Does it hurt you when you see one of your contacts?

Question

(the ones that you consider to be true friends), post something completely disrespectful about your beliefs?

Whether you are a Christian, Athiest, Wiccan, Pagan,etc....

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Answer 1

Yes, it does, if they are being disrespectful and mocking. I never say things mocking or disrespectful about other beliefs.

I don't think they understand that as a Christian, that's part of our identity. So to attack Christ, in a sense is to attack me--at the very least by implying that I am a fool for believing in Him. How is that supposed to be not hurtful?

Ex.: I'd never say something like, "How stupid do you have to be to not believe in God?" #1, I don't think that way. #2 Even if I did, I'd always be very careful not to offend my friends. It's called respect---something that is called for on here constantly by everyone, yet often those who ask for it the most often are the ones who don't practice it.

One last thing, non-believer's constantly harp on Christians who say that not everyone who calls themselves a Christian truly are one.
Yet they turn around and make statements saying that when they make derogatory comments toward "Christians", they mean fundies, not "real" Christians.
Please tell me the difference here.

Sorry for the rant--it's been a long day. :(


EDIT: I'm not talking about disagreeing with someone, or having a good debate. I'm talking about being deliberately disrespectful and mocking. I just wanted to be clear. :)

Answer 2

Not usually. It truly depends on just how hurtful the intent is. Some of it, well, most of it I feel, is usually posted in jest - and when it's not been that, the person posting it has really seemed to be hurt by church or whatnot long ago - and so I feel that they are driven by that pain to post it.

I do know that I myself have rubbed fellow Christians the wrong way. Sometimes because they are reading questions I post that continue a line of Q&A conversation that several of us are having, or if I post a question about something that most fellow Chrisitians don't see the same way I do. When that happens, I get a ton of hatemail from other Christians - and I think that's much more hurtful than an irreverant question or answer that I may post sometimes in jest.

I've disagreed with several Christian Q's or A's on here, and have never sent an email about it to the person posting - and certainly wouldn't send them an email about it to attack their opinion.

I hope I haven't ever offended you or any of my other Christian contacts - I would never intentionally set out to do so. I will also however, not "conform" or say I think one thing when I don't, just because I know it will make my contacts more comfortable with me. I'm me all the time - warts and all. And I love all my contacts as they are - warts and all.

When I get a sec this weekend, I've actually been wanting to email you about something myself - nothing about our Q&A's - something we share in the way we practice our faith.

(((QB))) and just because he's so flippin' handsome, I wanna give Jack B a squeeze too - ((Jack B))

Answer 3

I cut a lot of slack. I always think people are entitled to their beliefs, even if that includes the complete opposite of mine. They're entitled to hate what I believe if they want, why should I want to stop them?

If I think they're posting something really close to home specifically with me in mind I'll give the benefit of the doubt. If it happens three times, I take the hint.

Answer 4

Yes. If someone was a friend that knew me well and I knew them and they purposely DISRESPECTED me and my beliefs I would be hurt. I would have to talk to them about it, they may have worded it wrong.
I have 2 close female friends on Answers who are Christians but I don't know which type of church they go to. It doesn't matter to me.
If a question was asked about do you believe in sprinkling or full immersion baptism even if I knew my friend believed in sprinkling I would have to be true to myself as I hope she would be if it was reversed and give an honest but kind answer.
I'm hoping for your sake it was nothing intentional.

Answer 5

Absolutely

Answer 6

I think my feelings would be hurt, but I would have to understand that everybody here says things once in a while that might be hurtful to others because of differences. I would have to remember not to take it personally. I would also hope a true friend would not do that knowing it would hurt me.

Answer 7

It doesn't make me feel all that good about our friendship to be quite honest with you. But at the same time I realize that they may not mean it about every person of a particular religion that they're insulting. It might just be meant about certain people or groups of people in a particular religion.

Answer 8

No.

Actually, I worry about hurting someone I care about when I voice my intense dislike for the bible and fundamentalists.

As a deist, most of my contacts disagree with me, though none have been disrespectful to me personally.

Don't take it personally, we can agree to disagree. Kayne comes to my mind because she is a creationist and I think creationism is stupid. I don't think she is stupid though. Do you see what I mean?

Answer 9

You are a tender hearted soul, and if you have been hurt, it is because you care. ((((Sistah Bella)))) Your sense of humor and concern for others feelings is only superseded by your love of the Lord. You may have just taken a stripe, and your reward will be great.

Answer 10

No. But I don't really see anything I view as disrespectful. Joking that I'm a fence sitter is expected.