Why do people try to assume you are 'insulting their religion'?

Question

When you are in fact pointing out errors in their literalist outlook. Shouldn't they be grateful that you are hoping they will be lead to a more healthy view of God, not one that characterises other people as 'unsaved' or 'heathen?'
And please don't say that 'the Bible calls them that' because God never once delegated the authority to anyone on earth to say who is 'in' and who is 'out.' Why do they assume constructive criticism of their particular interpretation is an insult to their religion, as though they alone were the true interpreters of it?

OK a couple of people have raised some points. First, my Q and A are private to prevent unnecessary reportings by malicious individuals as has happened in the past. Secondly, my recent questions have all been respectful; but that is no guarantee that someone will not find a legitimate question offensive.

Answer 1

Some people's beliefs are very fragile. A certain kind of doublethink is required to allow yourself to believe something that your rational mind knows is nonsense. It's like wanting to make yourself believe that 2 + 2 = 5 (a la 1984). You can do it if left alone, but if somebody throws 2 + 2 = 4 in your face, then it is like a house of cards collapsing, or finding yourself suddenly stripped naked and into the floodlights. I believe that there is truth in all religions, but that none of them have a monopoly on absolute truth. If I felt that I could only take comfort from believing in one particular religion to the exclusion of all others, then I would have to switch off that still small voice inside, and close down some reasoning parts of my brain. When you challenged my beliefs, then you would scare me, and I would call you names to shut you up. I would need to believe that I was right and you were wrong, and I would insult you personally so that I could rationalise away everything you said, and sink back into my whispy little cushion world.

Answer 2

Because these people have been brain-washed with biblical nonsense.
There still isn't any proof that God exists in any form. He's not really doing a very good job is he? We have famine, disease, wars and extreme poverty. And all this because some guy ate a bloody apple. What a load of Bollox. The healthiest opinion these people should have is to stop bothering God and try to be a decent, caring, considerate and compassionate human-being. Then , if there is a God, they willl go to heaven anyway, and if there isn't a God they haven't wasted endless months in some cold, damp church/mosk etc giving money to some pederast.
'Insulting my religion' is just some lame excuse for them not having an answer to a valid question which condradicts their beliefs. There's no helping these people. They're all a bunch of hypocrites. I once observed a homeless man who was asking for a small amount of change outside a Baptist church; 100 people just walked on by wihout a breath of concern. Would Jesus have done that? I kinda doubt it.

Answer 3

You are correct in that no one can say with authority that another person is "unsaved" or "heathen" unless they've had the chance to know that person intimately. I know I can say of some people that I have known very well that they were not a part of Jesus flock, only because it was their own admission.

If you say "constructive criticism" however, I'd be hesitant to agree with you. Since your have your questions and answers listed as private I am unable to see if they are indeed "constructive" or the type of question/answer that is typical of some non-believers, such as "why can't you see that your idiotic sky-fairy daddy doesn't exist you freaken moron" ... I've actually had some people wonder why when they ask a question posed that way, people get upset.

Answer 4

Heathen is an actual religion. Capital H. We are Asatru.
SOME people are ugly about their disrespect. I admit telling me that my gods don't exist is FAR less insulting then telling me I am mislead, I am not smart enough to make my own choices because if I WAS then I would be Christian. I get insulted when people attempt to claim my lore as their own, spread lies about my religion or those who practice religions like mine, I am insulted when they imply I am a bad parent and leading my children to hell.
That isn't pointing out "errors". That's just being elitist. But they will reap what they sow.

Answer 5

Because it is the only response that they have.

They can not debate the issue because the issue is totally one sided - against them.

This is like the people who claim that TalkOrigins is biased towards evolution and against creationism. Well, it is. But this is because all the evidence points to evolution being right and creationism being wrong. It is biased because reality is biased.

They might as well complain that NASA.gov or space.com is biased against a flat Earth position. Yes they are, for a good reason.

For some reason some people find reality insulting.

Answer 6

To which 'people' do you refer? Such a broad observation is difficult to answer.

I believe in God. If people say that God is a myth an that he doesn't exist, I am not offended. Neither would any other 'believer'.

However, when people say that Jesus was an alcoholic and God a mass murderer I find that offensive.

So to answer your question, people don't assume you are insulting their religion, when you are insulting it!

Answer 7

man's ego and thirst to explain that which they can't ; the universe is something that works without man's input ; why do we think that we know that which we can't create ; what we think we know is always subject to change; past and present tells us that ; you got up today and the sun was there and you didn't have any control or input; you are breathing and you have no input into the body; it just happens ; we think we can explain God or disprove that which was here before we arrived ; we are so little in the scheme of creation ; the ego is large ; we can't explain things outside of our capacity .

Answer 8

I don't think we can insult religions because they are not persons. We just express our piont of view. I do believe religions are more bad than good and I'm free to express it

Answer 9

How grateful are you when people point out your problems?

I don't understand who died and left any of us boss over the rest of us.

If you don't agree with or understand something....that has nothing whatsoever to do with you.....then just move on.

That makes much more sense to me.

Answer 10

anything that you say about religions like chrisianity and islam is classed as insulting them and attacking them. You are not supposed to do that. It is quite alright for them to attack you....but not vice versa....now isn't that hypocritical of them not to mention crappy. But then, that is just how silly they are...not forgetting to mention lacking in real spiritual understanding.