Does it bother you to be called religious?

[Kapalika]

One of my pet peeves is this "I'm not religious" when someone totally is, oddly across all religions they always also say "I have a relationship with x" like what the hell do you think a religion is? lol I find it pretentious and annoying.

But ya, I consider myself religious.

 

[j1i]

Through our cultural upbringing, we come to perceive the terms "religion" and "religious" in a particular way, both positive or negative. If someone were to call you religious, would it bother you? Would you feel like someone had just insulted you? Or perhaps you're indifferent to the label being applied to you? Do you simply feel it's not accurate? Would the label be flattering to you? A badge of pride?

What does your reaction to being called religious tell you about your perceptions of "religion" and "religious?"

Quran said
The believers are brothers, so reconcile between your brothers, and remain conscious of God, so that you may receive mercy.

Also the unknown person who does not know what his religion
My brother says from the door of kindness and respect until he feels safe and comfortable

That of the conditions of our faith honored guests

 

[viole]

Through our cultural upbringing, we come to perceive the terms "religion" and "religious" in a particular way, both positive or negative. If someone were to call you religious, would it bother you? Would you feel like someone had just insulted you? Or perhaps you're indifferent to the label being applied to you? Do you simply feel it's not accurate? Would the label be flattering to you? A badge of pride?

What does your reaction to being called religious tell you about your perceptions of "religion" and "religious?"

I don’t like to be called religious, because I am obviously not religious, nor spiritual in any way or form. It is not an offense, but it is like saying cats are insects, which is obviously wrong.

When some religious people tell me that, it sounds like : “i know I believe in weird things without any evidence, but you are not much better than me”. Which is a bit self defeating if we think about it.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Jumi]

Dunno, I'd ask them what religion they see me as following. Could be positive or negative, depending on their motive or whether they've understood me at all.

 

[columbus]

A few times, here on RF, I have been mistaken for a fundy religionist. It was due to my opposition to casual baby slaughter.

I wasn't so much insulted by being thought religious as by being mostly ignored by someone who felt entitled to explain to me what I really believe.
Tom

 

[InChrist]

One of my pet peeves is this "I'm not religious" when someone totally is, oddly across all religions they always also say "I have a relationship with x" like what the hell do you think a religion is? lol I find it pretentious and annoying.

But ya, I consider myself religious.

I don't consider a relationship with someone to be a religion. I don't have a religion with my loved ones and friends. Religion, from my view, is something one practices in various ways to gain or attain some supposed spiritual benefit or growth. Relationship on the other hand, is relating to and interacting with a person in love or friendship. Maybe you find it pretentious or annoying when someone says something like, "I have a relationship with Jesus, not a religion", because you don't understand it.

 

[InChrist]

Through our cultural upbringing, we come to perceive the terms "religion" and "religious" in a particular way, both positive or negative. If someone were to call you religious, would it bother you? Would you feel like someone had just insulted you? Or perhaps you're indifferent to the label being applied to you? Do you simply feel it's not accurate? Would the label be flattering to you? A badge of pride?

What does your reaction to being called religious tell you about your perceptions of "religion" and "religious?"

When some calls me religious, I take it with a grain of salt, but consider it in accurate and know they don't understand the reality of a living relationship with the Personal Being, God, who created heaven and earth.

 

[SalixIncendium]

One of my pet peeves is this "I'm not religious" when someone totally is, oddly across all religions they always also say "I have a relationship with x" like what the hell do you think a religion is? lol I find it pretentious and annoying.

Are you stating that if one has a relationship with God, the Absolute, etc. that you label her/him as religious?

 

[lukethethird]

Does it bother you to be called religious?

Not if you smile when you call me that.

 

[Kapalika]

Are you stating that if one has a relationship with God, the Absolute, etc. that you label her/him as religious?

*scowls at you suspiciously* Of course I do! Because that's what they are. This whole "relationship with x" is just a euphemism.

As far as I can tell, it's way for them to have their cake and eat it too, because for some reason they feel icky about the word "religion". I often too see them labeling all other belief systems as religions except theirs.

 

[Kapalika]

I don't consider a relationship with someone to be a religion. I don't have a religion with my loved ones and friends. Religion, from my view, is something one practices in various ways to gain or attain some supposed spiritual benefit or growth. Relationship on the other hand, is relating to and interacting with a person in love or friendship. Maybe you find it pretentious or annoying when someone says something like, "I have a relationship with Jesus, not a religion", because you don't understand it.

But you still are religious because of the context of your belief system around Yeshua. You can't sit there and seriously tell me that you have a belief system based around your relatives or friends, like you do with Yeshua.

And what do we call a spiritual belief system? I'm pretty sure that's called religion. You are trying to make your religion somehow seem special by saying that others try to:

"gain or attain some supposed spiritual benefit or growth"

That there is your own projections. So to you, all other religions are basically fake is what I'm hearing. How typically Christian (which is also a religion, btw). So you gotta make up a new phrase, to separate yourself from the stigma, but that doesn't change the underlying nature of what you believe and practice.

I also find it, as a last note, curious you would assume I "don't get it". I've talked with a lot of Christians extremely few have ever had a direct experience with Yeshua, angels or anything. Most only get some kind of internal sensation rarely is it where they literally hear Yeshua speak back.

Now daemons? Demons, deities and asuras? People have direct and very real experiences with them all the time. I can say that I have a relationship with a variety of entities but I can and will also admit that my religion puts into context the kind of relationships I have with spirits. This is just the same as your belief system will create a context that your relationship with Yeshua will be in.

 

[lukethethird]

Maybe you find it pretentious or annoying when someone says something like, "I have a relationship with Jesus, not a religion", because you don't understand it.

What's there to understand when words have no meaning?

 

[SalixIncendium]

*scowls at you suspiciously* Of course I do! Because that's what they are. This whole "relationship with x" is just a euphemism.

As far as I can tell, it's way for them to have their cake and eat it too, because for some reason they feel icky about the word "religion". I often too see them labeling all other belief systems as religions except theirs.

How are you defining the term 'religion?'

 

[Kapalika]

How are you defining the term 'religion?'

Non-arbitrarily. It just feels like pageantry to discuss the "definition" of religion when those I am speaking against are clearly changing the meaning in a way to be critical of other belief systems.

To be more direct, I am using the term in a neutral, objective way devoid of judgement or bias. Religion is simply religion.

religion | Definition & List of Religions

"Religion, human beings’ relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, absolute, spiritual, divine, or worthy of especial reverence. It is also commonly regarded as consisting of the way people deal with ultimate concerns about their lives and their fate after death. In many traditions, this relation and these concerns are expressed in terms of one’s relationship with or attitude toward gods or spirits; in more humanistic or naturalistic forms of religion, they are expressed in terms of one’s relationship with or attitudes toward the broader human community or the natural world. In many religions, "

Definition of RELIGION

: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

 

[Marcion]

I only mind if the person in question tries to associate me with one specific religion because I don't feel any special affinity with one or more religions. I'm much more interested in spiritual practices and spiritual philosophy regardless of their cultural or geographical origins.

What I dislike is how many religious people (even atheists) will express negative sentiments about other religions or spiritual paths or even slander them or their preceptors.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I don't consider a relationship with someone to be a religion. I don't have a religion with my loved ones and friends. Religion, from my view, is something one practices in various ways to gain or attain some supposed spiritual benefit or growth. Relationship on the other hand, is relating to and interacting with a person in love or friendship.

And when the interaction in that "relationship" isn't reciprocated by the other side, we generally call it stalking.

Maybe you find it pretentious or annoying when someone says something like, "I have a relationship with Jesus, not a religion", because you don't understand it.

I generally see it as a tactic: "I'm going to pretend that your valid criticisms of my belief system don't apply because I've decided to use a different word to describe it."