Why is everyone so darn touchy?

Question

Mention God or evolution in a simple question and everyone goes berserk.

E.g. one person said "why do stupid people believe in God?" Everyone assumed that she was saying people that believe in God are stupid and they jumped all over her ***. (Try re-reading it carefully!)

If you're secure in your beliefs, why get touchy when someone asks a question about it?

Hey Allissa gets my vote - my lucky day ;)

Answer 1

u can touch me anytime!

Answer 2

Your example doesn't match your question.

If all someone does is "mention God or evolution in a simple question", then I agree, we should be able to have a sensible conversation about either or both topics.

But when a question leads with "Why do stupid people ... ?" then the asker has already fired an attack, and doesn't seem that interested in a "sensible conversation." It's not the reference to God that made people touchy ... it's the insulting phrase "stupid people."

And yes, I understand that a careful reading of the question might show that the asker was not saying "why are all people who believe in God, stupid?" but rather, "why are stupid people among those who believe in God?" But it doesn't matter. It is still reveals that the asker considers himself/herself smarter than a certain class of "stupid people". It is still an arrogant, insulting question.

Answer 3

When I was a kid I was brainwashed by my teachers (happened to be Marxists but might as well have been Christian, Moslems or whatever). I developed this extremist Marxist identity and got extremely offended when someone said something good about capitalism. Then, I would say that it's natural to react strongly when the issue is the class struggle which is after all the most important thing in life.

In retrospect, I find it quite difficult to explain why I reacted that way. So I don't have a good answer to your question.

But, incidental, I sometimes feel offended by pseudo-scientific propaganda. So I probably ought to understand it. If you ask me why I feel offended by pseudo-scientific propaganda, whether creationist or otherwise, I would say that they use unfair methods in the debate, pretending to rely on science while in fact their very aim is to undermine science's influence on public debate. But I must admit that I sometimes find myself in a somewhat heated temper during such debates.

Thankfully, those debates are restricted to U.S.-dominated web fora such as this one. In Europe, Christian fundamentalists barely exist and they are quite silent. Moslem fanatics do exist but they are more vocal about moral issues. Maybe because there's nothing like the Book of Genesis in the Khoran.

Answer 4

Nobody likes to be insulted, and when those who don't believe in a supreme being (like God) say that stupid people believe in God, it can feel kind of demeaning...

Human nature, I guess.

But I don't think its necessarily the asking, it's the disrespectful and insulting answers... although there's some pretty disrespectful and insulting questions here, too.

Answer 5

I am totally secure in my belief in GOD,and nothing anybody can say will ever shake it.But that is only because my life and the supernatural have always walked hand in hand.And it is totally Awesome.Always something to cause me to be set at awe.It's like watching a magic show everyday and knowing GOD is the one doing it.It is indescribable-Totally awesome.Take care and May GOD Bless You.

Answer 6

Because people are passionate about thier belief system, they use it to explain the world around them. Try asking that question to an Islamic fundamentalist.

Answer 7

Damn good question! Relax, people! Open your minds a little bit. We're dealing with everybody in the world here in this forum, and there's bound to be a lot of different viewpoints.

Answer 8

Just the other day I responded to something like this going on in a person's blog on myspace. This is what I wrote:

All I know is that I don't know. We are here, but I cannot explain why. If we and the environment we experience exist because of natural processes, where does this process start? And with what? And what made it start? And what is that thing that made it start?
If we are to credit something supernatural as being the catalyst for all that we know of, where did this supernatural being come from? God said "Let there be light." Who said "Let there be God"?

I am hesitant to believe in miracles and gods, yet I cannot deny presences, spirits, souls, and auras that I feel. I used to be torn, but I am not anymore. I used to stay up late at night as a young child, trying to figure out the origins of the universe, but answers produce nothing but more questions. You can trace this world back to a fleck of dust, molecules, atoms.. but what, in fact, can you trace these things to? And what can you trace those things to? Is there ever a solid beginning?

The answer is no. I have come to the conclusion that we will never know. This can trouble some, which invites one to accept God. I do not accept God because I have no reason to. Nothing has been presented to me that proves, irrefutably, that there exists or did exist a God. Nothing has been presented to me that proves otherwise, either. I believe in what I see. If you really think about it, there cannot be an answer. No answer would ever be complete and absolute. Therefore, that would challenge the very existence of those things that we can see. I do not know why we are here, but I do feel that it wouldn't make much sense to torture ourselves with insane concepts and beliefs that will not come to fruition, or at least a fruition that we are sure of.

I choose to live my life in a way I feel is right. If there is a God, I believe He wouldn't expect humans to believe in Him. If "He" exists and is what most believe Him to be, He loves all of his "children" and accepts them for who they are, being independent processors of thought. Good deeds are good deeds, regardless of whether or not the belief of God is in one's heart as they perform them, or if they do so in His name. I do not see a reason to do harmful things. I do see reasons to do selfish things, and have no qualms with this notion as I believe it would be somewhat treacherous to let harm come to one's self or prevent one's own success when we are made to advance, no matter our source. In this same light, I see reasons to help others as well.

My point being no one needs a religion. There is no need to believe in God. Do right, and you will be right. If we die and nothing comes of us, such as a soul or spirit, what did we lose? Living is an opportunity. You either take it or you don't. Stop conflicting with each other and yourselves, and live.

Answer 9

Its a sensitive issue, we can talk about global warming aand africa issues and laugh it off, but as soon as we start dissing a man hovering in the sky firing thunderbolts at passing planes it becomes serious business.

Answer 10

Yeah, people over-react to the slightest things these days. Don't talk about race, religion or politics unless you really want to get peeps fired up.

Answer 11

Hey looks like Allissa and you could really have something.....lol