Why is it when we answer your questions, explain our beliefs, defend our faith, and spread the good news of JESUS CHRIST....
....then all of a sudden we are "forcing our beliefs" on you or "shoving our religion down your throats"?!? What's with all the melodrama?
How can we force or shove anything on you?!? Are you that passive and submissive??? So weak and unable to defend yourself that an articulate, intelligent Christian is a threat to your whole specious belief system?!?
How about just admitting it?
All we are doing is telling you the truth; and to you, it feels like judgment.
2007-10-03 13:56:31 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
not an atheist, but...
in my experience, it isn't the debate, it's the attempts to undermine secular society and laws in the real world, attepmts to have myths taught as science, showing up at our doors univited, and fostering a cultural climate hostile to non-Christians.
here on the boards, constantly reporting questions/answers for no other reason than you don't like them is a clear attempt to subvert this forum to favor your own ilk.
the sheer dishonesty of all the straw-man questions is annoying as well; it seems to be an underhanded way of trying to 'win' an argument. It's not forcing, but it is forced (if you'll appreciate the subtle difference).
2007-10-03 14:02:44 · answer #1 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
The reason for the notion of forcing your believes on others is simple. It's true.
Honestly, when is the last time an atheist went door to door trying to convince other people to adopt his beliefs. When is the last time an atheist asked a stranger, "have you been saved?" Where you are jumping to conclusions is that you're assuming that just because you're 'shoving religion down his throat' that he's being converted. Some people don't appreciate being told they're going to rot in hell if they don't change everything about themselves. Especially if they truly believe they're living just fine.
I'm not an atheist, but I've felt that same pressure of someone forcing their beliefs on me. When I have some one stop me on the street and try to convert me, it's a bit invasive. And it does feel like judgment if it's phrased the wrong way. I have little patience for people that judge me as an infidel at a glance and try to save my soul.
2007-10-03 21:31:22 · answer #2 · answered by rohak1212 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, all you are telling anyone is what you believe to be truth. Is it insulting to you that people don't agree with you? I don't think anyone can be justified in complaining about having beliefs forced on them here. The subject is religion!
Maybe you are talking this too personally, it's not that you are forcing your views on others, it's that those views have been forced on everyone for over a thousand years. I don't blame you personally for the Salem witch trials, but it definitely an example of Christians forcing religious views.
If the Atheists are being mean to you, don't play with them. If you truly are trying to spread your faith and honestly think you'll help get them into Heaven, then don't get mad, just keep trying.
2007-10-03 21:13:57 · answer #3 · answered by benjamin QMM 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The forcing and shoving refer to making your morals into laws for all society (no same sex marriages, no polygamy, no stem cell research, etc) and saying things like "You're an atheist and therefore are doing the work of the devil"
Our frustration, at least mine, is from many Christans saying that Science is a "belief" and regurgitating misconceptions that have been debunked nearly as many time as astrology.
Edit:
By "your" in the first paragraph, I'm referring to an unspecified set of believers - not all or any specific ones.
Edit 2:
Following my answer is one (2 down) stating that teaching proven science is forcing "our belief" down believer's throats. I;m sorry but this is exactly why I get frustrated. Evolution is not a religion, nor is it a belief. However many people would rather believe "pseudo-science" lies rather than looking at the facts.
2007-10-03 21:03:03 · answer #4 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 6⤊ 1⤋
I've never heard an atheist claim that Christian writings in Yahoo Answers are forcing Christian beliefs on them or shoving their religion down anybody's throat. There is a world outside Yahoo, where human rights are trampled because of Christianity, where TV shows are canceled because of Christianity, where morons get elected because of Christianity, where individual freedoms are infringed upon because of Christianity.
If you lived in a Muslim-dominated world as a Christian, I think you'd get a sense of what that would be like.
2007-10-03 21:06:07 · answer #5 · answered by Emerald Blue 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is judgment, mate. I try to dislike as little as possible, but I always feel an initial dislike towards anyone who asserts their beliefs with great conviction. Highly opinionated -> Highly close-minded. The two correlate by definition.
The generous use of question and exclamation marks in your post suggest great emotion - perhaps frustration. Intensifiers, after all.
"So weak and unable to defend yourself that an articulate, intelligent Christian is a threat to your whole specious belief system?!?"
That sounds like an attack to me : ). One with the general promotion of your own superiority, and the assertion of our inferiority. That's not nice. That may be why we dislike you : (.
"All we are doing is telling you the truth; and to you, it feels like judgment."
Asserting that your word and view on the word is absolute and true only further compounds things, mate. You have faith in your belief, and we ours, eh? I could aver that Pastafarianism is the only true religion, and what could you do to refute it?
But I don't. I try to maintain no absolute truth - only relative ones. Yes, even that statement. It's not so much your view on the subject to me - it's your unwillingness to accept any fallacious thinking on your part. It's quite discouraging to talk to someone 'stubborn'. I see myself as stubborn. I see you as stubborn.
2007-10-03 21:08:44 · answer #6 · answered by intenex 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In a forum like this I expect beliefs to be stated, you state yours, I state mine and that is the objective of this site. Outside, in the real world, if I politely say no thank you I expect that to be heeded because I will give exactly the same respect, or lack there-of, I receive. If you asked me to not talk to you about any certain subjects I'd be polite enough not to.
You aren't a threat, nor is any other christian. I'm married to a christian so if you had me shaking in my shoes do you think I'd have married one? However, I can look past all the labels and just look at the individual - some can't seem to.
2007-10-03 21:01:43 · answer #7 · answered by genaddt 7 · 7⤊ 1⤋
My belief system isn't threatened by Christians forcing their beliefs on me. However, why do you need to answer a question by spreading the "good news of Jesus Christ" when it's neither asked for or wanted?
The thing you don't seem to understand is your truth is not my truth. Nor do you see that Christians continually attempt to force their beliefs on others by passing laws based on Christian beliefs.
As for any Christians who may judge me, go for it. Your beliefs mean nothing to me so trying to judge me by them is meaningless.
2007-10-03 21:02:25 · answer #8 · answered by OPad 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Who is saying this, specifically? It's one thing to answer questions, another thing to jump in when the answer has no relevance. Just look at any question where somebody asks a question addressed to Pagans or Wiccans. There's always some holy roller who "answers" with the same old soap box babble.
It's not a "threat", just obnoxious and annoying. Believe me, if it was a "threat" then most non-Christians would have become converted a long time ago, considering how much proselytizing goes on. And I'm not talking about posts on Yahoo Answers.
2007-10-03 21:00:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 1⤋
Some (not all) Christians say believe or burn.
Some explain their beliefs.
The first group are attempting to force their beliefs / shove religion down our throats. The second group are being reasonable. If anyone claims that ALL Christians are forcing athiests to believe they are wrong.
2007-10-03 21:01:24 · answer #10 · answered by qxzqxzqxz 7 · 8⤊ 0⤋