Sensitivity to beliefs...

Should we be sensitive to the beliefs of others -- why?

I don't see that as the right question. Not we, but "I" is the right question. Once you decide that manners are individual decisions, you won't be nearly as stressed out


Should we be sensitive to the beliefs of Scientologists, for example? Why or why not? In modern terms, their beliefs and those other alien-based faiths are arguably less crazy than any of the Abrahamic religions. Yet I see Christians often deride this and other faiths while holding to cherished beliefs that are many times more far fetched.

Beliefs are not governed, actions are, so rock on scientology.


When I was a Christian I hated those who attacked my beliefs but now I couldn't be more grateful. It is those people who challenged me and woke me up and made me realize I was wrong. I am a better person for it.

The premise is that there is a truth, and some have it. I don't make the assumption. In my life, I don't seek that particular answer, so I'm not bothered by the question; In the same way you might not seek the answer about how long you should ground your 16 year old for totaling the car- that, however, troubles me greatly I would suggest that to answer for yourself is important, to answer for others is presumptuous and rude....rude because it's not good manners. There is more to life than your interaction with knowledge and truth- there is the interaction with society and mankind.

 

I think the silver rule applies here. I might not see the attraction in worshiping Yahweh/Allah/Jehovah/whatever, but on the basis that I wouldn't want someone disrespecting my beliefs, I won't disrespect theirs.

 

So, you hold that truth does not exist, or it exists and some/you don't have it?

 

Talking with myself:

"Truth doesn't exist."

Except the truth that truth doesn't exist?

"Okay, some truth exists, but religious truth doesn't exist."

Can God both exist and not exist in the same way at the same time? It seems to me that statement is either true or false; it's a truth about reality, not just "true for me."

"Maybe religious truth exists, but we can't know it."

Although we can't know it with absolute certainty, isn't it the case that most of our beliefs are not based on absolute certainty? If God did exist, couldn't God make it possible for us to have true knowledge about Himself?

 

I think that you may have just summarized about a thousand doctoral dissertations.onder:

 

I think you missed my point. If you chase truth, you presume someone has truth and that you don't- so you must seek their truth. I don't assume that anyone knows anything. :naughty: Our human mind is small and limited, to think otherwise is narcissistic.

 

It seems to me to be the height of egocentricism not to believe in God. God has made himself known through the Holy Bible. Before anyone decides not to believe I would challenge them to read the bible and some of the works of C.S. Lewis (not the sci-fi ones of course). After thorough review of the philosophies of christianity they choose not to believe, and thank "God" that is a choice here in America, then so be it. At least the decision will be more of an equivocal one.

 

Ah yes.. the Bible.. best art of fiction to date - open to interpretation by anyone. "God" is but a name people have chosen to use for something inexplicable... afaic, it is the need to believe in something because people are afraid of thinking that after life there is...well... nothing...no "heaven", no "hell"..

Some time ago I posted a link to Zeitgeist.com - if you're asking people to read the Bible, I'll ask you to watch the Addendum - particularly the part about Christ (it is about 13:30 into the movie).

I won't go into the Christianity subject any further as it generally tends to be a heated argument with no right or wrong. Believers won't convince non-believers and vice versa.

 

My apologies - It is "Zeitgeist - The Movie" ( Zeitgeist: The Movie - 2007 by Peter Joseph ) rather than the Addendum.

 

From an imagined conversation in an old entry on my blog:

There may be "many interpretations" but some are [much] better than others.

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"Believers won't convince non-believers and vice versa." Actually, TJ mentioned in another thread that he was at one time a Christian and now is not, and I noted in the same thread that I took the opposite path. So it certainly does happen. That said, less than 10 years ago if someone told me I'd one day be a Christian I would've laughed in their face.

Re Zeitgeist, there are plenty of thoughtful critiques of religion in general (and Christianity in particular) out there but sorry, IMHO Zeitgiest isn't one of them. Even Richard Carrier and Tim Callahan (of Skeptic magazine) think that Zeitgeist is total nonsense. Here's links to a few resources re Zeitgiest (see comments to that blog as well).

 

All DI members who espouse ideologies or lifestyles that are socially acceptable should be given respect and consideration. That list would include those of atheists, christians, jews, gays...and the list goes on and on. Ideologies that are socially unacceptable would be those that advocate harming of others and those would not be welcome on Degree Info.