Why is religion such an emotive subject?

[madein1978]

After taking part in a few threads about religion, I came to wonder why people are so fired up about religion, the people that were contributing answers were either extremely against or extremely for, there was no middle ground, I won't try for a minute to say I wasn't one of the extremes, thats just me. My question is not what religion is for or what you think of a particular religion but why debate about it ends up heated. Strange question I know but I'm curious!

[madein1978]

One other thing, I don't want any smart ar*e jive about what I said on other threads, keep to the question!

[Greedyfly]

Majority of what we encounter news wise about religion is bad,some people feel very strongly about religion anyway. I don't believe in religion I don't have any part of it so much so that I do not attend weddings etc... I guess theres no definitive answer, I feel very strongly about what I believe (dont think I can say it here, will offend some people) and because I feel so strongly about it sometimes annoys people who dont agree. Its just one of those disscusions, I guess you are either a believer or your not in any religion.

[flashpig]

Because everybody believes that they are completely correct. Apart from agnostics.

[Drisgirl]

Thought you werent gonna say anything else.Couldnt help yourself.Just answered your own post again- see.

You know I'm only winding but you do tend to go off half cocked.Some of the comments you make are very pertinent then the red mist takes over.Far be it for me to advise on anyone but once you've made a point try to allow someone to respond instead of having 5 posts from you rapid cos you've thought of something else.

[madein1978]

I would agree there, probably the best way to be is agnostic, religion is the biggest cause of trouble, next to football!

[nathan2]

i fear you have the answer to this question within. if you believe something to be absolute would'nt you defend some thing so special till the end ?????
this is devout faith whether it is faith in your children religon or f
ootball team . everybody needs to believe in something

[andy-hughes]

One aspect of the religious divide that appears to be glossed over is the cultural difference between East and West.

For the majority of Westerners, religion is something they did a bit at school, and haven't bothered with very much since.

For the majority of Easterners, religion is woven into the fabric of their lives and culture, they feel their faith fervently, and would often be prepared to fight and die to defend it.

That's why the notion of a 'few cartoons' seems OTT to most of the UK, and a matter of life and death for Muslims living here, and abroad.

Until this fundamental difference is addressed, the problems will continue to esalate.

How do we solve the problem? Education - but that's a whole new problem ......

[madein1978]

Andy has just said something I could see but I couldn't put into words, I so agree with that, Thats where the government is going wrong, they can't see this fundamental difference between East and West. Easterners don't think like us in the West, thats why theres friction because there is an abyss between the two sides.

[Englishbird]

I don't think that was quite what Andy was getting at. Please correct me if I'm wrong Andy. It's not that 'they don't like us' or 'we don't like them' It's that there is no proper understanding of how completely different our upbringings are and the base principles of the opposing cultures. Lack of understanding applies to rich and poor of the same culture, it applies to the differences between GB and the USA, but the difference between the middle east and the USA is probably the most extreme.

Getting back to the question tho, it is an emotive topic, People that have faith believe it to be the reason of their existence, what can be more important to them than that. I think people without faith feel they have to be as passionate about not believing in order to get their point across.

From my own perspective, it terrifies me how much time, effort and money is spent on something I don't believe to exist - something I 'know' doesn't exist. It's frightening, and as such evokes a strong reaction.

[Englishbird]

huge apologies madein1978, think I need my eyes tested, I read 'don't like us' not 'don't think like us'. Just ignore me!!

[sako 243]

andy you were right in your post but education will not cure anything.as you say we have a different outlook on religion,and i am glad we do.no matter how religious people are to justify slaughtering innocent civilians and other attrocities over cartoons is absurd.being a scotman,i dont feel the need to blow up the cast of the simpsons because they take the pee out of caretaker willie.look at question about musthafa shag blow up doll and look at post from muslim to see how fanatical they can be.and yes,i got carried away myself but when i read such crap have to respond