how to respond to a religious fanatic

However, you also don't need to be a walking advertisement for atheism at all times either. Fanatics drive through life like alcoholics driving under the influence. Fanaticism Quotes. You can start the conversation by saying, Why dont I tell you a little bit more about atheism, so you know where Im coming from.. Atheists make up about 3% of the U.S. population; however, within your community, it may seem as if youre alone, particularly if you live in a small town. But religious people arent concerned about that. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Religionists often float God-of-the-gaps arguments, saying that evidence for God lies in the intersticesof our scientific understanding. Allow others the opportunity to speak. (Freedom 24) He goes on to say, "The radicals insist that their central claim God's desire for Islam's triumph requires no interpretation. Dont bother trying to reason with them. Steer clear of open-ended or hostile questions that wont move the conversation along. If they havent steeped themselves extensively in the honorable tradition of secularism, then they have no credibility as believers. Admittedly, this is a problem. But thats not always the case. If people were free to blow themselves up all over the place, society just would not be able to function. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. And, as always, love and levity go along way. I just felt so surprised/ambushed by it that I had no time to react or think of how to react. Approaching religious loved ones adversarially is that part. The greatest gap that ever adduced God was our inability to explain the presence of all the Earths species, and why they seemed so marvelously adapted to their environments. That was dispositive evidence for the supernaturaluntil Darwin explained it away in 1859 as the result of the purely naturalistic processes of evolution and natural selection. Tell him that reading the bible turned you an atheist - too much bullshit. Why, if God so ardently wants us to know and accept him, does he hide himself from humanity? The most frequently cited gaps are the sciencess failure to provide complete explanations of consciousness, morality, our sense of beauty, and why there is something in the universe instead of nothing. People's views become extreme when they feel they are being treated unfairly. Its kind of like were a football were just an old, dead pigskin thats useless without a quarterback. He knew how straight-laced I was, and that was probably the reason he enjoyed making these kinds of comments on a regular basis. Fear is a lack of faith. Explain to your kids that people have all sorts of religious beliefs, and encourage them to explore and ask lots of questions. I advise you all if you see a bearded weirdo in your place of worship - dont hesitate to contact the MI5, CIA, KGB or MIB get them picked up and sent back to whichever planet they belong. However many Catholics see the crusades as a just war. If they keep trying to convert you, you may need to reconsider the friendship. This sort of ends the conversation. Atheists Could Learn a Lot from Religious People About How to Win Debates, read every sophisticated theologian in the history of Christianity, God in the Age of Science: A Critique of Religious Reason, Faith vs. Don't blame yourself. Nearly all people who are highly religious say believing in God is essential to their religious identity (96% . (As if they would anyway!) Let your mother know that, as long as she doesnt say anything hurtful, hateful or scary, she is welcome to expose your children to religion as much or as little as she likes. "I recently spent a number of meal times with my wife's (religious) family. Fanaticism definition, fanatical character, spirit, or conduct. If youre in a room full of believers, think carefully before steering the conversation towards your lack of belief. It is more widely appreciated in religions today that an actual contact with God's power is the true source of good behaviour. Moran, Sen Farrell, "Patrick Pearse and Patriotic Soteriology," in Yonah Alexander and Alan O'Day, This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 07:23. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I have no idea why that didn't even cross my mind. Because religion is often irrational, arguing about religion is usually pretty pointless. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). And would a loving Godreally let someone burn foreverbecause they were Jews, or didnt get baptized? Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver of North America Be thoughtful and respectful. But these are all long-term strategies. Let them know youre ending the conversation. Try shedding your armor before you walk in the door. Ive been trying to find some new activities to do. This is likely to shift the conversation to jet-skiing, stamp collecting, volunteering at an animal shelter, etc. Approaching religious loved ones adversarially is that part. In a situation like that I sometimes say that I am a Pantheist. According to them, true Muslims will pursue it by any means necessary, including dissimulation, civil coercion, and the killing of innocents". Jeremy Sherman, Ph.D., MPP, has a wide research agenda psychology from cradle to grave, lifes origins to our grave situation, grounded in a 25-year close collaboration with Berkeley neuroscientist, biological anthropologist Terrence Deacon. Religious fanatics make frequent judgments on other people who are better off than they are spiritually. He is the author ofWhy Evolution is TrueandFaith vs. Convince him you're a pagan that believes a Christian soul is immeasurable then get him to give you the car part you need in exchange for your pagan soul to Jesus. They kill innocent bystanders, sometimes by the thousands or millions. Sustained reason is just the hard work that addiction to fanaticism frees us from. Historically, the term was applied in Christian antiquity to denigrate non-Christian religions, and subsequently acquired its current usage with the Age of Enlightenment.[1]. Selengut said, "The inquisitions were attempts at self-protection and targeted primarily "internal enemies" of the church". Before you point out how ridiculous this calculation is, realise it is only here to entertain.). For parents, this is an area that weighs especially heavily. Aw, thats no fun, he said. This will help to diffuse a potentially bad situation. Even my religious family members respect and accept me for who I am. Press J to jump to the feed. These are not rules for the religious fanatic to follow, because he/she won't follow them, even if you got him to agree ahead of time to follow them, he/she would still not follow them. If, for instance, you are at Thanksgiving dinner and are asked to give some sort of blessing or say what you are thankful for, you can do so without invoking any god or religion. How Christians Can Avoid Tangents and Fanaticism Its hard to kick a drug if sobriety means admitting that youre a vile person through and through. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Giving family members a chance to right their wrongs and correct their offensive behavior is a must if you are to feel good about your decision down the road. Its easier to kick it if you declare that youve become host to a virulent disease that can attack any of us. Naw, Josh-ah. Official Catholic doctrine, for instance, is that unconfessed homosexual acts doomyou eternal immolation in molten sulfur. How Religious Ideologies Spread Similar to how organisms and their genes compete for survival in the environment and gene pool, ideas compete for survival inside brains, and in the pool of ideas . Often, we see religious exposure and treat it as religious invasion, or we hear words of faith and interpret them as acts of war.. Do you honestly think your relatives religious views are going to succeed in indoctrinating your child. But if religion is ever going to become a non-subject in your house, youre going to have to own your part in it. Having religious friends needn't be an issue if you both are respectful when religion comes up. ", "This was extremely helpful, I am a satanist, but I applied this to my view. Thomas Farr, in an essay titled Islam's Way to Freedom, states that "Even though most Muslims reject violence, the extremists' use of sacred texts lends their actions authenticity and recruiting power". Fanatics, ideologues, and absolutists are humanitys greatest scourge. You dont want to be blamed for all the evils done by those who rejected religion, do you? What should you do if your friend insults you simply because you are an atheist? It's not what they believe that makes them fanatics but how they believe it that they have the final word, no need to consider further evidence, and no need to ever wonder or doubt themselves. Christian martyrdom - what does the Bible say? She completed a Post-Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at The University of Hawaii at Manoa. We admitted we were powerless over fanaticismthat our lives had become unmanageable. This is a pioneer research whose main goal is to explore the levels of religious fanaticism with an adult sample of five different religious denominations in Puerto Rico using a pioneer scale entitled Religious Fanaticism Scale (RFS). The virtue of the fanatic as an agitator is largely due to the emotional response which his appeal finds in the I just wanted to continue about my business for the day). but I'm allowed to give the answer I want to give." "I'm all for . Avoid debate (especially when liquor is involved). Its not your fault, but it is your responsibility to kick it. That shit will get under anyones skin. "I am an atheist for a long time now, as I was exposed more and more to scientific works, the more I was getting. If you are dealing with someone who is persistent in wanting to discuss religion, say something like "I understand that you see your beliefs as the truth, but I feel the same way about mine.". Everything2 is brought to you by Everything2 Media, LLC. The struggle can be a struggle of implementing the Islamic values in daily activities, a struggle with others to counter arguments against Islam, or self-defense when physically attacked because of belief in Islam. For example, refrain from saying something like, What makes you think your religion is so much better than others? Instead, try asking, What aspects of your religion set it apart from others? This is a nicer way of asking the same question. Lutheran, Baptist), and . If someone else starts talking about religion, change the subject. These 14 items were selected after the evaluation of items [6]. This is not to say that all or even most of the men and women in the anti-abortion movement are sadists or religious fanatics. You must expose them to those they influence. But bad things arent going to keep us out of Heaven, and good things wont get us in. I tell him I'm an atheist. The minimum score of the scale is 14 points and the maximum score is 56 points. I am glad to know its okay to just deal with, "Has helped in many ways to avoid the judgemental verbal opinions of others, and not take any personal offense. Rather, they fear God, and not in a "good" way. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. In the meantime, the governments of the world are absolutely right to respond to fanatics who turn to terrorism with all necessary force. So what hope is there? The most obvious might be the feared Al-Qaida terrorists and Taliban militiamen tramping around Central Asia. Let them say what they came to say, take any materials they offer you and thank them for their time. Did You Know Anxiety Can Enhance Our Relationships? Fanaticism is a drug. If that doesn't help, I just leave them talking to themselves. Talk to your employer about it. No wonder so many of us fall off the wagon. But in the midst of all that stress and condemnation, Uncle John offered a respite, a shelter from the angry, condemning god I had fashioned in my own judgmental image. How can nonreligious types deal with religious relatives? If God works in mysterious ways, every single supernatural and incongruous event in religious history can be justified. 15 Colas 1997, p. xix. Even if you're an atheist, it doesn't mean that you can't have good discussions with a religious person. I mean, people didnt know what to do with a guy who was always trying to convert everyone including Christians to Christianity. . Left Eye Twitching for Females: What Astrology Says About Eye Twitching, How to Use Angel Numbers for Manifestation. First of all, dont panic! If they experienced a contact with God, they would not need Holy Books or any teacher to know the difference between right and wrong. For example, I am feeling attacked right now. Avoid the person and focus on those who accept you for who you are. After all, theyre the ones making unevidenced claims about reality, not us. When he first brought up Jeebus I would have said, "I don't like talking about such a private matter as religion. I was at this guy's house buying car parts from him and somehow he gets to talking about being a Christian and asks me what I believe in. Many atheists find belief in a supernatural deity to be irrational. Atheists Could Learn a Lot from Religious People About How to Win Debates Youtube Religious people and "faitheists"my term for nonbelievers who feel that religion is good for society as a. Lets move on. Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. In addition, Dr. Church is a member of the American Evaluation Association and Hawaii-Pacific Evaluation Association. His tangent has taken away his joy of walking with Jesus, as well as the joy of fellowship with others in the body of Christ. [11] The original schism between Kharijites, Sunns, and Shas among Muslims was disputed over the political and religious succession to the guidance of the Muslim community (Ummah) after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. These religious wars were attempts by the Catholics, sanctioned by the Pope, to conquer the Holy Land from the Muslims. They think theyre perfectly fine driving. It may seem trite to discuss sports or the weather at Thanksgiving dinner, but its probably preferable to a knock-down, drag-out fight over deeply-held religious beliefs. CWOTUS ( 26102) "Great Answer" ( 3 ) Flag as . The eldest of seven children, Mary Theresa Ledochowska was born in Austria on April 29, 1863, to a Polish noble, Count Anthony, and his wife, Josephine. I shall be focusing only on those with a religious or quasi-religious motivation. PDF The Many Faces of Fanaticism How To Respond To A Religious Fanatic Remember, everyone, regardless of their beliefs, assumes they are right. But if youre going to end up feeling frustrated or angry or thinking less of the person youre debating, then leave it. Here are a few religiousgaps: Now its no use for believers to respond, God is mysterious. But before you start stacking up emergency supplies in your bio-shelters, realise that terrorists, the hated enemies of the world, are driven by the same instinct as those who hide from them, namely fear. If the UN can't define a terrorist, then I will not even try. 5. Answer Fanaticism is typically defined as "excessive, irrational zeal." Fanaticism can develop within a variety of different traditions, but this does not mean these traditions are in their very nature fanatical. Add a rough, torn, camouflage jacket with no insignia. I wrote this as an article for a university magazine, which can be found at www.thescript.net, and thought it would fit well as an entry here. Carson. Who is Bill Gothard and what is the Institute in Basic Life Principles? Being a know-it-all provides such powerful pain relief. With over a decade of clinical experience, she aims to integrate evolution, genetics, and neuroscience within the practice of psychotherapy. This book doesnt make any sense, and it contradicts itself all over the place! Right, sure. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I'm glad that you agree that this was, perhaps, the optimum behavior. How Religion Affects Everyday Life | Pew Research Center (6,000,000,000 Humans /2 = 3,000,000,000 religious persons /2 = 1,500,000,000 fundamentalists /2 = 750,000,000 fanatics /2 = 375,000,000 terrorists. In the race for Alabama governor, an advertisement bankrolled by the state teachers' union attacked candidate Bradley Byrne because he supposedly supported teaching evolution. References. Think about how touched your mom would be if you invited her to tell your children about her faith. And if people can fault us for not reading Aquinas, Augustine, Origen, Tertullian, and modern theologians like Hart and Alvin Plantinga, well, then, why not ask something similar of them? It is completely fair for you to expect the same of the other person. How to respond to an irrational argument of a religious fanatic - Quora Charles Selengut, in his book Sacred Fury: Understanding Religious Violence, said: The Crusades were very much holy wars waged to maintain Christianity's theological and social control. You are not alone. And when they cant (or shouldnt be) avoided, a thoughtful and respectful approach can help prevent a contentious situation. And so they proceed to blame everyone and everything else in the world, save themselves. I rest my case. Youre not going to convince someone otherwise in one conversation. The argument-from-gaps depends, of course, on the claim that science will never be able to explain these things, but that makes the argument vulnerable to unforeseen advances. When we pick up the Bible or the Quran or the Book of Mormon, for example, and actually read some of whats in there? Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Your views are equally right and important. Some of us are facing relatives who are heartbroken about our lack of faith incredulous, fearful, maybe even angry. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. People cant possible believe this stuff, we nonreligious types say. You should never feel like you have to lie or pretend about what you believe (or don't). It must be pointed out that fanaticism is not related to religion; it is related t6 human psychological type. How to Handle a Religious Fanatic - Joshua Rogers Dont Panic! A popular chorus: go cornerback. Thats why its called faith. Even if you started taking about religion, you can at any time say you're not comfortable talking any more about it, change the subject, and, if necessary, leave. Dont blame the person for all the evils you believe have been done in the name of that religion. 16 Bryan, D. Fanatics, Mobs and Terrorists: The Dynamics of Orange Parades in Northern Ireland. Inside the Mind of Fanaticism | HuffPost Contributor In fact, its not the beard that drives people to kill at all (ignoring any link to testosterone). Although the Christian Bible quite plainly repeatedly encourages followers to help the needy and poor, many fanatical Christians seemed to have overlooked their book's message on this subject and have instead chosen to label . Thats unconscionable. Genocide or Jesus: A God of Conquest or Pacifism? The one who has absolute faith in their God cannot fear anything, neither in life nor in death. Why didnt Jesus return during his followers lifetime, as he promised? Having had an awakening to Reason as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to fanatics of all kinds, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Try promising yourself you wont get annoyed until you hear X number of religious remarks or stories. But I never felt like I made much progress until one memorable phone conversation towards the end of his life. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! What's needed is an AA-style safe haven for recovering political and religious fanatics, ideologues and absolutists. Last Updated: January 12, 2023 "What part of Fuck You! You may want to say, Im looking forward to talking with you about atheism. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Sprinkle a couple of ammunition belts hanging from both shoulders. How do any believers know for sure that their faith is the right one, especially given the presumed penalty for guessing wrong. You in turn can invite them to a gathering of others like you. Ive suggested this tactic before. Religious sadists just want to see women suffer - Raw Story Rather than maintaining a balanced approach to Scripture and discipleship, he has gone off on a mental tangent and it has caused him to become restless in his heart and mind. A believer in religion may be open and liberal and an,other You may want to say, It seems like weve been going back and forth on this issue for awhile. Unless you can deliver to them the contact with the Holy Spirit/Great Life Force/Power of Almighty God that they so desire, against their will (for they will deny their isolation from it), you will not be able to convince them. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. At age 19, I was a proud, Bible-thumping holy-roller who was on a one-man mission to save the world from sin. Instead, quickly provide them with some basic information about atheism. was it you did not understand asshole?" 6 yr. ago You could just say your beliefs are personal, you don't feel comfortable talking about them, and change this subject back to whatever you were there for. [11] Shas believe Al ibn Ab lib is the true successor to Muhammad, while Sunns consider Abu Bakr to hold that position. Try finding support online. The Kharijites broke away from both the Shas and the Sunns during the First Fitna (the first Islamic Civil War);[11] they were particularly noted for adopting a radical approach to takfr (excommunication), whereby they declared both Sunn and Sha Muslims to be either infidels (kuffr) or false Muslims (munfin), and therefore deemed them worthy of death for their perceived apostasy (ridda). Another prominent form of fanaticism according to some came a few centuries later with the Spanish Inquisition. Fanatics always act zealously. Perhaps some day well know the answers. For that is precisely the answer they wont accept about the scientific puzzles, like the oft-touted mystery of consciousness that they use as evidence for God. At first sight, such a fanatic performance seems light years removed from the (only tentatively known) early forms of religion which first appeared as part of the behavioral modernization of Homo sapiens.Neither the late-modern medium of communication used, nor the individualism and dogmatism revealed by the post, seem to have anything to do with the religious system of a hunter-gatherer . Who saw that coming? [19] Moreover, Qutb's books have been frequently been cited by Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki.[20][21][22][23][24][25]. Fact: Why Science and Religion are Incompatible. How to deal with religious fanatics - Quora I did end up pretty much leaving in the middle of his preaching just to end it. Remember, you dont have to defend your point of view to anyone. 10 Common Ways Christian Fanaticism is Obstructing American Progress www.subud.org - Official website of the World Subud Association. ", "Another battle with Islam's 'true believers', "The Balance of Islam in Challenging Extremism", "Sayyid Qutb: Founder of Radical Islamic Political Ideology", "The Philosopher of the Muslim Revolt, Sayyid Qutb", "Conspiratorial Narratives in Violent Political Actors' Language", Journal of Language and Social Psychology, "Imam's Path From Condemning Terror to Preaching Jihad", Robert Irwin, "Is this the man who inspired Bin Laden?