Why are you offended?

People get offended when someone says their religions is false, etc. because it is an affront to their beleif structure. The same way a conservative gets upset when he is confronted with a liberal ideology, or vice versa. Most folks carry their emotions and religious and political opinions on thier shoulder's like a chip of wood, and get very upset when anyone comes along and knocks the chip off.

I find it interesting that religious beleifs often draw the harshest reactions when they are questioned. Perhaps it is because they are so deeply held, but are so difficult to rationally defend, when compared with other beleifs/opinions.

B.

Though I always love hugs, Terry, I should've said that this thread didn't make me cry at all. Actually, the whole part of people questioning my faith doesn't bother me. I question my faith all the time, and I feel strange about any faith in which people don't feel they're allowed to ask questions or be asked questions about it. It's the manner in which it is questioned is what affects me. It's one thing to ask "If you can't prove your religion, why do you consider it valid or important to you?" versus "You don't really believe that tripe, do you?" Most of the members of this forum are tactful enough not to ask the latter, thankfully.

Most of the time I dont share my faith with people so they dont have to call me a heretic or a fraud... However at RF i dont fell that i have to hide anything.... *smiles* and that's a nice feeling. One day maybe when I can gain more knowledge on my faith, i can share and better defend it... if it comes to that... but i dont like to attack other's beliefs, cause that seems wrong to me.

Treat others as you would like to be treated and what not.
"Some will say, Here it is, or there it is, but do not believe them" (some verse i forgot...)

*~Lo (sorry for rambling)

"WHY ARE YOU OFFENDED?"

Well, for the most part I am not offended. I believe that there was another thread that discussed the University of Kansas Department of Regligious Studies, and their course entitled, "Creation and other Religious Myths". In other words, the title of the course already makes the assumption, without proof either way. that creation is a myht before the class even started. This didn't offend my religious beliefs, but it did offend my intelligence. I have never been offended at alternate religous views and practices. In fact, I tend to be more curious than anything else. If you don't believe what I believe, fine I don't have a problem with that. But if it comes to a point of ridicule over my beliefs, I tend to have a hard time just sitting here and taking it.

Pah said:

If your faith is called a lie, a piece of fluff, a crutch, a myth, or even heretical, why is it some will be offended. How does that effect a strong faith?

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I am offended only when people deliberately misrepesent my beliefs. In all honesty, I don't care if they think I'm nuts to believe as I do. I just want people who don't have a clue about what my Church really teaches to clam up and let me do the talking. I don't object to questions and I don't object to people telling me that what I believe isn't true. I just don't like it when somebody is so presumptuous as to try to tell me what I supposedly believe. And, in case there's anyone out there who hasn't noticed, I tend to react rather strongly when that happens.

Pah said:

If your faith is called a lie, a piece of fluff, a crutch, a myth, or even heretical, why is it some will be offended. How does that effect a strong faith?

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It indicates a lack of respect for the person you are talking to/about. There are OTHER ways to say that you disagree without being a butthead about it!

In fact. it's probably the SAME reason why so many non-Christians object to evangelism. It's a reverse evangelism as it were.

Aqualung said:

That's offensive because it shows a supreme lack of respect for my faith and my right to follow it.

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I don't think I understand this - especially that your right to follow your religion is challanged. Do you also understand that the content of your faith may not be respected but that you personally might be respected

YmirGF's Avatar YmirGF said:

I only am offened when I detect someone is making assumptions. ... IF they disagree, on some point, no biggy. Their questions tend to help me clarify things and flaws in my own logic... as it should be.

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That seems to be a good attitude but isn't all faith built on assumption?

turk179 said:

Others may look at any accusations about their faith as an insult to their intelligence. As in calling my faith a lie is like calling me ignorant for believing it.

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If intelligence is tied to reasoning and faith is not but an acceptance without material reasoning, I would think it is not an insult to intelligence. But the second point seems valid - sorta like you don't know any better.

jgallandt said:

If you where to belittle my religion, my car, my wife, my job, my education, any of the above, I would take offense. Just like if someone belittled something you believed in or where proud of.

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What if the "belittlement" were based on fact. For example only, if your wife were an alcoholic and you were in denial?

Victor said:

So when someone calls it a lie I USED to get bothered. But not anymore. And I have RF to thank for that

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So adversity strengthens your faith and you are thus able to deal with it. Good!

cardero said:

Faith, as I have repeatedly proven, has never had the quality of strength and endurance.

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I would disagree with that especially as a blanket observation.

Michel said:

I am the only one here who doesn't believe he would be offended.............

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And this is just the perserverance and strengh that shows cardero that he might not want to be so inclusive.

Terrywoodenpic said:

If I am asked I will say what I believe, and trust in God.

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and another of strength.

FeathersinHair said:

... putting their need to feel validated before my feelings. My path may be a lie, a piece of fluff, a crutch, a myth, or even heretical, but since it's my path, and no one else is walking it, I appreciate it if they simply let me be.

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But that shows their weakness, doesn't it and a certain strength of your own.

Maize said:

I just don't listen to people who say stuff like that.

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A good attitude.

Bangbang said:

I have never been offended by anyone that questioned my belief systems. I would welcome any remarks because I always kept and open mind and if someone could prove my beliefs wrong then I gain more knowledge that would set me free.

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The good attitudes just keep on coming - and that's not to say that where I've asked questions there isn't a good attitude.

More to come

Pah said:

I don't think I understand this - especially that your right to follow your religion is challanged. Do you also understand that the content of your faith may not be respected but that you personally might be respected

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I don't mind the questioning. I mind it when people don't show enough to respect to know what beliefs they are tearing down. If they want to try to tear down my beliefs, fine. But if they won't even have the decency to figure out what my beliefs are, that's when I get offended. And then when they criticise me and my beliefs when they aren't even my beleifs, that's when I get offended.

I'm never offended, unless someone criticizes my country. They should be expecting quite a few punches. I don't get offended when people criticize my religion, because it is expected.

Pah said:

If your faith is called a lie, a piece of fluff, a crutch, a myth, or even heretical, why is it some will be offended. How does that effect a strong faith?

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Good quesiton Pah. I believe most people have their religion as part of their identity. It is part of human nature react negatively towards that kind of criticism, whether it is aimed at your race, gender, religion, country, favorite sports team, etc.

I doubt criticism of that nature often effects people's beliefs unless it is coming from someone who they highly regard.

Pah said:

That seems to be a good attitude but isn't all faith built on assumption?

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Well Pah,

even a LACK of faith is based on assumption. It's the age old arrogance that makes out everyone else's faith to be a myth but your own! This applies to all lines of beliefs.

I don't get offended.

Anyone who agrees with my outlook is either a physicist, a mystic, or mad!

I get very suspicious of those not in the above categories who don't challenge my bizarre philosophy. They're probably "sucking up" for some reason, or trying to be agreeable, or lack the interest or intellect to discuss metaphysics.

Pah said:

If your faith is called a lie, a piece of fluff, a crutch, a myth, or even heretical, why is it some will be offended. How does that effect a strong faith?

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Perhaps the mixture of offensive language on the part of the speaker and the object of faith on the part of the hearer.

If you call someone's faith a lie or heretical, it seems like that is pretty offensive language considering that the object of faith is what a person considers to contain something useful like truth, peace, healing, etc. It should not affect a person's faith to call the object or substance of their faith a lie, a peice of fluff, or heretical - unless of course they emotionally choose to abandon their faith because of offense caused by such language.

However, some people actually can recognize that the basis of their faith is a myth, which may or may not be as offensive to the ears as calling their faith a lie. Calling something a myth does not mean that it does not carry any aspect of spiritual truth for some people, but many conservative literalists (some Muslims, Jews, and Christians) would associate "myth" with "untruth" and therefore be offended.

In short, I think that the challenge to the object of the believer's faith is threatened quite rudely by simply calling it a lie, crutch, or heretical. One should expect offense when such terms are used...

Pah said:

If your faith is called a lie, a piece of fluff, a crutch, a myth, or even heretical, why is it some will be offended. How does that effect a strong faith?

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I only get offended when people question my intelligence. That's because I'm a proud person and I don't like being told I'm wrong.

I don't mind being told that my faith it a lie, piece of fluff, a crutch, a myth, or heretical as long as they get the facts straight!

Oh, AND DON'T TELL ME WHAT I BELIEVE!!! ASK ME WHAT I BELIEVE IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW.

Glad we got that cleared up.

And you got an award for being polite ? That's the worst and tackiest piece of Text it's been my misfortune to see on here. Where are my shades....

Solon said:

And you got an award for being polite ? That's the worst and tackiest piece of Text it's been my misfortune to see on here. Where are my shades....

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I'm glad you liked it. :bounce

What offends me the most is when I am sincerely offering a prayer to someone who has troubles and who is also religious and a non-religious person butts in and replys to it in a negative manner. I just consider it rather rude and is not an issue for debate with me. I try not to offer such prayers to those whom I feel might be offended by them though.

Ardent Listener said:

What offends me the most is when I am sincerely offering a prayer to someone who has troubles and who is also religious and a non-religious person butts in and replys to it in a negative manner. I just consider it rather rude and is not an issue for debate with me. I try not to offer such prayers to those whom I feel might be offended by them though.

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Is there any need for the prayer to be said out loud ? when I am in doubt, I say a prayer silently. It may sound silly, but for the last six months or so, I have had an urge to pray for the safety of ambulance, police and fire services drivers whenever I hear a siren, but no one need know.

My religion was branded as heresy and all but destroyed long before i was born, so i'd be pretty stupid not to expect some harse comments and accusations.

I do try to ignore them, but its not like i go around advertising what i believe, even when people ask me what i believe they usually don't understand the reply anyway.

Sometimes i am irked, like when i saw a post that used 'Gnostic' as an insult on this site, but i try to remember that most people are ignorant of my faith and that its not their fault if they judge me on the beliefs of ancient heresy hunters, its just what they know.

John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you that ye not be offended.


I Peter 2:7,8 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious, but unto them which be disobedient...a rock of offense.

I am not offended when folks cut down my belief in Jesus, Jesus is an offense to them, lol. I KNOW what I believe is the TRUTH, I only dislike that I have to really struggle to communicate it clearly and effectively, and am saddened when folks reject Him, but that is just a human weakness I have.

Pah said:

If your faith is called a lie, a piece of fluff, a crutch, a myth, or even heretical, why is it some will be offended. How does that effect a strong faith?

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