Why Do Theists....

[nailit]

think that unbelievers are unbelievers by choice?

[naomi24]

Theland, All you ever seem to do is complain about those who disagree with you. Why do you come to this section?

[naomi24]

Purist, //Can you not adopt a live and let live sort of attitude//

People who ask that really need to examine the question thoroughly. Is there anything about any religion that you would find objectionable?

[Theland]

When I have finished writing this post I am logging out of Answer bank to the apparent pleasure of you Naomi and others.
Don't post expecting a reply, I won't be here.
That should satisfy you all.
Will look in sometime in the future.
Best wishes to all.
Keep well. X X X

[Purist]

I respect other people's mainstream religion in their company but away from that I live my own life. Neither has a negative effect on me, perhaps I have been spared the horrors. Perhaps the religious people I know are nice people despite their political or religious leanings?

[naomi24]

You say neither has a negative effect on you, Purist, but I can't think like that. I get upset when people are damaged by religion - even those people I don't know.

[nailit]

//I am forever struck by the energy spent on trying to destroy my faith.
Nailit is classical example.
Why?//

I dont try to destroy your faith Theland...simply ask you to defend it.


//I will admit I do not understand why some people who have turned away from religion still spend their time picking holes in it//

Whose picking holes?
Asking someone why they believe as they do and to justify it is not picking holes is it?

[Purist]

You do what you think is right Naomi however I find the thread to be quite hard, especially as Theland appears to be in poor health. If he gets comfort from his religion why should he have to keep defending what he believes in.

[andy-hughes]

Purist - // Neither has a negative effect on me, perhaps I have been spared the horrors. Perhaps the religious people I know are nice people despite their political or religious leanings? //

That's fine, if you live your life entirely based on your own personal experiences.

I, and I am sure I am at liberty here to speak for naomi and most others on this section, do not do so.

I have personally experienced the serious damage that the rank-closing endemic in the Catholic church can do to the very people it supposed to embrace and protect - but my views on religion were already formed well before that, that experience mere underlined my views, it did not form them.

As a random example - I have never been imprisoned and tortured in a Nazi death camp - but I have a view on it, even though it is outside my own experience.

Living your life only accepting what happens to you as a template for what does, or has, happened to the rest of humanity, is going to leave you with a seriously narrowed view of the world in which you live.

[naomi24]

Theland doesn't have to do anything, purist. He chooses to do what he does.

[andy-hughes]

Purist - // You do what you think is right Naomi however I find the thread to be quite hard, especially as Theland appears to be in poor health. If he gets comfort from his religion why should he have to keep defending what he believes in. //

Please don;t paint Theland as a victim - he has originated at least as many faith posts as Nailit, and he is perfectly capable of arguing his case, and being every bit as hostile and bigoted as anyone else on the site.

No-one forces him to contribute, but his patronising condescending attitude rubs many people up the wrong way, I know, I am one of them.

[Mamyalynne]

Have a good rest Theland.

[nailit]

//I get upset when people are damaged by religion//
And people ARE damaged by religion.
Ive known many people that are terrified of dying because they have been indoctrinated with a belief system as a child that they will spend an eternity in hell and suffering if they turn away from it. Its psychologically crippling.

[nailit]

//Will look in sometime in the future//
And this ^^ is what happens when you question a faith...

[Purist]

Okay this is obviously a long term dispute/discussion, I came across the thread and found it a bit shocking, obviously this is just a continued argument and you have all been here before. I shall step away.

[nailit]

//Okay this is obviously a long term dispute/discussion//
No dispute on my side, just a simple question.

Dont know why you found it shocking though?
A non believer asks a question of believers and its shocking? Really?
WOW!

[Mamyalynne]

You have Nailit, so many deep and meaningful questions on faith, it may indeed be best to seek some answers from a higher authority than any 'Joe or Josephine' on the site.

All they can do is give their views and that will never satisfy you.

I know I couldn't answer a fraction of what you ask, the reasons being mine and hard to word.

If Theland explained down to the last minutiae of all he believes it would not satisfy you, nor would it educate you, simply illustrate what his faith is.

[andy-hughes]

Mamya - // If Theland explained down to the last minutiae of all he believes it would not satisfy you, nor would it educate you, simply illustrate what his faith is. //

I believe that Nailit suffers from the same issues with Theland as I do - trying to converse with him is akin to plaiting fog.

He constantly evades direct questions about his faith, usually with the platitude that it's 'all in the bible if you look ...' and similarly unsatisfying guff.

Added to that, he is stratospherically patronising in his belief that he is somehow a higher being because of his faith and that anyone who fails to share it is deservedly doomed in the next life, and equally doomed to be an idiot in this one.

That is why naomi, Nailit and I, together with occasional less regular protagonists become so vexed with his approach - which apparently we are to be denied henceforth.

Sadly his wonderful faith was unable to stand some basic and robust questioning - but that's OTT Christians for you ...

[nailit]

//If Theland explained down to the last minutiae of all he believes it would not satisfy you, nor would it educate you//
How would/do you know that Mamy?

My questions in this section of AB are serious questions.
I will not be rebuffed by an *assumption* of a religious person.

[nailit]

What Andy said ^^as well!

[Mamyalynne]

I don't know it Nailit but after all this time of your serious questioning, very little he says appeases any of you - so is it not a little futile to keep asking when there are so many who are perhaps more robust in being able to answer your deep and earnest queries?

I'll leave it there, seems I have interrupted the flow.