Why all the contention?

Question

Okay, I'm hoping I'm going to get well thought out, complete answers here:
Why all the anger and hostility in this space? I understand that most people here have their beliefs one way or the other, but why do so many post post purposefully inflammatory questions and answers? What is it about religion and spirituality that gets the religious so defensive and the secular so vicious? I've seen some level-headed answerers here, but the majority seem to be downright mean.
Please, don't spout Bible verses at me or talk to me about Darwin. I'm not stupid, I understand where everyone's coming from, I just don't get why discussions here have to be so hostile. A while back, someone threatened to kill a guy (a post I reported to Yahoo Answers). This person may have been joking, but that's clearly not appropriate.
SO: What do you feel makes religion and spirituality so contentious, and why the hostility and ignorance towards any culture but your own (this includes everyone, even atheists!)?

To me, it's like this (kudos to Greenberg for this):
Einstein is famous for the theory of relativity. By creating the theory of relativity, Einstein was disproving Newton. This made Newton wrong, technically. However, when NASA went to the moon, did they use Einstein's theory? No, they used Newton's - and it worked. Just because one truth is "more correct" doesn't mean another can't also be correct to a certain extent. I don't see why one thing being true has to completely devalue another, and I suppose it bugs me that so many people here don't seem to grasp that. It really shows in the lack of respect to others.

Answer 1

Excellent question...well phrased, well though out. I can think of several reasons.

I feel that it's in our nature to lash out when we feel threatened. That applies not only to our physical safety, but also to our psychological stability...our core belief system. People generally crave the company of those who are like-minded, and so we naturally view any assault on our beliefs (atheist, christian, other) as an assault on our person, to which our first reaction is to take the offensive.

I think that the medium also has a great deal to do with the negativity. Electronic communication is a fine invention, but by removing the face-to-face human contact, two things immediately happen. 1) People will say things that they would otherwise not say to a person's face...they tend to be less polite because there is no threat of conflict. 2) People can more easily respond with their first reaction, which is most always aggressive or defensive. Given a certain amount of time to think through a response, people will tend to soften their tone and approach it from a more objective point of view. With this electronic medium, however, people can write a flaming response in a matter of seconds.

Another unfortunate side-effect of the electronic forum is that it is very easy to misinterpret a person's intent. In face-to-face conversation, body language and tone of voice can be they key to determining if a person's comments are meant in an aggressive or inquisitive manner. This will often yield two completely different responses from the same person. We will tend to respond in a similar tone as we perceive from the other person....harsh tone, harsh response....calm tone, calm response.

As a Christian, I tend to take offense at posters who portray my belief system as illogical, ridiculous, delusional, etc. I think this reaction is perfectly normal. I expect that the non-believers out there also take offense when I discuss God and salvation. That being said, there is really no reason for the hostility in many of these posts. I feel, however, that people tend to use on-line forums such as these as secondary outlets for anger and frustration which they feel in other areas of life. They use the on-line world as a means of expressing what they feel, but would never say to someone in person.

It's discouraging, though, that so many people's thoughts are dominated by anger and hostility. It just goes to show that for all our knowledge of science and technology, people have still not learned to accept one another...perhaps we never will. Oddly enough, people of Moses' day had the same problem...some things never change.

Answer 2

I know your looking for a well thought out answer but I can only come up with one topic and I only speak for myself. If someone agrees I guess I will not be the only one.

I think people become hostile, on all sides, because of some experience they have encountered that has created their current feelings about what they consider the opposite.
I believe that it provokes so much anger because of that bad experience or betrayal or whatever, it must feel like salt is being rubbed in old wounds.

I ask only one thing from my fellow humans. If you don't agree or like something, fine.But I would hope that you take the time to learn and continue learn as much as possible.

Answer 3

Religion is not just about a belief in gods; it is political. At the root of the rage that exists in the discussion of politics lies the differences in the class purusits between the very rich and the underclass. The same anger that permeates the discussion of politics must therefore permeate the discussion of religion.

Religion has been used throughout history to enslave the population, repress women and promote the agenda of a wealthy hierarchy when that agenda would otherwise have not been able to exist. There is good reason why religion is promoted by the right-wing. They both represent essentially the same interests. When the public can no longer be repressed by a current government, a religious order can be promoted and used for the same effect. In other words, when it becomes utterly impossible to encourage the public to bow down to the demands of the super-rich. A new super-rich (religion) lies in waiting to fill that void. The public, who has become wise to the irrational inequality promoted by the mercantile wealthy-elite, can be brought in line by demanding their same repression in the name of God.

The result is that there exists a less intellectual faction of society that willingly, and unwittingly, embraces the trappings of religion. On the other side of the coin are those who fully comprehend the ugly history of religion and what is in store for society should religion gain a political foothold.

"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes." -- Thomas Jefferson

Answer 4

What an interesting thought! People should be more liberal and accept people of all religions, race, colour, etc. But if peoples beliefs are being ridiculed, some get too hostile. It is understandable that being offended is human nature, but going beyond the limits to the point of being verbally and physically abusive, is lack of control over emotions and plain ignorance. Being calm and explaning thoughts logically is the key to wisdom.

Answer 5

People seem to enjoy creating a fuss .... many questions are pretty close to mocking God, and believers respond.

I am also saddened by the anger and hostility displayed.

However, the Bible does teach things that are considered to be offensive and intolerant by The World:
* only one way to heaven (faith in Jesus)
* all people are sinful
* God expects righteous behavior
* God condemns immoral behavior
* God is our creator and has the right to tell us how to live
* sinful people without a Savior are condemned to hell

Answer 6

While any discussion of religion can turn contentious, I think the uderlying issue is this unmoderated, anonymous forum.

Why persons think that the anonymity of this Forum grants them a license to ignore common social graces bewilders me. I suspect that these persons would be truly ashamed if they knew their parents, husband, wife, children, etc., learned of some of the things they write herein. Clearly they do their loved ones a disservice and dishonor them with such behavior.

Answer 7

You know this is a very good question, and I really don't have an answer but more of a comment. It seems like every time the name of Jesus or GOD is brought up it stir up a lot of people, and a lot of nasty comment are being said. But if someone mention Buddha or Allah or any other "gods" nothing really nasty is said only when people talk of Jesus. Hummmmmmmm

Answer 8

Yes, after a while of being on R&S it begins to take a toll. Even the nicest people can get a little nasty and I have to remind myself to calm down sometimes, but everyone thinks there right. Everyone thinks they have something they can teach you and rarely believe you have something to teach them. Why? I don’t know. Personally, I think that strong headed, stubborn people are better survivors and so we evolved this way.

Answer 9

I wish that I could answer intelligently, but inevitably some sort of emotion will come into play.

Part of it is the hurt that diety can turn his/her back one someone simply because of some piddly charaterstic that they were born with, and the offensiveness that someone can say that they KNOW THIS.

Part of it is that it is offensive to human intelligence that there be belief in a God, or belief in Creationsim.

Some genuinely fear change and lash out at ay available target which seems to threaten them, whther they really do or not.

And then there are peope like me that just like to stir the coals

Answer 10

People are fearful that they may be wrong and the fragile underpinings of their beliefs make them defensive when they can't intelligently rebut arguments. Also many religious types feel superior and look down on various groups, homosexuals, wiccans etc. It is a paradox that a religion founded on the concept of love for ones neighbors has morphed into a tool for bigotry and hatred.