Are Christians More Sensitive than others?

[Lamb]

Are Christians more sensitive than others? Do they take things too personally whereas an atheist might not even blink at the same comment?

 

[MoreCoffee]

Are Christians more sensitive than others? Do they take things too personally whereas an atheist might not even blink at the same comment?

Some Christians complain a lot more than others. Some complain when their religion does not have first place in everything. Some complain when any privilege that their religion has is removed or threatened. Yet many want other religions to be penalised.

 

[Stravinsk]

Are Christians more sensitive than others? Do they take things too personally whereas an atheist might not even blink at the same comment?

Broadly painting any large group of people with a single adjective that is also broad and without a context rarely reveals a simple yes or no answer that adequately addresses whether the painted question is true or not.

 

[Josiah]

Are Christians more sensitive than others? Do they take things too personally whereas an atheist might not even blink at the same comment?

I don't think so.....


Actually, "fundamentalism" is found in ALL positions (including atheism). I'm defining "fundamentalism" as a position which is regarded as non-examinable, no questioning is permitted, there is an irrational and radically closed aspect to it. Fundamentalist often are very defensive and very critical - and thus can be emotional. For example, if you tell an Atheist that you've told your little child about Santa or the Tooth Fairy, they just smile (and probably tell you they've done the same with their kids) but tell them you take your kids of Sunday School and they may come apart, filled with criticism and rage, telling YOU how closed minded YOU are, how ignorant YOU are, how SILLY all that "god stuff" is. Fundamentalism (regardless of the faith or religion or politics or nationalism or whatever the position) just works that way. I've never met an Atheist fundamentalist in person (only a handful of Atheists AT ALL in person) but I have on the 'net, and they tend to be among the most emotional people I've encountered. But then I've met Catholic fundamentalists, Mormon fundamentalist, "Evangelical" and charasmatic fundamentalists (and I'm sure they are Lutheran fundamentalists).... (and especially in the last US election, LOTS of Democrat and Republican fundamentalists ) and yup, they do tend to be quite emotional (and angry and defensive and closed and aggressive).



Pax Christi


- Josiah




.

 

[~Jo~]

I think sensitive is the wrong word to be honest, I think most but not all are hypocrites, they all say what you should or shouldn't do then go do it them self and not think about it, I have family just like that and they need a slap to be fair, you say anything and its like I never did that when you have clearly seen them doing it.. drives me nuts, I'm not saying all christians are like it but I sure do know an awful lot that are..

 

[tango]

Are Christians more sensitive than others? Do they take things too personally whereas an atheist might not even blink at the same comment?

I'd echo Strav's comment about it not usually being helpful to lump a huge and disparate group of people together merely because they have one uniting factor.

That said, there are times when it seems Christians expect to be allowed to practice their religion wherever and whenever it suits them while expecting adherents of other faiths to be denied the same rights. When Christians want to impose their views on others, while at the same time protecting their own ways from the views of those same others, it does become very hard to argue against charges of hypocrisy.

Sometimes it's hard to figure out whether a Christian has truly faced discrimination, or whether they merely dislike having to follow the same rules as everybody else.

 

[Wilhemena]

The sensitivity I see from other Christians is not necessarily a bad thing, for it stems from love of God and protecting their faith. Who here would not quickly write to an atheist on this forum who has said that there is no god and our responses would be seen as being sensitive so sensitivity is also about perspective.

 

[psalms 91]

Yup same with belief, if you believe strongly enough you will stand up for it

 

[hedrick]

It's hard to judge all Christians by what you see in the news or even discussion forums.

There's certainly a tendency for Christians to want to see themselves as the persecuted remnant, even in situations where there's no justification for it. But how widespread is it? I don't see it in any Christians I actually know. But of course those that I know aren't a random sample.

 

[Imalive]

Are Christians more sensitive than others? Do they take things too personally whereas an atheist might not even blink at the same comment?

With some things yes of course. A guy preached to lay down your life very radical. He said christians get offended by it, atheist don't. Why should they? If God doesn't exist and they don't have to lay down their life or sell all they have, who cares?
But on the other hand, I saw an atheist get offended by 'Jesus is the Way' and christians don't get offended by that.

 

[faramir.pete]

Are Christians more sensitive than others? Do they take things too personally whereas an atheist might not even blink at the same comment?

In my opinion, and this is only opinion, I would describe many Christians as totally insensitive!

To me a sensitive person is aware of what their words and actions are doing to those around them, in my experience many Professing Christians are so focussed upon right doctrine and rituals that they are oblivious to the effect they are imposing upon their members and those foolish enough to try to join their dogmatic churches.

But as I said this is just my opinion and I have given up trying to be a part of any organised church because none have been sensitive enough to recognise Christ accepts all of his children not just those who sing, or pray, or say things in the proper fashion.


Pete from Peterborough UK

 

[tango]

Yup same with belief, if you believe strongly enough you will stand up for it

This is true up to a point, and I think the dividing line comes when one makes the transition from standing up for what they believe in to trying to impose their beliefs upon someone else.

If, as a Christian, I demand the right to pray in public spaces then logically I must also demand that a Muslim or a Hindu has the same right to pray in the same public spaces. As soon as we demand one set of privileges based on my faith while seeking to deny those same privileges for adherents of other faiths we cross the line into hypocrisy. If we fall back on arguments like "this is a Christian country" or "this is a Christian government" to demand that minority faiths fall into line with what we think we effectively allow the government of the day to determine which faiths are approved, and if we go there we shouldn't be surprised if we end up having our faith prohibited because the majority of the country voted for a government that reflected a different faith.

I think there's also a huge potential for hypocrisy where imposing our beliefs upon others is concerned. I am not a Muslim, I am not a Hindu, I am not a Buddhist, I am not a Jew, and therefore I have little interest in the compulsions and prohibitions of these religions. I eat pork products freely, I drink alcohol in moderation, I do not schedule my week so I can attend synagogue at sundown on Friday evening, I do not pray that Vishnu will support my efforts, and so on. I should not be surprised when followers of other faiths (or indeed those who have no faith) show little interest in the compulsions and prohibitions of my faith. If I want to demand the right to argue that Vishnu is a false god I must accept the atheist's right to argue that there is no God; if I want to argue things that are offensive to other religions I must accept other people may argue things that are offensive to my religion.

Essentially, if I want the freedom to act like a Christian I not only shouldn't be surprised if non-Christians also want the freedom to act like non-Christians but should be ready to defend their right to do so. After all, if God himself gives us the freedom to choose who am I to take that freedom away? God wants us to love him, and love can only be given in the absence of compulsion.