General Chat

Says it all really doesn't it Sue:))

lol Kitty

We are all going to find out at some point aren't we?

x

Yes SueM

It's the being preached at and perhaps being condemned for not holding a particular belief (religious or political) which means those being preached at can "fight" back.
If someone started spouting anti-semitic Nazi or Marxist Leninist Communist propaganda at me I'd feel I could argue as forcefully as I wish and in open debate if that looked like ridiculing their beliefs then so be it.

Sadly when debating there is no way not to ridicule someone if their beliefs are extreme. You cannot treat some beliefs as holding equal value to others.

Sue
x

I better take a hose with me Sue lol

I don't think you should necessarily hold respects for another's beliefs if you don't believe in them yourself. How can you respect something you regard as false? But I do think the person who believes them can be respected. However, there are too many grey areas in that. Sometimes, as in the case of paedophiles mentioned earlier, how can you respect either the person or their belief that what they do is ok?

Equally though, should the person who does not believe in what YOU believe in be mocked, ridiculed and slated for it? It works both ways.

If the non-believer states his or her case and the reasons why, things get heated, yet it is that non believer who often carries the blame, simply for stating their own beliefs/non beliefs. The attacking has gone both ways.

Teresa...Also Christian, proud of it, never denied it, but tries not to enter into religious discussion.

I'm not so sure that some extreme beliefs are actually a good thing though...............suicide bombers and allowing a person to die when a blood transfusion could have saved them are 2 extreme examples I personally can't ever see as being harmless.

Angie,

I think the point is anyone can have any beliefs (whose practices do not fall foul of common law) that they wish to.

It's the evangelists that I object to. I am not open to being preached AT. You can debate with me but not shove something down my throat. Well not without me biting your hand :-))

We all have views on what is acceptable and what is not. That relates to some 'fringe' religions in my case.

My sole objection is where parents indoctrinate their children into a religion before the child is mature enough to decide for themselves.

By all means bring your children up to 'do no harm'. that's the principle we went by. It's their choice whether they follow any religious course or not and not ours.

Sue x

i dont care what religion anybody follows
but don't want it rammed down my throat
as i have my own beliefs

Just a quick question why has been post been reported and removed, it wasn't rude ?

Hayley

You're lost me ? Which post ? This thread didn't relate to any thread/post on GR as I said at the beginning.

TOR x

UPDATE just checked this thread and I assume you are referring to 2nd post........My assumption would be that the poster removed it themself. But I could be wrong as normal. lol

Funny old thing 'belief' isn't it? We have the freedom to believe anything we want to - from the belief that the earth is flat to the belief that little green men have landed from Mars. I respect people's right to believe whatever they wish - even though I may not agree with them. We are fortunate to have the choice - to believe in something or not to believe.

I believed my children should brush their teeth and encouraged them to do so. Both choose to continue with this. They made an informed choice.

I believe in the Christian faith and encouraged my children in this way. One chose to continue, one didn't. They made an informed choice.

I agree that ones beliefs/faith shouldn't be rammed down others' throats - it tends to put people's backs up rather than interest them. There is the old saying 'Christianity is caught not taught'. However, I am always willing to listen to someone with more experience than I have and learn from them.

I dont usually get involved in discussions of this nature either but today I will make an exception :)

To my mind

Religion doesnt necessary make a person good

Atheism doesnt necessary make a person bad.

We are all open minded individuals with our own paths to lead. I was brought up initially as a child in the high church but see so much hypocritical behaviour that I veered away from it all as soon I was old enough to make my own way.

Later on a lot of my family went into spritualism and all the things that went with it. To me it was like jumping from the frying pan into the fire so why would I want to rake up demons that I had been brought up to believe in.

There were parts that I did start to form an opinion on but again I found so much hypocritical behaviour.

If a person is over on the other side and I believe they could well be, then why would I want to keep disturbing them to bring them back to the plane we are supposed to be on here. It doesnt make sense.

I looked into many things for a while before I came to my own way of life. Thats being be prepared to listen to others views, a person doesnt need to preach one way or the other whether they should believe and should certainly not condemn them for what their own beliefs are so long as they do not go to extreme, but then again who am I to judge them, no one gives me that right either.

I believe in the power of positivity, simplicity, meditation also in higher energy whatever we call that higher energy be it God, Karma, Chi, or any other name by which people call it but that doent mean others should agree or disagree with it or condemn me for what I believe.

Unsub522

This was about faith beliefs, not beliefs of some people that what they are doing is right.

Mo

well as for me ..yes i believe in god...my choice ...but if theres one thing i hate is having it rammed down my throat.i can see both sides.believers and non believers .not a problem .but for me i supose it depends which way you look at it.anyway off for me tea.xx

Yes, i know. That's why i asked if the respect the person not the belief was limited to religion alone or extended to other belief systems as well. (my post 12.06, page 1)
By asking that i was indicating that i realised it was veering off the topic of faith but thank you for pointing it out in case i was unaware.
xx

As Tor particularly referred to religious beliefs i will speak about those.

I think you can respect a person's right to follow certain beliefs, respect their right to have those beliefs, respect their religion if you like and therefore respect them. but that doesn't mean you are saying you agree with their beliefs.

I was brought up a Baptist and I still consider myself to have the beliefs of that religion although as I have got older I can see that there is no need to be as narrow minded as my parents were.. One of my friends is a Roman Catholic, pretty far from the Baptist beliefs but we respect each other's beliefs and would not try to change them. Neither of my children go to church but they are both good people and I respect their right not to follow my religion. Son's wife is C of E and a Christian, son respects her beliefs while not following them himself.

ann
Glos

I believe in God, I believe there is something more to life than this!

I am a spiritualist and proud of the fact but I would never preach or push my beliefs on someone else!

Due to certain experiences that are private to me I am utterly convinced that our loved ones never leave us and are there for guidance and simply to look out for us!

I once got asked to leave a church for my beliefs because it went against what that particular church believed in!!

I also believe that there must be life on other planets.......why should we, out of the entire solar system, be the only planet with life on it?? But hey thats what I believe....I wouldnt ram it down anothers throat!!

Bev xx

A converted cannibal is one who, on Fridays, eats only fishermen & chips.

Forgot to mention......my son wasnt christened/baptised until he was 14yrs old as I didnt believe in pushing my beliefs on him! He knew I attended our local spiritualist church on a regular basis but decided himself what denomnation he wanted to be.... and by the way he decided he wanted to be C of E!!

Bev x

You reached the correct conclusion,but don't say how you came to it,was it logic,experience of observation,or perhaps the way religious people attempt to influence the gullible,the weak & vulnerable?
I too was indoctrinated by religion at a young age,thankfully I am & always have been, an extremely logical thinker.
I do not consider myself an "Atheist",rather I am 100% agnostic,not because I think there is a spiritual dimension,on the contrary,I KNOW there isn't,that's not arrogance,it is simply logical.
I am also reinforced in my views,thanks to the scientific,technological advances in astronomy & cosmology,I simply do not need to believe that some supranatural creator pulled the switch that began it all.
In my opinion,religion is just like politics or historically like royalty,with it's connotations of class superiority, it's all about CONTROL,of wolves leading the unthinking & compliant sheep.
Eaxactly how many of you are servile & subservient to those who consider themselves your superiors?
How many of you for instance would bow or curtsy before any of the royal family,rather than stand with chin up looking them in the eye,even if you would want to shake their hand?
I hold my own belief & that is in myself,I don't need drugs of any kind,my head is clear every day , no matter how I feel,even though near retirement.
Do not waste time on religion or politics,educate yourself,try visiting various websites like NASA,Chandra,Spitzer,CERN learn about the Big Bang theory,Black Holes etc, we are after all is said,nothing more than nuclear waste that has evolved with the right conditions to the point of life,however temporary it may exist here on earth,you will learn that life is possible virtually anywhere,even if not ready to switch into activity.
That is the real marvel of the universe,that it has produced life which is capable seeing,hearing,smelling & reasoning about it's origins,it's current place & the future of the universe itself.
Train yourself to think outside of the box,think freely,it is like a drug that produces a 'high' of fresh air for the brain,you will find that religion has no place for you.
Religious people do NOT have a monopoly on altruism,on the contrary,many believers go to church one day a week,then practice the vices the other six days.