Is a Person's Religion Important to You?

[stvdv]

Maybe they feel safer in being open about their beliefs.

Hindus are even more open when talking about God

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

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.

It depends. In general, no.
In certain specific cases, yes.

Beliefs inform actions and decision making.
So it depends what the context is of the social relation.

If the context is irrelevant to the beliefs, then I don't care. For example, team members at work (software programming). Doesn't matter what their religious beliefs are. Software design is not impacted by it.
A candidate girlfriend... there it matters. I don't think I could be together with a very religious person. Too incompatible for me.
Politicians... there it matters. Their religion likely defines their stance on important issues like euthanasia, abortion, gay marriage, etc.

So for me it all depends on the nature of the relation and / or the context.

 

[osgart]

I draw a distinction between culturally religious, and devoted religion.

Some devoted followers of religion have no calling to divide, judge or convert people on the basis of religion. Other devoted followers of religion do have this calling.

So it can become important. I grew up with bad religion. And bad religion is not happy with free spirited individualism. Half my family converted to bad religion, and the other half believe in self responsible behaviour, and freedom to be who you are, and follow your own aspirations.

 

[Nakosis]

I draw a distinction between culturally religious, and devoted religion.

Some devoted followers of religion have no calling to divide, judge or convert people on the basis of religion. Other devoted followers of religion do have this calling.

So it can become important. I grew up with bad religion. And bad religion is not happy with free spirited individualism. Half my family converted to bad religion, and the other half believe in self responsible behaviour, and freedom to be who you are, and follow your own aspirations.

I've been around many different religions with lots of people trying to convert me. I got used to it I suppose so don't really have an issue with people trying to convert me, listening to what they say and saying no thank you.

Not saying it's easy but practice has made it easier for me.

 

[bobhikes]

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

The only times I felt it important to me was when I was serious about a woman as a partner for life. I was worried about her religion and her acceptance of me based on her religion. I got serious with a Morman was not an issue. I got serious with an Universalist she dumped me based on religion. I got serious with a Catholic and we've been married 22 years.

Other than family I can't recall talking to another person about their Religion and I even helped out my local church.

 

[Eyes to See]

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 be good to know what a person believes to have a starting ground to go on. But beyond that a person is a person, loved by God, and just as important as you or me, doesn't matter what they believe.

 

[firedragon]

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 an identity statement. And anyone has a sense of belonging to something. Even an Atheist gets a little tingle when his colleague says he is an atheist. Just like a Leninist gets that same sensation when he learns of another. Applies to democrats and even football players.

 

[loverofhumanity]

I love to hear people's thoughts on religion. Do I need to know? No. Would it change how I view them? Probably not, unless their views included violence or harm against others.

I admit I do find it harder to connect with people who feel their religious, or irreligious, views make them superior to others as well, but I think that's more of a glimpse of their personality than a reflection of the beliefs.

Thank you very much for making me feel come. I am always happy to hear your beliefs and views so feel free to share them with me anytime.

 

[loverofhumanity]

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 think ignorance is undesirable in our relationships with others. To become acquainted, as best we can with the prevailing notions and beliefs of others I find to be indispensable in establishing better relations and communications.

Often wrong understanding or no understanding of another persons sensitivities can lead to hurt feelings and cause distress to them. But we often learn this the hard way as nobody knows everything.

 

[Mock Turtle]

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.

Mostly it doesn't matter to me what another's religion is, and is all about behaviour rather than beliefs. I might be less likely to form friendships with those tending to believe anything that I saw as being essentially harmful to others - such as discrimination based on some particular belief or doctrine, or espousing some teaching aimed at children that might be potentially harmful to them.

Mostly my friends have not been religious at all or kept it well hidden, and religion rarely came into our conversations - apart from early on when we might have discussed the more fundamental aspects of reality and existence, but I suppose that was as much philosophical as being religious.

 

[BilliardsBall]

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.

If someone is born again, we can have mutual understanding and spiritual ties. If someone is not, I place no particular expectations on them.

Unless they are an atheist who is active on religious sites.

 

[Muffled]

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 believe in taking an interest in people and a persons belief system is interesting to me. So the gas station owner is a Muslim and I took an interest in that and asked some questions. From that I was able to attend a Friday prayer service. My Christian friends freaked out. They probaly thought I was off my rocker or something bad was going to happen to me. The truth is that I am still a Christian and quite rational and I was warmly welcomed by those attending even though I didn't get my head all the way to the ground praying.

 

[Muffled]

I like to know so I can accommodate dietary needs, gender segregation, prayer times etc.

Also I love talking about religion, so if I find we have that in common I'm eager to discuss similarities and differences.

I believe that happened once. I have a cousin who is Roman Catholic and he came on Friday to have dinner with us. My mother not knowing much about religion made meat instead of fish. I pointed that out but my cousin was gracious and had no trouble eating his meal. He didn't let religious rules get in the way of his being a loving person.

 

[Muffled]

It depends on how big a deal it is to the person in question: if they make a deal of it, then it' more important than if they keep it quiet. Not a positive or negative thing, unless they are pushy about what they believe and think it's okay to impose

My wife used to warn people to not get me started talking about religion. Sometimes her friends would try to make conversation about it but would know so little that there wasn't much to talk about.

 

[Nakosis]

I think ignorance is undesirable in our relationships with others. To become acquainted, as best we can with the prevailing notions and beliefs of others I find to be indispensable in establishing better relations and communications.

Often wrong understanding or no understanding of another persons sensitivities can lead to hurt feelings and cause distress to them. But we often learn this the hard way as nobody knows everything.

I don't expect other people to have knowledge of my sensitivities so I don't hold them accountable for that.

 

[Nakosis]

Religion is an identity statement. And anyone has a sense of belonging to something. Even an Atheist gets a little tingle when his colleague says he is an atheist. Just like a Leninist gets that same sensation when he learns of another. Applies to democrats and even football players.

Does this mean you treat people "playing for the other team" worse?

 

[firedragon]

Does this mean you treat people "playing for the other team" worse?

No.

 

[Pipiripi]

For me every person in this world is important. If we all knows that our battle is not against humanity, then our loves for each other is so beautiful.
Ephesians 6:10-18

 

[Pipiripi]

It is difficult to be with a person of an other religion of you. Because their opinions are not the same. For just friend is an other thing. We must love all humans and hate the sin.

 

[Spirit of Light]

It is difficult to be with a person of an other religion of you. Because their opinions are not the same. For just friend is an other thing. We must love all humans and hate the sin.

So accepting that others can believe differently then your self make it difficult?
When i met my girlfriend who is muslim i was not a muslim my self yet, even i had thought of converting already, she made it so much more easy.