Is a Person's Religion Important to You?

[Estro Felino]

I recall I have never talked about religion with any of my boyfriends. The least romantic topic ever...

 

[Unveiled Artist]

To me, a person's religious belief is the least significant thing about them.

I deal with numerous people. I have no idea what their beliefs are. Even if I did know, it would not affect how I deal with them. I see no need/reason to judge people according to their religion or change how I deal with them because of their beliefs.

If you found your co-worker was a Satanist or Jew or some belief you believe is wrong. Would it change your attitude towards them?

I just don't see a person's beliefs being relative to much. Maybe there is some extreme belief that promotes violence but I've never run into anyone like that.

At most, amoung friends, it is an interesting topic of conversation to me.

I will be honest, yes it does. It highly depends on if we have already discussed faith. My coworker said half to me and half to herself the Bible says I'm going to hell cause I'm gay and not christian. When I talk to her I get a little nudge cause she also base friends off their faith. I told her private things thinking we'd be friends. I was wrong.

I have huge bias with Christian theology and a catch 22 cause I had no internal issues with it in practice.

Muslim, pagan, Hindu, jew, whomever I never had issues with. Buddhist yes, but not the dalai lama type. Very Americanized. Though was told japanese have their evangelist issues too.

All in all, I don't confront these theologies near never. I just have to be mindful 99% Christians here never mention political and social modern issues they disagree with (don't ask, don't tell). Just follow Christ, here's the bible, and god bless you.

 

[Nakosis]

I will be honest, yes it does. It highly depends on if we have already discussed faith. My coworker said half to me and half to herself the Bible says I'm going to hell cause I'm gay and not christian. When I talk to her I get a little nudge cause she also base friends off their faith. I told her private things thinking we'd be friends. I was wrong.

I have huge bias with Christian theology and a catch 22 cause I had no internal issues with it in practice.

Muslim, pagan, Hindu, jew, whomever I never had issues with. Buddhist yes, but not the dalai lama type. Very Americanized. Though was told japanese have their evangelist issues too.

All in all, I don't confront these theologies near never. I just have to be mindful 99% Christians here never mention political and social modern issues they disagree with (don't ask, don't tell). Just follow Christ, here's the bible, and god bless you.

Fair enough. If I was gay, I might have a different take on this. Although the pastor at my Grandmother's Methodist church was lesbian and she thought it was great. Maybe it being the Christian part of it I guess.

 

[Nimos]

To me, a person's religious belief is the least significant thing about them.

I deal with numerous people. I have no idea what their beliefs are. Even if I did know, it would not affect how I deal with them. I see no need/reason to judge people according to their religion or change how I deal with them because of their beliefs.

If you found your co-worker was a Satanist or Jew or some belief you believe is wrong. Would it change your attitude towards them?

I just don't see a person's beliefs being relative to much. Maybe there is some extreme belief that promotes violence but I've never run into anyone like that.

At most, amoung friends, it is an interesting topic of conversation to me.

Obviously it would, if they due to their religious views drew conclusions for which you disagree. Let's say two religious people agree, that homosexsuality is sinful and ought to be punished by death (Yes, that actually happens in the world) or they express that they think it's perfectly fine for men to marry 9 year olds, because that is what their religion teaches them. Then you wouldn't have any issues with them and your attitude would be exactly the same?

 

[Fool]

To me, a person's religious belief is the least significant thing about them.

I deal with numerous people. I have no idea what their beliefs are. Even if I did know, it would not affect how I deal with them. I see no need/reason to judge people according to their religion or change how I deal with them because of their beliefs.

If you found your co-worker was a Satanist or Jew or some belief you believe is wrong. Would it change your attitude towards them?

I just don't see a person's beliefs being relative to much. Maybe there is some extreme belief that promotes violence but I've never run into anyone like that.

At most, amoung friends, it is an interesting topic of conversation to me.

i don't care what a person believes, its more about how they behave. Most people aren't consistent with their beliefs. Most tend to practice their beliefs discriminately.

 

[halbhh]

To me, a person's religious belief is the least significant thing about them.

I deal with numerous people. I have no idea what their beliefs are. Even if I did know, it would not affect how I deal with them. I see no need/reason to judge people according to their religion or change how I deal with them because of their beliefs.

If you found your co-worker was a Satanist or Jew or some belief you believe is wrong. Would it change your attitude towards them?

I just don't see a person's beliefs being relative to much. Maybe there is some extreme belief that promotes violence but I've never run into anyone like that.

At most, amoung friends, it is an interesting topic of conversation to me.

We pretty much perfectly agree on all of that. I'm sure there must be some difference, but not in this short post you wrote.

I've found that often people will tend to guess at my own attitudes/viewpoints, and they often guess wrongly, and I take that as a good demonstration about how we all should refrain from guessing what others' attitudes/views are, past what they say.

So, if a person is a member of religion X, one ought not to assume anything about them.

Certainly we can know that if a person has religion X, they will not be just like some other people that have religion X.

As I see it, typically a belief a person has, and this is my own direct experience from my life, is a stepping stone, just a step along the way to what they will know/understand/transition-to later.

 

[Nakosis]

Obviously it would, if they due to their religious views drew conclusions for which you disagree. Let's say two religious people agree, that homosexsuality is sinful and ought to be punished by death (Yes, that actually happens in the world) or they express that they think it's perfectly fine for men to marry 9 year olds, because that is what their religion teaches them. Then you wouldn't have any issues with them and your attitude would be exactly the same?

As I pointed out, violence being an extreme example, that would include killing others because of their belief. Forcing children into marriage would be another. However , this is more about how they treat other people than their religion IMO. Not all Muslims, I'm assuming you are referring to, accept this as part of their belief. So just being a Muslim, no problem. Using their religion to justify causing harm to others, that is a different story.

 

[Revoltingest]

i don't care what a person believes, its more about how they behave. Most people aren't consistent with their beliefs. Most tend to practice their beliefs discriminately.

Aye, religion can influence the person, but
not determine one. We are all individuals.

 

[viole]

To me, a person's religious belief is the least significant thing about them.

I deal with numerous people. I have no idea what their beliefs are. Even if I did know, it would not affect how I deal with them. I see no need/reason to judge people according to their religion or change how I deal with them because of their beliefs.

If you found your co-worker was a Satanist or Jew or some belief you believe is wrong. Would it change your attitude towards them?

I just don't see a person's beliefs being relative to much. Maybe there is some extreme belief that promotes violence but I've never run into anyone like that.

At most, amoung friends, it is an interesting topic of conversation to me.

Yes, very important. I prefer theists.
Trying to argue with an atheist would be boring.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Heyo]

To me, a person's religious belief is the least significant thing about them.

I deal with numerous people. I have no idea what their beliefs are. Even if I did know, it would not affect how I deal with them. I see no need/reason to judge people according to their religion or change how I deal with them because of their beliefs.

If you found your co-worker was a Satanist or Jew or some belief you believe is wrong. Would it change your attitude towards them?

I just don't see a person's beliefs being relative to much. Maybe there is some extreme belief that promotes violence but I've never run into anyone like that.

At most, amoung friends, it is an interesting topic of conversation to me.

Religion is not the least significant thing about a person. It's usually pretty low on the list but it depends on how significant the religion is to the person. I've had bad experiences with religious people and their behaviour was directly linked to to their religiosity. I try not to be biased but people who need to tell me about their devotion raise a yellow flag.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

To me, a person's religious belief is the least significant thing about them.

I deal with numerous people. I have no idea what their beliefs are. Even if I did know, it would not affect how I deal with them. I see no need/reason to judge people according to their religion or change how I deal with them because of their beliefs.

If you found your co-worker was a Satanist or Jew or some belief you believe is wrong. Would it change your attitude towards them?

I just don't see a person's beliefs being relative to much. Maybe there is some extreme belief that promotes violence but I've never run into anyone like that.

At most, amoung friends, it is an interesting topic of conversation to me.

I see Faith is shown in deeds, as such what is important to me is who we are as a person, as our actions define who we are.

Then the most important thing to me is, is to become the best person I can be, which in turn will embrace all peoples.

The people that help most in this world have an elevated drive of morality, which then to me, becomes the most interesting thing about that person, as it defines them.

Regards Tony

 

[Secret Chief]

I only know of one person's religious beliefs and that is because she wanted to tell me....followed by a magazine....followed by a DVD. It was the whole fossils are the work of the devil schtick and the planet is only 3,000 years old, but I already knew she was batty. Lovely woman, but batty.
It's never a topic of conversation. I'm guessing most people I know are agnostic/atheist/cultural Christian.

 

[Nakosis]

I see Faith is shown in deeds, as such what is important to me is who we are as a person, as our actions define who we are.

Then the most important thing to me is, is to become the best person I can be, which in turn will embrace all peoples.

The people that help most in this world have an elevated drive of morality, which then to me, becomes the most interesting thing about that person, as it defines them.

Regards Tony

I'm more of a moral nihilist but I think I understand what you mean. Folks who act from good intentions towards others, though I suppose even that could be a problem. Like folks wo have the best of intentions to save your soul from hell might cause them to do something drastic.

What drives me is self interest. Helping someone else makes me feel useful. Like I've helped someone else towards being happy. Helping someone else makes me feel good. I don't know why it just does.

Being happy, making others happy. That is what drives me for some strange reason.

 

[stvdv]

I have no idea what their beliefs are.

IF I work for years with people AND still don't know their religion....SURE....no problem at all

 

[TransmutingSoul]

I'm more of a moral nihilist but I think I understand what you mean. Folks who act from good intentions towards others, though I suppose even that could be a problem. Like folks wo have the best of intentions to save your soul from hell might cause them to do something drastic.

What drives me is self interest. Helping someone else makes me feel useful. Like I've helped someone else towards being happy. Helping someone else makes me feel good. I don't know why it just does.

Being happy, making others happy. That is what drives me for some strange reason.

I see the reward in helping others, is in the action.

I do not see that as selfish, even if it does make you happy. Much the same as having a dream job, one you like doing all the while getting paid for it.

At the same time I see we have to expand our ability to do jobs we do not like, with the same spirit of service to others.

All the best, regards Tony

 

[Nimos]

As I pointed out, violence being an extreme example, that would include killing others because of their belief. Forcing children into marriage would be another. However , this is more about how they treat other people than their religion IMO. Not all Muslims, I'm assuming you are referring to, accept this as part of their belief. So just being a Muslim, no problem. Using their religion to justify causing harm to others, that is a different story.

I agree that just because a person is religious doesn't influence me as such. It comes down to views, also why I said that it depends how "religious" a person is, and for most people they do not have extreme views. Just as if an atheist expressed that they thought racism were fine, I would react to that as well.

 

[Nakosis]

IF I work for years with people AND still don't know their religion....SURE....no problem at all

Well, ok Christians and Jews, I usually do. Maybe they feel safer in being open about their beliefs.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I'm interested in religion, just as I'm interested in the arts and in history, because I'm interested in humanity in general. I like to discuss those things in places where such discussion is wanted -- for example right here on RF.

However, in my whole life, it has never occurred to me to ask anyone I've met personally about their religious beliefs, because when I'm dealing with an individual (rather than "humanity"), I am not at all interested.

 

[Trailblazer]

To me, a person's religious belief is the least significant thing about them.

I deal with numerous people. I have no idea what their beliefs are. Even if I did know, it would not affect how I deal with them. I see no need/reason to judge people according to their religion or change how I deal with them because of their beliefs.

If you found your co-worker was a Satanist or Jew or some belief you believe is wrong. Would it change your attitude towards them?

I just don't see a person's beliefs being relative to much. Maybe there is some extreme belief that promotes violence but I've never run into anyone like that.

At most, amoung friends, it is an interesting topic of conversation to me.

I do not really care to know what religion people are but sometimes I would like to know if they believe in God because if they don't I do not want to offend them by blurting something out about God.

I try to put myself in other's shoes and if I was an atheist I would not want to hear someone say "God bless."
Imo, people should not just assume everyone believes in God, just because they do.

But if I am going to talk about my religion I would like to know if they are a Christian because some Christians would be offended by my beliefs.

 

[Mindmaster]

That sucks. Losing friends I mean.

While it doesn't seem to matter to a number of people on the forums, I think it does matter to many of the people you meet.

Yeah, forums will largely be more tolerant of divergent beliefs but they draw people that are more liberal of mind in general. I've lost friends for any number of reasons, but most of them were disagreements over politics or religion, lol. Of course, I've never even remotely implied that they had to 'accept' my religion to remain a friend of mine or whatever.