Why Does This Happen?

[PsychoSarah]

Because you're young.

That would explain it, if I didn't see it happen to people of all ages.

 

[RDKirk]

That would explain it, if I didn't see it happen to people of all ages.

So do you mean that you're not talking about something happening specifically to you but to all kinds of people all the time?

Then you're just making too much notice of the know-it-alls in the world.

 

[bhsmte]

That would explain it, if I didn't see it happen to people of all ages.

I have seen it happen to people of many ages.

I have been told by numerous Christians on this board; that they know I believe God exists, but I just reject him out of hatred and being led by evil and a few other things where they use their mind reading skills.

 

[digitalgoth]

I have seen it happen to people of many ages.

I have been told by numerous Christians on this board; that they know I believe God exists, but I just reject him out of hatred and being led by evil and a few other things where they use their mind reading skills.

God provides super powers (possibly through mutation?) which makes their brains both have psychic ability, but lack any sort of ability to take in new input.

 

[PsychoSarah]

So do you mean that you're not talking about something happening specifically to you but to all kinds of people all the time?

Then you're just making too much notice of the know-it-alls in the world.

I don't need people to criticize the fact I feel annoyed. It would be inhuman if there weren't things that annoyed me.

 

[Paradoxum]

That would explain it, if I didn't see it happen to people of all ages.

I agree; I think it happens to people of all genders and ages.

 

[Cute Tink]

Usually these posts are just made in general about "atheists".

I get why Sarah finds that annoying.

When those posters are former atheists, I think they feel like what they felt must be what we all feel and, with their new found information, they can make our lives better if we would only follow the same path.

It's actually not limited to people thinking they know what you believe, but pretty much everything about your reasons for [insert whatever]. I've heard people tell people why they drink (and how to quit), do drugs, drive like they do, etc. etc. etc.

A twisted need to feel capable of helping? Just a guess.

 

[PsychoSarah]

Usually these posts are just made in general about "atheists".

I get why Sarah finds that annoying.

When those posters are former atheists, I think they feel like what they felt must be what we all feel and, with their new found information, they can make our lives better if we would only follow the same path.

It's actually not limited to people thinking they know what you believe, but pretty much everything about your reasons for [insert whatever]. I've heard people tell people why they drink (and how to quit), do drugs, drive like they do, etc. etc. etc.

A twisted need to feel capable of helping? Just a guess.

I'll be frank too, I have seen similar behavior from atheists to theists about the beliefs of the theists on occasion.

 

[Cute Tink]

I'll be frank too, I have seen similar behavior from atheists to theists about the beliefs of the theists on occasion.

Oh certainly. This is a people problem, not a belief problem.

 

[Messy]

I have seen it happen to people of many ages.

I have been told by numerous Christians on this board; that they know I believe God exists, but I just reject him out of hatred and being led by evil and a few other things where they use their mind reading skills.

Oh well then it's because they're just stupid and don't want to listen.

 

[contango]

I am so sick of other people telling me what I believe and then when I correct them, they try to state I am wrong. As if I don't know what I believe better than they do. Why on earth do people do that?

Because if they have to deal with where you actually are then their standard one-liners designed for a generic person with beliefs broadly similar to yours don't work any more and they have to actually engage with you.

If you've used a term that could be taken to mean all sorts of things to describe yourself people may simply misinterpret it. Since your faith icon shows "atheist" it may be people are getting lost somewhere between the comparable but different statements of "I do not believe God exists" and "I believe God does not exist", and attributing one to you when in fact you hold the other.

 

[Received]

I am so sick of other people telling me what I believe and then when I correct them, they try to state I am wrong. As if I don't know what I believe better than they do. Why on earth do people do that?

When you don't fit the mold people have for you, it causes them great distress. And so they have to try and force the fit even harder. To the exclusion of the person behind the mold if necessary. That's how deep fear runs.

 

[PsychoSarah]

Funniest to me is when people claim I must not be an atheist at all because I guess in their opinion atheists can't be decent human beings, and I tend to be overly polite.

 

[znr]

I read the op wrong. im super tired. i see how my answer was out of place. need sleep.

Sorry PsychoSarah!

This site and the posts from many would prove you wrong in my opinion. For many, opening the door is as simple as disagreeing with them.

 

[PsychoSarah]

I read the op wrong. im super tired. i see how my answer was out of place. need sleep.

Sorry PsychoSarah!

Is fine, it happens. Misunderstandings abound on forums.

 

[znr]

I'm reducing the time I spend reading here. It can be very negative and discouraging for sure.

Is fine, it happens. Misunderstandings abound on forums.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

I am so sick of other people telling me what I believe and then when I correct them, they try to state I am wrong. As if I don't know what I believe better than they do. Why on earth do people do that?

I think people sort of create thought boxes in their minds where they store scraps of knowledge and place stereotypes, preconceived notions, and the like about religious, political, and cultural ideologies and beliefs. They then affix a label to each box. When what you tell them doesn't fit within the contents of the box labeled with your religious / spiritual / philosophical beliefs they make an assumption that you're mistaken. I also think it can be a matter of cognitive dissonance if what you're saying about your own beliefs challenges their core beliefs; it has the potential to cause mental conflict.

This happens to most of us. In one of my classes we discussed some of the assumptions people have made about us based on our religious / philosophical beliefs, where we live, our appearances, our interests and such. I'm actually a liberal-leaning mellow Christian attending a school I love with a primarily humanist student body and get along swimmingly, but when I've "met" people online and said I'm a Christian they seem to assume I must be a judgmental Creationist homophobe planning on registering as a Republican. Wrong across the board. My boyfriend is agnostic and has had people make all sorts of false assumptions.

You know what you believe and unless the person who is adamant that you must be wrong is significant to your life, I would just move on. Many people seek knowledge and will mentally rearrange things when they learn they've been mistaken, while others put padlocks on their boxes, and there is just no way you're going to break through to them without serious effort.

 

[Ana the Ist]

God provides super powers (possibly through mutation?) which makes their brains both have psychic ability, but lack any sort of ability to take in new input.

Lol sweet!!! Does he have his own team of X-men too?