Are you able to keep an open mind when it comes to talking about religion with o

1. 59

   Steven Jeffersposted 8 years ago

   Are you able to keep an open mind when it comes to talking about religion with other people.
   
   There are many topics talking about religious beliefs, and many of them tend to turn into a heated argument. I am a Christian, and I am strong in my faith, but I tend to keep an open mind and have a good logical conversation with people of other faiths. I want to discuss how other people go about discussing religious topics with people who have a different religious belief.
   
   

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   Link10103posted 8 years ago

   Sure am. Though it generally seems to be because of open mindedness  that the (logical) debates turn into heated arguments.

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      Steven Jeffersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for your response. You are right in that logical debates to tend to get heated, but I believe that the logical heated debates are the debates that in some cases everyone can walk away with no hard feelings toward the other person.

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      "Sure am"?That's odd.From the first I ever saw you comment about religion your take was"the Bible is a fairtale"repeated over &over throughout your discussions &you made no bones about anyone believing it being delusional. Open minded? ha ha!

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      Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Don't think I've ever actually called the Bible a fairy tale, seeing as how it has historical references, but yes i do think it's fiction for the most part.
      
      Where have I said everyone that believes the Bible to be delusional? Specifics please...

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      'theBible rockets over into the realm of fiction...if the Bible is truth,then so is Harry Potter,Twilight,&every...fantasy...out there.I've read a#of fantasybooks over the years...the stories...the Bible contains far surpass most I've read"~link

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      Steven Jeffersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      This is doing nothing but proving my point in that some people want to make a childish argument over religion and the Bible. I was hoping that people would respect each others opinion. I am not going to accept childish arguing over different views.

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      Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Seeing as how for some random reason Tsad has effectively called me a liar and is ironically lying about what I have said in a hub of mine anyone can read for themselves, I hope you aren't viewing me as part of the childish argument Steven.

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      Steven Jeffersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Link, you are fine. I have seen the comments from the other post. As I say we have different beliefs, but I respect your views. This is not what I was wanting out of this post.

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Steven,I have not posted anything that isn't true or isn't the exact words of Link.His hub page clearly shows he does not have an open mind, http://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy … hats-Funny read the comments too.He's the liar.

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      tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Read my comment which sites the statements of his closed mindednessSomeone with the strength of his convictions would not need to hide behind lame excuses like your comment is illegitimate,you need my permission to comment,deleting a video link...

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       hiding a video link so no one can hear it. Someone who doesn't want to hear the other side or scrutinize their own motivations would do those things, someone with a closed mind.

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Hit Ctrl F on the keyboard and type in "let it be clear" to start that chain of fun comments.
       
       Provided you actually care enough to bother Steven, though I don't think you do...

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Steven,don't listen to Link,see how he wants to control you(&anyone).It's called censorship.Like I said,read the whole thing&comments to get the whole picture&thenYOUtell me he has an"open mind when it comes to talking about religion..."?

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       Steven Jeffersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Arguing among each other is not what I am looking for. I consider myself an educated person, and we are going to disagree with other people's thoughts all the time. However, he said and she said is not a good way to bring people to accept your views.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       So Steven your position is ignore a person's record, his own words and behavior and accept anything they say as the truth...I guess you can't get anymore open minded than that! Very logical too.

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       Steven Jeffersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       I do not agree with the position that Link has on religion in no way nor do I personally take it as truth. However, I do not find it necessary to argue with him over it. As a Christian we are taught to plant the seed that will lead them to the cross.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       This results in a closed mind which Link claims he doesn't have?Before you lecture me on the teachings of Christianity I'd suggest you not be naive as to buy into the tripe that people like Link peddle like he is open minded about religion.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       He not only isn't open minded but isn't logical ever as anyone who analyzes his statements can see."Logical debates turn into arguments"because of openmindedness? That doesn't even make sense,closed mindedness &ignorance of logic causes heated

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       What I meant by open mindedness causing heated arguments is that people, such as atheists, ask the questions that those of faith willfully ignore. On here at least, only rarely does that end with no hard feelings.
       
       Open vs. Closed = argument. Simple.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       But link that is not true,if you do a google search for any questions an atheist may ask you will find many logical explanations from accredited Christian apologists or organizations. Simple! Again you demonstrate how close minded you are.

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       I dont find explanations about the validity of Christianity and the Bible to be all that persuasive when the sources tend to be Christianity and the Bible. Circular reasoning and all
       
       Christian apologetics sometimes support horribly immoral things to

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       It's obvious you don't, that is YOUR problem not Christianity's. Link you're whole problem is YOU ARE close minded&Steven that is why I brought it up when he said "sure am." Link has deluded himself into thinking only he is logical and

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       people of faith are illogical. Anything he doesn't understand he labels as illogical when the truth is because he doesn't understand it he closes his mind to it, it's a fairy tale to him.He is the perfect example ofthe seed that falls upon

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       the path in the parable of the sower (which I'm sure he can't understand) and because he has chosen in his lack of understanding to be decieved by the evil one he demonstrates another Christian teaching Ephesians 4:18, 'They are darkened in

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       their understanding alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."
       Steven you asked a question, I'm only trying to help you to be more discerning of how that question is answered and by whom

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Didnt know closed minded people asked questions, repeatedly, of others in order to avoid blatant generalizations due to personal bias
       
       There must be plenty of examples of me calling anything I dont get illogical no questions asked, right?
       
       I'll wait.

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       And yet I can point to quite a few examples, verbatim mind you, of you insulting others who don't agree with you Tsad.
       
       Irony in a nutshell.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Steven as you can see it is not me who wants to engage in a he said she said thread, it's always Link because he always has to attack the messenger or condescendingly speak of Christians whenever he is shown to be wrong, it's his tactic.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Asking questions is not a sign of openmindedness. Openmindedness is listening to and exploring the answers without a bias that the answer is based on a Fairytale. But see this is what you do, raise a straw man then try to argue for it.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Now Steven one might ask why does Link continue to act as if Christianity has no valid answers and speaks condescendingly of Christianity and to Christians? Is he stupid? NO, he's not stupid, he understands just enough about the Bible to

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       BTW an insult is not an insult if it is the truth, just another tactic of his, malign the messenger, anything to change the subject from the truth and that is his problem, the truth in his eyes, is an insult.  He understands the Bible well

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       enough to know that he wants to reject its redemptive message. In my opinion this clip explains him to a tee and if so he is not an open minded person!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjBZIv4CH8o

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       ...so no examples then?
       
       Also Is that the link you initially tried to post on my hub? You never gave the name the 5 times I said u could and I forgot the name.
       
       Though We've been more on topic, feel free to let us know when enough is enough Steven.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Link you don't even know what is on your hub page comments, It's there in plain print,I gave you the name&explained it in comments&actually it is discussed 22 times after I gave it to you in your own comment section.Playing the fool again?

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       The actual name of the video? No you never posted it, at least not that i can immediately see. You just kept saying i deleted it to try and cover it up.
       
       Which somehow makes sense even after i said you could name it...

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       LoliHeyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       @Tsad, the thing with Link is that he's been told by other people what to believe about Christianity.  He won't go and play devil's advocate, and see for him self what it really is.

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       ...or, when I started asking people questions about the morality of their faith and god that seemed obvious to me, I was either ignored or insulted.
       
       I don't get why you think you can assert that my perspective isn't derived from my own conclusions.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Loli,Link will talk about anything other than the fact he is not open minded,the whole point of this Q&A.If he was honest he'd simply have to admit he isn't open minded as I've demonstrated with his own words over&over,yet he says"sure am" lo

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       LoliHeyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Link, I am sure people have tried to give you honest answers.  You probably didn't like the answer or incorrectly perceived what they said to be an insult.  Don't be so sensitive!  Also, try not being sarcastic all the time.  Be genuine.

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       The people who have given honest answers are the ones i respect, regardless if I disagree with them.
       
       I'm (geniunely) sarcastic to people who skirt around the issue at hand, deflect into insults, or attempt to justify horrendous things "because god".

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Wrong,as anyone can see by reading your comments on your hubpage"Angry atheists"you resort to those things whenever you don't want to concede you are wrong or can't refute the truth,it's obvious to anyone objectively reading your own comments.

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       Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       It's pretty odd then that the only people I was sarcastic to on the hub did the exact things I just described.
       
       Again, I don't see why you seem to think i dont know my own hub is public lol.

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       tsadjatkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       You really are in another world, aren't you. However you interpret what is said is not descriptive of this reality.

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   Ericdierkerposted 8 years ago

   It is a fair question and I think it needs to be broken down into two parts. I discuss religion with other people and I have never had a bad experience. I have friends and family that are atheists. One close one that bashes Christians. Just in general he is cantankerous and kind of rude about people of faith. In fifty years we have only had one bad argument about God. But even that was good to establish boundaries.
   
   But online is different. There are questions that are loaded that clearly entice argument of a nasty sort: "Have you stopped being an idiot and worshiping God" type questions. What are you supposed to do? Just roll over and follow the "you don't have to respond" concept? Or do you engage and let steel sharpen steel. I tend to engage.
   Right here there are a couple of people who ask questions like that and claim they do not care but act like they laugh at questions because they are so intellectually superior. So you respond to their blatant insult to faith. And then they scoff. Thick skin is needed.
   Some say who cares? Well I do. Most people care and to them I keep an open mind and learn things.
   There is nothing better than to learn life from a different perspective for it broadens yours. And there is nothing worse to the intellect than to shut out perspectives of others for it narrows yours. But use discernment on this journey.

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      Steven Jeffersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Eric, I really enjoy your perspective on such topics. You hold your head up high in what you believe, and you are also interested in what the other person has to say. I can tell that this is a topic that you are passionate about.

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      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Caring and remaining open is a tough balance. But worth the effort. Thank you for your compliment.

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   Steven Jeffersposted 8 years ago

   I am going to give my own answer to this question, and I have to say as the answers are starting to come in I am looking forward to see what unfolds. The Bible teaches us many things, and one of them is standing up for the word of God. I do stand up for what the Bible teaches us, but knowledge of what the Word of God says does not mean I am to cut you down.
   I see so many times people making the Bible out to be some make believe story, and this I do not understand. However, if it is full of stories that are make believe then how did the Bible guide me to a life of inner peace that cannot be explained. I am a Christian, and I do read and follow the Bible, and I also know that I am doing no good sharing the Word of God by forcing it upon others or making ridiculous remarks.
   In final thoughts if I choose to get in an unnecessary argument over what the Word of God says, then I am know better than the one who started all the nonsense. God tells us to be firm in our faith, but he also teaches us acting foolish is not acceptable when telling others about the Word of God. God said himself that ignorance is not an excuse.

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      Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I think it's just as easy to say your inner peace could have been found in much the same way had you been born into Islamic/Buddhist/Hindu etc cultures. It isn't uncommon.

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      getitriteposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Really?! Because u have been prompted to believe that an ancient book guided u to a life of inner peace, u want us to jump to the conclusion that the book HAS TO BE true? That wouldn't be open-minded at all. That would be appealing to ignorance.

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      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      getitrite, no the ignorance would be in not understanding. If you cannot get the enlightenment then you are ignorant of it. Do not worry your ignorance of it is common.

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      Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I would say there is a fine line between ignorance and gullibility at times.

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      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I get your point but I think you mean between "understanding and gullibility". And there is something to be said for that.

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      Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I feel I said it right since I think Get understands perfectly well and has chosen not to be gullible about it.
      
      If people search/try to understand God their whole lives but cannot are doing something wrong, what are u and others doing right Eric?

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      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I wonder. Or maybe it is not about the search but the acceptance of possibilities. Some maybe closed to the possibility of something greater than man's grasp and so may be blocked from accepting the possibility.Perhaps they have a closed mind.

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      Steven Jeffersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I believe the thought that I want people to understand is that yes I do have my own personal beliefs, but I am understanding of the beliefs of others. We are all entitled to our own beliefs, and we all have to accept that and not argue on the subject

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      getitriteposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Eric, While I understand that there is no enlightenment in the bible, I can certainly understand where your perception is coming from. U will find a way to find enlightenment in anything that our puppeteers have ordered you to. U should control u!

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       Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       You excite me, no more thinking for myself. I can just relax and go with the flow of my puppet masters. Well that gives me less to worry about.

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   Oztinatoposted 8 years ago

   I try to see the essential important similarities bewteen religions. The differences are usually just cultural traditions and expressions. For example God is translated as Allah or Buddha or Atma etc but it means the exact same thing.
   All religions are about love, compassion and kindness. Such things far outweigh worldly doctrines or minor differences.
   I thoroughly enjoy the cultural differences as well. Such things enhance the flavour of one's chosen religion. When seen this way one's True Inner Faith is increased not threatened.

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