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Are Religious Disagreements Offensive?

Are Religious Disagreements Offensive?

When you Discuss Religion with someone and they disagree, do you become offended?

Offensive Disagreements Religious Are

NEVER!

Religious discussion is the only way to find the truth. To many myths and ancient beliefs exist today and to many people thing that only one way exists and everyone else is wrong. If we fail to find all the knowledge available to us, fail to discuss and share what knowledge each of us has, then the truth will never be found and we will live in subjugated darkness to what we are told and not what we can learn for ourselves.

Are Religious Disagreements Offensive? Beliefs Religious General

I don't. I think in disagreements is where we learn more than if we are all the time agreeing with everything. I am not easily offended and I do not use that tactic to draw attention to myself. If discussing an issue, someone may get offended, I would try to explain myself again...but if they persist with feeling that way, then I would leave it alone and simply move on.

Offensive Disagreements Religious Are

Discussing religion with someone who disagrees with me or my beliefs is not generally offensive. If someone starts attacking my beliefs, I probably would disengage from that person. We don't have to allow ourselves to be overcome by anger - which would generally cause the "discussion" to disintegrate into an argument. Being offended is a choice we make in every situation.

Offensive Disagreements Religious Are

I have a question along the lines of this question that has struck a cord with me. I have heard several times, out side this thread but verified in here, that if someone is "attacking" your beliefs that they would disengage from the conversation. What is defined by attacking and is attacking really offensive to you or do you just not want to speak to a person "attacking" your faith?

If someone is attacking someone elses faith, should not you faith be able to stand up to anything? The purpose of attacking ones faith is to make the logically and reasonably defend what they are all about. And is attacking being considered in the same breath as insulting? I can attack what someone believes without insulting them. There is a difference between saying you are wrong and can't prove other wise (an obvious attack), and saying that your beliefs are stupid or that you are stupid for believing them (thoroughly insulting).

So is there a distinction between an attack on your religion and insulting you because of your religion and does that make a difference in whether or not the religious disagreement is considered offensive?

Are Religious Disagreements Offensive?

For me attacking my religion would be to say for instance that we all are followers of Satan and that we will end up in Hell, that Joseph Smith was a liar, a lunatic or an adulterer. Those are just some examples. The attack is offensive to everything I believe to be sacred and true, but again I will feel offended by those statements only if I choose to feel that way.

Correct, it does not mean you won't feel a little upset about it.

I think you are talking about two things: challenging and insulting. Many times I have spoke to people who challenged my religion in the strongest terms without becoming personal or insulting. I do not see that as an attack as long as the person is sincerely looking for answers and not just for the ignorant sake of ranting. In the last, I just do not waste my time if someone just wants to rant on but not interested really in discussing the issue.

If your religion is an essential part of your life and a part of who you are then both of them are tightly connected. In my case, my religion is not separated from who I am.

Are Religious Disagreements Offensive

I don't feel the need to "defend myself" and my lifestyle - which includes my religion as a part of who I am and how I live. Anyone with a true desire to understand my religion will make a reasonable effort to discuss it without attacking the religion itself or me personally.

As LDS_Forever pointed out, someone making statements that are obviously meant to stir up contention only - and not for the sake of rational, intelligent discussion - I'm not getting involved in that. Those are useless, pointless efforts, because any person intent on making inflammatory statements and upsetting people isn't looking for discussion. I'm not wasting my time or my emotions on that.

Absolutely, and I decide what is *worth* standing up to. But that doesn't mean I have to engage in a pointless argument with someone who isn't interested in logical, reasonable discussion. Someone "purposely attacking" my faith isn't generally interested.

In my opinion.
Roz

Are Religious Disagreements Offensive General Religious Beliefs

First we must understand that we always choose to be offended. You can be as nice about something as possible, but someone will always be offended, because they choose to, and the fact of the matter is most people choose to be offended. In fact, our Constructive Posting Policy goes into detail about how one can avoid offending others, and the key is not to become personal. For instance, someone may say that African Tribal religions are stupid and only idiots follow it (which may be highly offensive to someone practicing Voodooism or even to some Afro-Baptist links). It may be the view of the person who wants to offend (or not even thinking about what they are saying), but one can always use diplomacy by saying "African Tribal religions are primitive in my opinion".

People have attacked my beliefs many times, but it is more of a comedy to me than offensive, because most of the time their attack is based on third party information or grudges. So in fact disagreements should be left at that: 'disagreements', they do not have to evolve to wars, hate and being offended. If we approach the Discussion of religion with an understanding that someone will NOT believe us or even despise our belief then there will be nothing to be offended about. I will even dare to say this: If you cannot handle it and become offended easily then religion is definitely NOT one of the Topics you should start or reply to, just stay quiet.