how does my "stupidity" as a christian harm anyone?

Question

i saw a response to a question earlier that said it's to be expected to get a stupid response from a christian....hmmm. i wasn't aware that because i follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and try to be kind to my fellow man, that i was insulting others....can someone help me understand this? please?

Answer 1

I think there are bullies on both atheists and theists, but a lot of atheists who come on here are bullies, which ruins it for the rest of them. Don't get me wrong, though, I have seen many mean Christians on here too [Some of which try to argue with me and say my faith is just a phase, and I need to get over my self. A mean Christian hurts me more than a mean atheist] But that person needs to stop generalizing and come to peAce, because he's not changing anything.
peAce
Christian.
[Saved since 4/26/2007]

Answer 2

Being a christian doesn't inherently make you stupid, nor does being an atheist make anyone inherently intelligent. Part of it probably comes from the assumption that christians are only christians because they were brought up as one.

Being a christian and following the christian teachings can be done in a caring way, or an offensive and insulting way. Threatening every non-christian with hell IS offensive, and has become prevailent on this site. While you may not do this, the people that do tend to blacken the name of all christians.

Answer 3

I wish you had provided a link back to the specific question which so offended you....

I have big problems with the word "stupid." A person's native intelligence depends on genetics and insulting someone on that basis is the moral equivalent of mocking a person's birth defect. Such language is unacceptable. On the other hand, "ignorance" is a matter of choice. People who freely choose to avoid educating themselves are deliberately ignorant. Such willful ignorance hurts the whole of humanity because it impedes social progress and breeds intolerance of other points of view. In a forum such as this, the use of the word ignorant criticizes a person's opinions without insulting their humanity. Thus, "stupid" is an unacceptable insult while "ignorant" is a necessary (though unpleasant) adjective.

I've noticed many Christians have a tendency to view themselves as persecuted and often twist the literal meaning of language to satisfy their emotional needs. If some lowlife actually used the word stupid while referring to Christians, I can assure you that most atheists here are just as offended as you by such hurtful language. On the other hand, please be aware that criticism of another person's opinion is not a personal attack and is generally not intended to be hurtful.

Answer 4

I can't and won't speak about you or Christians in general, however, when some Christians (or any religious followers) start forcing their morals into law, that does hurt me.

A simple and minor example: Last sunday my wife and I were deciding what we wanted to cook, something we like to do together. We found a great recipe for Coco vin. Then we realized, because we live deep in the bible belt, in a state that the Baptists own, that we can't buy wine on Sunday.

More serious aspects are that seven states, including South Carolina, have ruled it illegal for a person that is an atheist, to hold state office. I could go on.

In a state close to me, everyone that was not married by a preacher, priest, or some other ordained individual (i.e. anyone married by a judge or justice of the piece) recently had their marriages INVALIDATED, because the religious right, there passed an egregious law against same-sex marriage that affected a lot more than gay and lesbian people.

Just look at the laws against same-sex marriages. These are religious attacks against gays and lesbians, where the Christians in question are not being threatened in any way.

If you keep your religion for yourself, I've no problem at all. If you force it on me through aggressive proselytizing or thru force of law - that hurts me.

Answer 5

you my friend are not a stupid girl. drink a little too much sometimes, but a good person and smart. lol

there are many christians who are just blind. they think their beliefs are the only ones that count, because they're "right" and they want to make everyone else become a believer. i know it's because they are concerned for the non believer's soul, and have good intentions, but it doesn't come across that way.

as far as stupid, many of blind ones seem to be uneducated. they don't seem to understand simple logic or science, and they don't even seem to "want" to understand. there are certainly uneducated people in all faiths, but the uneducated christians seem to be very vocal, so it's more noticeable.

most non christians realize that most christians are good people, intelligent, and lead good lives, but maybe they should make that a little more clear.

Answer 6

There is a sect of christians in the USA that are vehemently anti-science and anti-progression. They are also intollerant. They dislike evolution, stem-cell research and many other things and want to force those opinions on others.

I don't think most christians are like that, but some are and that is why SOME people (not me) paint it with a broad brush and get lazy in their thinking and slur all christians.

Answer 7

The person who said that is actually the "stupid" one. I'm a Christian but I don't expect to get stupid answers from atheists. Believing that an entire group of people are stupid just because they think differently than you, is just ignorance.

Answer 8

I can't speak for that person, but I can hazard a guess:

Some (not all) Christians feel obligated to inflict themselves onto everyone, including public-sector issues such as legislation, courts, school boards, military, law enforcement, etc. While individual convictions can be a good thing, warping the system so it favors Christians at the expense of others is just plain wrong.

As I said before, not all Christians are guilty of this, but there are enough who are.

Answer 9

Your stupidity as a christian does not harm others if you do not attempt to enact law that forces others to follow your pitiful beliefs. I don't care what you do in the privacy of your home, as long as you do not attempt to sway law to force others to follow your beliefs. For example, if you were in favor of a law against abortion because of your stupidity, then it would harm everyone.

Answer 10

Apparently the person is using a "philosophical" approach, which is not built on acceptance of belief in God, but it tries to give people a unified view of the universe and endeavor to make them critical thinkers. It employs chiefly speculative means rather then observation in a search of truth.
Proverbs 1:7 Psalms 111: 10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge.....[and] of wisdom.
If the universe were not the product of an intellegent Creator but only of some blind irrational force, then no unified view of the universe would be possible would it?
Nothing that would qualify as wisdom could result from a study of something that was itself irrational could it? Those who attempt to understand the universe or life itself, while endeavoring to leave God and his purpose out of account, meet with constant Frustration.
They misinterpret what they learn and misuse facts that they glean. Leaving out of account belief in God destroys the key to accurate knowledge and makes impossible any truly consistent framework of thought.
Proverbs 2: 4-7 If you keep seeking for it as for silver, and as for hid treasuers you keep searching for it, in that case you will understand the fear of Jehovah, and you will find the very knowledge of God. For Jehovah himself gives wisdom; out of his mouth there are knowledge and discenment. And for the upright ones he will treasure up practical wisdom. [ Jehovah provides needed help through his written Word and his visible organization. An ernest desire and personal effort, including the use of one's thinking ability in a constructive manner are also necessary.