Do strongly religious people scare you?

1. 60

   Jarnposted 12 years ago

   Do strongly religious people scare you?
   
   I believe in the importance of religious tolerance, but whenever I start a conversation about religion, it seems that someone will always jump in and expound on their beliefs with such vehemence and to the exclusion of all other beliefs that it's frightening. I frequently get the impression that I'm looking at someone who sets more stock in the voices in their head than those around them, and if they felt it was the right thing to do, would have no problem blowing something up. Does the prevalence of such extremism bother you, and do you try to avoid it where possible?

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   rafkenposted 12 years ago

   Of course. Extremists of any kind are dangerous. Today they talk of Muslim extremists but what of the inquisitions or KKK. Religious extremists are the worst and most dangerous but any extremist is bad, whether it be an over enthusiastic sports fan [short for fanatic] or a political fanatic. You may appreciate my hub "a true religion".

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3. 74

   qlcoachposted 12 years ago

   Yes, extremism does bother me. I would like to think that people can embrace rational thought but I think we are more emotional than we realize. So, let us hold to our own positive beliefs but we can't impose them on others. And let us learn to become more tolerant by embracing an approach that helps us release anger, fear, depression, anxiety, and guilt before we project these emotions on others who really don't deserve our judgements. Peace and Light...Gary.

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   Jackie Lynnleyposted 12 years ago

   Well if I am in a religious conversation I would voice my opinion. Strongly if someone is of the same faith and has missed the boat but not aggressively no. I would avoid that type person too. Fanatics I suppose you mean? They are bad in anything.

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   whoisbidposted 12 years ago

   There are millions of them on the internet and some of them spend all their waking hours doing exactly what you mentioned. You will also find some of them crawling daily on Wikipedia pages to edit and re-edit things said against certain religious ministers because they only want to have good things said on official pages. Some of them do this because the sales of religious books is now a multi-billion dollar business so they don't want information leaked out or for readers to get a true impression of certain popular religious authors. The whole thing is a scam and a money making machine. If you ever find a truly religious person then he or she will be doing practical things for others e.g. Mother Theresa and not spending their lives condemning non believers and defending religious charlatans.

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   lostdogrwdposted 12 years ago

   I fear no man, but always careful around of anyone with a self cause

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   lone77starposted 12 years ago

   Scare? No. I just avoid them. Their egos are on autoplay and there's no reset button. Most often, I learn nothing from them. Life's short and I'm hungry to learn from others who have a mind and use it.

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   Rehana Stormmeposted 12 years ago

   I concur with rafken and qlcoach. Extremism in any aspect of life - be it with food/drink, smoking, drugs, even internet surfing, is dangerous - sometimes both for the individual and the people around them.
   
   The thing that makes religious extremism especially dangerous is the fact that the people doing it are fired up by blind faith and firm belief that what they are doing is liked by God. Therefore it leads them to do despicable things such as massive killing of innocent people. No one wants to be near such.
   
   Usually when I'm talking to people, I try to stay clear of topics such as religion and politics. But sometimes when some one says something I don't agree with, I do state my opinion, with the disclaimer that I am a peace-loving diversity-tolerating fellow human being.

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9. 71

   cmlindblomposted 12 years ago

   they don't scare me but i do not like them. I don't like it when religion controls there life and means of judging people. It becomes a problem when they start to try and force their religion on people. It should be a private thing.

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10. 70

    zob2zobposted 12 years ago

    I am a little confused are we talking about extremist who are fanatical to the point of suicidal or are we talking about some mates around a dinner table talking religion after a few drinks or more?
    
    Personally religion for me is interesting I have studied most to a comfortable level and have taken a bit from each one, so i have a belief, not that anyone else cares!!
    
    I am comfortable talking about religion, i almost envy a person who is that dedicated.
    But for me religion is the root cause of all monstroscities, 9/11, IRA , insane acts of extremism that cause another heartache and all in the name of religion.
    all wars are caused by religion, so for me I stand and gaze on, impartial, a little confused that I can't believe LIKE OTHERS WHO  find such comfort but also relieved too, that at least I have the impartial and unbiased knowledge that religion is not all good, but the answer that no matter what he is called allah, buddah, god etc it would seem that all religion is based on the same principal of a belief system, faith and prayer, no matter which one, christanity, hindu, catholic each and every believer shoul have a healthy repect not only for all others, but a mutual understanding for others beliefs...but this is where it all goes to pot, and accustaion, fanaticalism, terroism, a blinkered belief that their religion is the only religion....
    
    So for me there is no true faith, no one religion, or a God, but a common Principal adopted by different cultures, who open to interptation, brought a religion to their culture,
    forgetting as the years progress where they had achieved this concept from.

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11. 83

    CrazyGataposted 12 years ago

    I find fanaticism annoying in any context.
    I can't tolerate intolerance.
    Is the one thing that will get me in an argument fast.
    So I don't think I try to avoid them, I go off on them.

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12. 61

    rameshbashyamposted 12 years ago

    Yes and no. Yes because all of us, as human beings, are attached to some religion and grow. Our parents take us to the places of worship, teach us how to pray and reach God. Irrespective of whatever science says, there's still someone above us who guides us and helps us in times of crisis and whom we call as Supreme Being.
    
    No, too much religion means the person has lost his sense of reasoning and might be dangerous.
    
    I have always believed that comparing or forcing religions is a sureshot way of getting into confrontation. We all believe our God (just like our parents) is good but when we start comparing with another's God or belief, that's where the problem crops up.

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13. 58

    zzronposted 12 years ago

    
    
    Not really. I don't  let what other people think influence what I believe.

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    arksysposted 12 years ago

    I find it useless talking to them and just avoid them.

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    danielleantoszposted 12 years ago

    Scare me?  Not really.  Annoy me with their persistence and inability to accept another view, yes. And I do find avoiding religion as a conversation topic to be a good idea.

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    Attikosposted 12 years ago

    Fanaticism, not religion, is the danger. You find it in all world views, including secularist ones. There's more atheist than religious trolling on the Internet. Bigots are always difficult people to deal with.

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    1. 83

       gmwilliamsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       A+++.

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17. 58

    stuff4youposted 12 years ago

    They don't scare me I just don't associate with them at all.

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18. 59

    The British Wayposted 12 years ago

    I believe it is genuinely inspiring to see somebody with blind faith who goes through life with the strongest of beliefs, however the people who preach religious dogma to everybody should tone it down a little. Fundamentalists who believe in massacring non believers are completely insane and I hope that there is an afterlife and all people who cause harm to others, regardless of faith, will be punished accordingly. Ultimately my attitude is have whatever beliefs you want but please don't bother anybody else.

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19. 61

    nightwork4posted 12 years ago

    they don't scare me but i do often wonder at the sanity of these folks. i know a couple of people that are religious nuts and just talking to them makes my skin crawl.

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20. 61

    Merlin Fraserposted 12 years ago

    Fanaticism, extremism and ignorance in any subject is scary.  The problem today is that the Internet has given every nutcase with a keyboard a platform from where they can air their extreme level of biased ignorance.
    
    Best action is to ignore them in the hope that will eventually give up and go in search of a new target audience, usually those already converted.

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21. 67

    DRG Da Real Grincposted 12 years ago

    Yes because on how they try to brainwash you or make you believe their deepest beliefs.

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22. 80

    Man from Modestoposted 12 years ago

    Hello, Jarn.
    
    I believe I am one who "frightens" you. God is a living God. Heaven and Hell are real. Angels and fallen angels (demons) and Satan are real. Christians are real and so are Satanists.
    
    Here is a hub I put together expounding just the tiniest bit on how strongly Satanists control the world. http://manfrommodesto.hubpages.com/hub/ … g-Satanist
    
    In fact, they own most of the text book publishing houses and hold many important posts in academia (like the Dean's office). This is the primary reason atheism and education are so strongly correlated (note: correlated only, no causal relationship has ever been established, though atheists love to pretend otherwise.)
    
    I do hear the Holy Spirit (denigrated as "voices in the head"), and I have declared and warned of many things that have already happened (like 9/11, a failed attempt to blow up the Golden Gate bridge, the rise of communism in the U.S., big drops in the stock market, and many other things locally and personally and internationally).
    
    The amount of PROOF for a God, and for a young earth is so staggering, a person has to work very hard to stick with their blind faith in "millions and billions of years" and the impossible-to-prove theory that there is no God.
    
    Personally, I consider atheists to be "strongly religious". And, I would have a problem "blowing something up". The Muslims and the Catholics who have killed and destroyed millions are NOT Christians. They are actually forms of anti-Christianity. If you look at their symbols, you can learn who they really are.

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23. 60

    ReneeDC1979posted 11 years ago

    It is annoying to me - I'm glad you can quote the Bible and have a conversation on just about any topic, relating it to God somehow.  But, sometimes I just want to talk about the Bible, religion, church, etc without you getting so worked up about GOD IS.....  I had this problem on Christmas Day.  I was at a friend's house and one of her family members began preaching to my 14 year old nephew about what is his purpose in life, what does God want him to do, why was  he created, blah blah blah.  My nephew would answer my purpose is to live and then change his answer real fast to say do what God says just to make the man happy.  My friend had to tell him sevearl times "It's Christmas.  Leave the boy alone.  Go preach in the pulpit on Sunday."  I understand what he was saying and that he is a mentor to young boys in his church, but sometimes you have to turn your job off and turn on your relaxed, human side and just enjoy each other.
    I don't mind having a conversaton about religion, faith, etc but don't preach to me because I'll just tune you out and move on to the next topic.

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    Globetrekkermelposted 11 years ago

    Not at all as I don't have occasions to interact with them.It is interesting that religion seems to be a very strong and hot topic here in HP. Every so often , when I read articles, questions and answers here in HP, religion seems to take center stage in discussion forums.I was raised Catholic and  have gone to Catholic churches when I was a child but it's been a long time that I have been a non practicing catholic but still continue to believe in a Supreme Being. I am not affiliated to any religious organization but I take my spiritual life seriously.The heated debates on religion in HP baffles me. It is a no win situation as far as the debates in HP are concerned.It is always a battle of the wits, who's right and who is wrong.It is a continuing saga with no light at the end of the tunnel for a resolution.
    I guess, to each , his own.I always thought that religion and a person's spirituality goes hand in hand.Why is there a battlefield now? I never understood that ... HMMM.... just asking...

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    mydubstepstudioposted 10 years ago

    Strongly religious people do not scare me, as long as they have love in their heart and compassion for all human beings. I believe that people can be intolerant and full of hate whether or not they are religious.

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    gmwilliamsposted 9 years ago

    
    
    It ISN'T strongly religious but fundamentalist, fanatical, even zealous religionists annoy me to no end.  No, such lost souls do not scare me one iota.  I find them to be extremely parochial in their world view.  I also find them to be quite reactionary. They strongly assert that their religious views are the only, legitimate views, indicating that those who refuse to conform to/believe in their particular religious views are somehow askewed morally & spiritually.
    
    Such people have some form of mental aberration whether they wish to acknowledge such or not.  Mentally healthy people do not insist that their religious views are the only legitimate views & other views are wrong.  Besides such people having a mental aberration, they are quite psychologically immature, even unevolved.   One would say that such people are unevolved spiritually.  These spiritually unevolved people have a very low consciousness calibration i.e. in Dr. Hawkins' books on consciousness calibrations, religious fundamentalists & other extremely famatical religious types have a consciousness calibration of 145 (which is low).
    
    However, I digress.  Such religious people think that they are doing good; when in fact, they are creating a toxic, even hellish environment for others & themselves whether they wish to realize it or not.  Many such religious people use their religion as an excuse to avoid life.  In fact, they are quite FEARFUL of life as it is oftentimes changing so they fanatically cling to their religion because this religion represents stability in their lives.  Since they find a womblike solace in their religion, they feel that EVERYONE should be of the same accord.  I feel that such religious people end up to be quite embittered, even lonely as NO ONE wants to be around them.

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