Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've run across many pictures like this on the internet and though I've always found them amusing, never put too much thought to them.
It was only until recently that I read on the Christian board that I realized there are actually people out there that think all atheists are out to wreck their soul, rape their children, and drag them into damnation. Needless to say, I always thought this kind of thinking was a type of overly dramatized stereotype and finding this kind of mindset as a huge surprise to me.
Allow me to clarify that I was never raised as a Christian. In fact, faith was something that was open in my family as my dad was a scientific guy and my mom is a devout Chinese Buddhist. I, on the other hand, was raised in a Christian American environment where everyone said things like "oh Bless your heart!" or "Godspeed!".
Sure, growing up, my parents warned me of rapists and robbers and bad people that are out to take advantage of you but never once have I felt like a certain GROUP of people were out to get me. Even when I came face to face with racism, sexism (yay for being an agnostic Chinese girl), and being told I was going to hell for not going to Church, I always wrote it off as one single ignoramus amongst a group of relatively agreeable people.
My question is, how do people who honestly believe everyone else is out to attack their faith live? Wouldn't one always be in constant paranoia, constant fear of being preyed upon by "those heathens"? It truly is a mindset that I fail to even try to rationalize.
Before people start coming in here to scream oppression and me making fun of their beliefs, this is an honest question. What goes on in your mind? What are your experiences? And why do you feel the world is out to get you?
And for those who don't have such paranoia---what do you think creates this type of mindset? Is it the religion? the faith? or the person?
Last edited by SmerkyGrl; 02-10-2008 at 07:03 PM..
[SIZE=3]I think that for many Christian’s in the church circle things boil down to either God or the devil. If it’s good, than it must be of God, and if it’s bad, then it’s of the devil. Most Christian’s don’t believe in anything in between when it comes to life choices that concern the soul’s eternal state, but they haven’t been able to make the adjustments in everyday living that speaks true of things that make it possible to live in a world with those who don’t believe as you. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]There are Christian’s who lives are narrow and lonely because the only time they have a chance so socialize is when they are at church, or among other believers at some event or home gathering. This is why when a minister rejects a member, or even remotely expresses a disapproval of a member, suddenly the rest of the congregation stands afar off from that person. Without the fellowship of the church members that person is isolated, because they were never taught in the church that you could build respectable relationships with those who do not share your faith. Many don’t know that person can have everything they need to supply you with resources for some need you have, point you in the right direction on the street, look out for you kids while they wait for the bus and so on. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]I think most Christians often come to a place in life where they know they are not living. They know that much living is passing them by, but they don’t know how to get on board WITH their faith. They never meet the people who are gifted in business, math, teaching, sewing, cooking, and even in making others laugh because, “that funny person over there is not a Christian. If I laugh at the persons clean jokes he’ll mistake me as being just like him, or her and I want the world to know that I’m Christian.” It’s that kind of thinking that keeps many Christian’s from making very elementary decision in their life when it comes to other people. Soon the paranoia comes in when they continue to think EVERY THING is up to God concerning them and that they are just waiting around for God to do something about it. it meaning whatever it is they have on the table. They don’t really know that God wants them to LIVE and keep him included. God don’t want them coming to him empty handed and then standing around waiting, but he wants them to get on with living life so they’ll give God something to BE INVOLVED WITH. Many still are trying to learn how to be in this world without being of it. If they could just know how to BE IN THIS WORLD, because there is no sin in being in the world. Being born in this world is not enough on the table of living to say that one is in this world.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Ok, yes there are many private, meaning the church does not address, nor does individuals discuss their occasional struggles with “religious paranoia.” The paranoia is when a Christian can’t decide who’s talking to them. They don’t know if it’s God telling them what to do, or themselves, or some memory of a guardian who reinforced a certain kind of thinking, and oh yes, or if it’s the devil. This does create paranoia of some kind as they labor to be good. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][getting up to leave]......well, you asked. {smiling and waving goodbye} [/SIZE]
Well, as I've said on another post, it seems to me that belief can be a very powerful thing in a very negative way. I suppose the single most dangerous thing about religion, in general, is that it can give an otherwise happy, thoughtful individual the false sense of security that it is ok to be bigoted, hateful, and scornful of someone because they think differently. The problem with it, it seems, is that there is no amount of philosophy or education that can be deemed approachable to this because it doesn't fall within the confines of "The Belief" and therefore it is not "The Word of God." The problem with a book or series of books claiming to be the "One True Way" is that people can interpret it how they like. Many will interpret it in a good manner, but there are a few who choose to take it the wrong way.
Regardless of whether a "true" version of a particular religion preaches goodness, kindness, empathy, etc... many of them are filled with remnants of humanity 2000 years or more ago. That problem seems to be one that focuses onwards into the 21st century. We have come a very long way with philosophy and acceptance since the 1st century, but there is still that nagging, almost incessant pulling, to bring humanity back to it's 1st (and sometimes earlier) century ethics by religious dichotomies. The world was a lot different then and, as such, we should require ourselves to adhere to a better set of standards and ethics. I find that many times it is not true in the case of religion because new ways of thinking are often scorned and thrown out.
I do ask, is it not better to be well immersed in an entire broad sense of humanity, morality, and ethics than to confine ourselves to methods of thinking over 2000 years old?? There was morality 2000 years ago, yet, it was a different set of standards and should be recognized as such. The single most important thing that must be recognized is that the mentality of "This is the ONLY way" can often be wrought with a mentality of ignorance and hatred. It seems to me, that these two can be mutually exclusive of one another, but when we are basing our fundamental ethics on ideas that are well over 2 millenia old, we are going to incur problems.
Ignorance and hatred, it seems though, are not mutually exclusive of one another. However, from what I have seen on this forum and in real life, those followers of faith who are also well in-tune with other ideas of ethical principals are also typically the more accepting. It seems that they are able to relate these new methods of thinking to their particular religion of choice.
However, there is another breed of religious ideologist who is not familiar with more modern ethical principles. Those particular ideologists are the ones that scare me because they encompass only the two millenia old philosophies. Yes, the 'founders' of whichever religion were probably good people overall. However, it is of utmost importance that we not mix 1st and 2nd century ethics with that goodness. That seems to be the peril in religion from my perspective.
Overall, to get back to the original post, and I'm sorry for going off on a tangent, I think that many feel their faith threatened by those who question it. As such, I think it is a necessary part of the equation that we consistently challenge old methods of thinking. It doesn't mean we have to accept ALL methods of new thinking, it just means that we should examine it, and as always, remain skeptical of both old and new. It is only in this way that we can all become more in tuned with one another and understand that we are all different people with different mindsets, beliefs, and opinions. I suppose the single greatest fear that many Christians are having is that their methods of two millenia old thinking are being questioned. To that, I'd like to say that challenging old methods of thinking is not challenging your faith, but perhaps shedding light on things not prevalent in the 1st and 2nd centuries. Only until we are all willing to examine that will we be more accepting of others.
GCSTroop
Last edited by GCSTroop; 02-10-2008 at 08:13 PM..
Reason: Forgot a key word
Well, as I've said on another post, it seems to me that belief can be a very powerful thing in a very negative way. I suppose the single most dangerous thing about religion, in general, is that it can give an otherwise happy, thoughtful individual the false sense of security that it is ok to be bigoted, hateful, and scornful of someone because they think differently. The problem with it, it seems, is that there is no amount of philosophy or education that can be deemed approachable to this because it doesn't fall within the confines of "The Belief" and therefore it is not "The Word of God." The problem with a book or series of books claiming to be the "One True Way" is that people can interpret it how they like. Many will interpret it in a good manner, but there are a few who choose to take it the wrong way.
Regardless of whether a "true" version of a particular religion preaches goodness, kindness, empathy, etc... many of them are filled with remnants of humanity 2000 years or more ago. That problem seems to be one that focuses onwards into the 21st century. We have come a very long way with philosophy and acceptance since the 1st century, but there is still that nagging, almost incessant pulling, to bring humanity back to it's 1st (and sometimes earlier) century ethics by religious dichotomies. The world was a lot different then and, as such, we should require ourselves to adhere to a better set of standards and ethics. I find that many times it is not true in the case of religion because new ways of thinking are often scorned and thrown out.
I do ask, is it not better to be well immersed in an entire broad sense of humanity, morality, and ethics than to confine ourselves to methods of thinking over 2000 years old?? There was morality 2000 years ago, yet, it was a different set of standards and should be recognized as such. The single most important thing that must be recognized is that the mentality of "This is the ONLY way" can often be wrought with a mentality of ignorance and hatred. It seems to me, that these two can be mutually exclusive of one another, but when we are basing our fundamental ethics on ideas that are well over 2 millenia old, we are going to incur problems.
Ignorance and hatred, it seems though, are not mutually exclusive of one another. However, from what I have seen on this forum and in real life, those followers of faith who are also well in-tune with other ideas of ethical principals are also typically the more accepting. It seems that they are able to relate these new methods of thinking to their particular religion of choice.
However, there is another breed of religious ideologist who is not familiar with more modern ethical principles. Those particular ideologists are the ones that scare me because they encompass only the two millenia old philosophies. Yes, the 'founders' of whichever religion were probably good people overall. However, it is of utmost importance that we not mix 1st and 2nd century ethics with that goodness. That seems to be the peril in religion from my perspective.
Overall, to get back to the original post, and I'm sorry for going off on a tangent, I think that many feel their faith threatened by those who question it. As such, I think it is a necessary part of the equation that we consistently challenge old methods of thinking. It doesn't mean we have to accept ALL methods of new thinking, it just means that we should examine it, and as always, remain skeptical of both old and new. It is only in this way that we can all become more in tuned with one another and understand that we are all different people with different mindsets, beliefs, and opinions. I suppose the single greatest fear that many Christians are having is that their methods of two millenia old thinking are being questioned. To that, I'd like to say that challenging old methods of thinking is not challenging your faith, but perhaps shedding light on things not prevalent in the 1st and 2nd centuries. Only until we are all willing to examine that will we be more accepting of others.
I feel my faith in God is so strong that no one can take it away from me except me. If I allow the devil to put doubt in my mind, it is me that takes the way away and no one else. Jesus said in John 7:7 "The world can't hate you, but it does hate Me because I accuse it of sin and evil". As followers of Christ sometimes we are looked down on but that does not weaken my faith, it makes it stronger. Most of the atheist on this form have a lot of respect for Christians and seem kinder and nicer than some Christians I know. But some seem only to be looking for a reason to argue about God. I have said before I am not here to change anyone's beliefs or disbeliefs.
I am sorry Smerky Grl that you have come across people claiming to be Christians with such a shallow understanding of God's love and how to treat people.
It was only until recently that I read on the Christian board that I realized there are actually people out there that think all atheists are out to wreck their soul, rape their children, and drag them into damnation. Needless to say, I always thought this kind of thinking was a type of overly dramatized stereotype and finding this kind of mindset as a huge surprise to me.
That definitely appears to be an overly dramatized stereotype! I can't remember seeing anything like that on the Christian board... what people are you talking about (other than maybe WBC)?
John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
I don't fear anyone "spiritually". It wouldn't make me any difference if I had an atheist for a neighbor. I'm sure we would get along well!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
