How do you take criticism of your religion?

Question

A couple of days ago, I read on the newspapers about a book who is to be published soon.

This book is based on the doctorate thesis of a university teacher.

She broaches the religions' views on women who were always perceived as a lesser human form...

The religions that she focuses are Paganism, Christianity and Judaism...

(It's obvious that she didn't include Islam in this, because it is not safe or recommendable...
Remember what happened to Salman Rushdie, or to the cartoonist of the Danish newspaper...)

So I would like to ask, can you accept a criticism of your religion if it is fair?

Answer 1

As a non religious pious person who's faith in God in undeniable, Religions just need to chill. Criticism of someone beliefs is very difficult, so it needs to be done, fairly, and with tact.
Peace and Love are the only true paths to God.

Answer 2

Right? It depends on one's moral set. I believe the answer is yes. A religious system sets itself up as the final answer to all questions, even my own which all but explicitly tells its followers to "question everything." Anything that claims to be an absolute authority must be questioned. Any questioning of a religion is inherently a criticism of it because it questions its authority. Now, criticism can go too far. For example, claiming that Islam's jihad means to kill all non-believers when this is not so--at least not for most Muslims. However, criticism is necessary to maintain honesty and transparency in a belief set. If a religion cannot withstand the scrutiny, can it be the truth? No.

Answer 3

I love criticism because i take it in a healthy way, i surely spend time seeing the other persons point of view through his/her cirticism, who knows the other person has read something that is true and the believer does not know, it is always best to give room for citicism. Religions are all written in a language that is usually not the language of believers, everything is interpreted and when a person interprets it it is his version of the meaning, because the interpreter surely does not know what was meant by the original writer, as time goes the same sentence will have different meaning based on knowledge, time, wisdom age and life experiences of the interpreter.
The more the religion is split, the more versions appear, eg shites are different from the sunni's speak to the christians, each one has a different philosophy, the catholics, protestents and other subdivisions. Religions are just history interpretated by people to understand God.

Answer 4

Most people who criticize my religion don't know what I believe and have not made an honest attempt to find out.

Often people where raised in a false cult or some other messed up version of a religious organization and they know the religion of their youth was false, and they assume that everyone who is part of that religion is fake as well.

What they most often didn't realize is that they were raised in a fake group.

So often the criticisms aren't really criticizing my religion, they are criticizing their own mis conceptions of my religion.

The classic "straw man" is being criticized, not me.

The problem is getting people to understand the difference between what I believe and the "straw man" isn't always easy.

Occasionally there have been bona fide criticisms of my religious group and I do listen when those occur, but they are pretty rare. When that happens, I listen, and when its within my power to do something about it, I do.

Pastor Art

Answer 5

The biggest criticism i get is usually dirty looks, sometimes misunderstanding and sometimes reluctant curiosity. If the person sticks around long enough i explain what i believe to the person, i have no problem speaking about it and the more people i talk to the more people can be less afraid of what they don't understand. So i say bring on your criticism and hatred but do so only after you understand me and my choices in life. I know a lot of people that simply hate Satanism but i know a few and they are some of the wisest and nice (yet anti-social) people i have met. So i guess all-in-all I would have to say that when someone doesn't like my beliefs i ask them to get to know me before jumping to conclusions about me. If they don't i leave them alone, i don't go out of my way to avoid them, i shouldn't have to, but i leave them alone and silently hope that they will do the same. I hope this helped.

Answer 6

woooow...i am a muslim and i follow islam
u asked me if i accept criticism AFTER criticizing my religion
"It's obvious that she didn't include Islam in this, because it is not safe or recommendable...
Remember what happened to Salman Rushdie, or to the cartoonist of the Danish newspaper..."
islam is a religion of peace...YOU guys are trying to push the limits to see how much we can take
but Islam is a religion of peace and patience...it may not seem that way because of what you watch on TV about islam. but as a muslim, i can tell you thatz not true...have you tried to understand the religion of Islam or did u think that watching those lies on TV are enough?
those lies are crticism for me, as a muslim, because they AREN'T true. They are criticism because they are what people are believing. Because of those lies, false judgments are made against muslims. I'm not sure if i can accept them, because they hurt me very much, but as a muslim i have stay patient.

Answer 7

It depends on the person and the religion. If religion is corrupted, then the person who practices that religion takes it easy when someone criticizes. Like most Christians take it, because they know from bottom of their heart that Bible is no more original. How can a God's book contain incest, lewdness, etc. Whereas if a person knows that the religion he profess, is free of errors, then no sort of criticism is tolerated as in the case of Islam. It is a religion choosen by God for mankind.

Answer 8

I can accept criticism on my religion if it's fair, but I don't put a lot of thought into what people say--there are too many people with an opinion and everyone has their own opinion! I hear a lot of about my religion (Catholicism) and if I got my hackles raised every time I heard someone say something negative about it, I'd be a crazy person by now.

Answer 9

As far as I know, Women are not presented as a lesser form in Paganism. More often than not, the Goddess is in rule, and the God only acts as consort. The Goddess lives and evolves, while the God always dies and is reborn.

But I digress...

Generally, when i hear criticism from my religion, I try to either explain the point in how I see it (Like above), or I either shrug it off or laugh it off.

It doesn't really matter to me if one chooses to disagree with my religion. If I explain how I understand the subject in question, and someone still chooses to argue or disagree, thats fine with me. Its my religion, not theirs. I'm cool with people not liking it, as long as we're both clear as to what the subject in question actually is.

Answer 10

Well Atheism is not a religion but I still feel I can answer your question. It is very disheartening for anyone when their idea's or beliefs are constantly challenged and put down. Yes it upsets me but I live my life by the simple rule of treat others how you wish to be treated. I don't accept the criticism but I will not fight back with anger. The only way to gain respect and understanding is to show respect and understanding yourself.