i would like to point out not every christian is an intolerant basher?

Question

are there any other people out there sick out having other people's beliefs rammed down their throats? because i am christian does not mean i hate/am ignorant about every other religion, i find all religions beautiful. and because someone disagrees, and is a very proud pagan/atheist/whatever does not mean they have the right to completely disrespect my chosen religion. it works both ways

i'm sorry for ranting, but its really something i've noticed about this place is everybody's religious-intolerance.

does no one else feel this way? I'm christian and content not to bible-bash everyone's heads in, i can talk to pagans, i've studied paganism and how the religions all interlink, and i come from an atheist family.
anybody else feel how badly christians seem to come off around here?

humanray thanks u but that is what im doing, saying not all christians are like that and "moaning" about the ones that are

Answer 1

Well said and yes, I am. It's to the point that I am embarrassed that I am a Christian with all of the people that are on here calling themselves "Christians" who come off hateful and backwards.

They are missing the point it seems.

And like you I have many friends of different beliefs or no beliefs and we get on fine - no one preaches, no one gets offensive towards the other.

We are all on our own spiritual quests and we all go at our own pace and NO ONE of ANY religion really and truly knows how things will end up. The best any of us can do is try not to make other people miserable as we go.

Answer 2

First of all, I don't think people should be bashing. By that I mean name calling and crude. However, if what you mean is challenging Christians in their faith, then I think many Christians ask for it. When you profess a belief in something yet can't give a rational reason with some sort of empirical proof and yet want others to accept and believe it, you've opened the door to being challenged. And Christians are some of the first people I've seen to start calling other people ignorant because they ask for some kind of proof other than "because it's in the bible." There is no empirical proof that the writer's contained in the Bible were anything but ordinary people trying to make sense of things the best way they knew how 2000 years ago. Why I would presume that scholars of that era are more enlightened or informed that today's is beyond me. If you want to quietly practice your religion and it helps you to be a better person, then bless you and keep the faith. If that faith means trying to legislate everyone else's beliefs or behavior, then I will fight you every step of the way.

Answer 3

I answered this very question the other day and I will answer again. Christians tend to bash all other religion for the only reason that their religion is right and all others are not. (Their opinion!) My asnwer is this. You have a very good chance to use this forum to teach tolerance and acceptance to your fellow Christians. If they would approach other religion with the same reverence they have for Christianity, then we "non-Christians" might not come back with nasty replies.

My religion can't be taken away from me unless I let it, so no one can take yours away either, unless you let them.

I cannot teach Christians anything, but I can teach other Pagans. So instead of complaining to the non-Christians, what about consulting your own people and try working for unity between the different religious groups?

Answer 4

Christianity should be the most tolerant of all religions...In addressing the charge of "intolerance" when Christians assert that Jesus is the only way to heaven, you need to understand that Muslims also radically claim exclusivity - not just theologically, but linguistically. Muslims believe that the sole, sufficient and consummate miracle of Islam is the Koran.

I know of no Christianized country where your life is in danger because you are from another faith. But today there are many countries in the world - such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran - where to become a follower of Christ is to put your life and your family at risk.

Christians often seem to believe that firmness of conviction entitles them to belligerence, hostility, and closed-mindedness—not to mention a lack of intellectual responsibility. To the contrary, Paul exhorts Christians, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18). They should live “peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Tim. 2:2).

The contemporary definition of tolerance as acceptance is simply wrong-headed. It lands a person in massive inconsistencies. Take the matter of “comparative religions.” The leveling approach of comparative religions (“when we talk with people from other religious groups, we should consider all religions equal”) arbitrarily asserts without qualification the equal validity or relative nature of all religions. Dialogue, however, shouldn’t begin by assuming the equality of all religions or truth claims (the erroneous definition of tolerance), but with regard for the equality of persons. Dialogue implies respect, not agreement.

Answer 5

I agree with you. That's kind of why I think some so called religious people are completey lost themselves. I come on here and alot of Christians are giving the rest of us a bad name. I don't know, maybe they are young, maybe they haven't really read the Bible, or maybe they enjoy hearing what someone else has taught them (a preacher) without reading it themselves. Everyone has to understand, that we all have a right to believe in whatever we want. And if you are an American, we have to remember why the Pilgrims came here in the first place, to escape religious persecution. So why are we repeating history? Haven't we learned anything?

Answer 6

People on here tend to be wary of Christians because so many extreme fundamentalist Christians use this site.I have had abusive emails from American fundamentalist Christians calling me stuff like 'evil Satan worshipper'.I am a Celtic Pagan not a devil worshipper but they don't seem to understand the difference.

Answer 7

Yeah, I hear you. Feel the same. I'm Christian and know what I believe and respect others and what they believe, even when different. I have friends who are Christians and friends who are definately not. I try to live and let live and if someone wants to hear what I believe, I will glady share, but if I get the impression that a person does not want to hear what I believe in, then I will not share and can still respect and be friends with that person.

Yeah, I hear ya though.

Answer 8

I will second bwlobo's comments about dialogue meaning respect by definition (paraphrased). Being respectful is something that all of us ought to strive for irrespective of our beliefs.

I try (and fail to do this). I love listening to Ravi Zacharias, as I think that he seems to be the most adept person that I have seen at balancing holding on to what he understands as the truth, but being respectful when he disagrees with someone...


Soli Deo Gloria

Answer 9

Yes Red i have noticed and agree with you that Christians do get a bad rap..but dare i say some bring it on themselves...sorry to say it, but there's a lot of condemnation around here...
If respect is given respect will be received..
Well done for saying what your about..
I think all faiths get a bad deal here, but you just have to keep yourself right, and let the rest go..
**Blessings**

Answer 10

Exactly, I agree, Im a catholic, I am normal, I love dirty jokes I smoke, fall asleep in the sermon, love sex, I dont feel superior, to any other person, And yet I keep reading that I am sanctimonious, and a hypocrite, because I think that Im better then every body else? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE SAYING THIS,