Non-Abrahamic followers: Do you get frustrated with those that follow Abrahamic traditions in interpreting...?

Question

... your faith's views? A few examples from eastern faiths include dharma, tao, balance, etc; these terms often lose their meaning outside of the delicate context of an entire faith. Do you find it difficult to communicate these concepts to those of Abrahamic traditions (or outside your own, in general)?

Answer 1

yes, and i don't even try anymore. when they ask they don't really want to know they're just looking for an opening to tell me how wrong i am (as someone else said), and that i'm going to hell.

never mind that we don't believe in their hell. it is extremely difficult to talk to someone who believes that there is only one way to the truth.

my favorite quote...
"there is room in the universe for every way. you follow yours and should you need it i will help you as i follow mine."

bright blessings

Answer 2

Yes. It is especially frustrating to have both "Abrahamic believers" and "Abrahamic disbelievers" presume that religion is by definition about beliefs. And the corollary presumption that religion is about things that cannot be proven.

To keep it simple, I usually say I'm Buddhist. And I am. But what is more accurate is that I am a student and practitioner of contemplative traditions (meditation) ... which is something that is as much "psychology" as it is "religion." But both those words, too, are essentially Western constructed notions.

I practice those techniques. I have experiential realizations on that eminently practical basis. Those experiences are inherently empiric and testable.

Belief as such doesn't come into it, let alone "non-provability." To be glib about it, it's all about simply going and looking or, to put it in Buddhist terms, it's all about "stopping and seeing."
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Answer 3

Well, as an Hellenic polytheist (or "ancient Greek-style pagan", to put it simply), I've pretty much given up on trying to explain how both a) their religion is no less "mythology" than mine is and b) no, "mythology" is not synonymous with "fallacy" or "fairy-tale".

Basically, the ancient Greek root "myth" or "mythos' means simply "sacred writings". All religion, therefore, is based on a "mythology" (a study of sacred writings).

There's not a clear etymological line between how "myth" became a pejorative term meaning "fallacy", "fairy tale" or "untruth", but basically, it's common for followers of Abrahamic faiths to acknowledge Abrahamic faiths or even only *their* faith as "real religion" while everything else is "mere mythology". But that bothers me less as a pagan and more as a nerd who has a minimal understanding of ancient Greek, to be honest.

Answer 4

Sometimes I find it extremely difficult with members of Abrahamic religions. Usually less so though with Pagan religions based on the European Gods as the basic understanding of the Gods is similar even if the Gods are not always analogous to one another.

Answer 5

Yes, but only because they are unwilling to try to understand or accept that I have a different truth than they do. I have to admit, Jews tend to be more accepting of atheists than Christians and Muslims are. But outside of the Jews, I find very few people of that belief system that don't think I'm evil.

Answer 6

This is a phenomenal question. I do find it difficult at times to explain my belief system's concept of "gods", or of other aspects of my non-abrahamic faith.

I also find that it really doesn't fall on willing ears, either. Most of the time, it's simply to find a way to call me a satan-worshipper or tell me one more time how I'm going to hell.

Answer 7

You are right, Christianity has nothing to do with the Lord of Abraham.

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Answer 8

Yes, it is usually hard for them to understand. It can be frustrating.