I'm feeling overwhelmed by the close-mindedness of people...?

Question

Can I get some responses from people who don't feel like they have to force their beliefs on other people? What does upsetting someone really accomplish? Because its certainly not going to convert them. This is why my mother never told people she was Pagan when I was a child....she was afraid someone would try to take me away from her. A little paranoid...but sadly it could happen.

Answer 1

Yahoo! Answers Religion & Spirituality section is a difficult area to manoeuvre. You face a lot of closed minds and hate. You have to be very brave.

I've been here for two or three months now constantly trying to be a voice of reason and open-mindedness as much as possible. I try to offer alternate viewpoints and get the closed-minded to think... even if it's just a little bit :)

Am I getting anywhere? Probably not. Somebody who is closed-minded probably wants to be closed-minded and maybe even takes pride in it. But if there's one person in a million who, by coming to Y!A R&S, starts to see that people with other spiritual beliefs can still be good people, it makes it all worthwhile.

Peace.

Answer 2

Hi. I am one of those very religious types. But I will not force my beliefs on anyone. I think that J T has a good point. There are psychological factors in play when religious people get overly zealous to convert others. Some people are just immature and like to push buttons. I see that from some atheists as well as Christians. It's so immature.

Don't let people push your button. I've had some pretty great interactions with people on this site. But, I've seen a lot of what you describe and it's very sad. Don't let it get to you and enjoy the positive. And some people are hilarious and have such great great senses of humor.

Peace.

Answer 3

what u are saying is right. it is happening in the whole world. the ,main reason that i will say is ego and a thinking they are superior. in the early days when the catholic church was formed, they tried to change people from paganism to christianity saying that paganism was about witchcraft. but it was all untrue. just like christianity, pagan is also a good belief and something that can be followed. it does not teach anything wrong.

u dont worry ur mind on these things. these people dont change. they keep bragging about their religion and take pleasure in speaking low of other's religion.
ognore it and have ur beliefs andfaith. god will be there with u, even if u are a christian or muslim or hindu or pagan.

Answer 4

I don't agree - Ideas and beliefs not only *can* be challenged but indeed *ought* to be challenged. I'm an atheist and I enjoy having people tell me I'm wrong and trying to convert me because I enjoy thinking about non-trivial things and working through rational arguments. Wouldn't the world be boring if we never discussed anything of any consequence?

Addendum: There's a time and a place for it though - Atheists never go announcing their worldview all over the place where it's not asked for and not wanted, as religious folks do.

Answer 5

I believe in a lot of different things, but I certainly don't try to force my beliefs on anyone.
However, if we are having a conversation, I feel I am certainly entitled to SHARE my thoughts with you, regardless of the subject.
We may not always agree, and you may not like what I am saying, but we can still have an open discussion.
Take gays, for instance.
I am straight, but I have had dealings with both gay men and gay woman.
Personally, I find the gay lifestyle repugnant, and that has nothing to do with any religious anything. It just sickens me.
However, at no time have have I ever tried to "turn" a gay or a les, nor have one of them ever came on to me.
I guess "gaydar" works both ways, they sense I'm straight
and respect that, whether they think I'm hot or whatever.
(I have seen gays looking at me on the street, with lust in their perverted minds, so I kind of know how some of you woman feel when men look at you that way. Makes my skin crawl.)

Answer 6

I don't feel like I'm forcing my beliefs upon someone when I tell them about Christ. I think all I'm doing is giving you the information you need to make an educated choice. Most Christians realize that no one can be forced to accept a belief and yet we are under orders from Christ to at least get the word out. The choice, ultimately, is yours.

Answer 7

Not everybody judges as harshly as you seem to think. What about the quiet people that don't say much and watch what is going on. People can only upset you if you think about what they are saying and let it eat at you. You know you are not "converting" so just go with your strengths. Maybe the next person you meet will be a friend and not be so harsh.

Answer 8

Maybe you should try being more open minded. At least that's my first immediate response. What was so wrong with the pagan's anyway? They just seemed to be a farming community to me. Was the church just upset that they weren't more war like people?

Answer 9

I don't understand how atheists,pagans or cults come on here and expect acceptance of their beliefs when it is not spiritual and religious? You are stirring up strife and sadly, you are paranoid like your mother.

Answer 10

When there is a closed mind I feel that there mind is made up and whatever you say will not change their views. It is not worth the energy to get mad at that person, it is better to let them feel the way they feel and accept them for who and what they believe. It takes an act of God or watching you live your life for them to see your views!