Stereotypes of religions that need to go

[Politesse]

Oh, and Wiccans and/or Satanists still practice human sacrifice. You'd be startled to learn how earnestly many of the people I talk to believe this; I've had folks look me in the eye and claim to have direct knowledge thereof. I admit I am not much connected to the Satanist community in town (though they seem perfectly nice). But Wicca, well, if there were renegade Pagans going around killing people, I'm pretty sure there would at lease be rumors of the same in the more mainstream Pagan circles I run in. Instead, the rumors seem to be entirely associated with a certain megachurch of my acquaintance, and its pastor, who publically and often claims to have "rescued" several witches.

 

[Quintessence]

hmm... but when an atheist says we believe in the skyd-ddy that is not only offensive, it is a sterotypical lie

Sure. And that's what this thread is about - what are stereotypes of religions that you want to see gone? The spirit of this thread is not so much about playing the blame game, which is generally unhelpful in banishing stereotypes. Stereotyping is something all of us do, and it is important to recognize that so we can be part of the solution.

By the way, if you guys do see posts like that which mischaracterize atheisms or theisms, religions or irreligions in a needlessly offensive (aka trollish) fashion, you guys are encouraged to report it to the staff.

 

[Demonslayer]

hmm... but when an atheist says we believe in the skyd-ddy that is not only offensive, it is a sterotypical lie

It is? Don't y'all refer to God as "the Heavenly Father?"

 

[Politesse]

hmm... but when an atheist says we believe in the skyd-ddy that is not only offensive, it is a sterotypical lie

It is? Don't y'all refer to God as "the Heavenly Father?"

If you wish to be respectful, and you know the proper phrasing, why not use it? "Heavenly" has many connotations that "Sky" does not.

 

[Demonslayer]

If you wish to be respectful, and you know the proper phrasing, why not use it? "Heavenly" has many connotations that "Sky" does not.

So I supposed "Cloud King" is out too.

 

[Politesse]

So I supposed "Cloud King" is out too.

I could live with Cloud King. "Sovereign of the Stratosphere" would be okay as a secondary title.

 

[David1967]

Wait, Jack Chick was spreading hilariously nonsensical lies about more than just D&D?

Why am I not the lease bit surprised?

Chic publications scared me to death when I was a kid. Now? They are just very badly written comic books.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

Namaste,

Stereotypes of Hinduism that must go, as all of them are incorrect and misconceptions.

1) All Hindus believe and follow the Caste System
2) The Caste System is advocated by Hinduisms teachings.
3) Women are treated as inferior in Hinduism.
4) Hindus are weak
5) Advaita Vedanta is the ONLY philosophy in Hinduism and all Hindus follow it.
6) Hinduism does not have a sense of individuality.
7) Hindus are Idol Worshipers.
8) There is no unity among Hindu teachings.
9) Hinduism has one God
10) Hinduism has many Gods.
11) Karma means "you do good to get good in return".
12) If Krishna/Vishnu/Shiva ect did not exist, Hinduism will not exist.
13) Hinduism has no Moral/Ethical teachings.
14) The Bhagvad Gita is for ALL those who call them self Hindu.
15) Hindus worship the Cow
16) All Hindus are
Vegetarians
17) Hinduism is world negating.
18) Hinduism says "All religions are the same".
19) The Idea of Charity in Hinduism is "neo-Hinduism".
20) Contemporary Hinduism is "Neo".
21) Hindus also believe in the "trinity".
22) Hinduism is the cause of poverty in India.
23) Hinduism is the same as other religions.
24) Hinduism means worshiping a God/Gods only.
25) Hindus are all Theistic
26) Hindus are
heathen
27) Hindus are Kafir
28) Hindus also worship Jesus.
29) Hinduism has the same problems as other religions.
30) All Hindus are Indian
31) Hinduism requires faith and Belief in the supernatural.
32) Hinduism evolved the same way as other religions did.
33) Hindu philosophy is inferior to other philosophies.
34) All Hindus believe in Brahman.
35) all Hindus worship in temples
36) Hinduism has a clergy system similar to other religions.
37) Brahmins had all the power in Hindu society.
38) The Aryans brought Hinduism to the Dravidians
39) Ahinsa means non violence
40) Dharmah means religion.

i can go on and on.....

Dhanyavad.

 

[Katzpur]

So many! Here are the ones I have to correct most often in my comparative religions class, sometimes even after the kids have been "researching" the religion in question. Some are geographically specific to my region, but I'll present them all for your interest.

So are you saying you teach the class? If so, based on this post, I'd say you are doing a phenomenal job!

I particularly liked the one about Catholicism which states:

• A side comment to reporters on a plane has the infallible weight of canon law.

You could add a very similar one to your list on Mormonism: "Every comment ever made by a Mormon holding a position of some authority constitutes official Mormon doctrine."

 

[Politesse]

So are you saying you teach the class? If so, based on this post, I'd say you are doing a phenomenal job!

I particularly liked the one about Catholicism which states:

• A side comment to reporters on a plane has the infallible weight of canon law.

You could add a very similar one to your list on Mormonism: "Every comment ever made by a Mormon holding a position of some authority constitutes official Mormon doctrine."

Yes! Always looking for authorities.

Happens to Vodou and the recently deceased Max Beauvoir, too, a situation not helped much by people calling him the High Priest of Vodou toward the end of his life.

Or general statements of "X believes Y about Z" that just don't encompass reality most of the time. It's my contention that religion is more like a language than a law, no matter whose is under discussion.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Here's a few about Buddhism:

1. Buddhists worship Buddha as a god
2. Hotei (the 'fat' Buddha) is the Buddha
3. Buddhism teaches and promotes it's own martial arts
4. Buddhists are idol worshippers
5. Buddhism teaches reincarnation
6. Karma is like a law of return, or worse, karma is fatalistic
7. Buddhists only meditate, and don't care about day to day life
8. Buddhism teaches you to empty your mind
9. Nirvana is like heaven
10. Buddhism is atheistic (this one always needs a bit of explanation)
11. Buddhism teaches that reality is an illusion

 

[Politesse]

Buddhism teaches reincarnation

You've got me, now. No?

 

[Smart_Guy]

Let's see...

1- Muslims are not Muslims if they break some expected-to-be rules of Islam.

2- Muslims worship the cube shaped structure called Kaaba.

3- Muslims are terrorists

4- Confusing religion and race.

5- Islam is homophobic.

6- Muslims and Arabs are the same.

7- Judaism is a race.

8- Shawurma is a religion...

9- Muslims hate other religions.

10- Muslims don't believe in Jesus.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

You've got me, now. No?

No. Buddhism teaches what we call 'rebirth'. It's different from reincarnation in that reincarnation teaches that it's an etenal soul that transmigrates from life to life, but Buddhists don't believe in an eternal soul. In Buddhist rebirth, it's ones karma that goes from one life to the next.

 

[David1967]

Here's a few about Buddhism:


5. Buddhism teaches reincarnation
Do Buddhists not believe in reincarnation?

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

No, see my post above.

 

[Politesse]

Ah! I think I had just been filing that in my head as "different beliefs about reincarnation". Thanks for the correction!

 

[David1967]

No, see my post above.

I did see that. The reason I was asking is that from the Buddhists that I know personally, they believe in reincarnation. I have read books by the Dalai Lama where he speaks of reincarnation or rebirth. I understand that there are different types of Buddhists, Mahayana, Theravada etc. Do some not believe in reincarnation or are you just saying they don't teach it?

 

[David1967]

I did see that. The reason I was asking is that from the Buddhists that I know personally, they believe in reincarnation. I have read books by the Dalai Lama where he speaks of reincarnation or rebirth. I understand that there are different types of Buddhists, Mahayana, Theravada etc. Do some not believe in reincarnation or are you just saying they don't teach it?

Nevermind, I see you answered this question in another post. Thanks

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I did see that. The reason I was asking is that from the Buddhists that I know personally, they believe in reincarnation. I have read books by the Dalai Lama where he speaks of reincarnation or rebirth. I understand that there are different types of Buddhists, Mahayana, Theravada etc. Do some not believe in reincarnation or are you just saying they don't teach it?

It's a difference in underlying philosophy. Hindus believe in an eternal soul that transmigrates, Buddhists don't. I have seen some Buddhists use the term reincarnation, but with the Buddhist understanding of rebirth. However, I do think some Tibetan Buddhists believe in something closer to reincarnation than the traditional Buddhist understanding, but I'm not sure on this, as I'm not as familiar with Tibetan Buddhism.