Why do people act as if religion is some sort of competition?

Question

I just saw a question a moment ago about some guy who wants to leave the Mormon church and he had people telling him, "It's a step in the right direction! Good decision to get away from that cult!" yadda yadda yadda

Whatever happened to religious tolerance? Whatever happened to live and let live? Whatever happened to respecting other people's beliefs?

This isn't a competition, so can we please stop with the "My church is better than your church" mindset that we have?

This goes for EVERYONE...Catholics, Mormons, Baptists, whatever. I just don't see why people have to make it seem like it's a competition or something by bashing other people's beliefs.

Answer 1

I have to agree with you. While I applaud people who explore new things, if someone's happy with what they believe, then so be it and I'm glad for them, as long as I don't get dragged in.

I don't understand the competition aspect of it, but there are indeed many people who think that their brand of belief (or whatever else) is and has to be the only correct one. I find this quite disheartening.

Answer 2

This whole issue comes down to a matter of whether or not you believe in truth. Can we really KNOW anything? Christians believe that there is absolute truth in the world and that we can know the truth (and the truth will set us free). I assume that you do not believe that something or some concept can be completely true. If you believed something to be true, and not just true for yourself, but true for everyone, there is a strong internal urge for someone to defend that truth if someone makes statements to others that refute what is believed to be Truth. Where you obvious frustration comes from is a plethora of idiots in the world that take this urge to extremes. The belittle, insult, and cry foul when backed into a corner with tough questions. It is a well-documented (though not universally agreed upon) ideology to believe in absolute truth, but this does not warrant people harshly pushing their ideas on others. The bottom line is that if someone believes in something passionately, they will not lay down and just say "to each his own"...they will defend what they believe to be right. This is not competition, it is simply the inevitable clash of a world arena full of conflicting views of what "truth" really is.

Answer 3

I think the reason those comments are/were made stem from the bad press that church is getting as of late, much like the Catholic church is. You are right, there really should not be a competion with religion, in theory, we are all working towards the same goal. However, the true message behind Chrisitanity, all different denominations of the followers of Jesus, has been lost. Jesus' message to the entire world can be summed up in a simple phrase "love one another" not battle one another, not argue with one another, not demoralize one another, not do bad things in My name, just LOVE. If that were the primary focus as it should have been since day one, the history of the world as we know it would have been much different - we would not have the problems and suffering we have today. All of us are responsible to everyone else we share the earth with. Our selfishness keeps us from remembering that. Our selfishness allows us to turn a blind eye to our brothers and sisters all over the world who are in need of our help. We need to humble ourselves to refrain for thinking we are above or better than anyone else. We need to truly love and provide for those in need. Remember when Jesus mentions "the least of my breatheren"? He was talking to all of us, He is speaking directly to our selfish sides of our personality. I don't normally quote bible scripture, but these words are powerful.....

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men and angels,
but have not love,
I have become sounding brass or a tinkling symbol.
And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.
And if I dole out all my goods, and
if I deliver my body that I may boast
but have not love, nothing I am profited.
Love is long suffering,
love is kind,
it is not jealous,
love does not boast,
it is not inflated.
It is not discourteous,
it is not selfish,
it is not irritable,
it does not enumerate the evil.
It does not rejoice over the wrong, but rejoices in the truth
It covers all things,
it has faith for all things,
it hopes in all things,
it endures in all things.
Love never falls in ruins;
but whether prophecies, they will be abolished; or
tongues, they will cease; or
knowledge, it will be superseded.
For we know in part and we prophecy in part.
But when the perfect comes, the imperfect will be superseded.
When I was an infant,
I spoke as an infant,
I reckoned as an infant;
when I became [an adult],
I abolished the things of the infant.
For now we see through a mirror in an enigma, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know as also I was fully known.
But now remains
faith, hope, love,
these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

Answer 4

It is all about insecurities. This is why ANYONE bashes another for no justified reason other than "because" or does any bashing in the first place. We only defend what we consider threatened, think of it that way. A real Christian who never bashes has no need to defend.

Answer 5

i imagine we'd want to all be much better off. There might want to probable be a lot extra solidarity, noticeably if the random acts of kindness stronger the accepted of existence for those interior the third international international locations. i do not imagine we choose a uniform definition.

Answer 6

The problem with this is it is human nature to do the "my god is better than your god" on a fairly regular basis. It is not in our nature to be tolerant of anything we don't personally believe in. Christians get on pagans for worshipping "false" gods. Atheists get on everyone for worshipping gods. We don't know how to be truly tolerant. Even those who claim to be incredibly tolerant aren't always as tolerant as they should be. I've met pagans who are the most intolerant judgemental individuals you'd ever meet.....my sister-in-law for instance. It's just in our nature.

Answer 7

I agree, but this is mainly a western phenomenon. Eastern religions, such as budhism and even judaism believe that religion is a guide to spiritual enlightenment - not an absolute neccessity.

Answer 8

Hey, I am with you. There is one person here who attacks Christians EVEY day, at least 2 times. She is so very intolerant. It is sad, isn't it?

I think we all ought to be able to get along.

Answer 9

If you discovered the fountain of youth, would you share your knowledge? Christians are excited about our "fountain of youth", and are overjoyed when His gift is well received. It really isn't that invasive, it is all good, no victims. It's all about sharing the love.

Answer 10

WELL SAID..a persons beliefs are the most important and intimate part of their being..Where is the love and tolerance?!