how to respond to a religious fanatic

Before we start, why dont you tell me what you know about it., If they dont know anything about atheism, or assume that it means you believe in nothing or are satanic in some way, dont criticize them for it. No wonder fanaticism is so intoxicating. Give them an opportunity to speak. ", Paul Berman, "The Philosopher of Islamic Terror", Out of the Shadows: Getting ahead of prisoner radicalization, "The Evolution of Al-Qaeda: Osama bin Laden and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi", "BBC - History - British History in depth: The Hidden Story of Partition and its Legacies", "How Hindu supremacists are tearing India apart". Whether theyre the leaders or the followers, fanatics are people who indulge in a heady, intoxicating, and toxic concoction of self-affirming, know-it-all confidence that they have unique access to absolute truths, truths so perfect that they have to impose them on everyone. Religious fanaticism is defined by blind faith, the persecution of dissents and the absence of reality We probably all know a few fanatical fansof sports teams, pop stars or film and TV actors. But before you start stacking up emergency supplies in your bio-shelters, realise that terrorists, the hated enemies of the world, are driven by the same instinct as those who hide from them, namely fear. The most frequently cited gaps are the sciencess failure to provide complete explanations of consciousness, morality, our sense of beauty, and why there is something in the universe instead of nothing. Alcoholics Anonymous has been so successful in part because it gives the addict a graceful way out of the corner he or she is painted into. And our own tacticis far superior to God-of-the-gaps arguments, since the gaps in science grow smaller as we learn more (neuroscience is one example). This is where the reality of what they seek comes in, and the unconventional means of tackling the worlds problems. 'Fanatic' is derived from a Latin word that described possession by a god or demon. People love to talk about themselves. What should you do if your friend insults you simply because you are an atheist? These 14 items were selected after the evaluation of items [6]. All topics related to atheism, agnosticism and secular living are welcome here. Why, if God so ardently wants us to know and accept him, does he hide himself from humanity? Having religious friends needn't be an issue if you both are respectful when religion comes up. 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. How Religious Ideologies Spread Similar to how organisms and their genes compete for survival in the environment and gene pool, ideas compete for survival inside brains, and in the pool of ideas . Like good debaters, they aim to put us on the defensive, insisting that we deal with this or that Deep Theological Book (the latest must-read is David Bentley Harts The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss), or we answer this or that argument, or we read every sophisticated theologian in the history of Christianity. Learn More. 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. Legendary Christian hip-hop artist Brady "Phanatik" Goodwin, one of the founders of the trailblazing rap group The Cross Movement, announced last week that he is no longer a Christian and no longer believes the Bible. They think theyre perfectly fine driving. You should never feel like you have to lie or pretend about what you believe (or don't). "What part of Fuck You! Giving family members a chance to right their wrongs and correct their offensive behavior is a must if you are to feel good about your decision down the road. It is completely fair for you to expect the same of the other person. [11] The original schism between Kharijites, Sunns, and Shas among Muslims was disputed over the political and religious succession to the guidance of the Muslim community (Ummah) after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. 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. "Sacred Fury: Understanding Religious Violence. Picture for yourself an ugly, scarred, bearded face. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. I have no idea why that didn't even cross my mind. Grace was said at the start of some, "Praying in public. Often, we see religious exposure and treat it as religious invasion, or we hear words of faith and interpret them as acts of war.. Okay, so youve been disrespected, condescended to, verbally attacked or even threatened. I was confused how to handle it, as in my country it's dangerous to speak about it publicly. flutherother ( 33539) "Great Answer" ( 3 ) Flag as . Official Catholic doctrine, for instance, is that unconfessed homosexual acts doomyou eternal immolation in molten sulfur. Fear is a lack of faith. The harsh truth about evangelical fanatics is that they are far "fanatical" than they will ever be "Christian.". The struggle can be a struggle of implementing the Islamic values in daily activities, a struggle with others to counter arguments against Islam, or self-defense when physically attacked because of belief in Islam. Dont blame the person for all the evils you believe have been done in the name of that religion. So stop worrying so much. Many atheists find belief in a supernatural deity to be irrational. 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. And so they proceed to blame everyone and everything else in the world, save themselves. I paused for quite a while to be sure of my words. Enjoy! From her parents Maria Theresa inherited not only their noble blood, but also a heart sensitive for the needy. For example, respond to the question, What religion are you? with I watch football every Sunday, but my mom says thats not a religion. You know that God loves you no matter what youve done, right? I asked. Instead, they believe their failure to receive any divine experience is because God has rejected them. Like so many of us, you became host to a powerful parasite that mutates quickly and has taken over minds throughout human history. How to deal with Religious Fanatics : by Outer_Real: Mon Oct 13 2003 at 9:39:44: A Cut-Out-and-Keep Ministry of Information Guide . Let your mother know that, as long as she doesnt say anything hurtful, hateful or scary, she is welcome to expose your children to religion as much or as little as she likes. 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. [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. M. Hughes, G. Johnson (eds.). New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Synonyms include extremist, radical, chauvinist, militant, bigot, sectarian, diehard, and dogmatist. Knock it off. By fanatic, I refer to those fundamentalists who cast aside the moral constraints of their own doctrines for the betterment of their cause. This is not to say that all or even most of the men and women in the anti-abortion movement are sadists or religious fanatics. 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]. Let them know youre ending the conversation. Approaching religious loved ones adversarially is that part. First of all, dont panic! They may have local get-togethers or events. Rather than maintaining a balanced approach to Scripture and discipleship, he has gone off on a mental tangent and it has caused him to become restless in his heart and mind. In a situation like that I sometimes say that I am a Pantheist. Unless you can deliver to them the contact with the Holy Spirit/Great Life Force/Power of Almighty God that they so desire, against their will (for they will deny their isolation from it), you will not be able to convince them. Jeremy Sherman, Ph.D., MPP, has a wide research agenda psychology from cradle to grave, lifes origins to our grave situation, grounded in a 25-year close collaboration with Berkeley neuroscientist, biological anthropologist Terrence Deacon. 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. We admitted we were powerless over fanaticismthat our lives had become unmanageable. I have a love-hate relationship with Thanksgiving Day. Fanaticism definition, fanatical character, spirit, or conduct. Youre not going to convince someone otherwise in one conversation. Think of how youd like to be treated if the situation was reversed. 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. How do I respond if a relative asks if I have accepted Jesus as my personal savior? The sad fact is that some relationships are not strong enough and never were to withstand the divide caused by religious differences. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. In other words, fanaticism is not religious but a psychological category. After all, if youre attacking atheism, you must attack it in its strongest forms. Its message is, "Yes, youre a wreck and have done real damage. According to Steffen, there are portions of the Quran where military jihad is used. Sooner or later, they will all burnout from the strain, or else get bored, give up and find a hobby. Finally, if the person refuses to stop insulting you or to attempt to understand your perspective better, reassess the friendship. You in turn can invite them to a gathering of others like you. Why cant he keep kids from getting cancer, or stay the waves of tsunamis? "I never mix business and religion. Making our society less materialistic, reducing poverty and the commercialisation of sex, would give fanatics less of a reason to hate the West, as well as being very desirable policies for their own sake. 10 pick. It's like fingers scratching across a chalk board. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! What should I do if something like this happens to me again? 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. Selengut, Charles. 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. What is the best way to evangelize someone who is in a cult or false religion. The virtue of the fanatic as an agitator is largely due to the emotional response which his appeal finds in the And, as always, love and levity go along way. In my opinion, the best way to deal with religious fanatics is to give them enough rope and let them hang themselves. Here are 10 common ways Christian fanaticism is obstructing American progress: 1.) Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. 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