Why do people find it so awkward to talk about religion?

[AnneElizabeth]

I have personally never understood the reticence to discuss with passion politics or religion in any venue. I walk right up the line of acceptibility in my job when it comes to both, but never go so far as to get a call from the EEOC folks. I used to debate with some Muslim students in my dorm in college. They’d flat out tell me they believed I (we) were going to Hell. That didn’t offend me AT ALL. Why would it? They are wrong! I know that, and as such, why would I care what other people believe about me? Afterwards, we go back to playing Madden on Sega Genesis. I am Catholic. I belong to a religion and faith that possesses the fullness of the Truth. Why would I care what those who do not have that advantage think?

Some of the people I respect the most that I encounter are the ones who are confident in their beliefs, yet don’t seek to offend, nor do they shy away from them. As a staunch Catholic and American conservative, I’ll debate with a liberal in the workplace all day, but when it is time to go back to work, I let it all go. There are no hard feelings.

I realize some people aren wired this, and others aren’t, and accept that, however, but I don’t understand it either.

I think those who consider religion the most verboten are the ones who are wishy-washy, or don’t hold onto their beliefs with near the passion or fervency (the majority of America, I would say) and it makes them uncomfortably self-concious.

They see someone with passion and zeal for something like God or religious faith, and it makes them in a small part feel guilty.

And while they may look at you and think “you make me sick!”

what they are really saying in most cases is

“I make me sick, and you remind me of that…”

:clapping:

 

[AnneElizabeth]

I’m open to any answers. I just want to hear people’s opinions.

I think people who have seen a few years of life start to understand what CAN happen when people start to unite in large groups, or even small powerful ones. Its powerful, but it also can be a power for bad. If we’ve been taught history we KNOW this from reading about Nazis, cults, peer pressure, lynch mobs, high school cliques, etc … we know all the damage group mentaility can inflict on humankind. If we’ve lived a few years on earth we also know that not everyone is going to agree with what we believe AND could get hurt because of it.

The following video demonstrates what I’m trying to say…
search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=elecrtric+shock+psychological+experiement&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

another one:

search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=elecrtric+shock+psychological+experiement&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

and another one (this one has explicit material in it, its also quite tough to listen to)

youtube.com/watch?v=OsFEV35tWsg

People don’t like to talk about it because religion deals with matters of the heart. Its deeply private stuff. Scripture touts us to guard our heart.

 

[Padres1969]

Thanks

Have you ever read Hebrews 6:1-7? It is in the bible precisely for folks like yourself, who have for what ever reason freely choose to abandon God and His Church.

Pray much my friend; heaven & HELL are very real and after-death is Eternity in one or the other.

God Bless you,

Patrick

Quite familiar with it. However I would counter by saying I’ve no more abandoned faith in Christ or his Church than I suspect you have.

 

[patmiron]

Quite familiar with it. However I would counter by saying I’ve no more abandoned faith in Christ or his Church than I suspect you have.

So then ypou’re able to point out for all of us exactly where in the Bible that God ever; even one time was “OK”, tolerated, accepted, permitted ANY other sets of faith beliefs than his own:shrug:

And please friend don’t say what you NOW believe is that One set of true faith beliefs which even God have.

It is impossible that GOD would have waited for Luther, Calvin or you to make His One true faith known. Eph 4:1-7

The idea that GOD would accept THOUSANDS of differing faith beliefs of modern day Protestants is answers SEEKING [BUT never finding] God’s necessarily singukar faith beliefs per defined issue.

God Bless you,

Patrick [why has this challenge been issued by me I’m sure in excess of a HUNDRED times and NOT once replied to:shrug:

Patrick [PJM]

 

[Padres1969]

So then ypou’re able to point out for all of us exactly where in the Bible that God ever; even one time was “OK”, tolerated, accepted, permitted ANY other sets of faith beliefs than his own:shrug:

**And please friend don’t say what you NOW believe is that One set of true faith beliefs which even God have. **

**It is impossible that GOD would have waited for Luther, Calvin or you to make His One true faith known. Eph 4:1-7 **

The idea that GOD would accept THOUSANDS of differing faith beliefs of modern day Protestants is answers SEEKING [BUT never finding] God’s necessarily singukar faith beliefs per defined issue.

God Bless you,

Patrick [why has this challenge been issued by me I’m sure in excess of a HUNDRED times and NOT once replied to:shrug:

Patrick [PJM]

With God nothing is impossible, and to assume otherwise I would argue is man’s presumption at its worst.

But to answer your initial question despite your imploring me to not do so, I don’t think what my faith believes is any different than what Christ taught us all. Yes there are differences in interpretation of some issues, but man has been interpreting and reinterpreting Christ’s word and the words of his apostles for the better part of two millennia, long before the Protestant reformation. And while those differences have led to obvious splits between sections of Christ’s Church, Christ’s Church as a whole remains as vibrant and unified at its core.

But back to the original point of this thread, this is why people don’t discuss religion typically. We end up having differences of opinion, argument (even cordial as we’re having) ensues, and in many cases feelings can get hurt or anger ensues seeing as we’re discussing something that ultimately is an unyielding subject. I mean you’re not going to change my mind, I’m not going to change yours. So the discussion becomes a circular. That’s why people don’t tend to discuss religion unless in a proper venue to be doing so.

 

[CRATUS]

It can easily get ugly. People have different beliefs. Different interpretations of scripture.