decision to either see past it and value him for everything else that he is, or eliminate him as a friend.

[Khadra]

Thanks everyone! Great advice! I'm glad I asked instead of just blocking him, which was my first (irrational) instinct. I'm going to talk to him about about it.


And Stephanie you have a good memory! That was me. I'm surprised you remembered.

[Gixxers rock]

Originally Posted by Hyper Sonic

I think you should respect his opinions and beliefs and continue as normal. His political beliefs really are none of your business

+1 .

[InSovietRussiaORGASMGotU]

I find this thread so funny due to its irony. Christianity wants non-believers to burn in hell, be slaughtered, etc... . However, when it's some other name of a belief that has a similar idea, some people are horrified. LOL. The irony is just amazing. If you are so shocked at this, then take a look at other beliefs and religions. You'll find it probably isn't such an uncommon idea.

Just respect his beliefs. He didn't push them onto you so don't go and start interogating him. Might as well also go and treat all Christians or other people of faiths with the similar idea the same way.

[Blackwing]

Originally Posted by ShaunHellend

By scanning your IP Address. It doesnt give exact location, but the country is near enough spot on ...unless your using AOL. Then it always come up as america :S go figure

if you know how... not everyone does.

[TheKnight]

Well, for one, you met him on the internet. Seeing as how I also meet lots of people on the internet I won't say the relationship is not legitimate.

But consider this, Hitler did not only want Jews to be killed. Amongst those he wanted killed were homosexuals, the disabled, blacks, gypsies, and those who disagreed with him politically. Chances are you fit into that group in some way or another (like disagreeing with him). That being the case, I personally wouldn't want to talk to someone who (in their free time) puts "I love Hitler" on Hitler-worship sites. But if you have no problem being the friend (and therefore potential emotional support base) for an anti-semitic hateful most-notorious-murderer worshiper then by all means. I would say be nice to him, but only to the extent that you don't support what he believes. Tell him you disagree and possibly inquire into him. Sometimes the cover of a book is misleading.

[Khadra]

Originally Posted by YourNightmare

I find this thread so funny due to its irony. Christianity wants non-believers to burn in hell, be slaughtered, etc... . However, when it's some other name of a belief that has a similar idea, some people are horrified. LOL. The irony is just amazing. If you are so shocked at this, then take a look at other beliefs and religions. You'll find it probably isn't such an uncommon idea.

Just respect his beliefs. He didn't push them onto you so don't go and start interogating him. Might as well also go and treat all Christians or other people of faiths with the similar idea the same way.

I have plenty of christian friends and I have never heard any one of them say they WANT someone to burn in hell. They may believe that is what will happen, but they don't want it to. There is a big difference.

[InSovietRussiaORGASMGotU]

Unfortunately, the bible does say to kill off and have the nonbelievers burn in hell. Whether your friends want to or not doesn't matter. Their belief and little book says otherwise.

[Oiseau the Little Bird!]

Originally Posted by YourNightmare

Unfortunately, the bible does say to kill off and have the nonbelievers burn in hell. Whether your friends want to or not doesn't matter. Their belief and little book says otherwise.

For the most part, Christians don't go around killing non-believers (and if they do, they certainly don't get away with it). Also, if my memory serves me right, ever since Jesus came around, I think the whole, "KILL NON BELIEVERS" thing was pretty much abolished.

Also, the whole God/Hitler thing was SO 2007.

[Grizabella]

I don't think I could continue a friendship like that. Obviously I don't need my friends to have exactly the same values as I do; I might as well just hang out with myself. But that's just too fundamentally different and against what I believe. I wouldn't be able to respect a person who had a belief system advocating the destruction of an entire race.