E-Religionism

[Caitlin.ann]

Inspired by Steezie's E-Ageism thread. I've noticed people react differently to people of specific religions on this site. Of course the religion is known by the icon by the username. People treat others differently if they're atheist, non-Christian or a specific denomination of Christian. Some people use the icons to draw closer to others like them, but others seem to take it as a sign of the enemy.


Thoughts? Opinions? Are you guilty of this yourself? Is it a good or bad thing to avoid "enemy icons"?

 

[Beanieboy]

One of the things I'm rather disturbed by is that people that are heterosexual Christians can get away with A LOT more than those who are not. They can really push the envelope.

I'm not sure what the icon means. It's kind of like when someone announces that they are a feminist. You aren't sure if that means that they are pro-equality and pro-women, or if they are like the joke:

How many feminists does it take to change a lightbulb?




ONE!

AND IT'S NOT FUNNY!!

Is the Christian going to bring the Christ part into the conversation, or will they have made themselves God and point at others in condemnation, or the most annoying, thinking they are the sifters of the wheat and the chaff, the REAL (TM) Christians (those who agree with everything that they do) and the fake Christians.

 

[Gishin]

I judge people by the content of their posts. Their icons don't matter much, but I do notice it's people with similar icons that tend to say things that make me lose all respect for them.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

I honestly rarely even look at the icons. If I do, it doesn't mean much to me. Just another part of someone, has little bearing on reasoning skills or logic. And, I have noticed to some degree, on actual beliefs...

 

[RealityPixie]

Try hopping over to the NCR threads, you'll see great examples of this sort of stuff.

 

[quatona]

Inspired by Steezie's E-Ageism thread. I've noticed people react differently to people of specific religions on this site. Of course the religion is known by the icon by the username. People treat others differently if they're atheist, non-Christian or a specific denomination of Christian. Some people use the icons to draw closer to others like them, but others seem to take it as a sign of the enemy.


Thoughts? Opinions? Are you guilty of this yourself? Is it a good or bad thing to avoid "enemy icons"?

I am assuming that people have a purpose in labeling themselves.
However, I am not sure I understand what these purposes are and what they expect me to do with those labels.
To me, it sort of looks like an invitation to stereotype them. I am trying hard not to follow that invitation.

 

[Steezie]

I like labels because they give someone a very quick idea about who you are. Now the problem with that, obviously, is if they have the wrong idea about a particular label.

On here I usually dont pay too much attention to faith icons unless I see a real anomaly (Someone with an Atheist icon telling how much they really secretly love god or checking to see what denomination a particularly nutty poster is).

Post content is a bigger giveaway than a faith icon. I can usually tell with a fair degree of certainty at least a general idea of what that person would call themselves religiously.

 

[david_x]

I debate differently with people of different theisms. To the Jews I use the Torah and logic, to the atheist just logic and explanation of those things that are not logically based, and to the Christian I assert the infallible Bible (or not if they're one of those Christians).

 

[yasic]

I personally take the opposite approach and welcome icons as a way for me stereotype new users. It gives me a basis for where I think the conversation can land and how I should act with them.

Now, once I read a good number of their posts, my knowledge of them takes place of the stereotype and I make sure not to hold previous assumptions (I find myself good at not holding on to outdated impressions).

I find nothing wrong with stereotyping people as long as this 1) Does not and cannot lead to harm to anyone involved and 2) does not affect serious changes the person may make.

Am I wrong sometimes? Of course I am and I try to pick up on when I am wrong; however I find myself right the majority of the time and thus experiencing a smoother sail on CF.

 

[keith99]

I like labels because they give someone a very quick idea about who you are. Now the problem with that, obviously, is if they have the wrong idea about a particular label.

On here I usually dont pay too much attention to faith icons unless I see a real anomaly (Someone with an Atheist icon telling how much they really secretly love god or checking to see what denomination a particularly nutty poster is).

Post content is a bigger giveaway than a faith icon. I can usually tell with a fair degree of certainty at least a general idea of what that person would call themselves religiously.

I generally only look at the faith Icons when someone has commented on Scripture or doctrine. I do feel more free to be a bit more nasty if a Christian shows gross ignorance of Christian Scripture or doctrine than if an Athiest or Buddist does.

And of course when I bring up the one failure of abstinence!