Why do people of faith face such backlash in society today?

Original post by LeoKisia

In this day and age, whenever someone publicly proclaims their religious conviction or a belief in God, s/he is automatically branded gullible, ignorant or plain stupid. It is not correct to assume that whenever someone says he is Christian, he is deemed to have been automatically born into it or is in denial about life. Personally, it is a journey which I have taken from being (almost) atheist to now a staunch believer in Christ. I have had several encounters and experiences (some of which I am presently going through), that show that the hand of God is directly involved. Because you can't prove it, doesn't mean it does not exist.

What evidence do you have? Would it convince a skeptic?

Reply 2

OP

Original post by RogerOxon

What evidence do you have? Would it convince a skeptic?

So much evidence, for instance, how can you explain the five human senses namely sight, taste, smell, hearing and feeling? Did they happen coincidentally or through design?

Reply 3

username2393237

I think most people are tired of the control religion has had on society. There has been so much abuse and awfulness that it's hard not to be cynical. It's fine if there is a total separation of church and state, but that's never really the case. Religious people also seem to feel the need to 'spread' their faith - keep it to yourself.

Reply 4

MongoDB

18

Original post by LeoKisia

So much evidence, for instance, how can you explain the five human senses namely sight, taste, smell, hearing and feeling? Did they happen coincidentally or through design?

Kids with bone cancer. Great design.

Reply 5

Original post by LeoKisia

So much evidence, for instance, how can you explain the five human senses namely sight, taste, smell, hearing and feeling? Did they happen coincidentally or through design?

It's understood. There are things that we don't fully understand yet, but that doesn't mean that any random explanation should be accepted.

We were not designed. Evolution is fact. We have so many defects that only a complete moron would have 'designed'.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 6

OP

Original post by YaliaV

I think most people are tired of the control religion has had on society. There has been so much abuse and awfulness that it's hard not to be cynical. It's fine if there is a total separation of church and state, but that's never really the case. Religious people also seem to feel the need to 'spread' their faith - keep it to yourself.

I am not talking about RELIGION, it is true that it has not been good to society. I am talking about the belief in a divine being a.k.a God or Jesus. Can you say that he doesn't exist?

Reply 7

Original post by LeoKisia

I am not talking about RELIGION, it is true that it has not been good to society. I am talking about the belief in a divine being a.k.a God or Jesus. Can you say that he doesn't exist?

Can you say that pixies don't exist? Invisible unicorns?

Believing fantastic claims without credible evidence is gullibility.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by mongodb

Kids with bone cancer. Great design.

Of course, disease and death are part of human existence. Its already a fact that people die, good or bad people for that matter. That fact reinforces the fact that God has power over life and death (even for Christians)

Reply 9

username2393237

Original post by LeoKisia

I am not talking about RELIGION, it is true that it has not been good to society. I am talking about the belief in a divine being a.k.a God or Jesus. Can you say that he doesn't exist?

You can't separate Jesus from religion, as the churches basically chose what to include in the Bible, which dictated what people believed. The two are inextricably linked.

You are using this thread as a vehicle to spread your faith - that's exactly why you are receiving a negative reaction. People don't want to be preached at or lectured. If you worship privately, then nobody will have a problem.

Reply 10

Vinny C

20

Original post by YaliaV

You can't separate Jesus from religion, as the churches basically chose what to include in the Bible, which dictated what people believed. The two are inextricably linked.

You are using this thread as a vehicle to spread your faith - that's exactly why you are receiving a negative reaction. People don't want to be preached at or lectured. If you worship privately, then nobody will have a problem.

Jesus never claimed to be divine, that was decreed at the council of Nicea by Constantine.

Reply 11

Original post by LeoKisia

Of course, disease and death are part of human existence. Its already a fact that people die, good or bad people for that matter. That fact reinforces the fact that God has power over life and death (even for Christians)

Your god is an evil, random fool then, or they don't exist.

Reply 12

MongoDB

18

Original post by LeoKisia

Of course, disease and death are part of human existence. Its already a fact that people die, good or bad people for that matter. That fact reinforces the fact that God has power over life and death (even for Christians)

If this world is truly a creation of some sort of deity, and in this world children die of cancer, an uncountable number of people die from disease and war and yet this apparently all so powerful deity does not bother to lift a finger to intervene, it begs the question of whether or not this deity is even slightly worth worshipping.

Reply 13

OP

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Original post by RogerOxon

Your god is an evil, random fool then, or they don't exist.

Why do you have such words for Him?

Reply 14

Andrew97

20

Because nobody cares if you are religious or not. You don’t get atheists walking around announcing it to everybody (I’m aware many religious people don’t do this)

Reply 15

OP

Original post by YaliaV

You can't separate Jesus from religion, as the churches basically chose what to include in the Bible, which dictated what people believed. The two are inextricably linked.

You are using this thread as a vehicle to spread your faith - that's exactly why you are receiving a negative reaction. People don't want to be preached at or lectured. If you worship privately, then nobody will have a problem.

What is wrong with spreading it? it is not forcing. it is not a doctrine, rather, it is a way of life and gives hope to many.

Reply 16

Megan_1988j

5

I have never had this problem at all. But faith is not something I discuss very often with people apart from a few close people who share the same faith as me. Perhaps because you are sharing it with people who are already cynical about the subject? In general I find it far better to avoid the topic of religion and spirituality unless you know that person would not react negatively to it. Faith is a very personal thing, everyone has their own beliefs, and of course not everyone is respectful of other people’s beliefs, and neither do some people want to hear about other people’s beliefs. Sometimes it crops up. If someone asks me what I am doing after work and I am going to church, I will simply say “I’m going to church” and I have never had a bad reaction from that. Usually people just say “oh nice” and then move on to the next topic :wink:

Reply 17

HopefulAgony37

Couple of things: first, ppl should not confuse “religion” with God. You can believe in God and not be religious. You could believe in, or follow, a religion and believe in many gods or even no god. Second, ppl only want evidence of a God, an afterlife, etc but get frustrated when they don’t get it. Then there are ppl out there that just blindly follow religion and don’t think about it, I.e., they don’t act according to their religious standards, or they have no knowledge of their own religion’s practices or history, so they are branded as brainwashed and dumb.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 18

Claire461

Original post by LeoKisia

Of course, disease and death are part of human existence. Its already a fact that people die, good or bad people for that matter. That fact reinforces the fact that God has power over life and death (even for Christians)

Well, when I die, I will be back to haunt my abusers - nuns, priests, all done in the name of the fairy in a frock in the sky. How’s that for design?

Reply 19