Why the morbid obsession?

[Danhalen]

Why do we (generally) expose ourselves to things we don't like? In a couple of recent threads I have noticed both Christians and atheists obsessing over things that they can't stomach.

A prime example of atheist distaste would merely be Christianity. I obviously do not mean to say all of us atheists, just some (I am an example of an atheist that does not hate Christianity). My question to the atheists that do dislilke Christianity is, why do you bother coming to a place full of people you don't like?

As for Christian distaste, a prime example of that is homosexuality. Again, I do not mean that all Christians hate homosexuality, some do. I am talking about the "hate sin but love the sinner" type Christians. If you don't like homosexuality, why do you obsess over it? What is it about it that compells you to talk about it so much? All you can possibly accomplish by exposing yourself to homosexuality is more exposure to something you don't like.

To both groups, atheist and Christian alike (or any other group of people here that dislikes something that they obsess over), would you eat rancid meat? Would you hit yourself in the face with a hammer? Why do you continually immerse yourself in something that makes you ill?

 

[hernyaccent]

People like to prove others wrong and themselves right. I know I do.

 

[Danhalen]

People like to prove others wrong and themselves right. I know I do.

Do you subject yourself to something that you hate in order to prove yourself right? Honestly, if I think I'm right, and you're wrong, then I will tell you and walk away. I am not going to go looking for you to tell you that you're wrong.

 

[jesusfreak3786]

Why do we (generally) expose ourselves to things we don't like? In a couple of recent threads I have noticed both Christians and atheists obsessing over things that they can't stomach.

A prime example of atheist distaste would merely be Christianity. I obviously do not mean to say all of us atheists, just some (I am an example of an atheist that does not hate Christianity). My question to the atheists that do dislilke Christianity is, why do you bother coming to a place full of people you don't like?

As for Christian distaste, a prime example of that is homosexuality. Again, I do not mean that all Christians hate homosexuality, some do. I am talking about the "hate sin but love the sinner" type Christians. If you don't like homosexuality, why do you obsess over it? What is it about it that compells you to talk about it so much? All you can possibly accomplish by exposing yourself to homosexuality is more exposure to something you don't like.

To both groups, atheist and Christian alike (or any other group of people here that dislikes something that they obsess over), would you eat rancid meat? Would you hit yourself in the face with a hammer? Why do you continually immerse yourself in something that makes you ill?

I think it's because whether or not a human is christian, a human, is still a human, we have discource in our nature, and sometimes it's to irresitable to go head to head with someone that dissagrees with us.

 

[hernyaccent]

Do you subject yourself to something that you hate in order to prove yourself right? Honestly, if I think I'm right, and you're wrong, then I will tell you and walk away. I am not going to go looking for you to tell you that you're wrong.

I dont hate anyone so no.Debating on here doesnt spark much emotion other then a time killer.

 

[Danhalen]

I think it's because whether or not a human is christian, a human, is still a human, we have discource in our nature, and sometimes it's to irresitable to go head to head with someone that dissagrees with us.

I am not asking about disagreements. I am asking why anyone would indulge in something that they are morally opposed to. You and I disagree all the time. Yet I think that we still gain something from our conversations, and I am not morally opposed to your way of life, I just disagree with it. Let's say that you are morally opposed to prostitution (you probably are, so this will be easy). Would you actively search for references to prostitution, or even go to a harlot house in order to observe that which you despise?

 

[mepalmer3]

I am not asking about disagreements. I am asking why anyone would indulge in something that they are morally opposed to. You and I disagree all the time. Yet I think that we still gain something from our conversations, and I am not morally opposed to your way of life, I just disagree with it. Let's say that you are morally opposed to prostitution (you probably are, so this will be easy). Would you actively search for references to prostitution, or even go to a harlot house in order to observe that which you despise?

Ah... I don't think in this case the christian (if he is acting like christ) goes to the harlot house to participate or to do what is morbid, but to hopefully stop the people from doing morbid stuff to themselves and the people around us.

In a sense a rational person argues against an irrational person not because he has an obsession with irrational people, but because he has an obsession with reason and truth. A christian who witnesses to prostitutes doesn't do so because they have an obsession about prostitution, but because they have an obsession with true love, real love-making, and so on.

I think we all come here to argue with each other because we all have a strong sense of what is morally right. We all want to see ourselves getting along better. (Although admittedly on both sides there are surely people who simply wish to belittle and tear down the opponents). But for the "normal" person, hopefully the obsession is for logic, reason, truth, and goodness. And that is why atheist & theist alike, hopefully that is why we are all here arguing and debating.

 

[Danhalen]

Ah... I don't think in this case the christian (if he is acting like christ) goes to the harlot house to participate or to do what is morbid, but to hopefully stop the people from doing morbid stuff to themselves and the people around us.

I don't think you should be at the harlot house for any reason, unless you like it. Why should you stop people from doing it? What would compell you to go and witness (I mean the act of seeing with your own eyes) prostitution? You would do better for yourself if you were to witness (your definition) to the prostitute while he or she is off duty. There is no reason to subject yourself to something you are morally opposed to, in any way.

In a sense a rational person argues against an irrational person not because he has an obsession with irrational people, but because he has an obsession with reason and truth.

It's not the arguing that bothers me. It's the fact that many people go looking for what bothers them. It wouldn't bother you if you didn't subject yourself to it.

A christian who witnesses to prostitutes doesn't do so because they have an obsession about prostitution, but because they have an obsession with true love, real love-making, and so on.

That is just fine by me. I just don't think that you are doing either the prostitute or yourself a favor by observing the act that you abhor.

I think we all come here to argue with each other because we all have a strong sense of what is morally right. We all want to see ourselves getting along better. (Although admittedly on both sides there are surely people who simply wish to belittle and tear down the opponents). But for the "normal" person, hopefully the obsession is for logic, reason, truth, and goodness. And that is why atheist & theist alike, hopefully that is why we are all here arguing and debating.

I don't have a strong sense of what is morally right, but I agree with you. At least I hope that is why we all come here.

 

[jesusfreak3786]

I am not asking about disagreements. I am asking why anyone would indulge in something that they are morally opposed to. You and I disagree all the time. Yet I think that we still gain something from our conversations, and I am not morally opposed to your way of life, I just disagree with it. Let's say that you are morally opposed to prostitution (you probably are, so this will be easy). Would you actively search for references to prostitution, or even go to a harlot house in order to observe that which you despise?

Well if you are opposed to something that another person isn't wouldn't that be cosidered a disagreement? I agree, when to poeple with diffrent points of view are cotrasting thier believes with open minds it leads to a more complete knowlage.

 

[mepalmer3]

I don't think you should be at the harlot house for any reason, unless you like it. Why should you stop people from doing it? What would compell you to go and witness (I mean the act of seeing with your own eyes) prostitution? You would do better for yourself if you were to witness (your definition) to the prostitute while he or she is off duty. There is no reason to subject yourself to something you are morally opposed to, in any way.

yeah, i actually agree too. I didn't literally mean someone should actually go to the harlot house, I was just using your words. I mean people should do it like Jesus. He talked to plenty of people who did things he thought were morally disgusting. Those people knew he abhored those sorts of things. But they knew he was different from the pharisees or other folks in that Jesus really loved the people despite their flaws.

It's not the arguing that bothers me. It's the fact that many people go looking for what bothers them. It wouldn't bother you if you didn't subject yourself to it.

I don't see this very often then I suppose. I thought you were originally referring to people here within the forums and our debates with each other. And if I were debating someone on prostitution, then that is a far cry from me going out to watch it. Debating against something you oppose seems a very rational response, whereas going to immerse yourself in it as you pointed out seems to be a morbid obsession.

I don't have a strong sense of what is morally right, but I agree with you. At least I hope that is why we all come here.

Do you have any strong political views? Did you have any strong feelings about wanting to help the tsunami victims (or at least did you have any strong feelings about wanting at least someone else to help them?) Someone posted a story here about a religious group refusing aid unless those victims converted to their religion -- does that evoke any strong feelings of being wrong in you? What about rape, murder, cruelty, dishonesty, selfishness, indecency -- do you have strong feelings that those are all wrong? What about the idea of a religous group trying to teach your kids religion without your knowledge or approval?

I would think most of those sorts of things evoke pretty strong emotions in people, emotions that seem very rational if one thinks someone is doing something morally right or wrong.

 

[Danhalen]

Well if you are opposed to something that another person isn't wouldn't that be cosidered a disagreement? I agree, when to poeple with diffrent points of view are cotrasting thier believes with open minds it leads to a more complete knowlage.

Again, you miss my point. Let me make it easier still. Do like the taste of spoiled milk? If not, would you drink it? If you would drink it, why would you? Now, are you morally opposed to prostitution? If so, would you go to a harlot house? If so, why would you go to a harlot house? Mepalmer3 suggested that he would go to a harlot house to witness to the prostitutes. I get that, but why not witness to them when they are not at the harlot house? Why would you subject yourself to something you abhor?

The reason I ask is, a certain poster that is morally opposed to a certain lifestyle, followed a link to an article with photographs of that lifestyle in action. Did that poster need to follow that link in order to disagree with the lifestyle? Could the poster have merely stated their opinion instead?

 

[jesusfreak3786]

Again, you miss my point. Let me make it easier still. Do like the taste of spoiled milk? If not, would you drink it? If you would drink it, why would you? Now, are you morally opposed to prostitution? If so, would you go to a harlot house? If so, why would you go to a harlot house? Mepalmer3 suggested that he would go to a harlot house to witness to the prostitutes. I get that, but why not witness to them when they are not at the harlot house? Why would you subject yourself to something you abhor?

The reason I ask is, a certain poster that is morally opposed to a certain lifestyle, followed a link to an article with photographs of that lifestyle in action. Did that poster need to follow that link in order to disagree with the lifestyle? Could the poster have merely stated their opinion instead?

Oh ok I think i get it now, don't mind me my brain is temporarily out of order, so you mean that you believe poeple may subject themselve to things they hate, so that they might improve it someway?

 

[Danhalen]

Do you have any strong political views? Did you have any strong feelings about wanting to help the tsunami victims (or at least did you have any strong feelings about wanting at least someone else to help them?) Someone posted a story here about a religious group refusing aid unless those victims converted to their religion -- does that evoke any strong feelings of being wrong in you? What about rape, murder, cruelty, dishonesty, selfishness, indecency -- do you have strong feelings that those are all wrong? What about the idea of a religous group trying to teach your kids religion without your knowledge or approval?

I would think most of those sorts of things evoke pretty strong emotions in people, emotions that seem very rational if one thinks someone is doing something morally right or wrong.

I wouldn't call it a strong sense of morality. I would say that I get emotional and protective over things that bother me. For simplicity, you can call it morality, and I will agree with you.

 

[Danhalen]

Oh ok I think i get it now, don't mind me my brain is temporarily out of order, so you mean that you believe poeple may subject themselve to things they hate, so that they might improve it someway?

I don't think the intention is to improve it. To be honest, I can't understand why anyone would do that.

 

[mepalmer3]

I wouldn't call it a strong sense of morality. I would say that I get emotional and protective over things that bother me. For simplicity, you can call it morality, and I will agree with you.

Why do you think you get emotional and protective? Do you get emotional and protective if you find out that someone likes a different type of food than you? I suspect you probably don't. I would strongly suspect that you get emotional and protective and you feel bothered because you think that something wrong has been done. It's a very rational response.

 

[Danhalen]

I would strongly suspect that you get emotional and protective and you feel bothered because you think that something wrong has been done. It's a very rational response.

I agree, but I would not call it morality for myself. I do not believe in morality. I understand wht you mean when you say morality, and then apply it to me. So I will accept what you mean when you say morality.

 

[Miss Shelby]

Why do we (generally) expose ourselves to things we don't like? In a couple of recent threads I have noticed both Christians and atheists obsessing over things that they can't stomach.

A prime example of atheist distaste would merely be Christianity. I obviously do not mean to say all of us atheists, just some (I am an example of an atheist that does not hate Christianity). My question to the atheists that do dislilke Christianity is, why do you bother coming to a place full of people you don't like?

As for Christian distaste, a prime example of that is homosexuality. Again, I do not mean that all Christians hate homosexuality, some do. I am talking about the "hate sin but love the sinner" type Christians. If you don't like homosexuality, why do you obsess over it? What is it about it that compells you to talk about it so much? All you can possibly accomplish by exposing yourself to homosexuality is more exposure to something you don't like.

To both groups, atheist and Christian alike (or any other group of people here that dislikes something that they obsess over), would you eat rancid meat? Would you hit yourself in the face with a hammer? Why do you continually immerse yourself in something that makes you ill?

I think it's human nature to want to participate in controversy. But I will agree it does seem that at times people go out of their way to argue. I have done this myself quite often in fact. And at the very root of my desire to do this, I discovered, was my pride. Just wanna mouth off... lol.

In any event, I agree with you. It seems nonsensical for one to continually expose oneself to things which make the miserable. But it's probably going to continue, names and faces changing but basicially the same arguments..

Michelle

 

[jesusfreak3786]

I don't think the intention is to improve it. To be honest, I can't understand why anyone would do that.

Or to disprove it, change it, or just to satisfy something from withen.

 

[Received]

Why do we (generally) expose ourselves to things we don't like?

Great question.

Perhaps because we simultaneously desire to overcome our dislike through understanding it? Other than this, I can think of only one other dual answer: we really don't dislike what we claim we do, or we like on a lower level what we despise on a higher, moral one.

 

[Vylo]

"what good is a life devoid of strife"

And I like to talk to people with both oppossing and similar viewpoints. If everyone agreed with me, it would prolly get boring fast.

Also, the athiest boards see a lot less traffic .