What's the difference between putting down people's belief and telling the truth?

Question

1. Christians will be insulted by anything that's true about their belief. So why even try not to insult them. The truth is more important than them getting upset

2. Theists have been lying about Atheists, insulting Atheists longer and more often than us Atheists could ever down play them.

3. Positive change can be painful. If their feeling are hurt because someone told the blunt truth, it can only lead to critical thinking.

4. Pretending their belief is not stupid is only deceiving them. That would make us just as bad as the crooked pastors

Answer 1

Telling the truth is about taking responsibility for what you believe.

Putting down others' beliefs is about finding fault with what they believe.

There is a big difference and it lies mostly in the character of the one telling the truth/finding fault.

Answer 2

HOLY HOCKEY PUCKS!

"Christians" should not be offended by anyone. Unfortunately, Christians are at best, frail, imperfect creatures who make mistakes. But, some people want ear candy, they want you to agree with everything they say because they are insecure and need their little security blankeez. Disagree with them on one point and they get really ragged.

Christians should offer what they know if asked. They should not insult or degrade others. Jesus didn''t do that, always he preferred to offer people something better than what they had. Even those who walked with Him, saw Him daily didn't always understand Him because they had preconceived notions about Him. The same is still true today. Nothing has changed but the numbers on the calendar.

And atheists ought to at least be civil when trying to teach "Christians" they are wrong.

This is America and as such we are supposed to allow others the freedom to believe as they wish without harassing or insulting. THAT is UNAMERICAN.

Remember there have been millions of people who died to give you the right to believe in God or to believe in NO GOD.

Abraham Lincoln said it well, "No man's rights may infringe on another man's rights."

There are Christians who have physical proof that their God exists, so don't let anyone be too critical of them

And one last thing;
opinions are like armpits, everybody has a couple,
AND SOME OF THEM STINK.

Dats all folks..................

Answer 3

Putting down people's faith usually has things like name calling attached to it like if I said your atheistic belief was "stupid" (see #4).

If you find true Christians getting upset with you then perhaps it is because they get frustrated when you state theories as being the truth. I don't know since I don't get upset with people telling me the truth since Jesus is the way the life and the truth.

As to theists lying about atheists, maybe they are doing what you are doing by painting atheists with a broad brush insted of treating them as individual human beings. In other words, maybe the things that they say are true about some atheists but not about others just like some of the claims you make about Christians and theists.

Matthew 7:3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Answer 4

I’m quite amazed at the number of postings in this section from angry people. Quite interesting really. The philosopher Renee Descartes is generally considered to be the father of modern philosophy and mathematics (and a much more clever individual than me and I would speculate that he was probably a little more intelligent that most of the rest of us – he is after all one of histories greatest figures). Much of his work centred on the nature of existence and “I think, therefore I am”, is his most often used quotation. As part of his work on the nature of man and life he said that in the absence of any real evidence that God does or does not exist, the truly intelligent person will live their life as though God does exist. After all, what does anyone loose by living a Christian life? Most people who do not believe in God still lead a reasonably moral existence. For those who do not believe in God, they are taking a real chance on a 50/50 bet. Either they will die and that’s the end of it, or there is still the off chance that they were wrong and will then spend eternity in hell. If the latter is the case then it’s a pretty soft own goal for old nick and your soul is a real banker that he doesn’t have to waste much time on. That compulsion to call Christians dumb could just be the devil himself whispering in your ear.
Logically this one is a no brainer. For me, Christian or not, I wouldn’t be living my life much differently because I have morals and a conscience. So think about it. My 50/50 bet – no after life or an eternity in heaven. I really don’t see a down side. Your 50/50 bet – no after life or an eternity in the fires of hell – not very clever odds really. And for those of you who will say “No it’s not, ‘cos there is no hell”, can you be so sure?

Answer 5

What you believe is "truth" about Christian beliefs is what you "believe" is "truth. It is surely a different opinion from what a Christian believes is "truth." Someone who is a faithful and good Christian isn't going to lie about or insult an Atheist beliefs. Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad, so called, Christians that will. A good Christian will listen to what your opion of "truth" is and is willing to share their own with you. Christians believe that Jesus was born on earth as the Son of God and as long as they believe that he gave his life and rose from the dead for the forgiveness of their sins that they will be forgiven of them. For Christians their goal is to bring God's message of good news and forgiveness of sin to all they can. A religion that teaches good moral values and teaches that when we slip from those values we can be forgiven for it, I guess there are people out there that must be fearful of such a religion. All Christians can do is pray for them. If they choose to at least listen, then that is a blessing. Whether an individual chooses to believe or not to believe is up to them. A good Christian would not persecute someone for not believing as they do. They would pray for them. Unfortunately, mostly, from my experience, the more vocal Christians are usally not the best examples of Christians.

Answer 6

particular, I agree that it is not staggering to call somebody stupid or to mock them. yet do their ideals deserve a similar immunity? If an theory seems stupid to me, am i able to call it stupid, or is that a similar ingredient as calling the speaker stupid? If I make exciting of a non secular argument, is that an insult to the arguer, or to the arguer's perception? replaced into Mark Twain stepping over the line while he stated, "India has 2 million gods, and worships all of them. In faith all different countries are paupers; India is the only millionaire"? it rather is rather mocking the ideals of others. could he have been censored?

Answer 7

I think that the thing that makes atheists mad and upset, is that they will find somebody who they cannot shake with their "truth" so they will go and put down the beliefs of a theist. I don't work to anyone's belief (or lack of one) down. You have to experience it for yourself. Theists rely on faith, not provable, tangible fact to make their decision. That is why we say that you have to prove that their is no God, we believe it already, and it won't change unless that person is weak-minded and easily swayed.

Answer 8

Well I hate it when my mother trys to demand I pray and whatnot because what I belive or don't believe is my business. So though I have diffreing views than some I respect their right to feel that way as I hope they respect my right to not. You know kinda live and let live policy. It used to tick me off people talking about religious BS but then I just check myself and know it's with good intentions that they yammer on. So I politely tell them My view without going into a lot of detail and if they still persist... F*** 'em!

Answer 9

Perhaps you're right, but the best way to convince people of anyone, in my experience, is to set a good example, and walk them to a "middle ground" before calling them flat-out wrong. So if it's mass conversion you're interesting in, better start with some mediation!

Answer 10

I'm not hurt or insulted by remarks like yours. I am amused that once again an atheist pretends to have superior intelligence, and only proves to us that he can count to 4.