Is it morally wrong to dislike creationists and fundamentalists?

[stan1980]

It's a prejudice of mine i admit, but i just don't like nor have any respect for creationists or fundamentalists. I think they are damaging for their very own religion, half of them seem to be unhinged, incite hate, and are maybe even dangerous.

So, is my prejudice wrong, or should i try and sympathise with them (which would be very hard)?

 

[gwenmead]

No. I don't think so.

Some people you'll like, others you won't. Just like some folks will like you, others won't. Sympathy can be useful for understanding someone's viewpoint, but its uses are limited: it gets very demoralizing to try and understand someone who makes no effort to understand your POV in return, for instance.

That's my $.02, anyway, adjusted for inflation.

 

[Krysia]

I personally don't really like some of the radical fundies I've met, and YEC's drive me nuts. I do try to forgive close-mindedness, but it can be frustrating. We're only human.

So, no, I don't believe it to be morally wrong.

 

[Maren]

I personally don't really like some of the radical fundies I've met, and YEC's drive me nuts. I do try to forgive close-mindedness, but it can be frustrating. We're only human.

So, no, I don't believe it to be morally wrong.

I think it is immoral to be bigoted against all Fundies, OTOH I think Will Rogers (who had a famous quote, "I never yet met a man that I didn't like") would have a hard time liking some of them.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Love the whole political spectrum?

 

[Krysia]

I think it is immoral to be bigoted against all Fundies,

Just wanted to clarify that I said that I didn't like some of the fundies that I've met. As long as religious differences don't become an issue, I'm good.

OTOH I think Will Rogers (who had a famous quote, "I never yet met a man that I didn't like") would have a hard time liking some of them.

I agree

 

[uberd00b]

It seems wrong to prejudge people. But going on past experience fundamentalists do have a tendency to be closed minded, <staff edit>

We live by our past experiences, but everybody is different, I guess!

 

[The Nihilist]

Some of them are just so darn dislikeable

 

[Maren]

Just wanted to clarify that I said that I didn't like some of the fundies that I've met. As long as religious differences don't become an issue, I'm good.



I agree

I'm sorry if you thought I implied that you were bigoted, that was not my intent at all. It does sound as if we agree.

 

[stan1980]

Over the years i've found myself asking "what if i'm wrong?". Then i hear a fundamentalist or creationist speak, and that kind of reassures me that im right to doubt God's existance, and religion is supersticious idiocy. Then i have to question whether i'm not just giving myself excuses to not join the Christian camp because of these unreasoned idiots.

So to summarise, i think fundamentalists are doing more than Dawkins, Hitchens or any atheists could possibly do to push people away from religion. I think that's a little sad.

 

[stan1980]

I'm sorry if you thought I implied that you were bigoted, that was not my intent at all. It does sound as if we agree.

It is a form of bigotry though. Some people don't like blacks, some don't like homosexuals, i don't like fundamentalists. Having said that, i think i've got more much, much more excuse for my bigotry than the racists or homophobes.

 

[Foolish_Fool]

It is a form of bigotry though. Some people don't like blacks, some don't like homosexuals, i don't like fundamentalists. Having said that, i think i've got more much, much more excuse for my bigotry than the racists or homophobes.

I don't hold it against people if they are born a certain way. If a person is black, white, hispanic, etc... it doesn't matter, because they had no control over it. The same can be said for homosexuality, alot of people are seemingly born that way.

I do however hold actions against people. To be a creationist/fundamentalist, you have to do something specific. From my point of view, that something is incredibly silly. When I hear somebody say "T-Rexes ate giant pinapples" it is no different than if they were to say "Bush is the greatest president in American history." Both statements make me question not only the intellect, but sanity of those who make them.

So to sum it up, you should judge others by their actions and motives, not their innate characteristics that they cannot change. Sometimes how you do something is just as important as what you do.

There are Christian ideas and philosophies that I don't agree with which don't make me laugh uncontrollably. I even respect a fundamentalist if they say "I can't prove anything, but this is what I believe." At least they're honest, and I respect that. It is the complete lack of coherency, logic, and intellectual honesty that make me scoff at those who try to prove things that can only be taken on faith. The extremes that they go to to try and vindicate their beliefs are laughable.

 

[keith99]

It's a prejudice of mine i admit, but i just don't like nor have any respect for creationists or fundamentalists. I think they are damaging for their very own religion, half of them seem to be unhinged, incite hate, and are maybe even dangerous.

So, is my prejudice wrong, or should i try and sympathise with them (which would be very hard)?

Prejudice is wrong, period. But one needs to be careful to remember that this means judging before you have data. It is not prejudice to realize going in that someone is a memeber of a group that means they will have strongly held opinions that you equally (or nearly so) disagree with and the odds of getting along are slim.

I think it is worth pointing out that the kind of fundie that annoys you is probably the kind who wears it on their sleave, and a part of that is it will ALWAYS come up. Hardly a way to have a friendship, always coming back to a point you disagree on.

I personally am not thrilled with Pentecostal doctrine. Esp. those who thing you must speak in tongues to be saved (or other things that come close). But yearsd ago, right after the last Watts riots I went down to help. One church was getting a lot of press and the airwaves were giving their address. African Methodist Epescopal. Nothing but hate. I left. Next church had other problems, simply put their view was God would provide for the 'saved'. Third try was a small church. Simply put they cared. I came back for several days. It wasn't until 3 or 4 days down that I found out they were Pentecostal (but not tongues required). These were nice people and one of the few that was really trying to help. If I had known they were Pentecostal and made a decision before learning about them I would have missed a good experience.

For what it is worth. I've been in other churches where people 'sing in tongues'. Paul was very clear about speaking in tongues with 'outsiders' present. Don't do it, they will think you are nuts. They made the excuse that this was singing. Sorry, it is the same thing, and Paul was right, I thought they were nuts.

 

[stan1980]

One thing that always surprises me, is that America, overall, is probably the most advanced country in the world, yet there seems to be so many backwards people. The way i hear some of the fundamentalists speak is not unlike some of the muslim extremists. For a country that started out as a secular state, one has to wonder how this happened?

 

[WatersMoon110]

I don't think it's moral to like people or immoral to dislike them, no matter who they are. Even the Christian God didn't command His followers to like anyone (just to love them - and it is possible to love people without liking them).

So long as you don't deny access to equal rights to people you don't like, don't lie about them, and don't harm them, I don't feel that morality has anything to do with it. It isn't immoral for creationists and fundamentalists to dislike people who disagree with them either.

 

[Stinker]

Is it morally wrong to dislike creationists and fundamentalists?

It's a prejudice of mine i admit, but i just don't like nor have any respect for creationists or fundamentalists. I think they are damaging for their very own religion, half of them seem to be unhinged, incite hate, and are maybe even dangerous.

So, is my prejudice wrong, or should i try and sympathise with them (which would be very hard)?

"I think they are damaging for their very own religion..."

You are not of the Christian faith? No one of the secular persuassion can logically maintain that you (or any other non-Christian) were violating a moral code for disliking Creationists and Fundamentalists.

 

[Foolish_Fool]

One thing that always surprises me, is that America, overall, is probably the most advanced country in the world, yet there seems to be so many backwards people. The way i hear some of the fundamentalists speak is not unlike some of the muslim extremists. For a country that started out as a secular state, one has to wonder how this happened?

It really depends on where you are. The US is a huge country. I grew up in Nowhere, Texas. Moved to just outside Orlando, Florida. Now I live in New Hampshire, about 30 minutes from Boston. It's a pretty stark contrast.

It really seems to be a southern and midwest sort of thing. I think it's due to population density. Even in Texas the cities are much more liberal and open, cities like Austin and Houston. The further you go, and the less people there are, the more conservative it gets. The same is true in Florida and New Hampshire. It's why fly over country and the Bible Belt are the same thing. Sort of like an insulative effect, all the air gaps insulate these places from the rest of the world.

 

[stan1980]

Is it morally wrong to dislike creationists and fundamentalists?



"I think they are damaging for their very own religion..."

You are not of the Christian faith? No one of the secular persuassion can logically maintain that you (or any other non-Christian) were violating a moral code for disliking Creationists and Fundamentalists.

I impose moral standards on myself, and i dislike myself for automatically disliking these groups. Believe me, i don't enjoy being disgusted with these particular people, but i suppose i just wanted reassurance that my disdain is justified.

 

[stan1980]

It really depends on where you are. The US is a huge country. I grew up in Nowhere, Texas. Moved to just outside Orlando, Florida. Now I live in New Hampshire, about 30 minutes from Boston. It's a pretty stark contrast.

It really seems to be a southern and midwest sort of thing. I think it's due to population density. Even in Texas the cities are much more liberal and open, cities like Austin and Houston. The further you go, and the less people there are, the more conservative it gets. The same is true in Florida and New Hampshire. It's why fly over country and the Bible Belt are the same thing. Sort of like an insulative effect, all the air gaps insulate these places from the rest of the world.

Yes, i've been to NY and Boston, and the people seemed fairly normal, so i can only assume the backwards people live outside the major cities which is what you suggested. I think the difference between europe and the US is that europe is much more densely populated, so we don't have so many people living in cocoons.

 

[tapero]

It's a prejudice of mine i admit, but i just don't like nor have any respect for creationists or fundamentalists. I think they are damaging for their very own religion, half of them seem to be unhinged, incite hate, and are maybe even dangerous.

So, is my prejudice wrong, or should i try and sympathise with them (which would be very hard)?

Hi, I have only read the op and not the thread yet, but wanted to reply.

I think you should do what you probably normally do for any other person no matter what the title one may go by, is take each person on an individual basis.

Prejudice means to prejudge. If you prejudge all according to a title or such, then of course is not accurate.

take care
tapero