How do people that do not gather facts form opinions?

Question

Trust me, I think passion is great. I think that conviction is a very meritable thing. However, how can some one actually BELIEVE in something without educating themselves on the subjects at hand? I've run across this numerous times on yahoo answers, in the form of hateful opinions toward gays, atheists, religious people, so many etc. Are these people even interested in why they believe the way they believe?

Answer 1

Probably more to make themselves feel superior than any other reason, I think. That's probably the same reason we ask questions requiring opinions as answers, and why we answer questions with opinions.

Answer 2

Fortunately, I am no longer a religious person. And thankfully, I have been blessed to receive the wisdom from God to be in His Word on a regular basis. I have wonderful teachers, and I am about to graduate in about a week with an Associate Degree in Christian Studies. I have a personal relationsip with the Lord, and I am constantly growing and seeking Him. So I have knowledge in this area because I love the Lord and my passion for Him is because I know Him and have seen what He can do personally and in the Bible.

But too many people make snap judgments and give opinions using information that comes out of thin air. I have not given spiteful answers to people because of what they believe. Then I would be judging. I can only offer the truth to them and leave it alone.

And you are right. I have received hateful replies and seen very negative comments about just about everything on this site. All I and you can do is pray and let people be who they are- and hope for a change for the better. they clearly are lost and insecure if they have to resort to responding or asking hateful themes.

God bless you and that is a good question.

Answer 3

Everyone is different.not everyone was raised as you were,had the same parents environment.perhaps there retarded,or were abused as children are loved or not loved are there son just died and there angry are sad are have a learning disability are perhaps they were beaten as children are there father was evil are was hurt in an accident which effected there brain .are the devil is influencing them.are they think and are convinced that God is telling them to say such hateful things .You could accept that people seem weird and its hard to handle that and for some reason were to have love and faith and give it all to the spirit as best we can
which is so hard to do when people always seem to be so weird and strange and hateful .especcially lately .God almighty whats wrong with people?its a sickness of some sort.Yes it hurts me and bothers me and I just cant handle all the evilness of the world sometimes.Because i happen to care.and still have some love in me.and its a shock to realize how much people dont care.but I personally at least try to give them and there problems to God and not let them bother me.
Peace

Answer 4

You know the old saying, opinions are like rear ends, everyone has one and most of them stink lol.

God tells us to not have opinions unless we have understanding as well. If you take a look at Proverbs, almost all of the verses using the word "fool" have to do with speaking out about something. Here's a few to arm you next time someone gives an ignorant opinion:

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes
A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul
Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him

Answer 5

sometimes we get carried away with our own rhetoric...its OK but in the end you will only "inherit the wind"

Yes, we get our mindset on our thinking and blank out all other thoughts even when there is proof positive they are wrong.

My parents were NOT very good at explaining religion to me or even sex education. They failed miserably on both and I had to learn from my peers or on my own.

Well, you hit the nail on the head. Emotionalism is the big factor in a lot of these conversations to Christians...Our church does not believe in these so called "crusades" and we certainly don't base our faith on mindless emotionalism.
Emotionalism gives everyone a bad rap cause it stops people from thinking..

Answer 6

They just do it. It takes a lot of time and effort to get informed. When I was married, I had the opportunity to talk with my ex's pastor. She is christian and I am atheist. Many people knew this at her church. He stopped by one time to talk with me. We actually talked for quite some time. When the conversation was over he said he was sorry who could not sway my beliefs in any way. He also said he was sorry because he knew that I actually knew more about the christian belief system and history than most of his church members, including my ex. He just wondered how I could be so well versed in the bible, and not believe. I just told him there was one key difference in he and I. He believes it is the word of god and I just believe it is a book.

Answer 7

That's why it's "believing"
Everyone's got a right to have their own opinion,
but if you ask me; I don't want to hate and condemn other people simply because of my own ignorance.
Hate is waste of time.

Answer 8

the go to church where they are issued to them from the hate monger who runs the joint.

Answer 9

What about first hand experience? Hmmm ...

Answer 10

from their peers,,mostly they are the ignorant ones