Why do people want to put a label on their beliefs, since labels can be so misleading?

Question

For instance, many people say they are Christians and mean different things by it (hense all the controversy over what is a 'true Christian.' I even hesitate to tell people that I'm an atheist because even though I know it just means I don't believe in any gods people tag a whole lot of other baggage (much of it negative) onto the term.

I've even considered myself a Buddhist cause I can really go a long way with Buddhist teachings though I don't believe in reincarnation and karma (beyond this life anyway). But if I said to people that I was Buddhist they would assume that I believe all of that . . .

Most of the time I don't care if people know what I believe, but sometimes it just comes up in conversation and you want to express where you are in your worldview.

Anyone else face this issue?

mikeae--
Care to explain what you mean?

Personally I think the issue is that people can be anywhere in a wide range of beliefs, but the categories are just rather arbitrary groupings of beliefs. To assume that just cause someone accepts some of the beliefs in one of these catagories, that they accept all of them, and none from other groups, is just wrong.
But people do it all the time because we like our neat, simple, little categories.

baby--
You said "so many claim to be christians but they are religious and theres the difference."

That is exactly my point. You have your idea what what a 'Christian' is and think people who fall outside your idea are not 'true christians'. Thing is, your definition of the word is not the same as someone else's. Same with the definition of 'religious'.

Just a note--this is nothing I'm loosing sleep over lol just trying to get people to think about it.

Answer 1

That's a good question. I like the label "Militant Agnostic: I don't know and YOU don't either."
That says the label, and explains it clearly.
For the people who want to give the thumbs down, ya know what? You don't really *know*, do you? It's all a matter a faith. It's a matter of belief, NOT fact. So even if you "believe" in God, you don't REALLY *know* for sure, it's just some thing you FEEL is true. Therefore; you are all agnostic anyway, because you truly do NOT know for sure, and ya won't til you're dead.

Answer 2

MIKE is so right. so many claim to be christians but they are religious and theres the difference. I believe as a christian It's my job to love the lord and have my relationship with him and NOT judge you or others. RELIGIOUS people will judge you and tell you how to believe cause they are right, well believe their way of religion is the only way that is right.
I dont have anything against any religion EXCEPT ISLAM and im working on that on my own personal level.
its one thing to be christ like and religious
Believe what you need to believe hun and I believe in what I believe in

Answer 3

well people that call themselves christians the word christian came from non christians back after Jesus came to the earth everyone called the believrs of christ christians because it means "like christ" people always assume stuff about everyone so you really just got to get used to it cause all humans do it

Answer 4

Mikeae said it very well.
LEt people be. Feel the way you feel and let people feel the way the feel. You don't have to believe just respect

Answer 5

most people feel better when they go with the flow. being diffrent is what this country was built on. i wouldn't hold back on my beliefs, share them because they should be taken as just that, "YOUR BELIEFS" and in genral confersation were everyone is contributing knowone should judge you.

Answer 6

It's not the label that is misleading, it is the person behind the label.