Baiting questions

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   mischeviousmeposted 12 years ago

   Why do believers (mainly christian) ask questions and then argue over the answer they recieve. They purposely seek out anyone of a different belief or mindset and ask loaded questions. Why?

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      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You do realize that YOU do that almost every time you start one of these threads... right?  I imagine they like to argue, which is what I imagine about you too.

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         Shanna11posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         +1

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         mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Not necessarily... I do it on hubpages because I am trying to understand why people do as they do, in public, I'm very guarded and speak very little. I have many friends and many aquaintances, about 80% of my christian friends used loaded questions, each ending up with the question "have you been saved?".
         
         Once I've answered the question, I have to listen to explanations as to why God might not like me or the "Jesus is the only way" spiel. Why is it so important that I see the world as they do? I know I ask baiting questions, but the purpose has nothing to with trying to sway one's personal or religious belief, philosophy or way of life. I do not direct my questions in any personal direction and if I do, I generally have to find a justification for it. There is no way to justify asking these kinds of questions or the premise for which they stand.
         
         
         Not that I am justified in any way for my actions and or statements, some of which have come across as harsh and or demeaning, an instance I never intended.

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            MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            You know honestly that you DON'T have to listen to the spiel right?  A nice polite "I've heard enough" or even a "shut the *u*k up" will do wonders.
            
            With that said, I have a nice couple of Jehovah's witnesses that come to my door every week.  I invite them in and give them iced tea... (after all, they did climb 4 flights of steps).  I have told them several times that they are barking up the wrong tree.  Still it does no harm for me to listen to them talk.  If nothing else, I understand their perspective better. 
            
            Which actually is looking to be a good thing... since my son told me this weekend that he has started dating a girl from their church.

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               mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               I'll listen to them, but usually any semblance of a conversation is generally one sided. When I do get a word in, it's usually after I had to hear about why Jesus is so much better than reallity. I'll have theological discussions, I try to avoid them with christians and muslims... dangerous and pushy bunch they can be.

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            Eric Newlandposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I do tend to agree with this. Modern evangelicals need to realize their random, lunging efforts do more harm than good.
            
            The Good News (or however you prefer to think of it) is out there for anyone in the first world to read. Most have already heard it whether they wanted to or not. What Christians need to do if they want to actually win converts is make their life a witness in kindness. They shouldn't have to tell people they are different. People should be coming to them, asking why they are different. If that's not happening then no amount of talking will ever make a lick of difference.
            
            I wouldn't call myself anywhere close to that ideal myself, but I'm working on it.

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               mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               No one person is perfect, though all people have the potential to create/express the likeness of perfection.

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               Hubert Williamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               That's how Jesus did it. People came to him. They asked him questions, many of them very leading, trying to get him to say something blasphemous.

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            recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I have fundamental christians physically around me and must be professionally polite to them, in fact they are generally nice enough people - if a little slow.
            
            I DO find it a little irritating at meetings when discussing history as the subject matter for a lesson, and the opportunity it gives to explore tenses and especially time, when someone announces "you believe your Mother was a monkey !!" and starts giggling like a hyena.
            
            I have to ignore such errant stupidity and tour the classrooms every now and again to ensure that the dimwits are not trying to sneak their brainless quasi-religion into their lessons.  So maybe I get more acid than is proper in these threads to compensate

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               mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Highschool or what? I agree with you, though I don't contend that they are stupid, maybe misguided, not stupid. I know that there are ranges of stupidity and intelligence, they socially compliment eachother. But it is my belief that stupidity is created in the home, school or other social institution, not the womb.

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                  recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  No - this is University.   And no I do not accept that they are not stupid, they clearly lack reasoning ability and are unable to think at a higher level, such as how absences from class and the relevance of the course to the student might be related.  They, without exception, read the first part of a text or mail and telephone asking all the questions that are answered in the second part.   The most striking quality though is the formation of an strong opinion from just one part of a mail or text, and then to want to fight over it. This would appear to be how they deal with bible texts, grab the few words they understand, clip off any bits that do not agree with their bigotry and form a hard opinion.  They are a blind alley in human evolution.

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         Eric Newlandposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Shortest thread ever.

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            mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            So... it was a question, not a slam and/or a personal jab. Go troll somewhere else.

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               Eric Newlandposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               I apologize; your second post clarified what you were actually talking about. But without that context your OP did seem outrageously hypocritical.

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         Pearldiverposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         + 5

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      LewSethicsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It scares me when people suddenly tell me to have a  blessed day, or ask me if I have been saved.  They suddenly seem possessed by something other than themselves, and what scares me is I know that their perception of me will diminish and their emotions will gravitate toward anger when I tell them that I don't do god (with a small letters, but they say god with infinitely tall capitals).
      Once you have realized that you don't don't know what happens after you die you can move on to other things.  Some people that think they know the unknowable expend a lot of effort trying to convince others that they are someone to be listened to, and trying to reassure themselves in the process. 
      But since we are of this universe and intelligent thought seems to be the zenith of evolution so far on planet earth, we could do worse than to imagine ourselves as the personification (excuse the pun) of the eternal or the all or any other word you use.

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         mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I call it pedestal syndrome. They believe they are special in some way and that being given enlightenment, has made them the authority.

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   Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years ago

   I start threads hoping people will begin to understand each other even a tiny bit better and everybody still shows up and argues. Im not sure intent is really the issue here.

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   Emile Rposted 12 years ago

   I've always believed (maybe somewhat naively) that open lines of communication can resolve all differences. And it does seem that the devout on both sides of the religious issue are attempting to sell, not talk. But, reasonable people continue to try.
   
   You allow a dialogue to be opened so that you can  attempt to understand them...assuming they want to understand you. When it becomes clear the other party has no interest in your opinion, you walk away. And round and round it goes. But, there will come a time when both parties listen and both will learn a little something. Which will be a good thing. So, for me, it's worth the effort in the long run, I guess.

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      mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I've converted a few jews to christianity, I"ve converted far more christians to atheism. Not atheism the way it is percieved, I try to leave the belief in God in tact.

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         Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I'd be uncomfortable with attempting to convert anyone to anything. Who knows what the ultimate truth is? What if you convinced someone of something that wasn't true? I think each of us has to go by what we feel is right; no matter what it is. But, I do believe you need to think about it and come to a logical conclusion; based on all data. That is one problem I have with both far ends. They don't appear to think about anything other than what supports the place where they are currently standing. You can't find the truth if you aren't willing to admit that you could be wrong; I think.

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            mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Which is the point I bring to theists... Who is right and who is wrong? Isn't a belief nothing more than a position, one conditioned into the believer? So who's right? No one. Who's wrong? everyone. It's all about environment and geo-ethnicity. We have a tendancy to call those that eat with their hands savages, to them we are just the same, with our forks and knives. So who is right? Certainly not me.

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