Having your religion/beliefs challenged...how would you react?

I love to be challenged. If I have the truth then I'm not afraid to be challenged. I am convinced that the Bible is the word of God. I feel that God is like the air. I can't see it and I can't touch it but I know what would happen if there was no air. Give us an example of something challenging that has come up in your discussion.

Hi jen.. Perhaps you are well informed that i am atheist but i never mix religion with god. I have read almost all the holy books or their summaries of each religions as example... Vedas, Purans, Mahabharata, Ramayana. Bible, Quaran ae sharif, Quaran ae Manjil, Tripitak and many more.... I do try to follow some faiths and rituals of each and every religion. It does not mean that i only follow hinduism... never... i follow where i need to follow... may be from christianity or Islam. have a nice day.

I am pretty open-minded about anything, including religion. There was one time that I "ran"!! I went to church with my sisters, and when I heard them tell me that THEIR church was the only true church, I decided that I didn't need to be there. I do believe that God allows us to practice our religions in the way in which we see fit, and not under only ONE set of beliefs or rules, or whatever you want to call it. I am not an overly religious person, but I do believe in God and I do try to follow the Bible and do what is right and wrong. But I also believe that there are different "houses" that God has allowed for our religious practices. Each of us should choose that which is most comfortable for us.

I think this would be an interesting class. However the emotion that is bound to arrise in such a class might put me off. I believe and was taught that a person's faith is a thing never to be questioned. There is no right or wrong unless it causes harm, if it is harmfull there is usually a hidden agenda involved, greed, ego, power are the usual ones. This is not spirtual faith, but rather faith to fit one's human needs. As history shows us this faith can be very strong and has many time caused war and worse. Sometimes comming close to ending human life here on earth. A third world war might do that.

Hi JenInTN When we were being brought up, we did not have much of communal issues, terrorism and things like these. Their absence did allow us to remain in harmony and like you, my grandparents, parents, teachers always inculcated in respecting, understanding and even reading the holy books from other religions. I did read a few books they send out for free to unsertsand Christianity, Koran too during my school days. Talking good, visiting to the Holy places (Church, Mosque) was not taken as a bad thing for anyone and we were welcome too. Unfortunately, since the advent of Terrorism, Religion Based Politics etc these are now a days considered a taboo with many people who are orthodox. Luckily, as I mentioned, we have had a learning that made us liberal and like you I have no possessiveness towards my Religion or any other. I am open minded. I accept I do not follow the religion as it is these days, and maybe this has helped. For the other beleifs, at times I do not appreciate them being ridiculed or made fun of (but that in only when the ones which are quite personal get the beating). My being open minded, and being open to accepting things positively helps here... but yes, I must add - how the thing is put across - I mean the tone - plays an important factor on my accepting it positively or negatively. A great discussion as always

I guess I've always been passively reactive, absorbing ideas into my homemade faith, instead of railing against challenges. I was confronted with different religions at a young age and it made me want to be more fluid in my religious thinking. Of course this means I miss out on some of the centering ritual that keeps the truly faithful focused within their respective religions, but I find it easy to get along with more people and live a fairly stress-free life. I maintain the deepest respect for those who are genuinely passionate about their own religion and those who endure great trials to maintain their faith. It sounds like your classmate is enduring a test now and I would tell her, as I hope her husband has, that faith can calm you. She needs to let her beliefs envelope her in a clamness instead of being focused on defensive reactions. I know how non-Christian teachers, particuarly in colleges, like to tear down the Judeo-Christian walls their students in the Western world tend to have. I wish her luck and strength.

I would welcome a challenge if it comes from someone who is sincere and wants to know why I believe in the way I do. There is no reason to be afraid of the truth, and when people of different religions can talk with each other without attacking each other personally or attacking the religion of each other, then all can learn something! There is one way to make a frustrated person calm down, if they get too fanatic or angry. We can just tactfully ask them what makes them believe in that way, what proof they have found for their belief. If they have no proof, and they are honest, they might listen to what we have to say. But it is always important to stay calm, tactful and friendly and listen and respect them, even if we don´t agree with what they say. Whatever people think, the truth does never change. If we want to know the truth, we cannot be afraid of searching for it and we have to do it without prejudices, even if the things we find are not what we have been taught earlier. Wish you happy searching, Jen..

I once dropped my English class because my Muslim instructor always started our class by pointing out errors he sees with regards to Christianity. I really felt violated and thought how unfair it was for me because I was holding my temper all the time. It was my first class of the day, I had to wake up early to attend that class, and one day I had enough and dropped it. I wanted to defend my side but I knew I didn't know much and would probably end up humiliating myself in front of the whole class. Besides, I always had this rule to myself not to engage in such discussions because I know how hot it can get and that I am not equipped with enough knowledge to debate and defend my end.

I think hearing things that challenge our beliefs is healthy. It is just that. Challenging. I am an agnostic but both my daughter and my granddaughter believe in God. This woman that you speak of. I hope she is open to it all and keeps the challenge alive. Doesn't let her husband re evoke anything in her. That would be sort of sad. I would enjoy taking such a class. I have so many questions.

I am an open minded person in terms of religion. Because that is one of the important lesson being made. The bible say everything what we need even the way on how we are save on judgement day...

A challenge is just another form of a question and I handle it as such..As to being open minded, inasmuch as I will listen to find out wherefrom the challenge comes because how can I answer without knowing what's on the other person's mind? But I will not compromise my faith.

hi Jen! I am a muslim and I can't say that I am really an open minded person. I read about other religions and their concepts too as I think it is good to know other religions as well as my additional knowledge. I can accept if people say they are right and I never say that I am always right while you are wrong but I can't accept if they say or make statement about my religion wrongly. I think it is normal to correct the wrong assumptions made by other people about yourself. Same goes to religion. When someone simply say the wrong thing about my religion and they never do any research on it just send a blunt opinions I think I should give some response to that~ There are some things I can't tolerate with those people. Anyway I am a nice girl. Don't be afraid of me~

Well done, Jen - you have quite a discussion going here! I think it's wonderful that you have taken the trouble to learn more about the faith in which you were raised & is followed in a big way by the community in which you live. What do all the people in you life think about your studies? I was emailing someone from TN many years ago who took similar classes to you & this was very much frowned upon, sadly. I hope it works out well for you. I was raised Lutheran, fairly strictly, & it has run in our family for countless generations, probably traceable right back to the reformation! Anyway, I've read (& written!) widely on the subject, from a historical, archeological, literal, theological, etc points of view. There is literally tons of the stuff! I envy you taking a class on it - sounds more motivating than just reading through our own filters & taking in the bits we like! So I'm very interested in exactly what you are being taught - sounds quite exciting! You can respond to my discussions anytime. Have they covered the topics of Biblical Criticisms? Allegory? Dan Brown's works? Mistranslations? Archeological findings that both support & blow the living daylights out of the Bible? The works of some of the greatest theologians in history? For myself, I see a unity in all religions. All are from God & all point to the truth. People are entitled to chose whatsoever they feel comfortable with, what fits in with their family or community beliefs or nothing at all. But they should not be sold short. They should learn for themselves instead of being content with what the local minister says or what their parents believe. We should then learn about other religions so we can see things from other people's perspectives & integrate more with people & understand them. This world needs more unity whilst maintaining personal freedom. I find it a good judge of character to discuss these sorts of topics with people in a non-threatening way & see how they respond, though I think no less of them as we are all at different stages of learning & different paths at that. I'm always up for a challenge - the more I'm polished, the more I shine!

absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is your own.... i am: 1. Roman Catholic in Religion 2. Tao (Yin, Yang) Balance to all 3. Science is a way of life i also believe in Jehovah's Witnesses about explanation on Hell and Heaven

Personally I am one who likes to stand up for what I believe in and know there can be so many others out there who might want to challenge me for sure. In today's world there will be so many beliefs, and no two people usually will agree, but to have someone come forth and want to challenge things could be on their best behalf as well. Because when you are just willing to always just accept anything you hear, you'll never know what you truly believe.

I think Jesus was a challenger, he was always telling his disciples no to take things "as they come" but think on what they mean and why they are like they are, not to simply do what we are told but what we feel in our heart. So I think Jesus would love to be in that class, even if some of the Bible tellings get challenged. I am always challenging my own thoughts and I think that this make them stronger.

I'm more than willing to hear about other religions and beliefs, in fact, I love to learn about them however, when challenged, I come unglued! I don't like being challenged in this way. I don't mind others believing in what they believe as long as they don't push it on me. Now I have been challenged a time or two only for the person to back off because I let her know that I know what I believe in and I'm no saint but what wrong I do doesn't change my beliefs. I haven't been challenged by her since!

I'd like a challenge every now and then when it comes to my faith and religion. I like it when people ask question why we practice what we practice. I try to keep an open mind. I try to understand other people's beliefs as much as I can and in the process I also try to challenge them. The thing is, it is very difficult for other people to respect our beliefs as well, not as much as my respect for their faith. I try to listen to arguments when it comes to religion and when I join a particular discussion of religious interests and beliefs, I try to make it as diplomatic as possible because sometimes, we tend to get carried away, especially if the other person is not as open-minded as I am.

it depends on the situation. As long as that challenge is in a respectful way I will not have any problem dealing with it. Like my Protestant Husband asking things about the Catholic Church as I am Catholic. If I am attacked cause of my faith its a different story. Most of the time I will just walk away.

Well, you can be open minded, but you may be in danger of relativism, beacuse this point of view consider everything is good, or that all religions are equally good. I believe relativism causes disorder because everything is accepted as normal and valid. In Vatican II, the Catholic Church adopted a position closer and tolerant towards other religions. Since then he has tried an interfaith dialogue to find meeting points. That's a very difficult task. To the Hebrews is only valid the Torah, the Pentateuch, which are the five first books of the Bible. For Christians apply Old and New Testament. The Mass also reads the Pentateuch. For us Christians the Jews are our elder brothers. I find good to learn about other religions and traditions. I think so one more would be strengthened his own belief.