On respect for the belief of others. Sorry for the long post

by StarTrekAngel 372 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy
    That's too profound for me Reb, makes my head hurt !
  • truthseeker100
    truthseeker100

    That's too profound for me Reb, makes my head hurt !

    Thats what I was thinking. LOL

  • cofty
    cofty
    I was thinking it was bollocks
  • Xanthippe
    Xanthippe

    StarTekAngel I like your OP. I think it's natural for people to get annoyed and frustrated at beliefs that are very similar to the beliefs that ruined their lives. Who wouldn't!

    It's the debaters that bore me, playing word games rather than engaging with the content of posts but I think it might be because everyone has their 'subject' don't they?

    Whether it's biology, physics, computing, theology. They are well versed in that subject but if someone introduces something they don't know about they can resort to less than respectful tactics to divert attention from their lack of knowledge.

    I like all your analogies about real life because although this is a forum where people often debate religion it's also where people come to in recovery from a cult. These are real life experiences that these people are bringing, with huge amounts of pain. I wouldn't want them to be put off this place of refuge from the cult. I think it's probably a good idea to keep beliefs to yourself however, if you can't prove them. Why cause yourself the stress of ridicule.

    As for those who ridicule beliefs, as I said it's totally understandable given what beliefs have done to all our lives.

    Personally I don't ridicule but I don't accept anything that anyone says at face value.

  • Oubliette
    Oubliette

    I like all your analogies about real life because although this is a forum where people often debate religion it's also where people come to in recovery from a cult.

    This is a great point for all to keep in mind.

  • Oubliette
    Oubliette

    And now I see that someone has "Disliked" my criticism of mindless "Dislikes" without engaging in any discussion on the content of my post, thereby proving my point.

    I wonder how many "Dislikes" this post will get? Silly.

  • LoveUniHateExams
    LoveUniHateExams

    I see that someone has "Disliked" my criticism of mindless "Dislikes" without engaging in any discussion on the content of my post, thereby proving my point

    I noticed that too, Oubliette, and thought it ridiculous.

    So, I gave that post and your latest post a like.

  • Oubliette
    Oubliette

    noticed that too, Oubliette, and thought it ridiculous. So, I gave that post and your latest post a like.

    Thanks, I appreciate the sentiment and the support, but more importantly: I appreciate that you took a minute to comment!

    I find it very revealing that some posters can "Dislike" a request for clarification, but they are unwilling to explain their reasons. Similarly, that two posters would "Dislike" my comment that someone (probably at least one of them the same "Disliker" as the first) "Disliked" my criticism of mindless "Dislikes" without engaging in any discussion on the content of my post is equally absurd.

    I suspect that this person(s) simply dislikes me and by extension anything I say without even considering the merit of my words, thereby again proving the validity of the general intent of the OP.

  • bohm
    bohm
    Wow oubliette, you ought to post a picture of a kitten and see if it gets disliked!
  • Tornintwo
    Tornintwo

    Regarding respect for others beliefs: I remember when I was a super zealous new jw and my mother's mother had just died, my mother and her were very close, she had lost her father when she was a teenager. I pushed and pushed for her to listen to and respect the resurrection hope, quoting 'their conscious of nothing at all etc etc' thinking it would make her feel better. At some point She stopped me, grabbed me by the shoulders and said, 'I need to believe she's looking down on us in heaven with my dad, taking care of us, I NEED that'. That's what has kept her going when her dad died as a youth.

    with my superiority complex I thought I could easily disprove her belief, but that didn't take into account the affection she had for that belief and the importance it played in her life.

    Some members here would say that with enough education and research all belief in a deity can be disproved. I find it difficult to believe that any such thing can be completely disproved or proved, haven't scholars tried to do so for centuries? That's where there is room for faith.

    We are at various stages of awakening, after a high control religion was our crutch and whole life, it could be insensitive and cruel for someone further along in the process or with a greater knowledge of certain areas of study to ridicule and tear down someone else's dearly held religious belief.

    I think the important thing for us all to display here is open mindedness and mutual respect for each others beliefs, considering we came out of a cult which encouraged close mindedness, blinkered thinking and disrespect for anyone else's religion.

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