Generalizations Based on Beliefs

[Kilgore Trout]

If you are an atheist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out they are an atheist? A theist?

If you are a theist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out that are an atheist? A theist?

(Other than the obvious generalizations about their beliefs regarding god.)

 

[Morse]

If you are an atheist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out they are an atheist? A theist?

If you are a theist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out that are an atheist? A theist?

(Other than the obvious generalizations about their beliefs regarding god.)

I had a long post detailing my reasons, but I decided to cut it down. So here it is, for both sides: They don't listen.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I had a long post detailing my reasons, but I decided to cut it down. So here it is, for both sides: They don't listen.

So, your generalization about everyone you meet is they don't listen?

 

[Morse]

So, your generalization about everyone you meet is they don't listen?

I explained in my big long post that I've learned not to automatically jump to that conclusion, but I do as soon as certain behaviors start to show. I guess I shouldn't have deleted that part.

But yes, given the anecdotal experience I've accumulated, a vast majority of people would rather speak than listen. There have of course been people who have denied this stereotype, which is why I don't automatically jump to said conclusion. But its uncommon.

 

[Karmartia]

Eventhough I generally don't make generalizations, I would say that when I was an atheist I generally viewed theists as being a little too certain of themselves. When I became a theist I began to look at atheists as maybe being a little too certain of themselves. I know this probably isn't very helpful, but it is honest.

 

[Alceste]

If you are an atheist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out they are an atheist? A theist?

No, although I would make some assumptions about anyone who felt compelled to hold forth at length about their religious (or anti-religious) views in casual conversation. Namely, that they are not going to be very much fun to hang out with.

If it comes up at all, if they say something like "the brownies at church yesterday were awesome" I make no assumptions. If it's "God told me brownies are the devil's crankbaits, so eat them at your peril" I not only make quite a few assumptions, but also assess the landscape for the quickest route of escape.

 

[Katzpur]

If you are a theist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out that are an atheist? A theist?

Up until recently, I would not have made any generalizations or assumptions about people I met who are atheists. I have grown to really like quite a few of the atheists on RF who have been here for a long time. Most of the newer ones, though, have negatively impressed me as insulting and belittling of my beliefs. When I see a new atheist here, my first thought is to not go out of my way to get to know him. I always wonder how long it will be before he tells me I'm brainwashed or stupid. If I find that a certain amount of time goes by without that happening, I want to get to know him better.

When I first meet a fellow theist, if he describes himself as a Christian, I get ready to be told I'm going to Hell for believing in "the wrong Jesus" or some other such nonsense. If he describes himself as a Catholic, I'm generally more optimistic about our chances to get along. If he describes himself as a Unitarian, a Buddhist, a Hindu or a Pagan/Wiccan, I figure we will be able to have some respectful discussions with one another. If he describes himself as a Muslim, I'm cautiously optimistic. If he describes himself as a Jew, I hope to have a better experience in talking to him than I've had with most Jews on RF, because I really would like to develop a friendship with a Jewish person and haven't yet been able to.

 

[Nothing]

Generalizing about peoples character based on their beliefs is absurd.

 

[Morse]

Generalizing about peoples character based on their beliefs is absurd.

Man was never a creature of logic.

 

[Smoke]

I can't think of any time anybody has ever told me he was an atheist before I already knew him fairly well.

If somebody says he's "a Christian," I tend to back up a little, because it usually means he's a certain type of Evangelical/fundamentalist Christian. If he says he's a Methodist, a Mormon, or a Presbyterian, then it doesn't set off that kind of alarm. I usually find Muslims in real life to be rather soft-spoken and polite, but friendly, unless they're from Saudi Arabia. I usually find Catholics to be friendly, outgoing, and intelligent -- again, in real life. I usually find Jews to be intelligent and a little uptight in a rather charming way.

In my entire life I've met one militant, aggressive Muslim and maybe half a dozen militant, aggressive Catholics. I usually only encounter such people on the internet. Militant, aggressive, fundamentalist Protestants, on the other hand, are a dime a dozen around here.

 

[TheKnight]

There's nothing wrong with generalizing. That's how we make responsible decisions in life. We generalize. If I meet an Atheist, and they are a certain way. And I meet another Atheist, and they are the same way. And I meet another Atheist, and they are the same way. When I meet the 4th Atheist, it's only logical for me to assume that the next one will be exactly the same way. And there's nothing wrong with my assuming that the fourth one is the same way until the 4th one shows me in some way that he/she is not the same way. At which point I would realize that not all Atheists are the same. Even then, there's still a 3/4 chance that the next Atheist will be the same way as the first 3.

 

[zenzero]

Friend atotalstranger,

Generalizations Based on Beliefs

Any belief is based on a mind set which means that one has a thought process and those who fall into that is agreeable otherwise not.
Here it is a journey just on the reverse direction i.e. No new thought to be developed at the same time bring awareness or LIGHT to all those thoughts already stored and in the process whenever / wherever the LIGHT falls the thoughts recoil.
Meaning here that there is no thought process but a process of No-thought in progress.
Love & rgds

 

[Ozzie]

If you are an atheist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out they are an atheist? A theist?

If you are a theist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out that are an atheist? A theist?

(Other than the obvious generalizations about their beliefs regarding god.)

Online, there aren't any generalisations I'd make in "meeting" either group. In real life there are plenty of assumptions I might make based on the physical appearance of someone either professing to be atheist or theist that would generalise to my opinion of what they have to say.

 

[Alceste]

I can't think of any time anybody has ever told me he was an atheist before I already knew him fairly well.

If somebody says he's "a Christian," I tend to back up a little, because it usually means he's a certain type of Evangelical/fundamentalist Christian. If he says he's a Methodist, a Mormon, or a Presbyterian, then it doesn't set off that kind of alarm.

That's a pretty good point, actually. If someone says they are a "Christian" I ask what denomenation. If they answer something along the lines of "just Christian" I tend to assume they are either ignorant or misinformed about the historical and geopolitical context of their faith. It seems to imply they think there is only / has only ever been one Christian church and as luck would have it, it happens to be theirs.

On the other hand, if they say it in a cagey way I might assume they're embarrassed about whatever sect they belong to because they often get a negative reaction. If they say it in a philosophical, confident way and seem unusually intelligent I might assume they believe in the divinity Christ but worship independently, or in one of those newfangled "church for people who hate church" establishments.

Actually, I make more assumptions on the basis of body language, physical presentation, tone, vocabulary and syntax than any other contributing factor.

 

[Karmartia]

I noted you list your religion as "Taoish." I take it that doesn't quite have the same connotation as "Jewish." Now I'm going to make an assumption that I hope doesn't offend your Toaishness. Making assumptions about people at all, especially assumptions based on superficial markers, doesn't seem to make you very "Taoish" to me at all.

 

[Alceste]

I noted you list your religion as "Taoish." I take it that doesn't quite have the same connotation as "Jewish." Now I'm going to make an assumption that I hope doesn't offend your Toaishness. Making assumptions about people at all, especially assumptions based on superficial markers, doesn't seem to make you very "Taoish" to me at all.

Please, would you elaborate what aspect of Taoism you feel is violated by gaining various insights by carefully observing the appearance of the world?

 

[Caladan]

If you are an atheist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out they are an atheist? A theist?

No.
After traveling with, working with and befriending Muslims, Christians, Atheists, Satanists, Hindus and plenty of other religious variations I'm always willing to look beyond generalizations and assumptions when we're face to face.
I've been welcomed inside the homes of Christians in Germany, spent long days at work passing the time with Muslims at the business next door in London talking about anything from Islam to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, or just smoking a dutchie with the Pakistani guy with some small talk, I've had plenty of interesting relationships with people who hold differing spiritual views and no spiritual views to know that people are people, beliefs are beliefs, and sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. :cigar:

 

[BucephalusBB]

If you are an atheist, are there any generalizations or assumptions you tend to make about people you meet if you find out they are an atheist? A theist?

..

(Other than the obvious generalizations about their beliefs regarding god.)

On the internet or in real life? Because there certainly is a difference. Also, do I know from wich country they are?

Some examples..
If the person says he's a christian, and lives here with me in the Netherlands, I asume he or she is baptised, goes only to church at christmas, but perhaps not even then and follows a mix of rules, some from the bible and some countering the bible.
On the internet I know most christians from here, so internet-christians are more serious about their beliefs according to my personal statistics so far.

 

[Kathryn]

Militant, aggressive, fundamentalist Protestants, on the other hand, are a dime a dozen around here.

As are militant, aggressive atheists - which is weird, because in real life the atheists I know seem perfectly normal and pleasant to be around.

Same with Muslims - I've had several Muslim friends over the years and really enjoyed my friendships with them. But some of the stuff I see online from them is disturbing.

As a former Catholic, I can say that I much prefer the company of most Catholics and "high church" believers than fundamentalist bible-thumping snake handlers, but hey - that's just me.

In my opinion, the internet brings out the worst traits in most people.

 

[Morse]

So, I've come to a conclusion. As our good friend Knight said above, there is nothing wrong with having generalizations. The problem stems from refusing to change your generalization after evidence has been presented to suggest contrary.

For example, I really don't have a problem with assuming that everybody would rather speak than listen. As I've stated, I make that assumption about everybody. But the reason it isn't wrong, is because I'm more than willing to (even happy to) find evidence to the contrary. Generalizations aren't counterproductive, belligerence is.