Religion vs religion. Why do people get so angry?

Question

I feel I know a possible reason. Our religous beleifs (or lack of them) stem right to the core of our very being. It's what we base out values, morals and life choices we make upon.

When someone challenges that it's like being asked why you are the person you are and any deviation from your own beleif by another is a critisism of that.

So, I can understand why people get so angry when it comes to religion as opposed to any other debate, but please try to remember that none of us actually KNOW anything. It is mostly all interpretation and judgment of various books and scriptures. That is why there are so many different religions out there, there is nothing anywhere to say that your chosen or inbred religoin is the right one. If you had been born in another country, another time YOUR religion may well be the polar oposite to what it is now.

Have a little respect for each others beleifs because at the end of the day isn't that what 'good people' do. Whichever book you read from

Answer 1

I think you've answered your own question. ;-) That being said, let me tell you what I think.

Some people of some religions have this elitist notion that their religion is the one, right, true and only way. They think that everybody else is a Satanist or the like.

I've learned about, and in some cases gotten deeply involved in, quite a few religions and spiritual traditions. Just about every one of them that I can think of has some sort of moral or ethical code. In Buddhism, the religion I was raised with, as well as in Hinduism, one must take responsibility for one's actions and have compassion for others. Wiccans try to live their lives in such a way as to avoid harm to others and to accomplish what they were put on this earth to do. Judaism and Islam all have moral rules that are to followed.

Christians seem to be particularly divided on the issues of Christian morals and ethics (though few of them seem to realize that this division even exists!). To many Christians, Jesus' teachings in the New Testament replace the Ten Commandments. To them, the point is to love their neighbor as themselves, avoid judging others, to do to others as they'd have others do to them, etc.

To other Christians, the point is to follow the Ten Commandments. Still to others, the point is to see the Bible as one big, literal law book.

What fundamentalists in any religion fail to understand, seemingly (or perhaps they understand it all too well and are just bullies) are the following:

1. That they might be wrong.
2. That other religions have morals and ethics, too.
3. That other mystical experiences are equally valid.
4. That there are fundamentalist of other religions who thank THEY'RE wrong and that THEY'RE going to burn in Hell.

Some fundamentalists claim that they've had these mystical experiences that "prove" that they're right. What they don't realize is that:

a. Lots of people in lots of religions have all sorts of mystical experiences, but that they may have mystical experiences involving some other conception of Divinity. For example, a Hindu might have a mystical experience of Krishna. A Native American might have one of an animal spirit. A Christian might have one of Jesus, a saint or an angel.
b. Just because we have interesting psychological experiences, doesn't mean that some Deity or spirit is really talking to us. It might be all in our head.
c. There's a difference between objective reality, to which I think we're better off turning to science, which is based on impericism and logic rather than faith, and subjective experience. Our subjective experiences are valid for ourselves. If some God or spirit comes to us in a dream and tells us, maybe that's useful. Who can say? If we get something out of that, does it really matter whether or not that Being really exists?

For example, fundamentalist so-called "Christians" (personally, I don't see how anyone can be a true Christian and be so judgemental as the fundies) love to tell everyone they meet about their mysical experiences of Jesus. But, if some Hindu told them about a mystical experience of Vishnu, they'd say that Vishnu is a demon. So, Fundies like these are hypocrits.

Personally, I'm sick and tired of fundamentalists telling me that I'm going to be tortured eternally if I don't believe that their mytholgy is the literal word of their conception of God. What makes them think they know anything? To brow beat someone into believing in your mythology by telling them that they'll be tortured forever if they don't believe it is abuse! I can only come to two conclusions about their behavior:

1. That they really DO want to abuse the rest of us, because it makes them feel superior.
2. That they're ignorant of other religions, were taught to be fundamentalists when they were growing up and never really stopped to think that they might be wrong.

I think some fit into 1 while others fit into 2. I think the 1's are downright evil people. Someone who answered this question claims that fundamentalists like her have "accountability" while other religions "do not". I think it's the other way around. Fundamentalists are DEVOID of any ethical accountability. They persecute and abuse everyone who's not part of their cult. A few hundred years ago, they were torturing people to death and accusing their neighbors of witchcraft so that they could ge their land. And, they think Jesus will forgive them for being bullies and Sadists.

I wish the 2's would see something outside of the narrow concepts that they were raise with.

But, I try, as best I can, to be civilized to others, because I think communication is the only way to solve these problems and I also believe in being a good person, which to me means taking responsibility for my actions and avoiding harm to others. (Though sometimes it's hard, because, I'm only human, too, and I being abused makes me angry.)

The problem, though, is that a lot of people who have been abused by fundamentalists are really angry about it. So, they lash out. I think that the world would really be better off if they were more civilized. If you're nasty to someone who thinks you're a Satanist, it will only make them think you're a Satanist all the more. No one will listen to you if you're nasty to them. So, while I can really emphathize with people who have been bullied by the fundamentalist haters, I think that they should try to avoid harm to others and take responsibility for their actions. Two wrongs don't make a right.

That being said, we CAN try to communicate what we think in ways other than just cussing people out.

Answer 2

I totally agree with you as far as religious belief goes, however Christianity is what people don't understand is different. When you actually say that you have a RELATIONSHIP with the CREATOR of the universe, people tend to not like that because 1) it sounds arrogant on the surface, and
2)if it's true, then for their own good this "Gospel" that we keep relentlessly preaching to them because we care about their eternal souls, means accountability on their part, and they HATE that!
So that's what the debate's REALLY about.....accountability! Christianity says BEWARE, you are going to give an account one day. EVERY OTHER RELIGION or belief system says TAKE IT EASY, SIT BACK AND RELAX.......and that's the entire debate in the nutshell, accountability!

EDIT:
IVAN:
I am neither a 1 nor a 2 in your neat little theory, and it is a LOT crueler to NOT warn someone of impending danger if you know about it coming their way than to sit placidly by and watch. That is the HEIGHT of abuse, in my opinion. Christianity is not a passive religion.....we believe in getting out their and telling a lost and dying world that there is a Saviour; Someone in which they can put their trust; it's NOT some man . it's Almighty God, Himself, Jesus Christ.

Meet Him in this world as Saviour, my friend, or
face Him as Judge in the world to come......

ALSO:
You might want to read the books, "The Trail of Blood" by Dr. J.M. Carroll and "The chemistry of the Blood" by M.R. De Haan. Two small books with a very enlightening message.

Answer 3

it's so hard to say you can totally agree with everything a particular religion has to say. every single person is different and has a different outlook on the world around them so there's no way you can fit perfectly with what 1 religion has to offer.

I think that following your own spiritual path is the best way to go... but have respect for other's beliefs.

Answer 4

Well ... as a Catholic who constantly argues in favor of accepted scientific principles (like evolution or Big Bang cosmology), I fundamentally agree with you. But I don't think it's as simple as people "believing the thesis" that Religion and Science are in conflict ... but people who just *inflame* the conflict by taking one side in opposition to the other. They don't "accept" the conflict ... they *CAUSE* it. At one extreme are the atheists. While I disagree strongly with Dawkins' atheism, as a *biologist* he is unimpeachable. But if you read Dawkins (and many others like him) carefully, even he does not claim that science disproves the existence of God ... only that it provides such an absence of evidence of any supernatural being, that to believe in God is pure self-delusion. And furthermore, in the presence of organized religion, this self-delusion is *dangerous*. Given the utter lack of morals, ethics, or basic honesty with with Creationists have attacked Dawkins (and others), I don't blame him for such a dismal opinion of the effects of religion. However, this doesn't affect my faith whatsoever. At the other extreme are the Creationists. These are people who insist that scientists are just fundamentally wrong about science. I.e. that the "scientific evidence" goes AGAINST such concepts as evolution, despite the overwhelming support they have within the scientific community. Book after book, website after website toting out "scientific" arguments against evolution, and demanding that this "controversy" be introduced into primary and high-school science classrooms so that students can "make up their own minds". In my opinion, of the two extremes, it is the Creationists who are the most destructive. Why? Because they wholeheartedly CONTRIBUTE to the conflict while simultaneously denying they are doing so! It is *they*, the Creationists ... and not the scientific community ... who are correctly representing science as being in harmony with scripture, and religion, and theistic (and Christian) faith. In other words, they are claiming to harmonize religion with science by *modifying science* to fit their religion! At least the atheists (while I disagree with them) are honest. At least the atheists declare quite openly that religion is the problem and that the world would be a better place without it. The Creationists are fundamentally *dishonest*. They CLAIM to be supporters of science, while simultaneously trying to undermine its very foundations until it is little more than meaningless mush.

Answer 5

THANK YOU for a sane and well-thought out point of view. Respect is the key element to any human interaction, isn't it? Or it should be, anyway. I am associated with Jehovah's Witnesses, and we are taunted, talked about, misunderstood,and misquoted much of the time. All we want is the time to tell you about what we believe to be God's plan for mankind... and I open my door to anyone who comes around to share THEIR version of redemption. If I want others to listen to MY opinions, then I have to be willing to listen to theirs, no?

Answer 6

1) I am passionate about my God because he is soooooooo Good.

2) others get angry because they don't know the answers

3) lack of respect for people

4) inability to love unconditionally and look beyond the question but to the person who is searching or just wanting further information about specific religions

I have faith.

Answer 7

Jesus said that you must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven. Spirit gives birth to spirit. Unless God gives you his Holy Spirit to live inside you, then you will not know the truth and you will remain in the bondage of ignorance and deception. Religion is man's attempt to reach God. Being born again is God reaching down and filling your being with His Spirit.

Read John 3 in the Holy Bible.

Answer 8

Because its like taking away a babys security blanket. U get nervous and scared.

Answer 9

That's true..probably because everyone has different beliefs. Some might not agree with others on what they believe..

Answer 10

Yeah, I think it's mostly the disrespect.