Dealing with personal bias

AT-AT said:

I'm trying to word this thread in a way that doesn't make me out to be an arrogant jerk. Conservative Christians have tried to convince me I literally have demons inside of me, told me that I'm going to hell, told me that the only way I'll understand their beliefs is if I read every verse of the Bible and understand it upon me asking them simple questions, and tend to demonstrate that upon being proven wrong they continue to bring up the same points.

I have no issue with the more liberal Christians as they tend to believe in proving things through the human sciences and often have answers to my questions that don't require me to find every last meaning myself in some way by pouring over hundreds of pages.

Anyway, it seems unfair for me to think unkindly of conservative Christians. If I want them to understand me and take the trouble, I had better work pretty hard at understanding them.

What steps should I take to not be a narrow minded jerk about the subject? And to live up to my own bar I set for myself that I won't treat others the way a few, not a whole entire group, treated me?

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A. If they say you’re going to hell (for ANY reason), run away.
B. If they tell you to read every verse of the Bible, run away.
Most Christians know very little about what the Bible says.

Just don’t treat anyone mean. But run away. There are 7 billion + people, and the Lord said few will find him. Few.
So run away from the mean ones and find yourself some nice ones. There are a ‘few’.

AT-AT said:

I'm trying to word this thread in a way that doesn't make me out to be an arrogant jerk. Conservative Christians have tried to convince me I literally have demons inside of me, told me that I'm going to hell, told me that the only way I'll understand their beliefs is if I read every verse of the Bible and understand it upon me asking them simple questions, and tend to demonstrate that upon being proven wrong they continue to bring up the same points.

I have no issue with the more liberal Christians as they tend to believe in proving things through the human sciences and often have answers to my questions that don't require me to find every last meaning myself in some way by pouring over hundreds of pages.

Anyway, it seems unfair for me to think unkindly of conservative Christians. If I want them to understand me and take the trouble, I had better work pretty hard at understanding them.

What steps should I take to not be a narrow minded jerk about the subject? And to live up to my own bar I set for myself that I won't treat others the way a few, not a whole entire group, treated me?

Click to expand...

I've worked along side many conservative Christians over the years. The best strategies in my experience are to see the positives in all people, find common ground, and keep it light and friendly. If both parties are unable to have a pleasant agree to disagree discussion about religion, its probably best to avoid discussing religion.

AT-AT said:

I'm trying to word this thread in a way that doesn't make me out to be an arrogant jerk. Conservative Christians have tried to convince me I literally have demons inside of me, told me that I'm going to hell, told me that the only way I'll understand their beliefs is if I read every verse of the Bible and understand it upon me asking them simple questions, and tend to demonstrate that upon being proven wrong they continue to bring up the same points.

I have no issue with the more liberal Christians as they tend to believe in proving things through the human sciences and often have answers to my questions that don't require me to find every last meaning myself in some way by pouring over hundreds of pages.

Anyway, it seems unfair for me to think unkindly of conservative Christians. If I want them to understand me and take the trouble, I had better work pretty hard at understanding them.

What steps should I take to not be a narrow minded jerk about the subject? And to live up to my own bar I set for myself that I won't treat others the way a few, not a whole entire group, treated me?

Click to expand...

Well, here's what Paul said,


It's amazing how so many Christians pretend to love and follow Jesus, even to the degree that they make him God, and yet they have no qualms about taking over what is clearly his domain.

In general (aside of certain believe): To give not a biased answer on the OP one would need to ask more in detail of what was actually said, the topic. It not so, but often the opposite, that someone speaking "harsh" or using critic, is not someone whom one should run away, but often the opposite, at least one should prove first in detail. If one would be actually on the highway to hell, my person wouldn't feel good if not telling.

So general, for those who might be open for cause and effect: Avannaraha Sutta: Dispraise

Praiseworthy, how ever, more than so "clear cut" answers (which are certain biased without asking further) is to ask like the questioner did "what can I do to possible get not cut off them" (at this obivious not so clear point). Something not many whould do "what can I do to get them understanding/that they get my point".

Btw. bias is allways personal, not possible without (Group/Person) Identification-views, it's very root.

Samana Johann said:

In general (aside of certain believe): To give not a biased answer on the OP one would need to ask more in detail of what was actually said, the topic. It not so, but often the opposite, that someone speaking "harsh" or using critic, is not someone whom one should run away, but often the opposite, at least one should prove first in detail. If one would be actually on the highway to hell, my person wouldn't feel good if not telling.

So general, for those who might be open for cause and effect: Avannaraha Sutta: Dispraise

Praiseworthy, how ever, more than so "clear cut" answers (which are certain biased without asking further) is to ask like the questioner did "what can I do to possible get not cut off them" (at this obivious not so clear point). Something not many whould do "what can I do to get them understanding/that they get my point".

Btw. bias is allways personal, not possible without (Group/Person) Identification-views, it's very root.

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Well for instance, I have had a medical issue that's greatly improving involving how should I put this, cognitive thought, that I don't bring up because I feel people would use it against me during debate (but who knows). I met someone who rejects the idea that people have anxiety, etc and that said anxiety was caused by demons. They rejected the idea that medically, there can be real illnesses.

Nyom,

As for this case, anxiety, is of cause not without a cause and it's not caused by "lack of physical treadment, medicine". That one is haunted, or feel haunted (by what ever Demons = unpleasant experiances) has causes. Once one uproots the cause, and it's a matter of virtue, even if old deeds still ripe, one has no more problem to bear the results of past actions. So my person would not generally say that those people surely had total strange ideas when saying like it was told that they said. Sure they might have the idea that a God can fix all of this (yet faith in more Sublime, once action with it, can do certain good of cause), but to solve things for one, only one self, introduced how, can change thing for one on long term.

Again and again it's importand to trust in the healing power of precepts

Fear of others might be also useful in the case. Also Freedom From Fear could be of good use to find the right motivation for needed changes and effort.

As for the topic generally, after good and less biased investigation:

Regard him as one who
points out
treasure, the wise one
who seeing your faults
rebukes you.

Stay with this sort of sage.
For the one who stays with a sage of this sort,
things get better,
not worse.
Let him admonish, instruct,
deflect you away from poor manners.

To the good, he's endearing;
to the bad, he's not.

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So, if thinking that the conservative possible could give Nyom something, just give it more chance and approach a new, ask, ask... best "what should I do to overcome fear" and seek refuge in the goodness of a good God and possible to follow his virtue is surely not a bad choice. Not to change things (especially ways of thinking) would be not so wise as fear at the time of breaking apart of the body would not easy lead to good destination. Now there is time. And, to don't get it wrong, fear of wrong doing is not wrong at all (when clear about right and wrong) So it's all about fear of doing right and harmless, which later gives much fear of results. So just the fear of doing right has to be abound. Once that is reached, fear of wrong doing firm established, the fears of fruits of ones actions dissapear and to bear the ripping whould be of much problem.

When ever fear may arise remember your good Godness, his good teachings and those following that straight. It's not a begging, but a release by refuge, faith (in good and Sublime). And if that far, there is a way to actually abound all kinds of fear.

May Nyom not miss to make good efforts and stay as unbiased as possible if feeling ever confronted by what ever.

AT-AT said:

Conservative Christians have tried to convince me I literally have demons inside of me, told me that I'm going to hell

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It always makes me very sad when people say things like that and call themselves Christians. If you do some research you'l find out that the hell of fire people threaten each other with results from a bad translation and it doesn't reflect what the bible teaches.

I like your reasoning regarding not doing to others what they've done to you. It reveals maturity and kindness.

Isn't one in fear actually steady comming into hellish situations by that? Doesn't one touched and fool of pity quickly fall into the same hell?

So to the base:
When one is touched, touched by identification, grows sad: is it possible to be not biased?
If one regards someone, somewhat as own, is it possible to act, speak, think not biased?

If there is water in a pot, stirred by the wind, agitated, swaying and producing waves, a man with a normal faculty of sight could not properly recognize and see the image of his own face. In the same way, when one's mind is possessed by restlessness and remorse, overpowered by restlessness and remorse, one cannot properly see the escape from restlessness and remorse that have arisen; then one does not properly understand one's own welfare, nor that of another, nor that of both; and also texts memorized a long time ago do not come into one's mind, not to speak of those not memorized.

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What is needed, required to be not biased? To act not fearful (in regard of right conduct)?

How to tread the bias appearing as fear in one self, get ride of this hindrance? 4. Restlessness and Remorse

AT-AT said:

Conservative Christians have tried to convince me I literally have demons inside of me, told me that I'm going to hell, told me that the only way I'll understand their beliefs is if I read every verse of the Bible and understand it upon me asking them simple questions, and tend to demonstrate that upon being proven wrong they continue to bring up the same points.

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I think the conservative Christians are honest to you. In my experience, conservative christians really believe their teachings and they have real fear of God. Conservative Christians really believe Satan is after them, and they want other people to be saved too.