Say Something Nice

[Regiomontanus]

This may be the ultimate challenge for some. I'd like you to....

Say something nice about another religion. If you're atheist, say something nice about any religion.

Try to do so without 'buts' or snide jokes added in after. Just be genuinely nice if you can.

Anything will do. Appreciation of a religious structure, music, teaching or tradition... all of it(or anything) works.

What have you got for me?

OK, this will likely sound like a cop out but I can honestly say that I find value in all religions (excepting the perversion of a faith that leads to acts of terrorism).

I have found my Jewish friends to be some of the nicest, most caring people I know. Small, biased sample, but still .

 

[JustGeorge]

Beer

Yeah, I like Thor's drinking horn, too.


Really cool responses so far! And some awesome music! Only a few snide remarks... less than I was expecting, though seeing any at all is disappointing.

I always found the Buddhist concept of Bodhisattvas inspiring. What a thing to strive for!

 

[Heyo]

Even in a thread dedicated to trying to unify folks, you just could not resist some Christian bashing?

As the OP said, it is difficult for some. I also struggle with seeing things only from one side. I'm not good at making compliments, they always turn out to be backhanded. I just value honesty over kindness.

 

[Regiomontanus]

As the OP said, it is difficult for some. I also struggle with seeing things only from one side. I'm not good at making compliments, they always turn out to be backhanded. I just value honesty over kindness.

Sure, I understand. But one could just hold their tongue instead.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

This may be the ultimate challenge for some. I'd like you to....

Say something nice about another religion. If you're atheist, say something nice about any religion.

Try to do so without 'buts' or snide jokes added in after. Just be genuinely nice if you can.

Anything will do. Appreciation of a religious structure, music, teaching or tradition... all of it(or anything) works.

What have you got for me?

I like other religions because

1. Catholicism focused on private/silent devotion. Churches are open most of the day here and people come in pray, say the rosary, and meditate. It's very calming.

2. I like discipline devotion (Buddhism, Catholicism, etc) where they have monasteries with people devoted their god or devoted to teaching layman about Dharma in exchange for layman taking care of monastics (equal interaction).

3. I like how Hinduism has many gods/goddesses that are/represent one god (lack of better words)

4. I like the Buddhists and Hindus cultural hospitality very different to an extent to the positive cultural hospitality we have in the west. (Different ways we help others and so forth across the world)

5. I like how many catholics "carry" their faith-more humble and focused more on what one does rather than what one reads

I can probably think of more

 

[JustGeorge]

As the OP said, it is difficult for some. I also struggle with seeing things only from one side. I'm not good at making compliments, they always turn out to be backhanded. I just value honesty over kindness.

Honestly, you did a fine job of being nice, and informed me some on JWs.

I don't see why honesty and kindness can't go hand in hand, though. One can choose to use words that aren't hurtful in presenting something unpleasant if they're mindful about the other person's feelings.

Or, like @Regiomontanus just said, and Thumper said so well in 'Bambi', "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".

 

[Heyo]

I don't see why honesty and kindness can't go hand in hand, though.

I see honesty as a form of kindness but I know that I'm in a minority with that. When someone says "You look like ****" most people will think "how rude". I'd say "thanks for noticing, I'm feeling like ****".
And I'm trying not to apply the golden rule here but sometimes I misjudge in what company I am.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Yep, they are a strange bunch. On the one hand they have the most archaic rules and rituals, on the other hand the Jewish people have brought forth the most brilliant scientists. Given their small number, they just dominate the list of Nobel laureates.

Most definitely. Amd there is Einstein, someone who has strongly influenced my own views.

 

[JustGeorge]

I see honesty as a form of kindness but I know that I'm in a minority with that. When someone says "You look like ****" most people will think "how rude". I'd say "thanks for noticing, I'm feeling like ****".
And I'm trying not to apply the golden rule here but sometimes I misjudge in what company I am.

I get that. I can be very blunt, and prefer to be, but I don't do it with people who can't take it. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or make any enemies(I have enough already). Some people I'd definitely say "You look like ****" to, and others I'd probably say "You okay? You seem a little off today."

I also try to understand the intent. If someone's saying "You look like ****" in order to insult me, I'd probably offer a backhanded comment back. If they're doing it out of concern, I'll have an answer more appropriate to the conversation.

 

[sun rise]

since I so often criticise Muslims, let me say something nice:
I love their music.
Have you ever listened to that one here? It's Sufi music:

It's absolutely fantastic.
I also went to a Ramadan party once, and the women really know how to dance. They came from Tunisia mostly.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in particular but much of Qawwali music in general is wonderful.

 

[sun rise]

I see honesty as a form of kindness

I see kindness as a form of honesty.

 

[blü 2]

What have you got for me?

Why not say something nice about everyone?

If you treat others with decency, respect and inclusion, does it matter very much what your views regarding religion are?

 

[Spirit of Light]

I get that. I can be very blunt, and prefer to be, but I don't do it with people who can't take it. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or make any enemies(I have enough already). Some people I'd definitely say "You look like ****" to, and others I'd probably say "You okay? You seem a little off today."

I also try to understand the intent. If someone's saying "You look like ****" in order to insult me, I'd probably offer a backhanded comment back. If they're doing it out of concern, I'll have an answer more appropriate to the conversation.

If someone say you look like *****. You can answer Thank you, you look like poop your self to that make most people go silent

 

[JustGeorge]

Why not say something nice about everyone?

If you treat others with decency, respect and inclusion, does it matter very much what your views regarding religion are?

For the sake of making a thread, it seemed easier to pick a topic. And, being as this is a religious forum, it didn't seem unreasonable to target religion. After all, the reason I joined the forum was the hope of discussing religion.

It doesn't matter what one's religious views are, no. I was/am merely curious to hear some of the things people have been inspired by from religion, be it a structure, music, or a tradition.

But if you're feeling ambitious, opening a thread asking members to say something nice on any topic might be worthwhile.

If someone say you look like *****. You can answer Thank you, you look like poop your self to that make most people go silent

There are so many ways one can go with that... The juvenile "I smell like **** too, want to smell my armpit?" Or the rather rude "I dressed down so you wouldn't feel poorly about yourself." Or, if you look badly because you're sick, you could always throw up on them...

 

[blü 2]

For the sake of making a thread, it seemed easier to pick a topic. And, being as this is a religious forum, it didn't seem unreasonable to target religion. After all, the reason I joined the forum was the hope of discussing religion.

Whereas I was simply looking for a way to join in the discussion, being not notably religious myself.

But for all my offenses I readily apologize.

 

[JustGeorge]

Whereas I was simply looking for a way to join in the discussion, being not notably religious myself.

But for all my offenses I readily apologize.

I was hoping to include all or any in the conversation, as one doesn't have to be religious in order to appreciate something religious.

Some of the music that's been posted here gives good examples, as people were sharing music from traditions they didn't necessarily follow.

Could be artwork:


Or architecture:


Maybe a festival:


Perhaps an old mythological story. One doesn't have to believe they occurred to enjoy them, I don't think.

 

[Irate State]

This may be the ultimate challenge for some. I'd like you to....

Say something nice about another religion. If you're atheist, say something nice about any religion.

Try to do so without 'buts' or snide jokes added in after. Just be genuinely nice if you can.

Anything will do. Appreciation of a religious structure, music, teaching or tradition... all of it(or anything) works.

What have you got for me?

I love the architecture of European Christian churches and Mosques.

 

[Clara Tea]

This may be the ultimate challenge for some. I'd like you to....

Say something nice about another religion. If you're atheist, say something nice about any religion.

Try to do so without 'buts' or snide jokes added in after. Just be genuinely nice if you can.

Anything will do. Appreciation of a religious structure, music, teaching or tradition... all of it(or anything) works.

What have you got for me?

Genealogists uses Hotten's List of Men of Quality. They are the rich, so they dress well, live in nice homes, and speak proper English because they were educated in fine universities. Often, their money derived from the slave trade. So, slavers were men of quality.

Let me say something nice about Reverend Jim Bakker and Tammy Fay Bakker. They dressed well, lived well in their mansion (in their lawyer's name to hide it from prying paparazzi). All I have to do now is ignore the starving Africans who didn't get money from the generous donors.

As long as we turn a blind eye to God's wishes, we can say nice things.

 

[Revoltingest]

Something Nice

 

[JustGeorge]

Genealogists uses Hotten's List of Men of Quality. They are the rich, so they dress well, live in nice homes, and speak proper English because they were educated in fine universities. Often, their money derived from the slave trade. So, slavers were men of quality.

Let me say something nice about Reverend Jim Bakker and Tammy Fay Bakker. They dressed well, lived well in their mansion (in their lawyer's name to hide it from prying paparazzi). All I have to do now is ignore the starving Africans who didn't get money from the generous donors.

As long as we turn a blind eye to God's wishes, we can say nice things.

Which God's wishes? Are you turning a blind eye to Ganesh's wishes? How about Thor's? Perhaps Osiris's? I'm confused. There are thousands of gods out there; if the Abrahamic god upsets you, you can choose another to say something nice about. Or you can bypass the idea of saying something nice about a deity figure or a religious person at all and admire something more concrete(as I've already suggested, like a structure, or festival).