i don't think it requires you to be mean. tell him you don't share his views, but appreciate the energy he puts into his. and if he don't like it, what have you lost? a friend of your brothers?? is that such a biggie?

i am so glad to hear you are respectful of your brothers feelings. the friend IS indeed annoying, but you are very right about the brother part of it. before you go off on the friend, let your brother know how you feel, so he can intervene(sp). if you let your brother know and he tells you the friend knows, and then the friend does it anyway, cut loose with some choice words that would make a drunken sailor blush. good luck girl.

Should you be nice to someone just because they are a friend of a loved one or another close friend? Yes. That's how you make more friends I guess lol.

He is a friend of your brother, so you can't avoid him, but make it clear you appreciate his views but you don't share them and that you would be grateful if he stopped trying to convert you. I have a close friend that pesters me about religion, I asked her to respect my choices and she keeps trying to make me change my mind so I stopped hanging with her as much. If she can't respect my view, why should I care about hers?
xxx

Should you be nice to someone just because they are a friend of a loved one or another close friend? I mean, do you thik you are obligated to be nice and agree with whatever they say? My brother introduced me to one of his close friends that he works with. He is a nice enough guy, but he is extremely anti-government. And when I say extreme, I mean EXTREME. He is always trying to get people to sign petitions and protest against whatever cause he is into for the week. I believe everybody is entitled to their own opinions, but I don't agree trying to push it on everyone else. Would you politely just "smile and nod", or would you tell they guy you have no interest in what he is "selling"? I don't want to hurt his feelings, but he really gets on my nerves...hope this makes sense the way it is written.