I have asked several questions directed at the christian faithful, and while I am a non-believer, I am still someone who seeks knowlege. My question is why do christians get so upset and defensive when anyone asks questions about their religion. Asking questions is how on gains knowlege....like the scientific method.
I can ask the same types of questions to other religious groups without the defensive attitude but for what ever reason christians seem to either quote scripture or become irrate....please enlighten me.
2006-08-19 05:22:25 · 24 answers · asked by trouthunter 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No one is comfortable being questioned, especially when the questions imply that their faith and beliefs may be less secure than they'd like.
2006-08-19 05:28:23 · answer #1 · answered by wheezer_april_4th_1966 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think that there a couple of answers depending on the individual you are asking. One reason is that often people who "ask questions" about the Christian faith are really only attacking Christianity. I think as a result, many Christians become defensive and assume that all questions and questioneers are attacking and not looking for answers. Another reason is that many Christians' faith isn't strong enough for it to be questoned (not that you are questioning their faith, but some questions will cause them to question their own faith.
Also, I don't think that all religious groups will answer questions without defensiveness. Just look at the problems in the Muslim world over "The Satanic Verses" and more recently the Muhammed cartoons.
However (and more importantly), while there are some attacking answers that just aren't worth answering, if you are asking genuine questions because you are searching for the Truth, then any Christian is wrong to become irrate and attacking. Please accept my appology for my brothers and sisters.
2006-08-19 12:40:39 · answer #2 · answered by Jeff 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Asking questions in a Church is very dangerous; you will be encouraged as long as the question does not stray into any territory the Christians want to avoid, which includes any questions about their beliefs. They are beliefs for the sole reason that they cannot be proven and are merely what someone chooses to think; and you will quickly find that if you do not think what everyone else thinks, you will be shunned from the community. It is a cult mentality.
For example, question God and you are a heathen and a blasphemer.
2006-08-19 12:28:55 · answer #3 · answered by Michael 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Let me begin by asserting that I am a Christian. And, actually, you are overgeneralizing the situation. Not all Chrisitians respond as you say, simply because they can be grouped into two categories: closeminded, and openminded. There are two reasons, then, that you receive closeminded responses -- one is that the person may be closeminded by nature, but the more likely possibility is that the question itself causes such a response.
Usually an atheist who posts here (although certainly not all atheists, such as yourself) provides a "bashing" undertone in their question. Usually the question is not a question at all, and its only aim is to provoke Christians or theists in general. They succeed, because humans by nature will meet anger/belittlement with anger. The same goes for the other way around, though. A theist who bashes an atheist will receive the same sort of emotionally influenced response.
2006-08-19 12:33:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Tolerance is not always as practiced as preached by some.
And then there are those who think that you're probably just trying to get something started by asking questions of a religious nature in a forum such as this.
If you're really interested you might try calling and getting a sit down with a leader of a particular church. Not all Christians practice all the same things, you know.
2006-08-19 12:30:33 · answer #5 · answered by rjguy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, I didn't know Christians were generally defensive. Maybe find a different Christian? People usually get defensive when they feel accused or demeaned...or sometimes because they just don't know the answer to the question. Faith aside, some people just don't like an educational dialog--seems to threaten them. Find a different person to talk to.
2006-08-21 18:31:01 · answer #6 · answered by marshwiggle 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The belief in god, be the person a Christian, Jew, Islamic or any other legitimate religion of the world, is just that, a belief. Human nature is such that when a person's core beliefs are questioned, it is perfectly natural for a person to become defensive.
2006-08-19 12:36:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If christians are becoming defensive towards you. Then ask them why? A true God fearing man or woman will be open to show you the truth and why they believe what they believe. They are called to be the following
Sneaky like serpents and gentle like doves. If you are not noticing that then are they serving God? They probably are and they are probably not doing the work God wants them to do.
We are supposed to love and let God do the judging - that is biblical scripture right there. We are not told to judge.
2006-08-19 12:30:25 · answer #8 · answered by waeyeaw 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We only get defensive if we sense harshness in the statement...but all the while, it's really difficult because you can't express how you feel over the internet!! I mean, you could ask something and people could take it personally or as a joke!! But I agree with you, this is the only way to gather knowledge!! But if it were me...I wouldn't be nasty to anyone...only if the question hurts me...but then I still won't be nasty!!
Take care!!
2006-08-19 12:55:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When data mount ever more convincing arguments against a favored paradigm, all sorts of mental machinations allow us to retain our preconceived notions of reality. If we have spent much of a lifetime attempting to prove the validity of a premise in question, the emotional stakes are high. Cognitive dissonance, humanity's inherent ability to ignore unpleasent facts, helps us in our struggle to retain the error of our ways.
This is true for all religions or beliefs, not just Christianity. Take this statement to heart and really find the meaning of it.
2006-08-19 12:32:59 · answer #10 · answered by Nep-Tunes 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you. People should be able to maturely and rationally have grown-up discussions about their opinions, views beliefs etc... Not all Christians get upset and defensive. I am a Christian and enjoy talking to people able my personal beliefs and theirs' as well. I do not tell others they will go to hell if they don't believe me, I do not get angry if someone doesn't agree with me (I don't agree with many Christians!) But it is not a reason to get all defensive. I hope you meet a mature and open-minded Christian some day!!
2006-08-19 12:32:04 · answer #11 · answered by thetheatregurl 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋