Why don’t we just keep the Religion & Spirituality section for believers only?

Question

Why do religious people keep asking for this section to themselves? Are they scared of learning the truth from non-believers? Are they scared they will no longer be able to influence the minds of gullible people, especially young children. What are religious people really scared of?

Many people find religion and religious people trying to pump their beliefs down other people’s throats quite offensive. Why are religious people so scared of allowing non-believers to debate their point of view, and give alternative answers that may well make people happier and the world a safer place to live in?

I’d appreciate all opinions please.

Answer 1

Well, here goes. You can't show an old monkey new tricks.
You know, some people cannot accept that there may be truth in what other people believe. It pisses me off when some religious group(s) tell me that I will go to hell if I don't read the bible. Well I do not believe in hell or heaven.Yes I believe they are scared to open their minds to other ways of thinking. My husband is not religious, I am catholic (not a very good one), our daughter is not religious. I never tried to ram it down her throat, I left that choice up to her. And you know what I can sleep at night, because she is a decent human being, polite, well mannered, charitable and so good to us etc...All this without ever having to open a bible. Well, that is all for now.

Answer 2

You answered your own question basically by coming out and bashing believers "Are they scared of learning the truth from non-believers? Are they scared they will no longer be able to influence the minds of gullible people, especially young children".
By making that comment you make the assumption that we are all brain washers when the same could be said about non believers. You automatically assume what we believe is a lie without proof.
I am not a child nor am I "gullible" and yet I am a believer and I feel I know the truth (whose to say you don't have your facts wrong you never know).
If people that come here (believers and non believers both) could come here with reasonably open minds ( that is the idea of a question and answer place isn't it?) and without people attacking and name calling then this area wouldn't be such a hostile place and there would be no need for questions such as this one.

Answer 3

Hey Brenda,

i agree with you that this section should be open to everyone. First of all, when i first started answering questions on yahoo answers- it was just to see what i could help people out with.

i do think its a bit unfair if this is a forum where people can openly express their views that any person who is religious with a view (is accused of "pumping their beliefs down other's throats." i respectfully read all views- though i obviously don't agree with all views- and yahoo answers is a great forum to hear and understand why people believe the things that they do.

i'm not sure who is asking for the section just to themselves- but i would say that some believers who are newer or not very strong in their faith have a hard time dealing with the abuse that they sometimes get on yahoo answers...

To me- abuse is part of the price to pay to give sincere answers which will hopefully help people out. Obviously everyone has a choice what questions they will answer or not and so they don't have to put up with something that is overly obnoxious.

hope that helps,

Nickster

Answer 4

I don;t think any section of answers should just be given over to a group of people. This was created as a forum for people with questions. If those that have extreme faith are not willing to be tolerant of others and answer their questions about their faith, they should be somewhere else.

another issue i have is that it seems that a lot of people have very low tolerance for others with different opinions than theirs. everyone needs to have an open-mind and understand that not everyone feels the same way they do about issues such as religion. some of the most closed-minded people i have met in my life are "religious" people. i think everyone needs to take a step back and look at what this site is for and how they can help people understand their opinion (because that is what belief is) and learn to be tolerant of others.

Answer 5

I'm shocked to learn that the religious people keep asking for this section to themselves. I believe they generally prefer to share with people of similar beliefs rather than argue with non-believers.

However, there also believers who like to share what they know with non-believers, especially when challenged. Being believers, they tend to be strongly fixed in their faith & beliefs, and want to share this faith with others so that they would benefit. Therefore, it would be appreciated that the non-believers respect that.

Religious people deeply fear for the lost souls, rather scared of allowing non-believers to debate their point of view... if non-believers argue their point of view without God in the picture.

Everyone has their right to give their point of view. And I strongly urge the believers to challenge their views with non-believers, but not fight / force them. Because everyone has been given a free will & freedom of choice. And I strongly urge non-believers to keep an open mind for the beliefs out there & not shut off completely not knowing why believers believe in the first place & the basis of truth & faith that believers cling on to.

If there's open discussion, let's challenge views with an open mind. But remember all these are sensitive issues. Let's not hurt one another. Let's understand & accept one another just as they are. No one is perfect.

Answer 6

Your question is really packed quite full, but I will do my best to answer your questions with what I think to be true. I agree with you that it is ridiculous to keep the section to themselves. I do not think that it is so that they can try and "influence the minds of gullible people..." I actually think it is out of selfishness. Many religions, and I have been around truly religious people all my life, frown on questioning and and doubting their beliefs. New ideas are rather intimidating. For example, I lived in rural West Africa for 12 years. My country was strongly influenced by the Islamic faith, questioning and doubting the Islamic faith as a Muslim is not encouraged. In many places you are shunned, considered and outcast, and sometimes even killed for leaving this faith. Human beings like to have things in boxes, they are drawn to faiths that define, put things into boxes, and have no grey areas. When you begin to question these things it endangers your faith, and as you seek answers to these questions you possibly plant doubt into others minds, doubt is terrifying. surety is safe. Now I used Islam as an example because I have observed that it seems to demonstrate this the easiest. I am a Christian, my family and most of the Christians i grew up around encouraged me to question, to doubt, and wonder about my faith. Without doing so it is not a real faith, it is Mom and Dads faith. However I have also been around many Christians who view these questions as dangerous, maybe even sinful. "You do not ask questions you cannot answer...etc." It seems to me that many people forget that faith is a factor, to making a religion personal and real. So basically what i think "religious people are really scared of" is having the boxes that religion creates. It makes their life simple. Faith makes life harder, true faith is not easily acquired. Religion is easy.

Answer 7

If you had a choice of swimming in a toilet after it had been used and before it had been flushed or a swimming pool freshly cleaned which would you take. Debate is fine but trashing someones belief just because you don't agree is not very helpful to the person looking for answers. Non Christians might find it hard to believe but some folks are here to help others with issues that are of concern. Most of the non christian answers I have seen on this and other sites to questions about christian beliefs are just trash.

Answer 8

Well, I think all viewpoints should be welcome, even the What Should I Do Retard's. The one exception would be if the intent is clearly to threaten or defame someone else. Last night, I was frustrated at a woman for asking a question, then rattling off a long list of groups who she wouldn't accept an answer from because their religions are "lies." It was like she didn't want a real answer.

If someone says that one question is just "for Christians" or "atheists" or "Wiccans," whatever, I try to respect that. I've asked a couple of Wiccan/Neo-Pagan only questions myself. But in most cases, it only helps to have a wide variety of opinions.

I'm glad Yahoo! seems to agree with us.

Answer 9

Wouldn't that be like them preaching to the choir only? I do not know why they would want this section only for themselves. I don't think they are really scared of hearing other people's truth, they just don't like it and don't want to hear it. If Yahoo wants to create a section for Christians only, that would be a different story, but just because I'm not Christian doesn't mean I'm not a spiritual person. I have every right to be in this section of Yahoo Answers.
While I am not a Christian. I was for many years, but it never felt right to me. I began my own search and found my own truth. I am now a Pagan and feel closer to God than I ever did before. I believe each person must find their own path to God, and I do not believe in pushing what I believe onto others. I really do enjoy hearing about others faith and how they found God. I am happy for them, but I refuse to allow anyone to preach to me or to try to shove their church down my throat. I studied the Bible and many different religions for many, many years and probably know the Bible as good, if not better than most people posting on here. Most of these Christian people on here have no idea that their Christian holidays are actually Pagan holidays. The Catholic church created the Christian holidays to take the place of the Pagan holidays. Most of the Christians on here believe we Pagans worship the Devil and that couldn't be further from the truth. I am not slamming Christians. Most of them are good people, but they just don't understand other religions and because of their believes and teachings, they never will.
Whenever I write I'm not a Christian on here, I will get thumbs down from people. That doesn't bother me. I understand they are only following what they were taught. They have zero tolerance for anyone outside of the Christian faith.
As for your last question, they don't want to hear other points of view or alternatives answers because it goes against everything they were taught in church. They were taught that the Bible is the true word of God. I believe some of the Bible may be the true word of God, but most of it is not. You must also factor in all of the editing, translation mistakes and re-interruptions when talking about the Bible. Almost all of the New Testament was written by Paul. Paul never met Jesus. Paul wrote the Bible based on his belief's and not the teachings of Christ. Jesus did not come here to establish a new religion, but Paul did. Jesus was sent here for the Jewish people, just as it was written in the Old Testament. Christianity should be called Paulism. I know Paul's writing were suppose to be inspired by God, but isn't that the same thing Joseph Smith claims? Then why does Paul's God inspired words carry more weight than those of Joseph Smith's God inspired words? Just giving you something to think about.

Answer 10

The point you make is a very valid one. I don't understand why
they can't Live & let live. Everyone is entittled to his opinions. I
wish people would preach on their own time. And then in a way
as to not offend others.
I believe in God. I know you're supposed to spread the word, but
not Beat folks aside the head with your flavor of gospel.
Not everyone believes & that's his right.
This forum should not allow folks to force their brand of religion
upon others. It's bad enough we must deal with politics.
Both should be restricted. I want to say banned,but I know that
won't fly.
It has gotten outrageous.
By the same token, I'm quite disturbed by those who curse God.
If people shouldn't sell religion to unsuspected individuals, then
they shouldn't attack or assault Christians or Islam.
Fair is fair.
Stop cursing other people's God. And the God people stop
pushing it & stepping on the rights of others.
1 tolerance is just as important as another.