Why are people afraid of their beliefs being questioned ?

[illykitty]

Sometimes questions can come off as being as rude, judgemental and/or as an attempt to dissuade/convert someone.

Also, speaking for myself, I don't have all the answers and that can be a little annoying to have to try to explain that my beliefs aren't set in stone. It can feel as if my beliefs aren't valid because of that.

My beliefs are mine and personal. I don't see why I should be justifying them. But if someone was genuine, interested and respectful then I would gladly answer as much as I can.

 

[psychoslice]

Surely that's not the only reason forums exist.

There are some reasonable reasons people don't want to be questioned:

- It's been done a million times before by others before you and the person is just plain sick of it.
- It's a set-up for name-calling, or way for the questioner to express their viewpoint, not legitimate curious questioning at all.
- The questioner's intent is to rile, not learn.
- The person hold the belief that sacred is secret, secret is sacred, and doesn't want to share.
- Some of the answers might come across as bragging or otherwise pompous behaviour, and the person being questioned is too humble to get into that.

- just some thoughts.

Of course we should all be respectful, but just questioning their beliefs is enough to upset them, gee if i had a belief please question it. If their belief is so called sacred to them, then don't answer the question, stay in a thread where no one is allowed, unless their going to agree with everything you say.

 

[psychoslice]

Sometimes questions can come off as being as rude, judgemental and/or as an attempt to dissuade/convert someone.

Also, speaking for myself, I don't have all the answers and that can be a little annoying to have to try to explain that my beliefs aren't set in stone. It can feel as if my beliefs aren't valid because of that.

My beliefs are mine and personal. I don't see why I should be justifying them. But if someone was genuine, interested and respectful then I would gladly answer as much as I can.

Yes and what I am saying doesn't really concern you, you are a minority, you have a mature way of presenting your beliefs. I'm talking more about those who do want feedback on what their question is about, but at the same time not wanting to hear anyone question their beliefs that brought them to that question.

 

[Vinayaka]

Of course we should all be respectful, but just questioning their beliefs is enough to upset them, gee if i had a belief please question it.

Indeed, some individuals are easily upset. The thickness of one's emotional skin varies widely. OTOH, I've also seen people accuse others of being upset, when they actually weren't. (Speaking from personal experience here.) I can upset people by merely stating a belief I have. So maybe it's just the nature of a forum to read more into something than there actually is.

 

[psychoslice]

Indeed, some individuals are easily upset. The thickness of one's emotional skin varies widely. OTOH, I've also seen people accuse others of being upset, when they actually weren't. (Speaking from personal experience here.) I can upset people by merely stating a belief I have. So maybe it's just the nature of a forum to read more into something than there actually is.

Yes it certainly can work both ways, its just that I have noticed it more with religious beliefs, I think because religious beliefs stem from deep emotions, is why they get upset so easily. the thing is, there really just beliefs, its not that i am taking something tangible away from them, for how could one take a belief away, it doesn't exist.

 

[no intelectual]

Religion is one of those big taboo topics that many people are terrified to touch: too afraid that others will question their religious loyalties and just as afraid to step on the minefield that is the overhyped sensitivity of some believers.

People, after all, live and die in the names of religious values, so the stakes of what we are playing with couldn’t be any higher. And yet, few fields can make many human beings as unwilling to face the evidence as religion. It is exactly because these ideas are so central to their lives that they don’t want anyone to plant doubts in their minds.

So, is religion really for the weak minded, is it just a crutch for those who need something to just believe in, something to make their life worth living, then if this is so, should we or not still questions these peoples beliefs, or should we just leave them where they are happy in their beliefs. Then again if these people don’t like their beliefs questioned, why in the world would they join a forum where we should be free to question others beliefs.

I have been in trouble many times on forums from questioning mainly Christians beliefs, its so frustrating, I can question most other belief systems with no problem, but again when its Christians all hell brakes out.

So should I just keep my big mouth shut and say nothing, or should I tiptoe around egg shells trying no to say the wrong words, as I said its frustrating.

Yes religion is for the weak minded. I have no religion, I believe in Christ , not having studied because His Holy Spirit gives me insights and understanding about the truth about myself.
I learn a lot about human nature that way, myself included.
Louise

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes it certainly can work both ways, its just that I have noticed it more with religious beliefs, I think because religious beliefs stem from deep emotions, is why they get upset so easily. the thing is, there really just beliefs, its not that i am taking something tangible away from them, for how could one take a belief away, it doesn't exist.

I don't fully understand when you say a belief doesn't exist. I agree that you can't taker a belief away from someone. It's not a thing like that. But beliefs exist. You have them. I have them.

I'm not sure that religious beliefs stem from deep emotions either. I do believe that some people are deeply emotional about their beliefs. That part I can agree to.

But I've developed some of my beliefs from experiences that I think were far more mystical in nature than emotional. Therefore I assume others may have too. Some people get their beliefs systems from a lack of experiences as well. Their belief in non-belief, for example.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes religion is for the weak minded. I have no religion, I believe in Christ , not having studied because His Holy Spirit gives me insights and understanding about the truth about myself.
I learn a lot about human nature that way, myself included.
Louise

One of my beliefs that often upsets people is that I don't believe in Christ. To put it as a belief rather than a non-belief, I believe Christ didn't exist.

 

[nazz]

One of my beliefs that often upsets people is that I don't believe in Christ. To put it as a belief rather than a non-belief, I believe Christ didn't exist.

I think that's silly but it doesn't matter to me in the least.

 

[Vinayaka]

I think that's silly but it doesn't matter to me in the least.

Well, yes indeed it shouldn't matter ... to anyone. But it does. I've never been able to figure out why?

Why do you think it's silly? After all, there is no evidence for 'him' existing. Some would say it's silly to believe in 'him'. I don't, but some people would.

Probably a third of the people on the planet have never heard of such a person, let alone believe in him. Are they all silly, according to you?

 

[nazz]

Well, yes indeed it shouldn't matter ... to anyone. But it does. I've never been able to figure out why?

Why do you think it's silly? After all, there is no evidence for 'him' existing. Some would say it's silly to believe in 'him'. I don't, but some people would.

Probably a third of the people on the planet have never heard of such a person, let alone believe in him. Are they all silly, according to you?

Well for one thing it is one thing to say you are not sure he existed and another to say for sure he did not. Based on what? But yeah, either way from my perspective it is a silly belief. That is different from not believing him as one's savior. The evidence of his existence is Christianity itself. Who do you think invented Jesus?

 

[psychoslice]

Yes religion is for the weak minded. I have no religion, I believe in Christ , not having studied because His Holy Spirit gives me insights and understanding about the truth about myself.
I learn a lot about human nature that way, myself included.
Louise

Yes that's what true religion is, to find it within, its never found outside, outside is for organised religion, completely different. When one finds there own religion, then you cannot argue about it, its your and no one else's, you don't need to prove it right or wrong because its only right to you. No one can convert another to that religion that is found within, they must find it for themselves which you seem to have.

 

[psychoslice]

I don't fully understand when you say a belief doesn't exist. I agree that you can't taker a belief away from someone. It's not a thing like that. But beliefs exist. You have them. I have them.

I'm not sure that religious beliefs stem from deep emotions either. I do believe that some people are deeply emotional about their beliefs. That part I can agree to.

But I've developed some of my beliefs from experiences that I think were far more mystical in nature than emotional. Therefore I assume others may have too. Some people get their beliefs systems from a lack of experiences as well. Their belief in non-belief, for example.

You sound like you have a healthy belief, which one should have. Yes beliefs only exist in the mind like time does, you cannot find it anywhere except in the mind, no mind no religion, no time.

 

[psychoslice]

One of my beliefs that often upsets people is that I don't believe in Christ. To put it as a belief rather than a non-belief, I believe Christ didn't exist.

Yes I cannot say Christ didn't exist, but all the evidence point to him not exciting, and because of that i cannot believe he did existed, but i wont make a belief that he didn't.

 

[Vinayaka]

You sound like you have a healthy belief, which one should have. Yes beliefs only exist in the mind like time does, you cannot find it anywhere except in the mind, no mind no religion, no time.

Now I understand. Thank you.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes I cannot say Christ didn't exist, but all the evidence point to him not exciting, and because of that i cannot believe he did existed, but i wont make a belief that he didn't.

Yes, there is some agnostic in me about it. 99% that he didn't. 1% who cares, he might have.

I'm not sure what other people really mean when they say, "I believe " whether it's just generally, or 100 % for sure, without a doubt, absolutely. Most of my beliefs do have an inkling of doubt, however small it might be. It might just be one huge hallucination, after all.

 

[psychoslice]

Well for one thing it is one thing to say you are not sure he existed and another to say for sure he did not. Based on what? But yeah, either way from my perspective it is a silly belief. That is different from not believing him as one's savior. The evidence of his existence is Christianity itself. Who do you think invented Jesus?

Exactly, its all invented, or that is how it looks.

 

[Vinayaka]

Well for one thing it is one thing to say you are not sure he existed and another to say for sure he did not. Based on what? But yeah, either way from my perspective it is a silly belief. That is different from not believing him as one's savior. The evidence of his existence is Christianity itself. Who do you think invented Jesus?

What else would you find silly? I don't particularly like that word, as some people (again, not me) might find it offensive, like calling them stupid. I don't intentionally try to rile someone, although on internet forums, that can be an unfortunate side effect of well intentioned questioning.

 

[psychoslice]

Yes, there is some agnostic in me about it. 99% that he didn't. 1% who cares, he might have.

I'm not sure what other people really mean when they say, "I believe " whether it's just generally, or 100 % for sure, without a doubt, absolutely. Most of my beliefs do have an inkling of doubt, however small it might be. It might just be one huge hallucination, after all.

Yea that's true, as long as one has a belief system, one is also carrying doubt about that belief system, why believe in something that is purely known to be true ?.

 

[nazz]

Yes I cannot say Christ didn't exist, but all the evidence point to him not exciting, and because of that i cannot believe he did existed, but i wont make a belief that he didn't.

All of modern scholarship disagrees with you.