Why do People Care if Others Don't Believe as They Do?

Whether you are an atheist or religious; whether you believe in evolution or creationism; whether you believe in objective or subjective truths, etc, etc, etc...

Why do some people have a hard time accepting other people's different beliefs? Why are some able to live and let live? What are the psychological factors which determine one way or the other?

No bashing, no pontification. Just discussion here.

Originally posted by Mindship
Whether you are an atheist or religious; whether you believe in evolution or creationism; whether you believe in objective or subjective truths, etc, etc, etc...

Why do some people have a hard time accepting other people's different beliefs? Why are some able to live and let live? What are the psychological factors which determine one way or the other?

No bashing, no pontification. Just discussion here.

Probably because you want your own opinion verrified to hear and see others accept it and to know that its true. Afterall if the mayority of the world thinks you are right its very easy to convice yourself you are right.We want to convince other people we are right because if we do our idea's wont be questioned and that makes life easier and makes us more secure.

Ego. Pure ego. Every person thinks the world revolves around them, and that they have a handle on the truth. Socrates was smart in knowing that he didn't know. A pity everyone doesn't have his smarts.

Oh but even if you know that you don't know you still want other people to think you are right, because it could simply be the most likely theory.

With regard to the debates between atheists and theists, I believe some people participate with the desire to spread accurate information, educating people about atheism, agnosticism and free thought, as there are quite a few myths and misconceptions about these categories.

There's a lot of myths and misconceptions about a lot of theories and ideas. But again, ego- most people think they know enough to judge when they don't know anything.

Originally posted by Storm
With regard to the debates between atheists and theists, I believe some people participate with the desire to spread accurate information, educating people about atheism, agnosticism and free thought, as there are quite a few myths and misconceptions about these categories.

Sure some people would do that, and others would debate there simply to have people agree with them, and perhaps some would even debate in those things to "safe" people from hell...

In the end people still want you to agree with them because that makes them believe they are right. Even the pope wouldn't be catholic anymore if the rest of the world would stop being so.

I think it is ego that makes us do it. Its all about feeling accepted, we care for what others think, so we feel compelled to show our thoughts as a way to be praised, we need that others think well of us. And it is bad since many people are more concerned about being praised, than about acquiring the qualities of which they want to be praised for.

But isn't the quality measured by how many people praise you for it?

I mean Jesus for instance, he is praised for what he said by two mayor religions, and pretty much everybody on the world because his message made sense. However would he still be praised for that if a lot of people wouldn't have agreed with him when he was alive? Of course not, he wouldn't even have been close to what he is know. If people praise you for what you say that means they accept what you say, and that means that what you say makes sense. To them at least, so I really don't see the difference between the two.

I believe it is ego. It's human nature to be accepted and validated for your beliefs. It's why many people don't stand up for themselves in the first place for fear of rejection. And they are very right in thinking in that frame of mind. Though to be truly real, you must speak your mind no matter what the consequences.
You must always be true to yourself if you want to be content with yourself.

"To thyn own self be true" Are very enlightening words.....In ALL situations....

Everyone automaticaly assumes selfishness, pride, arrogance, nobody considers the obvious truth.. compassion..

Deep down, we all (unless we're insane or increddibly evil..) want what's best for everybody else, so wether you're brainwashed or not, you firmly think you know what's best for other people, it's wrong in the sense that hey, you can't help everyone, but atleast your heart is in the right place..

The anger and frustation comes in when people don't comply, it makes us feel worthless and unimportant, you almost feel something like heartbreak, because you only want to help, and your beliefs inorder to implement said help have been rejected, perhaps even besmirched. And there's no reason for that..

Originally posted by Hack Benjamin
Everyone automaticaly assumes selfishness, pride, arrogance, nobody considers the obvious truth.. compassion..

Deep down, we all (unless we're insane or increddibly evil..) want what's best for everybody else, so wether you're brainwashed or not, you firmly think you know what's best for other people, it's wrong in the sense that hey, you can't help everyone, but atleast your heart is in the right place..

The anger and frustation comes in when people don't comply, it makes us feel worthless and unimportant, you almost feel something like heartbreak, because you only want to help, and your beliefs inorder to implement said help have been rejected, perhaps even besmirched. And there's no reason for that..

You only want whats best for other people because thats whats best for you. It makes you happy. Thats why you want to help others thats why you care for others, because you are as selfish as any other person out there. The difference is the way in which we are selfish.

Originally posted by Fishy
You only want whats best for other people because thats whats best for you. It makes you happy. Thats why you want to help others thats why you care for others, because you are as selfish as any other person out there. The difference is the way in which we are selfish.

Not true at all. I had a girlfriend whom I loved very dearly. And for me, it would have felt best at the time to keep her around, however, I had to let her go, because I knew it wouldn't be best for her.

I truly think that one knows what they're doing is loving, when they don't really care what others think of what they're doing, or whether or not they benefit or get condemned for their actions.

With that being stated, I generally profess what I know the truth to be, and if people don't like to here it or disagree..so be it, but at least they can't ever say the truth was never given to them.😉

Originally posted by Mindship
Whether you are an atheist or religious; whether you believe in evolution or creationism; whether you believe in objective or subjective truths, etc, etc, etc...

Why do some people have a hard time accepting other people's different beliefs? Why are some able to live and let live? What are the psychological factors which determine one way or the other?

No bashing, no pontification. Just discussion here.

THEY (most, not all.) think that THEY are gods chosen people, and that they have been "chosen" to spread the word of "Christ". And if you dont do live by the words of christ then you're going to hell, and if you do. Heaven

I DONT THINK SO

THE TRUTH: You are going to die. And when you do die, there will be nothing. Untill you realize that...you are useless. We are all the same, no one is different, we all live, we all die. We are the Crap of the world. You are not the car you drive, you are not the contents of your wallet, you are not you f*cking Khakis. THIS IS YOUR LIFE, its what YOU make of it, not GOD....not CHRIST.

you wanna fight about it? Bring it on

believing in something like religion gives most people a reason to live I know many who would be lost without it and yet I know many who think it's just a way to control people. Now I don't personally understand why why people come up to others trying to save their souls from eternal damnation I guess it seems like a good thing from their point of view but when you tell someone to basically live their life as you do or face the aspects of hell they're not really gonna want to listen to you. I personally don't care you can be jewish, christian, muslim whatever as long as you're nice and respect me we're cool

Originally posted by whobdamandog
Not true at all. I had a girlfriend whom I loved very dearly. And for me, it would have felt best at the time to keep her around, however, I had to let her go, because I knew it wouldn't be best for her.

I truly think that one knows what they're doing is loving, when they don't really care what others think of what they're doing, or whether or not they benefit or get condemned for their actions.

With that being stated, I generally profess what I know the truth to be, and if people don't like to here it or disagree..so be it, but at least they can't ever say the truth was never given to them.😉

So it would be best for her to let her go? Right, did you feel happy about that? Did you feel you did the right thing? Of course you did.

Would you have been able to live with yourself if she would have stayed? No, you wouldn't have been. You would always felt regret and felt guilt. By doing something for her you did something for you, even when it doesn't seem like that. You still did it for you, face it everything yuo do is a selfish act.

Originally posted by LethalFemme
believing in something like religion gives most people a reason to live I know many who would be lost without it and yet I know many who think it's just a way to control people. Now I don't personally understand why why people come up to others trying to save their souls from eternal damnation I guess it seems like a good thing from their point of view but when you tell someone to basically live their life as you do or face the aspects of hell they're not really gonna want to listen to you. I personally don't care you can be jewish, christian, muslim whatever as long as you're nice and respect me we're cool

Originally posted by Revernd Maynard
Yes, but it is false hope, false reason. People have to realize this, then they will be enlightened.

You do realise they say the exact same thing to non believers right...

Gah... 'everyone acts selfishly' is such a moody teenaged view of the world. Analysis of people's behaviour goes far deeper than that.

Do not mistake the consequences of an action for the nature of the action itself; just because something makes you happy, it does not make it selfish to perform that something, and nor should you assume that because something makes you happy that is therefore the only reason you did it. If doing the right thing makes someone happy, that does not automatically make them selfish for doing it.

As for the main question... yeah, it would be nice to live in Hippy Happy land where that was possible but that's hardly credible. Beliefs are HOSTILE to each other in many cases. No-one is happy to live and let live with a belief that spreads evil; look at apartheid, for example.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Gah... 'everyone acts selfishly' is such a moody teenaged view of the world. Analysis of people's behaviour goes far deeper than that.

Do not mistake the consequences of an action for the nature of the action itself; just because something makes you happy, it does not make it selfish to perform that something, and nor should you assume that because something makes you happy that is therefore the only reason you did it. If doing the right thing makes someone happy, that does not automatically make them selfish for doing it.

Though this is somewhat off-topic, I could not agree more. I address this same thing in my March 12 post in the Altruism vs Egoism thread (I did not repost it here because, again, this is somewhat off-topic).