Why are people so disrespectful to each other on Y! Answers when it comes to matters of religion?

Question

I think that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. God gives everyone free will out of unconditional respect for us. Even if you don't believe in God, don't you believe in the respect of other human beings? Why do we continue to use our questions in this medium to ridicule others?

Answer 1

Depenz on the "question" (read: "dogmatic statement".)

I have observed that when the questioner approaches a subject with the desire for intellectual intercourse and exchange of ideas, then there is much less anger and disrespect.

OTOH, many "questioners" are not asking a question, but disguising a condemnatory ideological dogma behind a question mark. For those, I think people rightly call the hypocrite to task.

Answer 2

You ask a valid question, but I don't think you will get any resolution. Someone has already quoted me above so I will only add...

Not all non-believers who post to this Forum are hate-mongers. And some self-professed Christians seem to have left the love reservation when judging some of their responses. I will confine my remarks below only to those that act badly.

For these individuals, it is interesting and sad to see how some persons will behave when hiding behind the anonymity of the computer. As an "old guy" I have occasionally acted irresponsibly in my youth, so I can relate, but only up to a point. It is also readily apparent these persons would be ashamed if they knew their parents, husband, wife, children, etc., learned of what they write herein. They do their loved ones a disservice and dishonor them with such behavior.

Take the following as an example:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoXwDfL..lxj6DQKc5aUqoPsy6IX?qid=20060612042422AAz90Rd

Answer 3

I know, right! I just asked the same type of question. They thought that the only thing I meant by "other religion" was Christianity. I meant every religion. One person gave me a really good explanation, but since I'm in Hi School I didn't know what half the words meant =;)

here it is!


The answers one sees in this forum represent a triumph of flippancy over rigor. These flippant persons that answer tend to have not formally studied the matters being asked for several years; rather they enjoy mocking or proving that they really have no value to add to the answer.

Funny thing is, you don't see any persons of faith piling on or being flippant in forums that are focused upon atheism, such as the Usenet talk.origins forum at
http://groups.google.com/group/talk.orig...

Sadly, the questions are sometimes poorly formed or are laden with underlying bias that tells the reader that no cogent and rigorous answer will satisfy the asker.

Want another perspective? See Erika R's excellent and cogently written answer to a similar question as to why atheists like to hang around Christian discussion forums at http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Just keep asking questions in an objective manner and you will sometimes get useful responses. I try to answer questions so structured with reasoned and rigorous responses.

Ask Mr. Religion
Answering your questions about religion since 1994
http://www.askmrreligion.com

Answer 4

Beats the heck out of a stuffed gopher why people can't respect each other and feel that it's necessary to ridicule someone else's beliefs. And it seems to be pretty evenly divided between all groups, too. Christians preach love, and atheists advocate tolerance, and yet both sides love to taunt each other.

I don't mind a fun or goofy question. But when someone says, "Isn't time we feed Christians to the lions again?" or "Are you glad that atheists are going to hell?" , it's time to start making some serious attitude adjustments with a 2x4.

Answer 5

The problems with this forum are that some people are misusing and abusing this forum as they are using it to convert and deconvert people to and from religion. The second issues is that some people are very closed minded and negative towards other which in turn leads to all of the disrespect and other negatice feelings on this forum. Third problem is that some people don't know how to communicate with one another and go about asking their questions without coming off as ignorant. Last but not least some people on this forum are too damn sensitive about things that are said on this forum as there are some people who are joking around and mean no harm towards anybody but things get misconstrued on this forum.

Answer 6

Because saying such disrespectful things (from both parties) in person would amost certainly lead to violence. The internet adds a level of anonymity for those who are afraid of speaking their minds in other aspects of their lives. It allows them to pretend superiority, while disregarding the possible effects of their reckless words on others. They can't see the pain if they hurt someone's feelings. They aren't afraid of making anyone angry. Facing a world of zero repercussions, they're free to take off the public mask and show the hatred, ignorance, bigotry, sexism, arrogance, and internal ugliness that would normally have unpleasant consequences- not realizing that those things still have consequences that simply go unseen.

Answer 7

Don't limit this criticism to the non-believers. The religious people can be just as obnoxious. There's a close-mindedness to people that happens everywhere, not just on Y! Answers. People should definitely show more respect to eachother in all areas of life.

Answer 8

Some people who answer only do answer offensively to annoy others. Also human beings are ultimately flawed. We always think that other people should think, act and believe the same as ourselves. A lot of the time Faith doesn't come into it. We just have to be 'right', regardless of the message!!!

Answer 9

Thats the million dollar question! I have asked that too. I'm a nonbiased individual, but even I become apalled at some of the disrespectful questions and answers that are often posted. I have to wonder if this may be a result of negative internet conditioning, and the offender is more liberally offensive, because he will never be confronted, and never sees the individual that he/she is communicating too.

Answer 10

Because tribulation is here, and its hear to Stay?, ......and I'm a firm believer that He is soon to come. Just make def ears to inequities, the way I do, and if you are as I'm a believer, in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holly Spirit.