What is so SPECIAL about religion that we should not OFFEND it?

Question

Come on, religion is as human a pehnomenon as politics and sports and entertainment and you name it, it can be criticized and offended!

Yeah paladin. when I validly criticise a religion people say it offends them.

Answer 1

Amen!

Yeah, many religious people seem unable to even consider that their religious beliefs are something that could be questioned. Political correctness runs rampant among the Christians (and obviously among the Muslims as well). Can you imagine the battles we'd be having here if atheists were this sensitive about their beliefs too? Whew...

There are a number of them here though who are better than that. My hat is off to them.

Answer 2

Well, first of all, you cannot offend a religion.

You can offend people. And why would you want to do that?

Most of us have irrational beliefs, I think, whether they are religious beliefs, or the belief that our grand kids are the cutest children in the world.

Most of these irrational beliefs are harmless.

Even most irrational religious beliefs are harmless.

What people choose to do based upon irrational beliefs is what can be very harmful indeed.

I would never say that religious beliefs cannot be criticized, but there are consequences to doing it, just as there are consequences for criticizing someones favorite sport team, or politics, or taste in music.

I'm not going to tell you not to be critical of irrational beliefs, just that it's irrational not to expect people not to react badly when you do it.

And certainly there are ways and ways to criticize.

Beginning with "I believe" or "I don't believe" rather than "you're an idiot for believing" or 'You're just stupid if you don't believe" or "Why are you afraid of the TRUTH?" would be a good start.

So while we're all being so very rational here, let's be rational about our own behavior, shall we? It is, after all, the only thing over which we have any control.

Answer 3

I think the key word in your question Is “Offend” Why would you purposely want to offend someone? It’s OK to have a difference of opinion, and if your opinion offends someone then that’s his or her problem but to try to offend is a different story. I think I do understand what you mean though. Most (not all) people of strong “faith” are offended by the non beilievers and I find that offensive.

My opinion of religion is that it’s all a bunch of fairytales. I believe religion was created as a form of control for the rich and powerful. It also helped explain the unknown such as death. It gives people a calming feeling to believe there is a place they go after death. If that’s offensive to a person of faith then so be it, but I would never purposely go out of my way to tell them the books they worship are BS.

Answer 4

All things are open for debate, but one does not have to be deliberately offensive to offer valid criticisms. Of course, some people take offense at any criticism, however constructive and even when offered respectfully. That's their problem. It is possible to respect another person's right to believe whatever he wants and still criticize what he believes, especially when those beliefs come to have an effect on all of our lives. As someone once said, it's possible for one to criticize even what one loves.

Answer 5

Nothing.

As it happens, the very fact that religious people get so uptight and offended when people criticise their beliefs is what makes offending them so much fun. ^_^

I offend religious people -for- fun.
I also do it to teach them that life -is- suffering, and that they are far too easily manipulated.
For that matter I also do it on the principle of Lex Talionis... because christianity has caused me much suffering throughout the past 20 or so years, and I intend to pay it back to the religion in full.

They never learn.... but thats not important. The fun is the most important bit.

Answer 6

You can't offend a concept, an idea, or an object. You can offend people. You can make fun of religion, not offend. My English isn't perfect, but even I know difference.

Answer 7

It's not about offending religion. It's about offending people in general. Whether or not you believe there is a God, people are happier when others just respect them for who they are and what they believe. You don't have to have the same beliefs as your friends. I have some great friends with beliefs that are far different than my own. So, we should learn to respect people, not because it's what a God teaches but simply because it's nice to do so.

Answer 8

Being a human we should respect other feelings, right ?? so even if you dont believe in any religion but peoples around you do believe which is very much important for them, they love and respect their religion, Well positive critisim is okay but insulting is painful. so i think for the sake of your fellow 's feeling ,one should not insult the religion even if he doesnt beleive in it, see every one believe in one thing thats 'Humanity', so we should care about humanity if we dont care about religion
peace be with u !!

Answer 9

we "TRY" not to offend what is cherished in the hearts of others. I dont think its anything mystical, just out of respect and so as not cause any war.

Its the same concept of we dont go insult another person's mother, thats one of the very things that could get us killed if its with the wrong person. We dont want others to insult our mothers or loved ones either....

In this way religion, is like its devotee's mothers or loved ones, no one likes to have their loved ones insulted or offended.

Answer 10

My motto: "Respect the believer ... but cream the belief."

There is absolutely no moral mandate to "respect" beliefs. Any and all forms of intellectual opposition to ideas is perfectly legitimate, AND DESIRABLE - including ridicule. Politically speaking, my freedom of speech ALWAYS trumps anyone's sense of how "important" their beliefs are to them. A belief structure that decries the onslaught of criticism is already announcing its flaws.