Why are so many people deluded by their religions, and get offended so easily when they are challened?

Question

Ignorance. Have you noticed how defensive relgious people will get when you challenege their beliefs because they believe so strongly they are right and are not open to the fact that they could be wrong? Buddha realised that most forms of God people were believeing in were based out of fear. I agree. I do not know if God exists, and neither do you, so why be so ignorant? I am not an atheist and I am not a 'cold hearted Science person', I just want to figure out truth and I am willing to do anything to do that. If you are religious and you get so offended by someone challenging your beliefs, why even bothing getting involved with that person? Keep your beliefs, and pray for them in 'knowing' of the fact that you know they have sinned and will probably end up in hell. I'm not a bad person for thinking this, I am not saturated by sin. I have so much love for the human race and I want to go to India and help people in poverty when I am older.

Watch this: http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-6169720917221820689&q=god+delusion

You can see how offended that Christian gets when his beliefs are challeneged and starts to get angry, and threatens to call the police. I'm not interested in this rubbish. They say Science is too limited understand life etc. and I can't help but agree. Logic vs Heart. But there is so much in religion and spirituality that is just made up. We all know how much the bible has been edited to suit Societies needs. I am always saying "The only way to know the truth is through direct experience of it".

Your answer will say a lot about you.

It seems most religious people are keeping quiet on this matter. The answers so far are pretty good.

Answer 1

I don't see why someone who disagrees with Christianity wants to come up to me and challenge my own belief and tell me that my faith in the Christian religion is irrational. OK, fine, they don't believe in Christianity - well, there's nothing I can do about that and I don't intend to do anything about that - but for them to come up to me and to say: 'your faith in this religion is irrational etc' is really quite annoying. Why would you want to disprove someone's religion? Just as I am sure a lot of athiests would get pissed off if I started preaching to them about the Bible and telling them that they should follow the Christian way of life - I am equally pissed off when someone tries to change the way I think.
Everyone's thoughts and views are different - everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I believe that everyone should respect others - because the lack of respect in this world is astounding and saddening. x

Answer 2

You watched that film and you saw one thing, I watched it and saw something entirely different.

I saw Richard Dawkins going into places of faith, or places built around faith, and questioning how they can believe, and I saw a minister tell him that there are so many different opinions about science from the scientific community that it was hard to know what to believe there either.
Dawkins just said that science is ever changing and also the beliefs of the scientists are also ever changing, but the Christian religion is built on an ancient manuscript.

He sees that as bad, I see it as good.

This book called the Bible has been around since the prophets of the old testament and is still believed by Christians to stand the test of time and have the best wisdom of any book ever written.

grace2u

Answer 3

The Bible says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." 2 Timothy 3:16. "Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. "The scripture cannot be broken." John 10:35.

Answer: It claims to be inspired. It was written by men who were guided by the Holy Ghost. It cannot be broken or proved untrue.

Bible predictions of things to happen in the future confirm the inspiration of Scripture as they come to pass. Notice the following examples of fulfilled Bible prophecies:

A. Four world empires to arise: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8).
B. Cyrus to be the warrior to capture Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-3).
C. After Babylon's destruction, it would never be inhabited again (Isaiah 13:19, 20; Jeremiah 51:37).
D. Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations (Ezekiel 29:14, 15; 30:12, 13).
E. Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time (Luke 21:25, 26).
F. Moral degeneracy and decline of spirituality in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

A. The 66 books of the Bible were written:
1. On three continents.
2. In three languages.
3. By about 40 different people (kings, shepherds, scientists, attorneys, an army general, fishermen, priests, and a physician).
4. Over a period of about 1,500 years.
5. On the most controversial subjects.
6. By people who, in most cases, had never met.
7. By authors whose education and background varied greatly.

B. Yet, though it seems totally inconceivable,
1. The 66 books maintain harmony with each other.
2. Often new concepts on a subject are expressed, but these concepts do not undermine what other Bible writers say on the same subject.

Answer 4

I haven't seen that many Christians get defensive over our faith. I didn't see that many even when I wasn't a Christian.
I might get a little defensive, or at least what could be construed as defensiveness, if someone is rude in questioning my religion.
For example, if they ask, "Why do you believe in a myth like Christianity?" they're being RUDE. If they ask me why I believe, leaving out the myth part, I'll answer them, without getting defensive.

I don't think you're a bad person at all. I don't usually accuse ANY atheist or agnostic of being a bad person. My own husband is agnostic, and he's a fine man.

Answer 5

Some Christians have labeled atheists as evil, stupid, devil-worshippers, or morally void. Though there may be some atheists who fit these categories (as would many in the general population), atheists are not categorically evil, stupid, devil-worshipping, degenerates with no morals. Many of them are fine citizens, honest, caring, loving, and patient. For a Christian, or anyone for that matter, to make a blanket statement about atheists in a derogatory manner is wrong. It is the same thing atheists sometimes do when they accuse Christians of being irrational, psychotic, or stupid. Such accusations have no place on either side of the argument of truth.

Generally speaking, atheists are not stupid. Many of them have thought through their position over a long period of time and arrive at conclusions after much thought. Some were raised in religious homes, have seen what religion has to offer, and have rejected it. Of course, I think that atheists have drawn incorrect conclusions about God, but it doesn't mean they are dumb. Some atheists have presented very cogent arguments against the existence of God, which need to be addressed.

So, just because someone believes in God and encounters someone who doesn't, that does not mean that either side is stupid. Labeling and name-calling have no place in the discussion

Answer 6

one of the things he says, kinda makes me think "thank god I was born in the US!!!" and amuses me at his hipocracy.

one of the things he says early in this video, is "Why should scientists tiptoe respectfully away, the time has come for people of reason to say, Enough is Enough." its just hilarious how someone who seems so arrogant in their intellectualness, doesn't seem to grasp or promote the concept of free speech and free thought? part of free speech and free thought, is respect for others's views, at least at some degree.

I also find it amusing how him, and other like him, fall back on this old nonsense idea of "well how many severed limbs have been regenerated!?" its absurd.

he *IS* right on some things. that some aspects of SOME religions, that DO the things that he complains about.

they can't coexist? I would agree that *some* aspects of *some* religions, do go against science and all that. but they are *not* fundamentally so. at its root, religion isn't about beliving unscientific things, but rather about WHY, not about HOW.

the funny part is that... echoing haggard's words... funnily enough... both of them are right and both are wrong, most profoundly... about the very things they are accusing the other of.

People like Haggard , and like Dawkins, are fanatics. they are extremists. and that extremism, on both sides, is scary.

one part of my humor, wants to get rich, just so I can pay someone to put a damnable teapot into orbit, and film it.

seriously though. people need to try to accept the idea that just as they can see, using the eyes they have naturally, things a person who was born blind, would not be able to see. and that they would not be able to prove it to the blind person.
then they aught try to fathom the idea of that expanding larger, to the possibility that they are the one who are blind, and that some, might, possibly, be able to see in a way they cannot.

Answer 7

Mostly, most Christians are brought up just accepting whatever the Preacher tells them They do not bother looking up WHY they believe what they believe so when you ask a question you have put them on the spot and they would rather get all bent out of shape than to go research the answer and get back to you.

Answer 8

I agree with you on the main point as I read you comments. Jesus said "Seek the kingdom of God first and everything you need shall be added to you. He also said "Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you." Jesus' disciple, James said, "If anyone seeks wisdom, let him or her ask Father God. True believers in Jesus are not supposed to get offended by questions. That is for religious folks who are not really sure what they believe. I hope you make it to India.

Answer 9

I think that it is good that you want to help poor people. I think it is good that you love the human race. Is it necessary to attack religious belief to do that? Do you think that many of us who are religious also oppose intolerance? That we also help poor people? Please do not become as intolerant as the people that you are very correctly opposed to. I agree that many allegedly religious folks are ignorant and they are the ones that freak out when you disagree with them. Many of us won't behave that way and would love to work with you in serving humanity.

Answer 10

you are right people get angry when they shouldn't but I would say usually when challenged by a "fact" the atheist or non-believer is misquoting, taking things out of context or just is not understanding what they are talking about fully and that gets frustrating sometimes but Christians should not get offended by this or lash out like you described