Why do religious believers try to impose their beliefs on others?

[3sigma]

For example, why do Christians constantly try to enact laws to force the teaching of creationism in public school science classes? Why have religious believers around the world enacted blasphemy laws with penalties of imprisonment and death? Why do religious believers try to impose their unsubstantiated beliefs on others and force others to comply with those beliefs?

 

[svl3p]

well..i think one part of it is: everyone thinks they're religion is the right religion. They wouldn't be a part of it otherwise. So makes sense they want to share. Christianity believes that if you don't have christ, you don't get heaven...so Christians want to share that so others don't go to hell...

as for in the schools...i don't think it's so much that christians want kids to be taught that creationism is fact...it's that they don't want evolution to be taught as fact...it's a theory, but more and more it's getting taught as "well that's the way it DID happen"...which isn't right either..i believe both should be discussed in schools and let the kids decide what they want to believe

 

[salida]

Hmm, why do secular humanist not allow creationism to be taught in public schools? Its all one sided - its indoctrination and this isn't fair. Have you seen the movie, Expelled? The secular humanist scientific society have not let scientists who believe in just intellect design to be taken serious. They are fired because they arn't accepted by peer review athiest and agnostics. The joke is that this science really isn't science - darwism. The law of Thermodynamics states that 1) You can't create something from nothing - so it contradicts scientific laws. They reject creationism because they think its going to cause a prayer meeting! How silly! How about stop forcing the religion of secular humanism in the public schools and colleges down people throats - like natural selection and mutation falsehood? When is this going to stop? When is discrimination against christians going to stop sir?

 

[jayem]

For example, why do Christians constantly try to enact laws to force the teaching of creationism in public school science classes?

Evangelicals who believe in special creation have a different view of science. They believe that the tools of science can be used to support the concept that the universe could only have had a supernatural origin. Whereas mainstream science is overwhelmingly naturalistic. It only accepts explanations based on natural processes as valid. They believe that the supernatural and the scientific occupy totally different realms. As a naturalist, I personally subscibe to the view that science is incompatible with supernaturalism. Students should certainly learn about the strengths and weaknesses of special creation theories, and naturalistic theories. But special creation should be taught in religion, or current events/social studies class. And cosmology and biological evolution should taught in science class. Students can still compare the two and make up their own minds.

Why have religious believers around the world enacted blasphemy laws with penalties of imprisonment and death? Why do religious believers try to impose their unsubstantiated beliefs on others and force others to comply with those beliefs?

It's human nature to be tribalistic. We are more comfortable around people who look, act, and think like we do. When a particular religion becomes the dominant belief, it tends to demand conformity. Religion is useful in this respect by promoting social cohesion. But in a modern, diverse society, this often leads to conflict.

 

[3sigma]

Christianity believes that if you don't have christ, you don't get heaven...so Christians want to share that so others don't go to hell...

What does this have to do with blasphemy laws? Blasphemy laws use threats of imprisonment and death to force others to comply with religious believers’ demands not to insult their God. What does that have to do with sharing? Why did religious believers enact blasphemy laws?

i believe both should be discussed in schools and let the kids decide what they want to believe

Why do you think unsubstantiated religious beliefs that have nothing to do with science should be taught in science classes? Why do Christians try to enact laws to force the teaching of those unsubstantiated religious beliefs in public school science classes?

 

[3sigma]

Hmm, why do secular humanist not allow creationism to be taught in public schools?

The teaching of creationism in public school science classes is not allowed for two simple and obvious reasons: it is unconstitutional and unsubstantiated religious beliefs aren’t science.

However, this forum is about exploring Christianity not secular humanism so your response is not helpful except to prompt the question of why Christians behave evasively when asked questions. Why did you evade the questions in the OP? You made no attempt to answer the OP questions, but instead launched into an attack riddled with misconceptions, mistakes and misrepresentations. Why did you do that?

Please answer the questions in the OP. If you can’t be bothered to answer the questions in the OP then please don’t bother responding at all.

 

[Sketcher]

Why do anti-religious believers do that stuff in Communist countries?

 

[3sigma]

Why do anti-religious believers do that stuff in Communist countries?

Please answer the questions in the OP. If you can’t be bothered to answer the questions in the OP then please don’t bother responding at all.

 

[ephraimanesti]

MY DEAR FRIEND--Because i know that you are not REALLY seeking answers but only the fodder for more questions, let me give you the quick answers so as not to waste each other's time.

For example, why do Christians constantly try to enact laws to force the teaching of creationism in public school science classes?

i believe that Creationism has at least as much evidence in its behalf as the THEORY of evolution, and thus deserves an equal hearing. i think both should be taught on an equal footing and the students allowed to make up their own minds based on the facts.

Why have religious believers around the world enacted blasphemy laws with penalties of imprisonment and death?

Given that atheists believe in nothing beyond themselves, i can see why this puzzles you, but imagine, if you will, how you would feel if someone made disparaging, lewd, or crude remarks about your mother. Would you not rightly be angry, upset, and perhaps ready to fight for her honor. Well, the same holds true for Deists/Theists who believe in a Heavenly Parent who is being defamed, ridiculed, or abused.

i believe we all possess freewill, and have a right to believe or disbelieve as we see fit. But blasphemy is beyond the pale and should be punished. It is, after all, a Hate Crime.

Why do religious believers try to impose their unsubstantiated beliefs on others and force others to comply with those beliefs?

This, in my opinion, is indeed a great mistake--for 2 reasons.

#1. It violates a person's God-given freewill and right to make his/her own choices in matters of spiritual beliefs--or disbeliefs.

#2. You cannot force someone to Love God against their will anymore than a person can force a female with whom he is enamored to love him in return. This was the great fallacy, mistake, and tragedy of the Inquisition. God wants only our freely rendered Love, and this cannot be forced.

A BOND-SLAVE/FRIEND/BROTHER OF OUR LORD/GOD/SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[Sketcher]

Please answer the questions in the OP. If you can’t be bothered to answer the questions in the OP then please don’t bother responding at all.

If you can answer my question, you have the answer to yours. Human nature and all.

 

[3sigma]

i believe that Creationism has at least as much evidence in its behalf as the THEORY of evolution, and thus deserves an equal hearing. i think both should be taught on an equal footing and the students allowed to make up their own minds based on the facts.

What you believe to be true and what has been shown to be true are two entirely different things. Has it been shown that there is at least as much sound evidence supporting creationism as there is supporting the theory of evolution? I think you are mistaken to believe this. If it hasn’t been shown that there is at least as much sound evidence supporting creationism as there is supporting the theory of evolution then why should it be taught on an equal footing?

…imagine, if you will, how you would feel if someone made disparaging, lewd, or crude remarks about your mother. Would you not rightly be angry, upset, and perhaps ready to fight for her honor. Well, the same holds true for Deists/Theists who believe in a Heavenly Parent who is being defamed, ridiculed, or abused.

I don’t think people should be imprisoned or put to death for insulting my mother, yet you apparently think these penalties should apply for insulting some immaterial concept. Why do you and other religious believers think such extreme penalties out of all proportion to the offence are justified?

 

[3sigma]

If you can answer my question, you have the answer to yours. Human nature and all.

My questions were:

“Why do Christians constantly try to enact laws to force the teaching of creationism in public school science classes? Why have religious believers around the world enacted blasphemy laws with penalties of imprisonment and death? Why do religious believers try to impose their unsubstantiated beliefs on others and force others to comply with those beliefs?”

And your question was:

“Why do anti-religious believers do that stuff in Communist countries?”

I take it that you mean atheists when you say “anti-religious believers”, though this is a rather incongruous juxtaposition of terms because atheists aren’t believers in the religious sense. Nevertheless, the answer is that atheists don’t try to have creationism taught in science classes, they don’t pass blasphemy laws and they don’t hold unsubstantiated religious beliefs so the answer is that atheists don’t “do that stuff” and this doesn’t explain why religious believers do these things. Please answer the questions in the OP.

 

[Maranatha27]

For example, why do Christians constantly try to enact laws to force the teaching of creationism in public school science classes? Why have religious believers around the world enacted blasphemy laws with penalties of imprisonment and death? Why do religious believers try to impose their unsubstantiated beliefs on others and force others to comply with those beliefs?

Hi Sigma,

I believe that God created this world and went through secular schools all my life, where creationism was never mentioned. In college I experienced nothing but a strong hatered toward Christianity from my liberal professors, In some courses they were actually indoctrinating the students with the humanist world view, this is where are education system is heading. Professors can indeed mention God in school, but it has to be to the negitive.

I have shared my faith with unbelievers. First off my Lord has commanded me to do so, so I do it. The person next to me is of is of unmeasurable value, and God forbid if they die in their sins, when a word from His servent could have changed the direction of their eternity.

I love how you mention the sins of another religion and try to charge Christianity with the same fault. Thoses practices are found in Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries that impose sharia law. Your are more than free to reject Christ and live a good life without his yoke.

 

[ephraimanesti]

What you believe to be true and what has been shown to be true are two entirely different things. Has it been shown that there is at least as much sound evidence supporting creationism as there is supporting the theory of evolution? I think you are mistaken to believe this. If it hasn’t been shown that there is at least as much sound evidence supporting creationism as there is supporting the theory of evolution then why should it be taught on an equal footing?

Your denying the evidence for Creationism doesn't, fortunately, make it disappear. There are numerous available books on the subject writen by well-respected scientists, although i well understand that due to your inability to accept the reality of God's very existence you would judge them as being based on a false premise and thus summarly dismiss the proofs presented out-of-hand.

You think i am mistaken--i think you are mistaken. Why not let the students decide for themselves?

I don’t think people should be imprisoned or put to death for insulting my mother, yet you apparently think these penalties should apply for insulting some immaterial concept. Why do you and other religious believers think such extreme penalties out of all proportion to the offence are justified?

Well, actually i'm not a big fan of capital punishment or life imprisonment for blasphemy, but i do think a proportional punishment is in order for all hate crimes--including this one. How about the offender being strapped to a chair with headphones on and being forced to listen to Richard Dawkins spout his mindless drivel 24/7 for a year? i guarantee there will be no repeat offenders!

A BOND-SLAVE/FRIEND/BROTHER OF OUR LORD/GOD/SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[3sigma]

I love how you mention the sins of another religion and try to charge Christianity with the same fault. Thoses practices are found in Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries that impose sharia law. Your are more than free to reject Christ and live a good life without his yoke.

I said that Christians constantly try to enact laws to force the teaching of creationism in public school science classes. They are still doing it right now. There is a never-ending stream of news stories about Christians on school boards and in legislatures around the country trying to have creationism taught in public school science classes. It is apparently part of the Christian psyche to do this. Why do you think they do this?

I also said that religious believers (which means Christians and other religious believers) have passed blasphemy laws with penalties of imprisonment and death. In countries with blasphemy laws where Christianity is the dominant religion (and there are quite a few), the penalty is imprisonment. In other countries, the penalty can include death. Blasphemy laws use threats of imprisonment and death to force others to comply with religious believers’ demands not to insult their God. Why do you think religious believers enact blasphemy laws with penalties so out of proportion to the offence?

 

[3sigma]

You think i am mistaken--i think you are mistaken. Why not let the students decide for themselves?

Again, the teaching of creationism in public school science classes is not allowed for two simple and obvious reasons: it is unconstitutional and unsubstantiated religious beliefs aren’t science. So why do you think Christians keep trying to impose these beliefs on others?

Well, actually i'm not a big fan of capital punishment or life imprisonment for blasphemy, but i do think a proportional punishment is in order for all hate crimes--including this one.

However, religious believers have enacted blasphemy laws with these penalties in many countries around the world. It is a fact. So why do you think religious believers enact blasphemy laws with penalties so out of proportion to the offence? What is it in the psyche of religious believers that causes them to tend to such unjustified extremes?

 

[Sketcher]

My questions were:

“Why do Christians constantly try to enact laws to force the teaching of creationism in public school science classes? Why have religious believers around the world enacted blasphemy laws with penalties of imprisonment and death? Why do religious believers try to impose their unsubstantiated beliefs on others and force others to comply with those beliefs?”

And your question was:

“Why do anti-religious believers do that stuff in Communist countries?”

I take it that you mean atheists when you say “anti-religious believers”, though this is a rather incongruous juxtaposition of terms because atheists aren’t believers in the religious sense. Nevertheless, the answer is that atheists don’t try to have creationism taught in science classes, they don’t pass blasphemy laws and they don’t hold unsubstantiated religious beliefs so the answer is that atheists don’t “do that stuff” and this doesn’t explain why religious believers do these things. Please answer the questions in the OP.

Atheists, at least "strong atheists" believe that there is no god.
Atheists under atheist regimes teach this in their schools.
Atheists under atheist regimes pass laws that restrict religious practice.

Same dung, different flies.

 

[ephraimanesti]

Again, the teaching of creationism in public school science classes is not allowed for two simple and obvious reasons: it is unconstitutional and unsubstantiated religious beliefs aren’t science. So why do you think Christians keep trying to impose these beliefs on others?

#1. They are not "unsubstantiated religious beliefs," God's creative accomplishments predating religion by eons and the work of His hands being evident to religious and non-religious alike: "What may be known about God is plain to all, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."(Romans 1:19-20) The difference being, of course, that believers admit, accept, and revere the Truth which non-believers vainly attempt to ignore, deny, or cover it up so as to be able to continue to worship themselves.

#2. There are--for the moment, at least--more children of Christians in the public schools than children of atheists (who their parents feel need to be shielded and protected from exposure to the Truth at all costs), and also most thoughtful persons would hold that evolution--at least in the hard-core darwinian sense--is an the epitome of an "unsubstantiated religious belief", it seems only fair to provide equal time for both viewpoints to be taught, even at the risk of exposing atheist children to the Truth.

Atheism, of course, is every bit as much a religion as Christianity, even if it is the worship of nothing, and should have no more power to dictate public policy than atheists accuse Christians of trying to do.

However, religious believers have enacted blasphemy laws with these penalties in many countries around the world. It is a fact. So why do you think religious believers enact blasphemy laws with penalties so out of proportion to the offence? What is it in the psyche of religious believers that causes them to tend to such unjustified extremes?

i have given your question a lot of thought over the years, and have come to the conclusion that the extreme measures that supposed "believers" take in supposed "defense" of their beliefs and their deity seems to stem from a lack of experiental knowledge of that which they are "defending". Thus, there are "believers" whose beliefs are all in their heads and Believers whose beliefs reside in their hearts--along with that which they worship.

Once a Truth has been personally experienced, there is no longer a need to defend it beyond explanation and, in a dire situation, debate. It MUST be shared but MUST NOT be used as a club to beat down the opposition--let alone as an excuse to destroy them. The closer to God one gets and the more experientally vital the relationship with God becomes, the more loving, forgiving, and tolerant of the beliefs of others one becomes.

For example, there are Moslems killing indiscriminatly in a most brutal and unconscionable manner in the name of Allah, attempting to earn a place in "heaven" by their barbarisms; and there are, likewise, also Moslems such as the Sufis who are loving and peaceful, and write some of the most beautiful poetry about their "Beloved" that the world has ever seen.

Likewise, in Christianity, there were those who perpetrated the horrors of the Inquisition--demented and hate-filled opposites to the Lord they claimed to be serving and the Gospel of Peace which they claimed to be defending--and, diametrical opposites, those, like the Quakers, who demonstrated so well our Lord's Commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself."

The difference is in the personal experience--or lack thereof--of the person in question. Those with personal experience of God become God-like, those with only doctrine to hang on to become God's anthesis. If one is comfortable and confident regarding their beliefs they will be tolerant of those held by others--even if they hold them to be misguided, wrong, or even threatening (knowing, of course, that Truth always triumphs in the end). If one is not confident and comfortable with a belief system they hold, they will do everything in their power to discredit and/or destroy opposition which they feel threatens what they "believe" but have never experienced the truth of for themselves.

A perfect case in point regarding the latter would be the atheistic attempt to destroy Christianity--and all religion--in the countries they managed to take control of in the middle of the last century such as the Soviet Union, Communist China, North Vietnam, North Korea, etc. where millions upon millions of religious believers were slaughtered by atheist governments trying to stamp out the Truth in support of a god-less philosophy which was doomed to failure from the start
--specifically due to its godlessness and atheistic insistance that human beings are just evolved animals rather than creations of a Loving God who made them in His Image and Likeness.

Vincent Carroll and David Shiflett write, "If ideas matter, then a religion that intones 'blessed are the peacemakers' has more likelihood of restraining human aggression than a philosophy which demands that all oppositional ideas and those holding them be destroyed in gas chambers, labor camps,or in psychiatric "hospitals" where they can be chemically tortured into accepting the assertion that "god is dead". And a religion whose central rite included prayers for peace even during the Crusades has a better chance of fostering subcultures of antiwar dissent than religions that lack such ambiguity. The New Testament Gospel--and all those who take it literally--are dead set against killing, and stubborn literalists in every era have taken its message to heart. Their failure to create peace on earth is not nearly so surprising as the fact that against such overpowering odds, they tried."

So you might think about changing your question to "Why do atheists act with such unbelievable hatred and brutality towards believers in a God Who is Love?" If you are honest, the answer might save the soul you deny you have.

A BOND-SLAVE/FRIEND/BROTHER OF OUR LORD/GOD/SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[Maranatha27]

It is apparently part of the Christian psyche to do this. Why do you think they do this?

I have no idea. Our Ideas are suppressed and your humanist point of view is exalted

In countries with blasphemy laws where Christianity is the dominant religion (and there are quite a few), the penalty is imprisonment.

Please name three countries where Christianity is the dominant religion, and christians have laws against the public against blasphemy. you are such a stickler for facts, please back up this claim.

 

[3sigma]

Atheists under atheist regimes pass laws that restrict religious practice.

However, as you noted earlier, you are actually speaking about totalitarian Communist regimes. The regimes you describe are motivated by the desire to remain in power not by atheism. Here is the description of totalitarianism from Encyclopædia Britannica.

The totalitarian state pursues some special goal, such as industrialization or conquest, to the exclusion of all others. All resources are directed toward its attainment regardless of the cost. Whatever might further the goal is supported; whatever might foil the goal is rejected. This obsession spawns an ideology that explains everything in terms of the goal, rationalizing all obstacles that may arise and all forces that may contend with the state. The resulting popular support permits the state the widest latitude of action of any form of government. Any dissent is branded evil, and internal political differences are not permitted. Because pursuit of the goal is the only ideological foundation for the totalitarian state, achievement of the goal can never be acknowledged.

Under totalitarian rule, traditional social institutions and organizations are discouraged and suppressed; thus the social fabric is weakened and people become more amenable to absorption into a single, unified movement. Participation in approved public organizations is at first encouraged and then required. Old religious and social ties are supplanted by artificial ties to the state and its ideology. As pluralism and individualism diminish, most of the people embrace the totalitarian state’s ideology. The infinite diversity among individuals blurs, replaced by a mass conformity (or at least acquiescence) to the beliefs and behaviour sanctioned by the state.

Large-scale, organized violence becomes permissible and sometimes necessary under totalitarian rule, justified by the overriding commitment to the state ideology and pursuit of the state’s goal. In Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union, whole classes of people, such as the Jews and the kulaks (wealthy peasant farmers) respectively, were singled out for persecution and extinction. In each case the persecuted were linked with some external enemy and blamed for the state’s troubles, and thereby public opinion was aroused against them and their fate at the hands of the military and the police was condoned.

What is interesting is if you replace the word ‘state’ with ‘church’, it is uncanny how well this describes religions at various stages throughout their histories so I think your comparison between religions and totalitarian regimes has hit the nail on the head.