I can't speak for how other faiths or belief systems advise members to treat nonbelievers, but as a Christian, I think we who claim to follow Christ need to take a look at how Jesus treated others. He was not insulting or condescending to people of other belief systems (like the Roman officer and the Samaritans, for example). He just would teach, "The kingdom of God is like [insert parable here]". If people didn't believe those teachings, and walked away, Jesus did not go charging after them screaming about doom and hellfire in their wake.Bunni wrote:Man, that sucks Dark. I agree it also comes from some Christians, and the bottom line is just like you said, "we're both still humans and that we should just be respectful and courteous, no matter what someone does or doesn't believe in."Dark Abyss wrote:the reason for this is because when someone states "i'm christian" people go "oh that's nice" or "good for you". when someone who is atheist states "i'm atheist" (just quietly like i've done) they're questioned harshly. so after a while they feel the need to go on the defense because of how many times they are attacked for not believing in a higher power.Bunni wrote:
You know something, on this forum, I'm glad to be able to say that the Atheists I know of don't actually feel the need to do this at all.
I think it's a small percentage of Atheists who act like this, that unfortunately give them a negative reputation for always wanting to debate the Christian belief system because they are so aggressively vocal about it on the internet (talking outside of the forum).
story time kiddies: recently on fb i took a "what religion are you 'suppose' to be" and i got....atheist (which i am so no big shocker there). i actually had two people whom i thought i was friends with de-friend me. wtf? because i don't believe in a god? not once have i put anything hateful, derogatory, or a joke that was making fun of someone else's belief. so i asked them. one just now ignores me and the other one asked how long would it be before i started making fun of their belief. 8h that's just not me.
my one aunt and her daughter are catholic and have put derogatory jokes on fb making atheist out to be the bad guy or incompetent....so after the 15th i had to know....so i asked "why is it that you feel the need to make fun of my lack of belief when i've not once made a snide comment or a joke that was in bad taste about christians?" my aunt commented that she was a good person and that she would end up in heaven. :T i was kind of confused with her response as i hadn't asked her where she would end up at, just why did she need to feel justification for being christian by making fun of someone who had a different belief system. she never did answer the question....but she did stop posting insulting jokes about atheist. (i wasn't insulted just curious as to why she just simply couldn't state "i'm proud to be christian" without insulting any belief/lack of belief).
i believe in what i believe in....just as you believe in what ever your belief is....and you know what? its ok. it doesn't change the fact that we're both still humans and that we should just be respectful and courteous, no matter what someone does or doesn't believe in.
The only people Jesus lit into were hypocrites and the moneychangers in the Temple. He let them have it with both barrels.
So, what messages are being sent to Jesus's followers? Treat people of other belief systems as Jesus did, first of all. If we want people to believe that we're following a God of love, then we can't act like hateful wretches. And we can't send double messages of playing Holier Than Thou in Church for one hour on Sundays, then spend the other 6 days and 23 hours gossiping, lying, cheating, and basically tearing others down. And yes, those no-nos include laughing at or demeaning people with other belief systems (or no belief system at all). That whole behavior pattern needs to have a big fat THOU SHALT NOT written on it. Its the opposite of the athletic-shoe slogan: Just Don't Do It.