What really ticks me off about religious people

[Robert Z]

I was once very religious so I understand the motivations involved here, so I don't mean to seem hyper critical or completly without empathy, but this is a sore spot for me.

 

When one gets caught up in religious beliefs there is often an assumption made about knowing "the truth". I have felt God in my life. I know God through the Spirit. The Bible speaks to me. And through the grace of God I know THE TRUTH. This is why people feel justified evangelizing on TV and the radio, going door to door and disturbing people during their private time, and trying to convince people that "I" know the truth and "you" don't.

 

In short, religion is used to justify extreme arrogance.

 

I have watched as people have tried to manipulate me here at LS. Probing indirect question with obvious intent, winks, misdirection, obfuscation, the pretense of concern for me or my soul while really just trying to justify their own beliefs, religious folks think they are trying to save others, but they are really just trying to justify faith. For a person to have the same knowledge as you and then reject it is a personal threat, so the default psychology is to assume that you have secret knowledge. If only they knew what I know, they would believe what I believe. WRONG. Many of us do know what you think you know and have moved beyond that.

 

It is almost impossible to have a straight forward discussion with a very religious person because they are almost always operating with alterior motives. The intent is not to be truthful and sincere, it is to find an opening to create a convert. THAT is dishonest! That religious fervor is plagued by dishonesty is to me the ultimate irony. It discredits everything you are trying to say.

 

Has anyone ever dealth with an old time Amway person. You get much the same treatment. The entire relationship is based on a false pretense. They will do and say just about anything to get you to an Amway meeting, except telling you that it's an Amway meeting. Like many religious people, they mask their true intentions and justify this based on their secret knowledge. Is it any wonder that so many people in Amway were relgious?

Edited September 14, 2012 by Robert Z

[mercy]

I was once very religious so I understand the motivations involved here, so I don't mean to seem hyper critical or completly without empathy, but this is a sore spot for me.

 

When one gets caught up in religious beliefs there is often an assumption made about knowing "the truth". I have felt God in my life. I know God through the Spirit. The Bible speaks to me. And through the grace of God I know THE TRUTH. This is why people feel justified evangelizing on TV and the radio, going door to door and disturbing people during their private time, and trying to convince people that "I" know the truth and "you" don't.

 

In short, religion is used to justify extreme arrogance.

 

I have watched as people have tried to manipulate me here at LS. Probing indirect question with obvious intent, winks, misdirection, obfuscation, the pretense of concern for me or my soul while really just trying to justify their own beliefs, religious folks think they are trying to save others, but they are really just trying to justify faith. For a person to have the same knowledge as you and then reject it is a personal threat, so the default psychology is to assume that you have secret knowledge. If only they knew what I know, they would believe what I believe. WRONG. Many of us do know what you think you know and have moved beyond that.

 

It is almost impossible to have a straight forward discussion with a very religious person because they are almost always operating with alterior motives. The intent is not to be truthful and sincere, it is to find an opening to create a convert. THAT is dishonest! That religious fervor is plagued by dishonesty is to me the ultimate irony. It discredits everything you are trying to say.

 

Has anyone ever dealth with an old time Amway person. You get much the same treatment. The entire relationship is based on a false pretense. They will do and say just about anything to get you to an Amway meeting, except telling you that it's an Amway meeting. Like many religious people, they mask their true intentions and justify this based on their secret knowledge. Is it any wonder that so many people in Amway were relgious?

 

I do the same thing!

 

I tell complete strangers I'm taking them to breakfast when really I'm dragging their butts to church. They'll thank me later.

[BetheButterfly]

I think we know the truth as we see it. Just as you know the truth as you see it. It pans back to why would someone believe something they didn't believe to be true?

 

I don't want to convert people, because I don't believe that is my "job." But as a Christian, I have been called to be a light. As Jesus said, we shouldn't hide our light under a bucket=shouldn't hide our faith in darkness. I think there's always a temptation if you like to spread the message, and try and make people see things your way. I've seen many, many atheists do exactly the same thing.

 

100% agreed!

 

To Robert Z,

 

People are diverse. There are indeed people of all faiths who are arrogant, but there are also people of all faiths who are humble, kind, and caring. There are Atheists who are arrogant and there are Atheists who are humble, kind, and caring too.

 

As for people who believe in God, let's say that you found a treasure, oh let's say 16 trillion dollars, and you selflessly wanted to share it with the world! Would you tell people how to get in on the treasure, or would you just keep it to yourself?

 

For Christians, Jesus is our treasure worth more than all the money in the world!!! That's why we tell others about Him and don't just keep our joy in our treasure locked in the box of our house. For those who have truly experienced Him, we have experienced peace even when it's storming, love even when others are hating, joy even when going through hard times, kindness and giving even when we have nothing. Now, it's a process.

 

Growing in Christ doesn't happen overnight, but just like how some people get rich through hard work, so Christians should be growing rich in Jesus (not material riches but rather spiritual riches). The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:21-23) Christians are to grow in these areas and in obeying Jesus' teachings to love!

 

Christians consider ourselves to know that we have the Truth same as Atheists consider themselves to know that there is no God. Now, on both sides that can be counted as arrogance, but both sides are talking through their personal experiences. For Christians who have experienced Jesus, He is fact to us. However, it makes sense that for anyone who has not experienced Jesus, that they would not consider him to be true.

 

What personally ticks me off includes crimes against humanity and against animals. What is my pet peeve is when people insult, mock, or are rude to others. Sadly, any person of any group can commit crimes against humanity and animals. Any person of any group can also insult, mock, and be rude to others.

 

Concerning how I relate with others, I am not perfect. I still have a lot of work to grow. However, my end objective in life is to selflessly love.