Your experiences have convinced you that your thoughts are correct. Do you give others the same freedom?

Question

ELO: I apologize if you feel that I push my beliefs on others. Your response is fabulous! Very nice Point!

Answer 1

That's not a freedom for me to give. I can't control what other people's thoughts are.

Answer 2

I think there is a bit of skill involved with this. I see it with my children. Sometimes I know they are making the wrong choices. I have been there....done that. But sometimes folks just have to learn from their own mistakes. I prefer to provide advice when asked and keep my mouth shut when not. And I also choose to be understanding and supportive if in the end my advice is correct, but is not followed. And also, some times what is true and correct for me is not necessarily a universal truth and correctness. As far as I am concerned, each person should be afforded the respect to have their own opinions, and to make their own choices without someone getting in their faces or trying to force their own opinions down their throats.

Answer 3

I challenge your premise...

I'm convinced that what I currently believe is the best I've encountered or worked out for myself.
Until I learn or discover more, when I will either: be more confident,
have to adjust my position slightly,
or realise I was badly wrong and start re-building from the ground up.

This makes it relatively easy to acknowledge the freedom of others to think and believe differently.
Their methods and conclusions can be discussed.

It's difficult where someone is utterly convinced that have arrived at absolute truth. Dialogue there is rarely easy. I lean towards an exclamation of Oliver Cromwell:
" I beseech you in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken."

That little possibility makes so much difference. Could I be wrong? Just possibly. But so could they/you. Let's talk about it.

Answer 4

ELO is right, there isnt anything worse than when someone tries to push their beliefs on you. ppl need to decide what is right for themselves, not have you tell them what they should or shouldnt think is right.

I personally think all religion should be done away with but you dont see me telling you how horrible or stupid you are for believing in something that works for you. you should have that same courtesy for others.

Answer 5

for the most part, yes. I may not agree with their opinions, but I generally feel that people are entitled to their opinions. Of course, unless it is something stupid. And I am not being opinionated here. If someone says that murder is okay because their father was a mass murderer, that is stupid, and I do not condone their opinion.

Yes, I know that was a silly example, but it works.

Answer 6

Absolutely. By hearing of others experiences and thoughts...that adds to my awareness and growth. We are all pieces of what comes to be revealed as the same answer.

Answer 7

The word of God convinces us, if we are Christian. If it were our experience that convinced us then truth would be relative to the individual, and we could not confidently say anything to others regarding what is truth, because we would be believing that there is no absolute truth.

Answer 8

1. Yes!
2. Evidence... than yes!

Answer 9

There would be no individuality if I did unto others what I would not want done unto myself.......

If there is no freedom of expression, what is the point of reason? To debate is naturally human.... Without this, there is no reason......


Your sister,
Ginger

Answer 10

Just because occasionally I am correct does not mean that I'm always correct; Just because I'm ocassionally correct does not mean that everyone else thinks just like me( they don't). I, unlike you, don't push my beliefs on anybody; and I, unlike you, ask funnier stupid questions.