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Author Topic: Religious animosity  (Read 11083 times)

arete

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Religious animosity
« on: February 18, 2020, 10:15:16 am »
What's the deal with religious animosity? Why religions and denominations bash each other?

In Greek paganism there are two theogonies, Hesiod's and Orpheus'. Do pagans attack each other over which theogony is true or false or heretic? NO.

But at some point in history ''heretics'' arose. And the Orthodox and Catholics hate at each other (their dogma).

Will religious animosity end? >:(
« Last Edit: February 18, 2020, 10:16:48 am by arete »

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2020, 11:01:59 am »
What's the deal with religious animosity? Why religions and denominations bash each other?

In Greek paganism there are two theogonies, Hesiod's and Orpheus'. Do pagans attack each other over which theogony is true or false or heretic? NO.

But at some point in history ''heretics'' arose. And the Orthodox and Catholics hate at each other (their dogma).

Will religious animosity end? >:(

If you honestly believe that religious animosity arose with Christianity (implied with your statement about heretics, Orthodox and Catholics; could be my misinterpretation of your comment) or that pagan groups (including, as per this board's definition, Hindu, Buddhist, and others) do not attack/have never attacked each other, I would suspect that you might benefit from some systematic study of world history.
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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2020, 11:28:11 am »
What's the deal with religious animosity? Why religions and denominations bash each other?

In Greek paganism there are two theogonies, Hesiod's and Orpheus'. Do pagans attack each other over which theogony is true or false or heretic? NO.

But at some point in history ''heretics'' arose. And the Orthodox and Catholics hate at each other (their dogma).

Will religious animosity end? >:(

There are a lot of reasons why there is animosity between different religions.

Some religions believe that their way is the "One True Way" and that anyone who doesn't follow that religion is going to have some kind of horrible thing happen to them, and so they need to 'save' people.  Their dislike for other religions is based on the idea that those religions are actually harming people (either in this life or another).

There are some religions that have conflicting beliefs (so two different religions might come to odds because one says that this animal is sacred while the other calls for that animal to be sacrificed and eaten on holy days or something like that).

But also, religions are made up of people, and people often like to clump.  They want to belong, but they don't know how to do that without being exclusionary.  It doesn't make them feel right/safe if other people are also right (but doing something different), so they have to show how other people's way is wrong or they feel like their way isn't right.

It's also complicated by people who have had bad experiences with a religion, either one that targeted them or one they grew up in.  So now, they have reason to feel the other religion is bad, and to try to tell other people about their experiences....even if the people involved were not representative of the faith as a whole.

And it is definitely something I see in Pagan worlds, there are a bunch of people who get quite heated in defending their practices as the 'One True Way' and telling other people they are 'doing it wrong'. 
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Jainarayan

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2020, 01:56:19 pm »
... or that pagan groups (including, as per this board's definition, Hindu, Buddhist, and others) do not attack/have never attacked each other, I would suspect that you might benefit from some systematic study of world history.

Haha you are so right. Hindus and Buddhists, and Hindus and Muslims have been sniping at each other for centuries. Even within these traditions there is sectarian animosity... sometimes downright bloody violence.

Anon100

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2020, 02:21:14 pm »
What's the deal with religious animosity? Why religions and denominations bash each other?


I agree with all the above statements. Most importantly Kylara saying it's about people.
There's power in being in the 'one true faith'. There's safety too. And then, well we've all had doubts I'm sure and someone proclaiming something different can make those stronger so lets say they're wrong so we can feel we're right.

This happens without religion but, when you're in an area where personal experience is so important but rarely tangible, well, the doubt and fear is stronger

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2020, 02:58:59 pm »
What's the deal with religious animosity? Why religions and denominations bash each other?

In Greek paganism there are two theogonies, Hesiod's and Orpheus'. Do pagans attack each other over which theogony is true or false or heretic? NO.

But at some point in history ''heretics'' arose. And the Orthodox and Catholics hate at each other (their dogma).

Will religious animosity end? >:(
I know throughout history bad things have come from that "us" and "them" mentality (plus in your example politics, and power, but honestly, in the modern sense, (which is just my opinion), in my experience people that I've seen do this almost always come from a strict, fundamental background or birth religion, and they're merely carrying traits associated with that over.
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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2020, 07:01:08 pm »
There are a lot of reasons why there is animosity between different religions.

Some religions believe that their way is the "One True Way" and that anyone who doesn't follow that religion is going to have some kind of horrible thing happen to them, and so they need to 'save' people.  Their dislike for other religions is based on the idea that those religions are actually harming people (either in this life or another).

There are some religions that have conflicting beliefs (so two different religions might come to odds because one says that this animal is sacred while the other calls for that animal to be sacrificed and eaten on holy days or something like that).

But also, religions are made up of people, and people often like to clump.  They want to belong, but they don't know how to do that without being exclusionary.  It doesn't make them feel right/safe if other people are also right (but doing something different), so they have to show how other people's way is wrong or they feel like their way isn't right.

It's also complicated by people who have had bad experiences with a religion, either one that targeted them or one they grew up in.  So now, they have reason to feel the other religion is bad, and to try to tell other people about their experiences....even if the people involved were not representative of the faith as a whole.

And it is definitely something I see in Pagan worlds, there are a bunch of people who get quite heated in defending their practices as the 'One True Way' and telling other people they are 'doing it wrong'.

The only thing I can add is that once religion gets tangled up with power and politics--which is just shy of always--faiths that might have peacefully coexisted go for each other's jugular. "The Troubles" between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland...Sunni vs. Shia in the Muslim world...the list goes on and on and on.
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arete

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2020, 10:17:06 am »
If you honestly believe that religious animosity arose with Christianity (implied with your statement about heretics, Orthodox and Catholics; could be my misinterpretation of your comment) or that pagan groups (including, as per this board's definition, Hindu, Buddhist, and others) do not attack/have never attacked each other, I would suspect that you might benefit from some systematic study of world history.
I never said that.

arete

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2020, 10:20:25 am »
There are a lot of reasons why there is animosity between different religions.

Some religions believe that their way is the "One True Way" and that anyone who doesn't follow that religion is going to have some kind of horrible thing happen to them, and so they need to 'save' people.  Their dislike for other religions is based on the idea that those religions are actually harming people (either in this life or another).

There are some religions that have conflicting beliefs (so two different religions might come to odds because one says that this animal is sacred while the other calls for that animal to be sacrificed and eaten on holy days or something like that).

But also, religions are made up of people, and people often like to clump.  They want to belong, but they don't know how to do that without being exclusionary.  It doesn't make them feel right/safe if other people are also right (but doing something different), so they have to show how other people's way is wrong or they feel like their way isn't right.

It's also complicated by people who have had bad experiences with a religion, either one that targeted them or one they grew up in.  So now, they have reason to feel the other religion is bad, and to try to tell other people about their experiences....even if the people involved were not representative of the faith as a whole.

And it is definitely something I see in Pagan worlds, there are a bunch of people who get quite heated in defending their practices as the 'One True Way' and telling other people they are 'doing it wrong'.
Yep. Can we change this mindset? Can't people see the harm in this mindset???

arete

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2020, 10:21:37 am »
Haha you are so right. Hindus and Buddhists, and Hindus and Muslims have been sniping at each other for centuries. Even within these traditions there is sectarian animosity... sometimes downright bloody violence.
Can we change it? Or should we simply watch the violence?

arete

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2020, 10:23:26 am »
I agree with all the above statements. Most importantly Kylara saying it's about people.
There's power in being in the 'one true faith'. There's safety too. And then, well we've all had doubts I'm sure and someone proclaiming something different can make those stronger so lets say they're wrong so we can feel we're right.

This happens without religion but, when you're in an area where personal experience is so important but rarely tangible, well, the doubt and fear is stronger
And thus people divide! Not so smart move, in my opinion.

arete

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2020, 10:28:42 am »
I know throughout history bad things have come from that "us" and "them" mentality (plus in your example politics, and power, but honestly, in the modern sense, (which is just my opinion), in my experience people that I've seen do this almost always come from a strict, fundamental background or birth religion, and they're merely carrying traits associated with that over.
Politics. Orthodox and Catholics fight over politics. They were once one, now they are separated.

Well, in my opinion, people don't trust the different people. If we manage to build more trust?

TheGreenWizard

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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2020, 11:43:06 am »
I never said that.
Just pointing out that when one says "Orthodox" and "Catholic," one, for the most part, presumes the discussion revolves around the Christian sects of Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodox Christianity. This point is further cemented in the latest post stating [emphasis mine]:
Politics. Orthodox and Catholics fight over politics. They were once one, now they are separated.
Again, I'm not attacking you - I'm simply pointing out an area of improvement so that all parties can understand intents, purposes, and such without any hidden implications, or have misunderstandings.

Yep. Can we change this mindset? Can't people see the harm in this mindset???
Honestly, to be able to change means one is open to:
  • Reflecting and looking upon their own belief systems
  • Shifting their beliefs
  • having a discussion with non-threatening talk or blaming
That last bullet is the HARDEST for people to get around. People often want to offset blame from themselves and to others, and in discussion, we do that by starting of with  "You..." - which automatically puts a person into defensive mode (fight-freeze-flight). Instead, we should be starting conversations with "I" or "We" which shows ownership or common ground, thus putting each party more at ease.

Again, this depends if the parties are open to discussion - which, sadly, is a rarity, in my opinion.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2020, 11:45:00 am by TheGreenWizard »
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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2020, 12:00:56 pm »
Yep. Can we change this mindset? Can't people see the harm in this mindset???

I think we are seeing change.  There are lots of people, of many faiths, that are very inclusive.  And the more global exposure we have, the more we see the beauty and reality of other people's beliefs (not just the harmful stereotypes that abound), the more we see ways we are similar instead of focusing on ways we are different.

I also think that the really radical hatemongers are actually (completely unintentionally) causing more people to band together.  When someone is so blind in their hatred that they stop making all sense, other people start defending people they may not have if the attacks hadn't been so extreme.  It's sort of sad it has to come to this, but I see it as a bit of silver lining.  The louder and crazier some people get, the more the rest of the world starts to realize that this way of approaching things is just bonkers.
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Re: Religious animosity
« Reply #14 on: February 19, 2020, 01:04:11 pm »
Can we change it? Or should we simply watch the violence?

Sadly, I don't think it will ever change because it's been going on for so long. That's no excuse or justification to not try, though.

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