Interacting With Non-Believers
Question
Shalom rabbi,
I want to ask that many people are athiest and sometimes verbally oppose the commandments of Torah.
Once I was talking to a person about his religion. He told I do not believe in |God. He also added that there is no sin no gehinome and no heaven. I am enjoying here on earth with my numerous girlfriends. I asked that are you atheist and he told me that yes I am atheist, I do not believe in God, I follow only my girlfriend’s command. When I ask about his parents he told me I lived with my mother but one of my girlfriend advised me to send my mother to a retirement home. I can throw my mother at roadside then what. He wanted to talk to me more but I blocked that person immediately.
So, rabbi, now I ask you: How should I behave with those atheists?
Answers
The best way to behave towards non-believers is respectfully. Just because they do not subscribe to a belief system that includes God does not mean that they should be be treated without respect. Judaism teaches that all people are created in the image of God, which means that we are supposed to try and relate to everyone in a way that that reflects that concept. Of course, one should not internalize any of their atheistic beliefs and one should try to limit the amount of exposure that they have to them since their worldview is diametrically opposed to that of someone who believes in God.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team
Ok rabbi.But I have no respect to those people in my mind I think they are the gone astray people.But I will try to beheave respectfully with them or keep sielence when necessary
Treating them with respect and having respect for them are two completely different things. However, having said that, in the same way that I am sure that you would like to be treated with respect so, too, should you treat others with respect.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team