What do you do when somebody justifies intolerance with religion? I couldn't care less about somebody's theistic beliefs, but when they are intolerant, mean and inconsiderate towards, say, gays and transsexuals, other religions (or other beliefsystems/disbelief), different cultures, races, when they scare young children with threats of hell or when they push their beliefs on others (by requesting school prayers, or knocking at your door to tell you your lifestyle is wrong), what do you do then? How do you react? I wouldn't want to actually convert anybody, but I also do not want to look away when these things happen. I don't care about myself, but I am very loyal towards friends and family of all races/sexual orientations/belief systems.
How do you put up with these people? I couldn't forgive myself for ignoring them since I sincerely see that as betrayal towards my friends and myself. I can ignore it on the web, but not in person.
What to do?
2007-11-13 03:30:16 · 8 answers · asked by Maria - Godmother II of the AM 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Sorry, I'm an atheist, I sometimes mess up my English, it's not my first language.
I mean, how do you try to get them to understand that what they're doing is inacceptable - but still remain polite about it? I wouldn't want to sink as low as to tell them THEY suck. I think it's their intolerance that sucks.
2007-11-13 03:35:41 · update #1
There is the problem.
Believers tend to have a persecution complex that they learn from their spiritual text. So any time an atheist accuses them of being intolerant, they cry persecution.
What they don't recognize is that their behavior creates a need for people to stand up and call them out. When policy is created on faith alone, and not substantiated with fact or reason, it opens the door to very harmful things.
The Germans in WWII believed that the Jews were an inferior race and therefore could justify killing them in mass. This is a perfect example of faith based beliefs causing problems. The believe that Jews were inferior humans species was base completely on faith, not on any fact what so ever.
Luckily today, there are people like yourself who are willing to fill in the void and call crazy doctrine, crazy.
Keep it up.
Just try to use reason, and point out where their beliefs fall apart logically. There is little else you can do.
2007-11-13 03:36:24 · answer #1 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Be tolerant of them, I guess, and love 'em where they're at even if it's not where they should be, but consider....
Everyone is intolerant of someone or something. It's a question of socially acceptable intolerance at any given moment in time.
Many people think pedophiles should be locked up. That's a pretty intolerant attitude. Others think white supremacists and skinheads should go live on another planet. Again another intolerant attitude. You show me a person that is tolerant of everyone and I'll show you a person that hasn't MET everyone yet.
I shouldn't laugh at the style of I'M AN ATHEIST's answer and thus make light of Maria's question, but that's funny. Sorry. Funny...
2007-11-13 03:34:52 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I consider myself an Agnostic. And yes, I disagree with all of the hate that is spread by Christianity and other organized religions.
I send my children to school to get an education, not to say prayers and receive religious instruction. I find it amusing that when I worked in a factory just about all the guys in there believed in school prayer. But when I asked them if they said prayers at home as a family, they said no, they did not. Prayers, in my opinion, are best said at home and in church. Not in school.
Another thing that rubs me the wrong way is that churches are exempt from paying taxes. If they don't pay their taxes, then we have to make up what they are not paying with increased taxes. This is wrong.
2007-11-13 03:45:08 · answer #3 · answered by troymariner 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personally I feel that just because they (whoever they) do not play fair, this does not mean that I will try to cheat as well.
I try to be polite (whenever this is possible) and follow my own morals which means that:
a) I will not try to be make everyone believe that what I think is the right thing
b) I cannot and will not make everyone happy by agreeing to everything.
c) I will respond as civilized or humorous or fair as possible.
d) As a civilian I will state my thoughts in any way possible (voting, participating etc)
2007-11-13 03:51:33 · answer #4 · answered by fretless 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I must ignore it, for I would lose my job if I told the intolerant a**holes at work what I think of them.
2007-11-13 04:05:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
so finally which religion is the most intolerant??
2007-11-13 03:44:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
step up, make a stand for what you believe in (either religiously, or morally) if i see someone getting slammed i'll come to their defense...
2007-11-13 03:34:51 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'd (a-)nswer your question, if I understood it
2007-11-13 03:32:45 · answer #8 · answered by I'm an Atheist 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋