Abrahamic faiths and bigotry

[Chisti]

I am sure there are bigots in every religious community, including Buddhists, but let's not go there. The point of this thread is: are Abrahamic faiths more prone to bigotry because of their fundamental beliefs?

A Muslim cannot believe that there is any other way to god, save through allah. With christians, it's Christ, and it's only political correctness which forced Christians in the last fifty years or so to come up with 'universal' salvation and such; for the most part in christian history, every Christian believed salvation was only throuhg christ and others will go to hell.

So my point is, even though any religious community can produce bigots, are Abrahmic faiths unique in that their very structure is built upon bigotry - remove that foundation and the whole structure collapses?

 

[Me Myself]

I believe that is generaly the case, yes.

 

[dawny0826]

Those who are bigots aren't very good examples of the religions in which they claim to represent. I prefer not to blanket label.

 

[Bob Dixon]

Yes, Abrahamics are horrible bigots because of their religion and all others are perfect little angels. On the off-chance that one of these "others" is a bigot, it has nothing to do with their religion. Nope, no way. But Abrahamics? Yeah, dude, their religion totally makes them think and do bad stuff!


Also, bro, universalism has existed within Christianity for as long as exclusivism has. Perhaps a history lesson is in order.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Not according to scriptures:

"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. "

- Baha'u'llah

 

[-Peacemaker-]

The human heart is filled with wickedness, regardless of religion. Some people are just better at hiding it. Either that or they simply judge their own sins to be less severe than those around them

 

[Me Myself]

The problem I find is that the religion see anyone worshipping other gods as being punishable by death by stoning. That's around he first.

Then you get by the part in which god asks genocide to cultures that are worshiping other gods. Then stone punishing homosexuals, and so on and so forth.

I mean the common bigotry of other religions tends to be towards women who kinda have had the short end of the straw almost universaly, but to what I have seen abrahamic tend to have the worst of it. I mean, let's start by the begining, it begins with an act of absolutely rampant fanatism: sacrifice me your son so I know you are obedient. Sure, he didn't actually do it at the end, but God saw as a moraly just person one who is willing to do this if he asks it to him.

This is rewarding fanatism since the very founder of the umbrella term for all this religions. Inocent killing fanatism that is.

It's a problem. A serious one.

 

[Sunstone]

I don't think Abrahamic faiths necessarily promote bigotry, but I think on the whole they do a bit less than they could to combat it. Having said that, it's a fact there are many, many prominent followers of Abrahamic faiths who are staunch opponents of bigotry, and their numbers seem to be increasing.

 

[Me Myself]

I don't think Abrahamic faiths necessarily promote bigotry, but I think on the whole they do a bit less than they could to combat it. Having said that, it's a fact there are many, many prominent followers of Abrahamic faiths who are staunch opponents of bigotry, and their numbers seem to be increasing.

I also agree with this

 

[CynthiaCypher]

I am sure there are bigots in every religious community, including Buddhists

Yes. And you are one of them. You have been spending your making and participating in threads that disparage the Abrahamic faith (which includes a wide range of belief systems including Bahai and Gnosticism), if that doesn't connote bigotry on you part I don't know what will.

And not only that one person makes a single thread criticizing the Buddha and you join in on the hand wringing and general gnashing of the teeth, so that just doesn't make you bigoted but also hypocritical.

[youtube]fqQD4dzVkwk[/youtube]
Army McCarthy Hearings "Have you no decency" - YouTube


And people aren't bigoted because they belong to an Abrahamic religion, they bigoted because bigotry is hardwired into people.

Confirmation bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[arthra]

I am sure there are bigots in every religious community, including Buddhists, but let's not go there. The point of this thread is: are Abrahamic faiths more prone to bigotry because of their fundamental beliefs?

A Muslim cannot believe that there is any other way to god, save through allah. With christians, it's Christ, and it's only political correctness which forced Christians in the last fifty years or so to come up with 'universal' salvation and such; for the most part in christian history, every Christian believed salvation was only throuhg christ and others will go to hell.

So my point is, even though any religious community can produce bigots, are Abrahmic faiths unique in that their very structure is built upon bigotry - remove that foundation and the whole structure collapses?

Well you have to have in my view a "bigot meter" and set it up and record all the statements of bigotry you can...

and then collate the samples and see..

but you'd have to do it for everyone..including Buddhists, Jains and Hindus as well for comparison purposes...

The real question maybe should be

how can there be less prejudice and bigotry?

How can it be reduced?

There's a theory that "bigot" originated from those who constantly used the phrase "bi got" or "by God!"

1590s, "sanctimonious person, religious hypocrite," from Fr. bigot (12c.), of unknown origin. Earliest French use of the word is as the name of a people apparently in southern Gaul, which led to the now-doubtful, on phonetic grounds, theory that the word comes from Visigothus. The typical use in Old French seems to have been as a derogatory nickname for Normans, the old theory (not universally accepted) being that it springs from their frequent use of the Germanic oath bi God.

Online Etymology Dictionary

 

[Caladan]

I am sure there are bigots in every religious community, including Buddhists, but let's not go there. The point of this thread is: are Abrahamic faiths more prone to bigotry because of their fundamental beliefs?

A Muslim cannot believe that there is any other way to god, save through allah. With christians, it's Christ, and it's only political correctness which forced Christians in the last fifty years or so to come up with 'universal' salvation and such; for the most part in christian history, every Christian believed salvation was only throuhg christ and others will go to hell.

So my point is, even though any religious community can produce bigots, are Abrahmic faiths unique in that their very structure is built upon bigotry - remove that foundation and the whole structure collapses?

No. They are simply more masculine, better military able, better strategists, better political planners, better geographers, and much more efficient in taking over the world and boldly go to places which Dharmic religions never dared to conceive.

In short. Their history is much more juicy and interesting. Less miserable, and neurotic figures who run away from politics and social strife to start male dominated monastic orders and wallow in their poverty.

 

[Father Heathen]

No. They are simply more masculine, better military able, better strategists, better political planners, better geographers, and much more efficient in taking over the world and boldly go to places which Dharmic religions never dared to conceive.

In short. Their history is much more juicy and interesting. Less miserable, and neurotic figures who run away from politics and social strife to start male dominated monastic orders.

What about Sun Tzu and Genghis Khan?

 

[CynthiaCypher]

No. They are simply more masculine, better military able, better strategists, better political planners, better geographers, and much more efficient in taking over the world and boldly go to places which Dharmic religions never dared to conceive.

In short. Their history is much more juicy and interesting. Less miserable, and neurotic figures who run away from politics and social strife to start male dominated monastic orders.

Like one of our own said:

The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence, and it's the violent who bear it away!

 

[CynthiaCypher]

What about Sun Tzu and Genghis Khan?

Non-dharmic.

 

[Father Heathen]

Non-dharmic.

Never mind then.

 

[Caladan]

What about Sun Tzu and Genghis Khan?

There are always nice exceptions!

Edit: But just to clarify, as Cynthia said none of the two were Dharmic.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

Never mind then.

Genghis was an animist by the way.

 

[ChristineES]

I am sure there are bigots in every religious community, including Buddhists, but let's not go there. The point of this thread is: are Abrahamic faiths more prone to bigotry because of their fundamental beliefs?

A Muslim cannot believe that there is any other way to god, save through allah. With christians, it's Christ, and it's only political correctness which forced Christians in the last fifty years or so to come up with 'universal' salvation and such; for the most part in christian history, every Christian believed salvation was only throuhg christ and others will go to hell.

So my point is, even though any religious community can produce bigots, are Abrahmic faiths unique in that their very structure is built upon bigotry - remove that foundation and the whole structure collapses?

I can't believe anyone would think that!!

Christians, for example, do not believe that they are better than others- by very design. We are taught to love our neighbor as ourselves (Actually, this was a Jewish law first, so they are included). A "neighbor" by Jesus words' is anyone who is not a Christian. I can't say all Christians live by the above standard and some of them are very bigoted, but it is not by design. Baha'i faith seems to embrace everyone and all religions (there is some debate that they are not of the Abraham faiths, but I think they are).

Blanket statements and generalizing doesn't and never has worked for me. I see people as individuals, not as whatever labels they may carry.

 

[Me Myself]

I can't believe anyone would think that!!

Christians, for example, do not believe that they are better than others- by very design. We are taught to love our neighbor as ourselves (Actually, this was a Jewish law first, so they are included). A "neighbor" by Jesus words' is anyone who is not a Christian. I can't say all Christians live by the above standard and some of them are very bigoted, but it is not by design. Baha'i faith seems to embrace everyone and all religions (there is some debate that they are not of the Abraham faiths, but I think they are).

Blanket statements and generalizing doesn't and never has worked for me. I see people as individuals, not as whatever labels they may carry.

It is not a blanket statement. He said if it is MORE PRONE. A blanket statement would be: dudes and dudettes of abrahamic religions are more bigot than the other religious dudes and dudettes.

What he said is a different kind of approach.

Is like if I said: all poor people are thiefs (<-blanket statement) or poverty and lack of job oportunity makes people more prone to stealing (<-not so)