how to respond to a religious fanatic

A Cut-Out-and-Keep Ministry of Information Guide. You are not alone. Naw, Josh-ah. Atheists Could Learn a Lot from Religious People About How to Win Debates Youtube Religious people and "faitheists"my term for nonbelievers who feel that religion is good for society as a. If you are resentful towards religion, consider that much of your resentment probably stems from people attempting to force their beliefs on you. This post originally appeared in February 2012. The greater the numerical magnitude, the greater the level of religious fanaticism of the person. If necessary, provide some source recommendations for the other person to consult and request that you resume the conversation at another time. The argument-from-gaps depends, of course, on the claim that science will never be able to explain these things, but that makes the argument vulnerable to unforeseen advances. You must expose them to those they influence. Fanatics are driven by perpetual fear and emotional suppression. The greatest gap that ever adduced God was our inability to explain the presence of all the Earths species, and why they seemed so marvelously adapted to their environments. [18] The Qutbist ideology has been influential on jihadist movements and Islamic terrorists that seek to overthrow secular governments, most notably Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri of al-Qaeda,[14][15][16] as well as the Salafi-jihadi terrorist group ISIL/ISIS/IS/Daesh. Sustained reason is just the hard work that addiction to fanaticism frees us from. Why, if God so ardently wants us to know and accept him, does he hide himself from humanity? Since Osama bin Laden's fatwa in 1998, jihad has increasingly become an internationally recognized term. All content copyright original author unless stated otherwise. Nearly all people who are highly religious say believing in God is essential to their religious identity (96% . According to Steffen, there are portions of the Quran where military jihad is used. The best single way I can think of would be to end injustice. Youre not going to convince someone otherwise in one conversation. RTS symptoms can negatively affect cognitive ability, emotional development, socialization, and culture. "What part of Fuck You! But we can play the Gap Game, too. For example, refrain from asking, Why are Christians so crazy? Youre not only generalizing, but youre backing the person into a corner, as they couldnt possibly begin to answer your question. Instead, quickly provide them with some basic information about atheism. These 14 items were selected after the evaluation of items [6]. When everyone is safe, secure, fed, and content. When was the last time you changed someones religion by arguing a point really well? How to Handle a Religious Fanatic At age 19, I was a proud, Bible-thumping holy-roller who was on a one-man mission to save the world from sin. Why is God in the Old Testament such a narcissistic bully, toying with people for his amusement, ordering genocides in which innocent women and children are killed. Even if you started taking about religion, you can at any time say you're not comfortable talking any more about it, change the subject, and, if necessary, leave. Many Christians were killed for having rival viewpoints. Grace was said at the start of some, "Praying in public. Perhaps some day well know the answers. For that is precisely the answer they wont accept about the scientific puzzles, like the oft-touted mystery of consciousness that they use as evidence for God. Most of all, they blame the United States of America. Just be sure you think it through first, and that youve tried your best to make things work. However, stating this perspective bluntly is bound to cause hurt and discord. PostedNovember 4, 2014 1. Weve learned though, that treating alcoholics as criminals doesnt help us or them. His eyes sparkled, he flashed a wide grin, and when I finished, he broke into a wheezy smokers laugh and said, Youre a good boy, Josh-ah., In the following years, I managed to alienate a handful of my coworkers I told one guy that his main problem was that he was evil; I strongly insinuated to a couple of others that they were going to hell; and I often yammered on about my faith with little regard for whether my coworkers were even listening. Think about how touched your mom would be if you invited her to tell your children about her faith. For example, refrain from saying something like, What makes you think your religion is so much better than others? Instead, try asking, What aspects of your religion set it apart from others? This is a nicer way of asking the same question. [citation needed]. According to Ellens, the al-Qaeda members who took part in the terrorist attacks did so out of their belief that, by doing it, they would "enact a devastating blow against the evil of secularized and non-Muslim America. [26] The word jihad in Arabic means 'struggle'. Then he starts pressuring me about looking into Christianity and if I would take a bible with me (he was a youth minister so he had a few with him). | Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. 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