# Why do ultra-religious people feel they have a license to treat people like crap? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 25, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923 "2009-01-25T15:38:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/21 "2009-01-25T18:30:26Z")
Plus, you can tell them to fuck off and they’ll understand. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/22 "2009-01-25T18:35:17Z")
Good people are good people, and bad people are bad people. Religion doesn’t really enter into it. The problem with religion is that it makes it easy for bad people to pretend to be good people. So people can do whatever they want, and as long as they go to church, they are considered good people. There was a guy at my work who professed his christianity from the rooftops, but was heavily involved in illegal and veeeery immoral acts. The fundies in the office looked the other way, and in fact to this day associate with him long after he was fired, while they despise me because of my lack of belief. There is no question that they would trust this piece of shit over me, simply because he goes to church, despite the horrible things he was involved in (and probably still is, if the grapevine is to be believed.) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/23 "2009-01-25T18:36:14Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Plus, you can tell them to fuck off and they’ll understand. That’s reasoning with. Of a sort. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/24 "2009-01-25T18:39:46Z")
Ooo, we can request demons now? How do I go about getting one to inhabit/possess a motor vehicle? Back on topic – this behavior certainly isn’t limited to Christianity, nor is it typical of all Christians. I’ve met some really selfish, nasty people who go out of their way to say what good Christians they are while at the same time spewing all kinds of hate. I’ve also met people who seem to have realized the “love others” aspect; while they may talk excessively about their religion, they don’t tend to be jerks about it. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/25 "2009-01-25T18:48:26Z")
I know lots of very religious people. Some dedicate most of their free time to causes like feeding the poor. Perhaps you’d want to expand your sample beyond two. Anyway, I reject out of hand that there is a relationship between being religious and mistreating people, though I’m quite certain that some do. Those jumping into the thread to provide an “explanation” are begging the question as far as I’m concerned. Perhaps the OP could provide come cite suggestive of a connection between the intensity of religious belief and treating people in a manner that demeans their humanity. Until then, it’s just a standard SDMB “religion sucks” circle jerk (not that everyone posting has joined in on the fun, mind you). ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/26 "2009-01-25T18:49:50Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Because they are people and people have different attributes, some will fall into that category. BTW your father is correct in that demons do walk the earth, and the earth will one day be thrown into the lake of fire, what this has anything to do with why he didn’t take your kids to Disneyland eludes me. > > We don’t have to be perfect for Jesus to accept us, if we were perfect then we would not need Him. He takes us how we are. I’m going to put this bluntly, you’re batshit insane and should seek professional help. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/27 "2009-01-25T19:34:39Z")
I’m as anti-religion as they come, but I’m not anti-religious people. I have noted over the years that no one will ass rape you more quickly than a vendor or service person with a Jesus fish in her/his yellow pages advertisement. I used to think it was because religious people are assholes, but now I realize that it’s just that people who think of their religion as a marketing tool that are assholes. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/28 "2009-01-25T20:16:02Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > **Case #1** : _Former supervisor_. A die-hard Roman Catholic. He was knowledgeable in all the technical intricacies that related to Catholicism. I swear he must have memorized the Catechism. Yet he trusted no one, and was a micro-managing control freak. He had a very pompous attitude toward anyone whom he felt was not as smart as him (which was, well, pretty much everyone). Nothing I did was ever good enough… he always gave me vibes that my work never met his standards. To put it succinctly, he basically just treated everyone like crap. I got a job in a different department when I finally figured out who I was dealing with. > > **Case #2** : _My father_. One of the most ungenerous and selfish humans that has ever walked the earth. Still has the “first dollar he ever made,” if you know what I mean. Left my mother when I was 11 years old. Never helped with my college expenses. Never spent time with me. Just an all around, self-centered jerk. Always has been, always will. > > But now it’s worse. About 15 years ago he “found religion.” He hooked up with some cult-like church and now preaches the bible to everyone. A couple weeks ago he and his wife watched our young children for a couple days. He used it as an opportunity to fill our kids’ minds full of scary images. According to our kids, Grandpa said “the world is going to catch on fire,” and that “devils walk the earth.” He never did anything fun with them, like take them out to a restaurant or movie - those activities would have required the expenditure of (gasp!) _money_. (Come to think of it, he has never done anything with them that would require him to spend \*any \*money. The same was true when I was growing up.) From what I could gather, he just did everything he could to scare them with religious stories. What an asshole. :mad: Why do you let this sperm donor around your children? He is not a father or a grandfather, he is person with narcissistic personality disorder. Do not let him be around your children alone with his attitudes. Oh, and set up a college fund for the children and make sure that “gramps” knows about it. I imagine that he spends money on himself. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/29 "2009-01-25T21:01:36Z")
It’s because religion in general, and especially Christianity is designed to appeal to nasty, selfish, ruthless people, and also encourages and excuses such behavior. “I’m right and everyone who disagrees will be tortured forever !” is NOT something designed to appeal to nice people. And the attitude that you are God’s Chosen is designed to appeal to egomaniacs, not people who treat others as something other than tools or vermin. And the common position of Christians on moral and other issues tends to be unpleasant; hatred of homosexuals, hatred of women, a disdain for logic, facts and objectivity; and so on. In other words, it’s a repellent, destructive religion designed to appeal to repellent, destructive people. And the fundamental basis of religion; that of faith trumping facts and reason are all about self indulgence. So of course when you look at those who take it the most seriously you tend to get self indulgent people. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/30 "2009-01-25T21:13:45Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > In other words, it’s a repellent, destructive religion designed to appeal to repellent, destructive people. > > And the fundamental basis of religion; that of faith trumping facts and reason are all about self indulgence. So of course when you look at those who take it the most seriously you tend to get self indulgent people. Now, that I don’t agree with at all. I know a _lot_ of people who hold very sincere Christian beliefs who have truly taken to heart Christ’s teachings on love and generosity and kindness. Christianity as they practice it is NOT a repellent, destructive thing, and they are not repellent, destructive people. However, you wouldn’t be able to say without knowing them fairly well that they’re Christians because they don’t go around making a big production out it. They’re not driving around with religious bumper stickers or Jesus fishes on their cars. They’re not constantly telling people about how much they go to church. They’re not out handing people Chick tracts or blathering on about how someone or other is going to hell. They just quietly live their lives in as Christ-like a manner as they can manage and go on with it. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/31 "2009-01-25T21:15:43Z")
> [@Juliana](#): > > People are taking so much time reading the Bible and interpreting it as they want to while forgetting the one principle that stands out above all others. > > Love one another. That doesn’t come across very well in parts of the OT. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/32 "2009-01-25T21:21:20Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > People find the brand of religion that confirms what they already think and justifies actions they would take anyway. You like to kill heretics? Lots of religions excuse it. You have disdain for the poor or the rich? No problem - we have the flavor that suits your tastes. Assholes can always find a religious passage (or interpretation thereof) to excuse or even encourage assholery, just as kind, altruistic people can find a religious reason for good works. I agree with you, but I mostly wanted to express my profound amusement at the juxtaposition of username and thread subject (religion)… ---
**Author:** ![spike404](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@spike404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spike404)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/33 "2009-01-25T21:22:58Z")
“…he always gave me vibes that my work never met his standards…” Vibes? Perhaps your work was sub-standard? “…Still has the “first dollar he ever made,” if you know what I mean…” Yep. Sounds as if he had fiscal responsibility, and didn’t expect society to take care of him. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/34 "2009-01-25T21:24:35Z")
> [@spike404](#): > > “…he always gave me vibes that my work never met his standards…” > > Vibes? Perhaps your work was sub-standard? > > “…Still has the “first dollar he ever made,” if you know what I mean…” > > Yep. Sounds as if he had fiscal responsibility, and didn’t expect society to take care of him. Are you TRYING to prove that you’re a general-interest asshole or something? Can’t you pick one thread (or even one forum) to be an asshole in and spare the rest of the board? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/35 "2009-01-25T21:34:08Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Why do you let this sperm donor around your children? He is not a father or a grandfather, he is person with narcissistic personality disorder. Do not let him be around your children alone with his attitudes. Oh, and set up a college fund for the children and make sure that “gramps” knows about it. > > I imagine that he spends money on himself. Correct; when it comes to himself, he’s quite generous. I don’t know why I still consider him family. So many times I’ve thought about cutting ties with him. But I know it would upset him deeply, probably to the point of severe depression. I think religion is therapy for him. I think he feels immense guilt from the way he treated me and my siblings when we were growing up, and religion is a way of numbing the feeling. Perhaps I have it all backwards… perhaps there’s a propensity for bad people to turn to religion and use it as a tool for serving their own needs. My previous supervisor, for example, used Catholicism as a way of controlling his family. (We used to pal around when I first worked for him, so I know this for a fact). “You must do this, not because **I** want you to do it, but because Jesus said so.” He used ISO-9000 for controlling his employees. “You must do this, not because **I** want you to do it, but because ISO says so.” I believe my father latched onto religion out of fear of dying, and as a tool for absolving his guilt. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/36 "2009-01-25T21:49:52Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > According to our kids, Grandpa said “the world is going to catch on fire,” and that “devils walk the earth.” He never did anything fun with them, like take them out to a restaurant or movie - those activities would have required the expenditure of (gasp!) money. Be grateful he isn’t spending money on them. You don’t want them showered with Left Behind books and Chick tracts. Or being given clothing embossed with slogans like “Jesus Went To Heaven And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt”. Controlling, rigid jerks and cheapskates come in all varieties of belief/non-belief. I must go now, Satan’s at the door and we’re going to draw up plans to vaccinate the earth. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/37 "2009-01-25T21:54:04Z")
> [@spike404](#): > > “…he always gave me vibes that my work never met his standards…” > > Vibes? Perhaps your work was sub-standard? Gee, that’s interesting. Others who worked for him said they got the same vibes. And I’ve always received glowing performance reviews from anyone I’ve worked for. (FTR, the supervisor referred to in my OP also gave me good reviews despite his “your work is not up to my standards” vibes.) > [@spike404](#): > > Sounds as if he had fiscal responsibility, and didn’t expect society to take care of him. How dense \*are \*you? Let me spell it out: he’s the stingiest person I have ever met in my life. I am fiscally responsible and conservative with my money, but I am _not_ stingy, especially when it comes to my children. I can tell you stories about my father that would absolutely make you _ **cringe** _. ---
**Author:** ![spike404](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@spike404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spike404)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/38 "2009-01-25T21:54:54Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Are you TRYING to prove that you’re a general-interest asshole or something? Can’t you pick one thread (or even one forum) to be an asshole in and spare the rest of the board? Ever think that there is more than one side to a story? ---
**Author:** ![spike404](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@spike404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spike404)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/39 "2009-01-25T22:02:04Z")
Crafter, Your post sounded like teen-aged whining. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923/40 "2009-01-25T22:02:32Z")
> [@spike404](#): > > Ever think that there is more than one side to a story? My sister came to her senses many years ago and severed ties with him. Everyone in my extended family has slowly distanced themselves from him. Yea, I guess my father is in the right, and the rest of us are crazy… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-ultra-religious-people-feel-they-have-a-license-to-treat-people-like-crap/482923.md?page=3)