Let us inform religious folk that we wont pay attention to their superstitions, or their criticisms of atheism, until theyve read The Very Best of Atheist Thought. A less immediate danger might be anarchists with weird apocalyptic beliefs building up stores of weapons and ammunition in the Southern United States or in South Africa. Why cant he keep kids from getting cancer, or stay the waves of tsunamis? In addition, Dr. Church is a member of the American Evaluation Association and Hawaii-Pacific Evaluation Association. Then set the X number kind of high. Offer to recommend some key atheist works that speak to your point of view, and ask the person to consult them to facilitate your discussion. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Reason. Ive suggested this tactic before. In other words, fanaticism is not religious but a psychological category. [10] The driving force of the Inquisition was the Inquisitors, who were responsible for spreading the truth of Christianity. 6. Finally, if the person refuses to stop insulting you or to attempt to understand your perspective better, reassess the friendship. Send an email or ask if you can discuss the topic with the person at a later time. It may seem trite to discuss sports or the weather at Thanksgiving dinner, but its probably preferable to a knock-down, drag-out fight over deeply-held religious beliefs. But if youre going to end up feeling frustrated or angry or thinking less of the person youre debating, then leave it. In a situation like that I sometimes say that I am a Pantheist. Genocide or Jesus: A God of Conquest or Pacifism? These religious wars were attempts by the Catholics, sanctioned by the Pope, to conquer the Holy Land from the Muslims. You can ask, however, how their religion reconciles evil acts done under the guise of the faith. People like that owe you nothing. 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 atheists find belief in a supernatural deity to be irrational. A believer in religion may be open and liberal and an,other 7. The kind of response that one Sunday led to our entire congregation lining up, and, at the touch of a remarkably dynamic worship leader, falling to the floor like dominoes slain, as we were, in the spirit. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. Admittedly, this is a problem. Aw, thats no fun, he said. According to Dr. Winell, RTS is a combination of 'toxic theology' and . Should Christians desire to become martyrs? Good point. When everyone is safe, secure, fed, and content. Fanaticism Quotes. Either the dogma and rhetoric is too thick to see through, or the religious belief has becomes intertwined with out-and-out bigotry. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Approaching religious loved ones adversarially is that part. what everybody else said, and if that doesn't work you can use my line next. By fanatic, I refer to those fundamentalists who cast aside the moral constraints of their own doctrines for the betterment of their cause. So what hope is there? Let them know youre ending the conversation. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. You must expose them to those they influence. T. With the Draft a month and a half away, many fans are zeroing in on ideal targets with the No. If you no longer feel you get anything good or positive from a certain relationship, then you are within your right to limit visits or stop them altogether. 1 Don't bring up the subject unnecessarily. Or, if youre sufficiently sophisticated to see God not as a bearded spirit but as The Ground of All Being, why isnt that Ground obvious to everyone? After all, theyre the ones making unevidenced claims about reality, not us. All topics related to atheism, agnosticism and secular living are welcome here. You dont want to be blamed for all the evils done by those who rejected religion, do you? 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). And if a persons interests center on his or her religion, then allowing them to talk about his or her religion is a really nice thing. Fear is a lack of faith. Bin Laden's concept, though, is very different from the actual meaning of the term. When speaking about fanaticism it is necessary to mention the Urelative of the term fandom that has been used primarily in the sphere of entertainment. [17] When he was executed by the Egyptian government under the regime of Gamal Abdel Nasser, Ayman al-Zawahiri formed the organization Egyptian Islamic Jihad to replace the government with an Islamic state that would reflect Qutb's ideas for the Islamic revival that he yearned for. Led by a member of the quorum or class presidency; 10-20 minutes. You can always delay and resume the conversation at another time. Keep your children indoors and out of harms way! People's views become extreme when they feel they are being treated unfairly. Sustained reason is just the hard work that addiction to fanaticism frees us from. His tangent has taken away his joy of walking with Jesus, as well as the joy of fellowship with others in the body of Christ. 'Fanatic' is derived from a Latin word that described possession by a god or demon. Once they have finished their thought, thank them for their time. The look is shared by all sorts of murderous but non-fanatical rebels, mercenaries, and government-sponsored militias across Latin America, Asia and Africa. All rights reserved. It will almost never change minds. To comprehend religious fanaticism, it is crucial to understand the basics of religion and spirituality. 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. Followed if needed by, "We're not allowed to talk about it". This is the root cause of religious fanaticism. If you are an atheist, youll come across your share of religious people who are genuinely curious about and respectful of your perspective, even if they completely disagree with it. Everything2 is brought to you by Everything2 Media, LLC. We all have different sensory capabilities and process information differently. Heres a rough draft for the 12 Steps of Fanatics Anonymous: Of course, the peculiar move here is replacing god with Reason, and more peculiar perhaps to repurpose the AA model for fanatics anonymous, what with AAs surrender to gods will, the most notorious excuse for fanaticism in fanaticisms long and sordid history. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. References. Its kind of like were a football were just an old, dead pigskin thats useless without a quarterback. If you find it fun to discuss or debate religious beliefs, and can do so respectfully, then have at it. These are not rules for the religious fanatic to follow, because he/she won't follow them, even if you got him to agree ahead of time to follow them, he/she would still not follow them. With over a decade of clinical experience, she aims to integrate evolution, genetics, and neuroscience within the practice of psychotherapy. Dont worry; the situation is not as bad as Ive made it sound. % of people told us that this article helped them. In my opinion, the best way to deal with religious fanatics is to give them enough rope and let them hang themselves. Its hard to kick a drug if sobriety means admitting that youre a vile person through and through. It must be pointed out that fanaticism is not related to religion; it is related t6 human psychological type. Understand that rational has nothing to do with it. I would appreciate it if I could have a moment to collect my thoughts.. This post originally appeared in February 2012. Lon- The investigators had to invent all sorts of techniques, including torture, to ascertain whether new converts' beliefs were genuine.[10]. Before you point out how ridiculous this calculation is, realise it is only here to entertain.). [.] Dr. Mary Church is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Honolulu, Hawaii. At first sight, such a fanatic performance seems light years removed from the (only tentatively known) early forms of religion which first appeared as part of the behavioral modernization of Homo sapiens.Neither the late-modern medium of communication used, nor the individualism and dogmatism revealed by the post, seem to have anything to do with the religious system of a hunter-gatherer . Over time, I grew to love Uncle John so much that I found it easy to see how God could love him, and I made a point to try to get that across to him. "I am an atheist for a long time now, as I was exposed more and more to scientific works, the more I was getting. Talk to your employer about it. You should never allow yourself to be pressured into talking about anything you don't feel comfortable talking about. 6 yr. ago You could just say your beliefs are personal, you don't feel comfortable talking about them, and change this subject back to whatever you were there for. If the person is a friend let them know you value their friendship, but feel uncomfortable by them trying to convert you. 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. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Where fanatics say I reasoned once, came to the absolute truth and dont have to reason again, science, a practical practice we can learn to apply well beyond the lab, admits that theres no last word, just todays best guesses, to be improved upon through ongoing inquiry. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Now I never thought of it like that, he said. 7 Tips for Dealing with Religious Relatives. If youve been going back and forth, put an end to the conversation, at least for the time being. If they havent steeped themselves extensively in the honorable tradition of secularism, then they have no credibility as believers. People cant possible believe this stuff, we nonreligious types say. gives several features which are associated with religious fanaticism or extremism: Ever since Christianity was established, some of those in authority have sought to expand and control the church, often through the fanatical use of force. For example, if your religious friends start to discuss their church activities try saying, Thats great youre so involved in your church. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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. A Heart for the Missions. I have no idea why that didn't even cross my mind. If 3 or 4 nice ways of saying no don't work, then pull out all the stops. ", "Another battle with Islam's 'true believers', "The Balance of Islam in Challenging Extremism", "Sayyid Qutb: Founder of Radical Islamic Political Ideology", "The Philosopher of the Muslim Revolt, Sayyid Qutb", "Conspiratorial Narratives in Violent Political Actors' Language", Journal of Language and Social Psychology, "Imam's Path From Condemning Terror to Preaching Jihad", Robert Irwin, "Is this the man who inspired Bin Laden? Consequently, I had trouble making friends outside the most sympathetic circle of gracious believers at my church. Nearly all people who are highly religious say believing in God is essential to their religious identity (96% . In the end, religion, despite centuries of theologizing, hasnt begun to provide credible answers to the goddy puzzles above. I believe He can, Josh-ah, he said. Dont Panic! 15 Colas 1997, p. xix. (As if they would anyway!) If he/she avoids the question or beats around the bush, something is wrong and you may want to take the next step to address possible discrimination with HR or the EEOC. It is not Us whom they fear, or at least not to start with. I advise you all if you see a bearded weirdo in your place of worship - dont hesitate to contact the MI5, CIA, KGB or MIB get them picked up and sent back to whichever planet they belong. [28], Violence based on communalistic-ideologies are quite predominant in the Indian subcontinent, especially since the British Raj, even resulting in the partition of British India based on religious lines. Many disagreements and arguments can be avoided through tact, patience, and common sense. I wrote this as an article for a university magazine, which can be found at www.thescript.net, and thought it would fit well as an entry here. If you have an especially vocal family, and find yourself getting stressed out easily, you may need to lower your expectations a bit. The start of Christian fanatic rule came with the Roman Emperor Constantine I. Ellens says, "When Christianity came to power in the empire of Constantine, it proceeded to almost viciously repress all non-Christians and all Christians who did not line up with official Orthodox ideology, policy, and practice". I did end up pretty much leaving in the middle of his preaching just to end it. Why would the Abrahamic God, all-lovingand all-powerful, allow natural evils to tormentand kill people? If they insist on continuing, tell them you didn't realize that they were going to insist on talking about religion, excuse yourself, and walk out. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. And if people can fault us for not reading Aquinas, Augustine, Origen, Tertullian, and modern theologians like Hart and Alvin Plantinga, well, then, why not ask something similar of them? Dont ask questions that are purposely leading and antagonistic. Im lucky to have a supportive family. You should never feel like you have to lie or pretend about what you believe (or don't). The result can be found in almost every corner of the globe. Many Christians were killed for having rival viewpoints. Why are Christians guilty of hate speech? I rest my case. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Some people have such strong beliefs that they try very hard to convince others that their way is the right and only way. I respect your opinion and I hope you can respect mine, but I think we should agree to disagree. Dont bring up the subject again unless there is new information to cover. RTS symptoms can negatively affect cognitive ability, emotional development, socialization, and culture. Even if you're an atheist, it doesn't mean that you can't have good discussions with a religious person. If they insist on continuing, tell them you didn't realize that they were going to insist on talking about religion, excuse yourself, and walk out. Its easier to kick it if you declare that youve become host to a virulent disease that can attack any of us. This is my go-to response when people ask me incredibly invasive and personal questions. Like so many of us, you became host to a powerful parasite that mutates quickly and has taken over minds throughout human history. [11] From their essentially political position, the Kharijites developed extreme doctrines that set them apart from both mainstream Sunn and Sha Muslims. We all have to sometimes listen to people talk about subjects we dont care for or dont understand hockey, poetry, auto repair, or whatever it may be. Grant Shafer says, "Jesus of Nazareth is best known as a preacher of nonviolence".[5]. "There were a lot of gods. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. My personal answer has been a blending of spiritual, non-religious practices with practical medical advice and application. Not only does 'jihad' not endorse acts of military aggression, but 'jihad' is invoked in Qur'anic passages to indicate how uses of force are always subject to restraint and qualification". Far more dysfunctional families than your own have been saved simply by identifying a common enemy. Since you know what to expect, you should prepare a short list of rules that YOU must follow. "You see our questioner came to us already sure of his cause. Listen when they respond. I paused for quite a while to be sure of my words. Consider the audience, and bring up topics that are likely to be of general interest. First, let the person know that his/her words or actions are hurtful, and that your beliefs are very personal and important to you. But these are all long-term strategies. Thomas Farr, in an essay titled Islam's Way to Freedom, states that "Even though most Muslims reject violence, the extremists' use of sacred texts lends their actions authenticity and recruiting power". Ongoing thats how science practices reason. Presumably this would have been done by the Fatimid governor to prevent their possible collusion with the Crusaders. I was at this guy's house buying car parts from him and somehow he gets to talking about being a Christian and asks me what I believe in. What should I do if something like this happens to me again? Truth should be your ultimate goal. Often, we see religious exposure and treat it as religious invasion, or we hear words of faith and interpret them as acts of war.. You could just say your beliefs are personal, you don't feel comfortable talking about them, and change this subject back to whatever you were there for. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Who saw that coming? There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Were entirely ready to have Reason remove all these defects of character. "Thanks for your concern, but I'm good.". Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. The majority of religious people are not fundamentalist; the majority of fundamentalists are not fanatics; the majority of fanatics are not terrorists. I mean, people didnt know what to do with a guy who was always trying to convert everyone including Christians to Christianity. Allow others the opportunity to speak. But John Moorhead knew exactly what to do with me. Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. How can we protect ourselves from these lost souls? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The sad fact is that some relationships are not strong enough and never were to withstand the divide caused by religious differences. Thats unconscionable. Atheists Could Learn a Lot from Religious People About How to Win Debates, read every sophisticated theologian in the history of Christianity, God in the Age of Science: A Critique of Religious Reason, Faith vs. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. I shall be focusing only on those with a religious or quasi-religious motivation. [6] An example of Christians who didn't line up with Orthodox ideology is the Donatists, who "refused to accept repentant clergy who had formerly given way to apostasy when persecuted". She completed a Post-Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at The University of Hawaii at Manoa. The virtue of the fanatic as an agitator is largely due to the emotional response which his appeal finds in the ), By my shamelessly crude guesstimate, assuming no more than half the world is religious to start with, we only have to deal with, at most, three-hundred-and-twenty-five-million hardcore psychopaths prone to bomb-planting and plane hijacking, spread across the whole world. Why would an omnibenevolentGod consign sinners to an eternity of horrible torment for crimes that dont warrant such punishment? He knew how straight-laced I was, and that was probably the reason he enjoyed making these kinds of comments on a regular basis. Of course not. Remember that there's potential for acceptance, and celebration of these differences, because they're all important. More probably, you will make them more suspicious that you are in league with the Great Satan. . Make eye contact and focus on what the person is saying. Historically, the term was applied in Christian antiquity to denigrate non-Christian religions, and subsequently acquired its current usage with the Age of Enlightenment.[1]. Weve learned though, that treating alcoholics as criminals doesnt help us or them. Grace was said at the start of some, "Praying in public. Official Catholic doctrine, for instance, is that unconfessed homosexual acts doomyou eternal immolation in molten sulfur. Add a rough, torn, camouflage jacket with no insignia. Fanatics always act zealously. Sooner or later, they will all burnout from the strain, or else get bored, give up and find a hobby. I sat there quietly without bowing my head or closing my eyes. That shit will get under anyones skin. "From the beginning men used God to justify the unjustifiable.". 5. Be self-effacing. You are not alone. I tell him I'm an atheist. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy! Take this seriously. [26] The word jihad in Arabic means 'struggle'. "I never mix business and religion. If someone is clearly very intolerant of atheism and will not stop criticizing your beliefs, then a rational discussion with them is probably not worth pursuing. Approaching religious loved ones adversarially is that part. "A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.". Youre not going to convince someone otherwise in one conversation.
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