Is there a reluctance to respond to the criticisms of religion?

@soadnot (1606)
Canada
December 12, 2007 9:50pm CST
Not only on this discussion website, but all over the wold there is a huge reluctance to answer simple questions about religion and the rebuttals to criticisms always wind up short or the critics are simply ignored. is that true or am i just paranoid? if it is true, i wonder why anyone would accept a belief that does not have room for criticism, especially when its supposedly the "truth" or the only answer.
3 people like this
9 responses
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
13 Dec 07
I answer questions about my religion when they are asked, but they are seldom asked since mine isn't a majority religion. Moreover, since my faith is mostly based on personal experience, there isn't a lot to really argue either. I mean, you can tell me something doesn't make logical sense all day long, but if I've seen it, then I've seen it.
@soadnot (1606)
• Canada
13 Dec 07
lol.. good answer.. depends on experience and perception.. but, if your faith isnt under the umbrella of any religion, i think i would just call that "spirituality" not religion.. .. but, if it is greatly influenced by religion, IE: you still believe that jesus existed and was the actual son of god, then i would still consider you religious. good answer nonetheless.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
13 Dec 07
I consider Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism a religion rather than "spirituality" because it involves belief in specific Gods, a specific spirit world, holidays, etc. However, since I can count the number of other Celtic Reconstructionists I know (not quite on my hands, but definitely without a calculator) it's not exactly a majority religion.
@soadnot (1606)
• Canada
14 Dec 07
have you read Socrates's critique on multiple gods?
1 person likes this
@Harley009 (1416)
• India
18 Dec 07
Anyone can critisize anything with false claims. But each religious followers has to understand that are they true or false.
@soadnot (1606)
• Canada
18 Dec 07
i dont think i would consider criticizing with false claims as a valid critique.
@soadnot (1606)
• Canada
20 Dec 07
like the bible.. right?
@Harley009 (1416)
• India
20 Dec 07
Critisizing is easy, better to understand each religion from their own teachings and proofs.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Jan 08
People have a right not to respond to criticisms of their religion. For instance, if I were to criticize pagans as those without hope and God in the world, they would attack me from all side. And although I am a Christian, I do not have a degree in religious studies, and cannot give an answer to someone who wanted a reporter with a camera plus Augustus Caesar to say that at Bethlehem a star shone over a stable outside of town and a young virgin gave birth to a son who was to be the Christ. Also since man is imperfect and full of sin, these critiques also want Christians to be perfect and not to do any wrong and give all their goods to the poor, and be a social rather than a spiritual force in the earth. Then if one does not believe the Bible is the Word of God, then one will deny that Paul was at Ephesus, unless there is a scroll found in the present location showing that a certain Jew of Tarsus named Paul formerly Saul was thrown in jail and later on there was an earthquake. So it is all right to criticize, but will the one criticizing accept the defense?
@soadnot (1606)
• Canada
9 Jan 08
hm, but, if, as you say, you do not know everything about being christian, how can you indeed say that you are christian?
@dickkell (403)
• United States
13 Dec 07
Despite whatmany "Christians" say, Christianity is a historically based religion that not only welcomes, but invites a critical assessment of it's claims. There is a body of evidence to consider, a case made for Jesus being the promised Messiah, and in the end, a choice left to the observer to accept or reject the teachings based on the evidence. Christians are called to be witness in a legal sense. Christians are called to "always be ready to give an answer." If Christ is the truth, then we have nothing to fear from open, honest examination. If He is not, then we'd best find out quick. (but He is!)
@soadnot (1606)
• Canada
14 Dec 07
out of 35 historians during the supposed time of jesus, not one of them sites jesus... and a prophecy is not evidence.. i could prophecies that god told me that the Russians would rise up again in 100 years and take over the world.. and if they do that, would ppl think im god/son of god? ofcourse not, because ppl are (or should be) smarter than that.
@soadnot (1606)
• Canada
18 Dec 07
can you name these 5 sources? and what biography?
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
15 Dec 07
Well criticizing a religion is a tricky thing. Most people don't criticize religions, they criticize members of a faith. There is nothing wrong with Islam, but there are many terrorists who claim to be Muslim. As a result people criticize the religion assuming that terrorists are a standard representation of all Muslims. I'm Catholic and I hear no end of comments about things that priests have done. People rarely criticize the religion. That's like saying "Hey, those 10 commandments suck. I don't like them telling me not to kill, steal, etc." Criticizing the base of a person's belief, like Jesus being the son of God, well that's just pointless. It can't be proven one way or the other, so it's just a matter of faith. Everyone's heard the story and you can't force someone to believe your way by criticizing them.
@soadnot (1606)
• Canada
15 Dec 07
i disagree, i believe its the ideology itself, saying people do it is just an excuse.. for example, "its not communism, its the people in charge that get corrupt" .. well, that just means that the ideology is flawed for human beings, therefore, the ideology is ultimately flawed... same goes for any religion/ideology.
• United States
20 Dec 07
This is a great discussion....when I have more time, I will read all of the responses. I think that a lot of people may skirt the questions and all that b/c they don't have the answers themselves. Religion is a very hard subject to talk about...at least to me. I consider myself religious, but I can't answer a lot of questions, b/c I don't know the answers myself.
@cicerone (95)
• India
13 Dec 07
Yaa this is true my dear the same is the case wth the people accross the world when it comes to religion.....People are quite paranoid regarding this...Critic has his job..being done and this is fare on his part when he is so called a critic so let him go and we do not care for such personalities no matter what so the matter may be...
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
16 Dec 07
I think that in general you are right. A lot of people avoid talking about religion, discussing religion . It's a heated subject and some people have trouble accepting different views and ideas which makes it even more difficult to talk about it. I"m happy, however, that many people can explain and talk about their beliefs while at the same time listen to different points of view without getting all defensive about it. We have quite a few right here in myLOt and I respect all of them for it. As for myself, I don't necessarily look for post on religion to answer but when I found them and if I have something to say I post my comments, even if my views are different from the poster or the majority of posters. I think I have the same right to let my views be known.
@TITANC19 (33)
20 Dec 07
many sits speake about this topic can you tell me about your opinion for that