Am I a bigot when I say I believe that . . .?

Question

. . . I don't support gay marriage? Or abortion? Or that Jesus is the only way to heaven? What do you think? Does that make me a neo-con?

Answer 1

I always think it is a sign of non-bigotry among those seeking the opinions of others to show due respect to someone who plainly does not agree with them. You have a tendency here to ask combative questions and then to award best answer to someone who merely reinforces the beliefs you had when you started out. You ask a question here - are you big enough to award BA to someone who challenges your position but does so in the most honest and useful way? I don't mean this one - because I express no opinion about whether or not you are a bigot. But will you reinforce a bigoted perception of yourself by accepting only what you already think? That is for you to decide.

Answer 2

A bigot is one who is completely intolerant of beliefs, cultures or races other than his own. Simply having a difference of opinion does not make a bigot. Fiercely clinging to blanket generalizations about religions, ethnic groups, etc and being unwilling to even look at facts or consider the possibility that you might be mistaken- that makes a bigot.

For example, I could disagree with gay marriage because I believe marriage's status isn't just a matter of government policy but of religious tradition, and is by definition a combining of opposites- male and female. That doesn't make me a bigot. I could also believe gay partners ought to have the same legal protections as heterosexual couples through civil unions or some other mechanism. Other people could see marriage entirely differently and believe that government shouldn't discriminate based upon sexual orientation at all, and that's fine, too.

Now if I insisted that all gays are pedophiles or unfit to be parents and I've never even met anyone gay... that would make me a bigot.

Answer 3

Your not a bigot for having your own opinions. A Bigot is - A prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from his own.

I don't support gay marriages or abortion and is certainly don't believe in the bible and god. But I do except that other people do believe in these and many other I don't believe in.

We're not all the same and no one can tell anyone to believe in things in which we don't.

Answer 4

You are entitled to your opinions and calling you a bigot won't change your opinions. The real point is that everybody else is entitled to their opinions too. Just because you are religious doesn't mean anybody else is or should be subject to the rules of your religion. You may not like gay marraige but perhaps gays don't like hetrosexual marraige. Neither has the right to enforce their views on the other. The same applies to everything else; so long as you are not being harmed you have no right to any influence whatsoever over how they live and they have no right to influence how you live.

Answer 5

I don't think that makes you a bigot. You like the rest of the world are entitled to your opinion.

It would only make you a bigot if you thought you were better than other people because you believed these things. You can hold your opinion but to try and force it on others or make hurtful comments to others would be along the bigotory route.

Answer 6

No, you are not a bigot. If you were in anyway to insult the integrity of a gay person, then yes you would be a bigot. But opposing something such as gay marriage(which is a concept) is not bigotry but a statement of ones opinion.

Answer 7

As long as you are open to the idea that other people disagree, and as long as you listen to their side of the argument and treat it with as much respect and consideration as you do your own, then you cannot be considered narrow-minded. The fact that you are questioning your opinions shows that you are open to debating them, so good for you! While I disagree with your opinion, I respect that you have the right to it, and that you have probably debated the question to come up with your solution; and as long as you grant others the same rights and respect then noone can accuse you of intolerance. All I suggest is that you think about it with a fresh mind, and put yourself in someone else's shoes: how would you feel if you found that you had homosexual feelings for someone? or if you found yourself in a situation where, if you had a child, its life and your own would be ruined? or if you were born into a different religion, that supported a different route to heaven? As the saying goes, 'don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins', and your action in asking this question in order to address your own beliefs and opinions is a very worthy step to take towards those moccasins! Good luck with your search.

Answer 8

A bigot is someone who obstinately and unreasonably holds some creed or view and is intolerant towards others. As long as you've questioned your beliefs and have a good argument to support them, and as long as you 'live and let live', you can't be considered a bigot. Some chap on this site called me a bigot the other day; I LMAO! The reason for my amusement was that I'm totally tolerant of others, although I do have well thought-out views of my own. Therefore, ask yourself, who's the bigot: him or me?! I rest my case. Just be true to yourself.

Answer 9

You have a right to your own beliefs. I hate calling people names and I am not even sure what a neo con is. By the same token I would not call you a bigot , I would not agree with you but then I have the right to my own thinking too..

Answer 10

no, those beliefs make you prejudiced. what makes a bigot is when they take action on those beliefs to restrict the freedom of the people who do support gay marriage, or abortion,or think that the Goddess has the answers to the mysteries or that Odin is to be worshiped, or that all religion is just hogwash.
we all have certain prejudices that are instilled into us by our culture, but we can use our intellect to make sure we don't become bigots