Trite answer that doesn’t really ring true. It sounds more likely that it validates the opinion that one doesn’t need to show respect to get respect-that respect towards them is expected. Remember that, according to the example given the opinion is that I have no sense of right or wrong because their deity is not guiding me and that I capable of committing the most heinous acts for that same reason. This isn’t just a theoretical scenario because I have been told this by religionists online and in real life.
I’m really confused as to what the point of this exchange is.
Yes, there are those out there who do not believe that I have any sort of morals, since I do not subscribe to a religion. I’m not sure what action it is that you are insisting that I should do because of this.
I don’t recall insisting (or even asking you) to take any actions. I just pointed out the triteness of the response you gave me. Do with it what you will.
America is not 70% Christian; as some may claim; a great many of those are Christian in name only. The actual figure of genuine serious Christians must be only a fraction of 70%.
An answer. Note the % is always trending down.
Christianity is the most adhered to religion in the United States , with 65% of polled American adults identifying themselves as Christian in 2019 , down from 75% in 2015, 78% in 2012, 81.6% in 2001, and 85% in 1990. About 62% of those polled claim to be members of a church congregation.
let me get this straight…its silly to think people to turn into angels after they die, per Catholic doctrine? But all the rest of it is perfectly reasonable?
If (and that’s a big “if”) they meant that literally, the state of catechesis where you live is astonishing. Seriously. Your bishop should be looking into it.
As you said, in order to get respect, you have to show respect, so in order to gain respect, you have to show more respect than you are given. That’s not trite, that’s actually good advice for any situation, religious or secular.
You said:
Did you care to answer your own question? How much respect would you give them?
The religious people I know wouldn’t think you were an amoral monster (at least not because you’re an atheist).
If some religious people have call you an amoral monster because of your lack of belief, to the extent I’m able to speak for them, I’m sorry to hear that. It’s stupid.
There is a page on Catholic.com about it. Do you think that they make pages for stuff that isn’t at least fairly common. I don’t see a page about whether the pope is a lizard person. You think everyone is as serious as you are. You’re wrong.
ETA: I know Catholic.com isn’t from the Pope. I’m just saying that they think it’s an issue. Highly educated Catholics may not, but lay Catholics are as dumb (at least) as the population at large.
The problem, for all of us, is that when we think of “Religious People,” we think mainly of the religious people we’ve known personally, and/or the ones we’ve seen on TV or read about in social media. And they’re quite probably not a representative sample of all religious people everywhere. (Plus we don’t usually have the full picture of how they think, act, and believe.)
Religion be damned(sorry about that)-If someone, because of their religious beliefs, calls me an unguided-by-supernatural-deity amoral monster, I tell them where they can shove their religion.