# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/61 "2020-08-07T07:46:10Z")
> [@LilXMo](#): > > If discussing the vaccination with the giant in the sky is done respectfully, then asking questions and not agreeing are fine I don’t talk to mythological creatures-this thread is about discussing things with the people that believe in mythological creatures. ---
**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 7, 2020, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/62 "2020-08-07T07:47:09Z")
No taxes on churches, swear on the bible in court, dec 25 is a federal holiday, anti gay laws, anti semitism, islamophobia, ---
**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 7, 2020, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/63 "2020-08-07T07:51:30Z")
And I’m not just picking on Christians in the US, other parts of the world have there own version of the magic giant in the sky, they are …misinformed also. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/64 "2020-08-07T07:53:59Z")
Because freedom of religion is a basic human right. People get to believe things that you disagree with. If not for that, then atheism wouldn’t exist. That’s what I find so odd about these questions. I get why some atheists are hostile towards religion, but not why they would go after freedom of religion. Freedom of religion is why you’re able to publicly admit to being an atheist! The way these arguments go, you’d think that they think that atheism is the default, and you’re being made to put up with those pesky religious people screwing it all up. As long as their faith isn’t harming you, they get to have it, just the same as your lack of faith isn’t harming them. And if their faith is harming you, then it will be what @Little_Nemo mentions: trying to turn their religion into policy. And then you have the ready answer: freedom of religion is a basic human right. Just ask any Christian how they’d like being forced to be some other denomination, particularly the one they dislike the most. Or ask if they’d like to be forced to be Muslim. I find that shuts that crap down pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/65 "2020-08-07T07:58:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > > Religious people should have to put up with the presence of atheists. And atheists should have to put up with the presence of religious people. > > Presence, words, and deeds, dude. These discussions wouldn’t come up if they were only “present”. Too bad this thread is about having to “put up with religious people,” i.e., allowing them to even exist. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/66 "2020-08-07T07:58:51Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Just ask any Christian how they’d like being forced to be some other denomination, particularly the one they dislike the most. Or ask if they’d like to be forced to be Muslim. I find that shuts that crap down pretty quickly Then ask them what this nation would be like if their particular sect ruled it. _Trying_ to turn their religion into policy? Really? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/67 "2020-08-07T08:00:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > i.e., allowing them to even exist I don’t know where you pulled _that_ little nugget from-it certainly wasn’t the OP. ---
**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 7, 2020, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/68 "2020-08-07T08:01:28Z")
The entire concept of religious freedom is based on you can believe in whatever tooth fairy you want. What i am saying is “There is no tooth fairy” and people who believe in the tooth fairy are the majority, so we have to pretend the tooth fairy exist, and not tax his churches, and obey his marriage laws, and close liquor stores on sunday, etc ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/69 "2020-08-07T08:02:31Z")
Some people don’t get the concept of “punching up” versus “punching down”. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/70 "2020-08-07T08:11:40Z")
Right now, in certain countries, people are bullied and harassed for not sharing the same political views as their peers. There is always an oppression of the majority (either on a national scale or locally) manifested in various aspects of life, not only religion (although this seems to be dominant in many situations). This pressure from the bulk of society is the problem that worries me more and against which I have to actively defend myself. I think I am successful. ---
**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 7, 2020, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/71 "2020-08-07T08:15:55Z")
debating politics or the existence of a mythological magic giant in the sky would seem to be two different things to me. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/72 "2020-08-07T08:21:26Z")
There is little difference in practical terms when people try or manage to impose their view on you. You can see this in a lot of strong autocratic states such as [North Korea](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kim-jong-un-s-north-korea-is-a-giant-religious-cult-dxjgnvt3k) (supposedly a Communist country where religion is discouraged) where the cult of the political leader is followed religiously. ---
**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 7, 2020, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/73 "2020-08-07T08:26:05Z")
I wouldn’t say i trying to impose my view that the sky is blue. I am trying to have a discussion about other people insist the sky is pink polka dots, and they should be free to believe so. ---
**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 7, 2020, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/74 "2020-08-07T08:27:41Z")
and i gotta live in a world where everyone thinks the sky is pink polka dots ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/75 "2020-08-07T08:28:58Z")
I am atheist in a country with a vast Christian population. I have more difficulty defending my political views than my atheist stance. My wife used to be ostracized at work for not holding the same political views as most of her team members. This is a phenomenon that happens in various parts of the democratic world as we speak. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/76 "2020-08-07T08:30:50Z")
> Why do we have to put up with Religious People? Because they vastly outnumber the atheists. Also, it’s bad to kill other people, regardless of whether they think the sky is blue or pink polka dots or something else. ---
**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 7, 2020, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/77 "2020-08-07T08:33:29Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > they think the sky is blue is the sky blue? I mean generally speaking, not a cloudy day, or weird atmospheric condition? during daylight? ---
**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 7, 2020, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/78 "2020-08-07T08:37:55Z")
do vaccinations cause autism? is global warming real? can wearing a face mask prevent the spread of Covid-19? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/79 "2020-08-07T08:56:54Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > is the sky blue? I mean generally speaking, not a cloudy day, or weird atmospheric condition? during daylight? Technically, the sky is black, or rather, has no color at all. It is the presence of a large number oxygen molecules in close proximity to Earth’s surface that results in a bluish color visible to the eye. Pictures from space demonstrate that the sky is, in fact, without color even when you’re experiencing unimpeded light from the sun. The sky is not blue, it is the atmosphere that is blue. But I don’t have a problem with your continued assertion that the sky is blue. ---
**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 7, 2020, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/80 "2020-08-07T09:01:03Z")
I tried to account for semantics and odd nitpicking, but congratulations you found a way through. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474.md?page=5)