# Why do we have to put up with Religious People? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 7, 2020, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474 "2020-08-07T06:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**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:** [August 8, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/322 "2020-08-08T22:58:19Z")
Religious Person Sighting of the Day: I was filling up at the Clark Pump N’Shop, when I saw a sour-faced woman in an iridescent green baseball cap get out of a nearby van and carry two depleted Big Gulp cups over to the waste bin. She was wearing a t-shirt that said “Real Women Pray Every Day”. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/323 "2020-08-08T23:12:58Z")
I think a lot of this ties into a concept that someone called “My circle versus your circle.” If I want to wear a blue T-shirt, fine. I am staying in my circle. If you want to wear a red T-shirt, fine. You are staying in your circle. But if I try to compel you to wear a blue T-shirt, then that’s different; I am now intruding into your circle. That is what some Christians do when they expect non-Christians to join them in prayer before a meal. They are no longer staying in their circle but trying to intrude into the non-Christian’s circle. But some Christians do not understand this. They do not see compelling others to partake in their own religious customs as a case of intruding into someone else’s circle. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/324 "2020-08-08T23:36:51Z")
They’re just doing the usual thing that power (and children) do: testing the boundaries. The Christian Church has long been uncomfortable with the separation of church and state, and there are rather a few churchmen and faithful who would return right to the days of Mary of England if they could. We used to have a gentlemen’s agreement: churches aren’t taxed…and sermons aren’t overtly political. The religious side has broken this agreement. (Yeah, I know, centuries ago… But it has a new energy since the days of the Reagan/God election committee.) edited for grammar ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/325 "2020-08-08T23:53:04Z")
The overtly religious political arguments re: abortion/LGBTQ, Muslim world vs Christian West, aren’t especially what i’m getting at. And maybe I focused too much on American Christians and domesticate issues, but middle east is a basket case over religious issues. Why do i have to “put up” with 20 years of war because of bunch of religious people are mad at each other? That is just recent. It’s been happening for 1000s of years. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/326 "2020-08-09T00:09:21Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > Why do i have to “put up” with 20 years of war because of bunch of religious people are mad at each other? That isn’t just recent. It’s been happening for 1000s of years. I don’t think it’s that you **have** to put up with it, as it is…there isn’t an alternative. It’s only until, or unless, atheism becomes far more mainstream than it is now, that this could stop. If you stand on the sidelines as Muslims and Hindus war against each other and say “stop fighting,” it won’t do a thing - they won’t listen to you, and might shoot you then continue fighting. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/327 "2020-08-09T00:18:29Z")
And let’s be clear, West Asia would be fighting each other over something else anyways - water rights or oil money. The Iran-Iraq War were supposedly about religious sects but it was about oil (Saddam Hussein was the farthest thing from a religious fanatic). ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/328 "2020-08-09T00:24:41Z")
Probably so, but you can’t deny the people in power use Religion. Atheist Evil Dictator 1 wants more power, oil, territory, etc. Tells his people that the lands that Atheist Evil Dictator 2 controls should rightfully be ours, because God said so. Boom! War Why do have to “put up” with that? ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/329 "2020-08-09T00:26:27Z")
And i’m not limiting this to third world Muslim dictators, Christianity is used the same way. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/330 "2020-08-09T00:31:21Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > Probably so, but you can’t deny the people in power use Religion. Atheist Evil Dictator 1 wants more power, oil, territory, etc. Tells his people that the lands that Atheist Evil Dictator 2 controls should rightfully be ours, because God said so. > > Boom! War > > Why do have to “put up” with that? How do you not “put up” with that? Is this just a vent? If so, where is the debate here? And if you snap your finger and end religion and then the dictator uses political philosophy (communism, Western liberal democracy, etc) to justify their war and get people to buy in… What then? How do we not “put up” with that. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/331 "2020-08-09T00:36:02Z")
There are probably exceptions (which someone will surely point out) but generally speaking liberal democracies don’t generally invade each other. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/332 "2020-08-09T00:56:56Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > How do you not “put up” with that? Is this just a vent? If so, where is the debate here? Can I openly state that Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, etc. are all delusional? The feedback from this seems to be “No”, your a jerk, or Islamaphobe, or whatever. People can believe in whatever tooth fairy they want to and how dare you question that right. This idea that belief in supernatural beings is somehow “normal” escapes me. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/333 "2020-08-09T01:01:13Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > Can I openly state that Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, etc. are all delusional? The feedback from this seems to be “No”, your a jerk, or Islamaphobe, or whatever. People can believe in whatever tooth fairy they want to and how dare you question that right. > > This idea that belief in supernatural beings is somehow “normal” escapes me. Actually your views are quite normal for about 40% of Americans. Including me. But only about 5% will say it in public, and even then only in favorable circumstances and softly, softly. Those folks and those circumstances are concentrated on the internet & in big cities where they won’t be ostracized or have their tires slashed or their kids attacked. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/334 "2020-08-09T01:09:49Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > Can I openly state that Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, etc. are all delusional? Can Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc., all openly state that _you_ are delusional? A fair number of them would think that you are. Would _you_ be offended if they stated this? ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/335 "2020-08-09T01:12:27Z")
As much as i would be offended if my Astrology and Healing Crystals Aunt told me i was delusional for not believing in those things. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/336 "2020-08-09T01:13:27Z")
So, is that “a lot,” “a little,” or “not in the slightest”? ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/337 "2020-08-09T01:14:17Z")
not the slightest. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/338 "2020-08-09T01:18:14Z")
Then, good for you. Understand that an awful lot of people feel that telling them that they’re delusional about their deeply-held beliefs (be it religion, political philosophy, or even sports fandom) aren’t going to react kindly to being told that. Even if you are _absolutely certain_ that they are wrong, unless it’s in the context of an actual debate you’re having on the topic, a lot of people are going to think you’re a jerk for doing so. If your reply to a store clerk saying, “Have a blessed day,” is “You’re delusional, you know,” then you kind of are an antisocial jerk. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/339 "2020-08-09T01:27:16Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > There are probably exceptions (which someone will surely point out) but generally speaking liberal democracies don’t generally invade each other. Generally no. But liberal democracies do invade other political systems from time to time (see the US invading Iraq). ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/340 "2020-08-09T01:27:21Z")
While I wouldn’t put “have a blessed day” in the same category as the Crusades, it is an example of Religion seeping into all manner of our society. I can’t buy a Big Gulp of Dr pepper without being drawn into your religion? Just sell me the Big Gulp. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/341 "2020-08-09T01:28:43Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > Can I openly state that Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, etc. are all delusional? The feedback from this seems to be “No”, your a jerk, or Islamaphobe, or whatever. Sure you can. But why do think others can’t also express their opinions in response? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474.md?page=18)