Does a persons religion change the way you feel about them?
@happythoughts (4109)
United States
August 15, 2015 11:02pm CST
I am who I am and I don't think that my religion changes that. I think that my religion has helped shape who I am but if you can like me as a person knowing my religion shouldn't change that right? For the most part I think we would all feel this way but what if you found out that a good friend of yours was involved with a group or religion that you really didn't agree with? I struggle with the religions that believe its okay to hurt or murder people that don't agree with them. I hope that I would be openminded enough to not let this change the way I feel but recently I learned of a different belief of a close friend of mine and it surprised me.
Does a persons religion or beliefs change how you feel about them?
4 people like this
7 responses
@Mavic123456 (21893)
• Thailand
16 Aug 15
I believe in God, I am a Catholic. I am not religions I do things against my religion's belief. I am working in an environment of Buddhist and have a lot buddhist friends inviting me to go over their rites. I don't mind, however, I DO mind though person who preaches so much about his/her religion like the usual Fundamentalists and injecting his/her thoughts to people around him/her, and then seeing things this person doing against his/her preaching. judging people and judging me. THAT begins the changes I feel about these kinds of people and starting to back off a slowly until I finally free myself from them.
4 people like this
@prashu228 (37524)
• India
16 Aug 15
Hey mavic i agree with you , injecting a person about religion forcefully is not at all good .I feel that religion and person thinking doesn't match at all these days . They preach something and they do something other than that what they preach . Sad to see these kind off preaches.
1 person likes this
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
16 Aug 15
That is very true. A persons religion is very personal to them. I have no issues with people living and sharing their beliefs to a point. It isn't the same thing if they are trying to force you to believe them. Religion is a very touchy thing and topic.
@dainy1313 (2370)
• Leon, Mexico
16 Aug 15
@Mavic123456 you took the words out of my mouth, it was exactly what I thought about. I agree completely with you.
Blessings Mavic... dainy
Blessings Mavic... dainy1 person likes this
@Boonie1 (425)
• Ashdod, Israel
16 Aug 15
A person's religion doesn't change the way I feel about him, but if duo to his religion he has opinions that degrade human beings for whatever reason ( I believe there are some religious groups that for example think homosexuality should be "banned") then I find it hard to keep respecting that person. You may believe and live your life the way you chose to live them, but not at other peoples expense
1 person likes this
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
16 Aug 15
I think a persons religion and beliefs will effect the way they act. I think that some people see having a religion or not having a religion as being a good or bad person. This I think is a very judgmental way of life. I want to love people based on their personalities and not the status of their religions to me.
@prashu228 (37524)
• India
16 Aug 15
I agree, religion should not be the base , to decide about a person and the way we feel about him/her. we should not impose our ideas on any one.
1 person likes this
@Boonie1 (425)
• Ashdod, Israel
16 Aug 15
@happythoughts
I agree, a person beliefs affect him, but as long as it makes him a better more complete person that is open to all other people, I don't mind what he believe/dont believe.
@prashu228
yeah, too bad some people cannot do the same
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
16 Aug 15
If my belief in God didn't change me, then it would be of very little use to me or anyone else. God changes hearts and if I am not open to being improved upon, then I am not being honest enough to see that I need improvement. I know many people of many different religions and even atheists. I can't say that all people continue to like me as much after we discuss religion. But I can't help that. I have to say what I believe and be true to that. So if they decide to pull away, that's on them, not me. I have never stopped communicating with someone because they follow a different religion.
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
18 Aug 15
This was absolutely beautiful. No judgement and no hate. Just acceptance. Thank you for standing by what you believe and living it as well.
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
16 Aug 15
Except for a few, in most cases religion does change their thinking and their lifestyle to a great extent, you realise this when you realise in a multi religious society like ours where there are innumerable problems created because of religion.Whether you believe or try to stay away or not, you do get affected by it. It is not for nothing that Karl Marx called Religion the opium of the masses- for fanatics and believers alike it is ..
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
18 Aug 15
It all depends on the way a person acts and sometimes they act awful behind the excuse of a religion. This makes sense to me.
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
17 Aug 15
@rosekiss Thanks for sharing your thoughts ! If everyone thought as you do, there will be no problem at all...some tend to use religion as a tool to further their interests and also cause communal tension ...Belief is the very foundation of one's existence for those who are religious.
@rosekiss (30414)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 Aug 15
My relision has made me more loving to others, and it doesn't matter who they are,or what relisious label they put on themselves. I have never, now will I ever, disrespect another person, just because they believe differently than I do. As long as I do what God wants me to, and continue to believe in Him, then that is all that matter. However, I can;t get to heaven on my works alone as it takes faith to believe. I know I love God with all my heart, and I want to go to heaven some day. 
1 person likes this
@prashu228 (37524)
• India
16 Aug 15
I believe in God , but i believe more in humanity . I think people won't change if they change religion , change should come in their thinking . Nice to see you happythoughts.
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
16 Aug 15
Nice to see you too Prashu228. I think religion does change you to an extent. It changes the way you think and feel about the world around you. I try to be a very loving and open person but there are things I just cant understand. I don't want to list examples here because I want this to be a loving and open place to talk without starting a debate, but my belief in God effects my views on life and its importance. Not everyone thinks the same things and I respect that.
@prashu228 (37524)
• India
17 Aug 15
@happythoughts i agree with you friend religion will have an impact on a persons behavior , but it depends on certain issues like how well he wanted to follow the religion or just for name sake . If for namesake no one can change their way.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68884)
• United States
17 Aug 15
I have friends who are very strict fundamentalists, and I have friends who are atheists. My issue is when people try to "convert" me to their way of thinking (and thankfully, none of my friends do). I've unfriended a few people on Facebook for calling people who don't believe they do "kooks" and "losers." That type of terminology is hardly going to make a new convert!
1 person likes this
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
18 Aug 15
For sure. Ive often wondered how people could believe that name calling or bullying could get someone to see things their way.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112959)
• El Paso, Texas
16 Aug 15
It would depend on how that person relates to me about his/her religion, if someone actively tries to convert me then yes it would change how I feel about that person, however most of the people I know don't do things like that and we have a mutual respect for one another's religious choices.
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
18 Aug 15
Good point. If someones religion might believe one thing but they don't actively apply that to their life then it seems like it wouldn't be an issue.
