What is a polite way to disagree with someone's faith when their faith results in the oppression of others?

Question

By oppression I mean reduction in freedom, livelihood, housing, or freedom to associate or relocate.

Answer 1

I tell people,

-I'm sorry I cannot agree with you these people are my friends

-This is wrong (I'm pretty knowledgeable in religion) and would use subtle references to their faith so as to get them to think about their actions

-I cannot accept that God would condone such behaviors

-You will leave them alone, they are my friends (this and the first example I tend to use with people who know me such as family or friends)

-This is wrong and I cannot accept it

I would like to stress that I do my best not to stomp on others faiths but stand against immoral and unethical practices with faiths

Answer 2

Everything is interpreted by the individual. Our interpretation is subject to the experiences of our lives.

What you might see as oppression, your friend might see as freedom.

For instance, the feminist movement.

Feminists came in and TOLD women that they were oppressed. Housework is slavery. Raising children is drudgery. blah blah blah.

Now women don't cook or clean. They hire other women to do it for them. Which does lead to oppression. Oppression of minorities.

Women are unhappy because the feminists have told them their natural ability to nurture is beneath them. They should go out and be MEN.

Which is funny because most rabid feminists hate men.

So where has that gotten us? Oppression of minorities who now get jobs as cooks and housecleaners. A massive amount of obnoxious teens because they didn't have mothers who nurtured them. A rediculously high rate of divorce. We have a vast number of unhappy women. Women who love to cook and clean and take care of their children but they won't do it because in someone else's opinion it's oppression.

The end result? Think for yourself. If they are trying to convert you then do some homework. Read up. Investigate. Don't make a judgement based on biased media. The news is no longer proper journalism. It's tabloid.

Answer 3

I'm not sure there is a way to deal with such people period.

If you are polite they refuse to listen, if you are aggressive they attack your character.

Unfortunately, deal with them we must. Calmly, firmly, pointing out our similarities, focusing on universal emotions. Although it leaves us easy targets for attack, if we are strong enough / comfortable enough, we need to be open about our lives, choices, and/or beliefs so that with exposure these oppressive individuals become used to new ways.

The down side to this is that it takes far to long and is frustrating.

Answer 4

Faiths are not supposed to be oppressive.

It's the particular human being(s) who practise it that is being oppressive - so if you are not polite, you are not being not polite to the faith, but to these people who practises their faith wrongly by being oppressive.

There is therefore no need to be polite - get to the point, put it across!

Answer 5

Someone on here claimed that oppression only happens if you let it, but that is not true. Oppression happens when someone in power abuses that power. Sadly, religious nuts have power in a lot of parts of the world, and they abuse that power. They aren't even necessarily government powers, either.

Answer 6

i think if you end up saying or doing NEGATIVE things, or make someone feel Negatively towards something, regardless of ur intentions, then u have to think twice.

sometimes religion (or anything) can cause a person to Lose COMMON SENSE. we gotta get back to that.

do unto others as u would have done unto yourself.
put urself in other person's shoes

u can't do that if u think ur right all the time and have no regard for another person's viewpoints

Answer 7

Honestly!!

If they have stated their opinion, they should be open to hear yours. I would express it honestly, and shut up.

I am not sure I understand how a persons faith could rob you of your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, or the freedom to associate with whom you may, or freedom to relocate.

You would have to give more information for that.

grace2u

Answer 8

When your faith starts to oppress me, there aint no polite way to say F*&K YOU. Seriously. Politeness goes out the window when you start oppressing others.

Answer 9

I would probably say that I don't really understand why they are doing what they are doing and could they explain to me what it's about. As they answer it would give me the chance to challenge their point of view politely.

Answer 10

What may be polite to you may sound like a " you're lame and stupid for believing that" to someone else.

So, with that said, there really doesn't seem to be a polite way... Sorry.