Why do some people think that spreading lies is a good way to represent their faith?

There's a guy here who always posts a certain website whenever he sees questions about Wicca, Paganism, or the Occult. The website he posts is Fundamentalist Christian propaganda, made up of twisted facts, half-truths, and outright lies meant to "prove" that Neopaganism and Occultism are paths to personal destruction, and that only a Fundamentalist Born-Again understanding of Jesus can save you from it.

It isn't just Christians that do it. From what I've seen of it, the Zeitgeist movie is another example of twisted truths, half-truths, and willful lies -- this time the intent seems to be to discredit all Religions, and to blame Religion in general for all the problems in the world.

See, people like to divide themselves into groups called "Us" and "Them." "Us" is always Good. "Them" is almost always Evil. And "They" are always responsible for all the ills and evils of the world -- War, Disease, Immorality, Poverty, etc. Some other names for "Them" include;

Jews, Christians, Muslims, Pagans, Atheists, Heathens, Infidels, Heretics, Feminists, Lesbians, Men, The Patriarchy, The Church, Liberals, Conservatives, N*ggers, Whities-Crackers-Honkies, Communists, Socialists, Fascists, Capitalists, Corporations, Rich People, Poor People, F@gs-Queers-Homos, Evolutionists, Creationists, Fundamentalists, Foreigners, Wet-Backs, Neo-Cons, and Hippies -- you get the point. Every group has been hated by some other group, and every group has hated some other group.

So, the problem is when people divide themselves into groups, all rational thought disappears and they begin to think as a Mob rather than as rational individuals. And, to protect themselves from the perceived threats of outsiders, the "Us" group goes out of it's way to "prove" just how horrible and evil the "Them" group is. And to do that, you can't appeal to the Rational Mind, because the Mob has no Rational Mind. You have to appeal to the fears and prejudices of the Mob, and to do that you need to exaggerate, twist the truth, and lie about the Opposition.

What is the solution? To see ourselves and each other as Individuals, to become blind to groups and labels, and to transcend Us and Them thinking in favor of a Humanist approach that sees all people as being equally Human. Every Man and Every Woman is a Star.

Prarie Crow....

Thank you for having the wisdom to realize that not people are what they present themselves to be. Sadly, this includes the Christian community. People are accepted into Christianity upon faith, no drug tests, no crimminal background or credit checks, we do not even interview your friends, family or neighbors! Sometimes a "wolf' gets into the flock and we all pay with our reputations.

Sometimes people misunderstand, misconstrue, or simply lack seeing the "big picture:". They may sometimes fail to understand that one truth is not all of the truth.

Sometimes, it is as my Grandmother said, "some people are not happy unless they are keeping others in an uproar".

You have been here long enough to identify those who will "shoot straight" with you. Take all others with a grain of salt.

Prarie,

I believe it is "some people" not representatives of a certain "faith". I will NOT vote for anyone even related to Bill C but that does not mean I will ever say anything like this about them either! I do not believe in saying nasty things about people I also will not say anything that I can not prove to be factual! Have a great week.

Thanks,

Eds

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The spreading of lies is not necessarily a religion thing, per se'.

Those that spread the lies define themselves by that religion and once a person has done that, the ego will do whatever it has to do to maintain that definition of self. If anything threatens that belief, they will lie and even kill to destroy anything threatening.

Some can't be bothered to do the research that would prove the claim is a lie.

Some aren't bright or curious enough to question it in the first place.

Some believe the end (turning people against gays and lesbians) justifies the means (lying and propagating lies).

So people don't know any better. They believe everything they are told and forget to trust their own feelings about people being people. I'm not referring to the NAMBLA thing, just the spreading of lies.

do you think hitler believed any of the propaganda he used? i don't doubt that some of these people believe the lies that are fed to them, but somewhere along the line, somebody created the lie with intent to deceive. like all propaganda, it's intended to dehumanize the opponent and make the liar's position look superior. it's not to represent their faith, it's to win the cultural war at all costs.

I wonder that everytime I see that 2telldatruth has posted yet another bash, I mean "question" against mormons.

Some people just seem to have nothing better to do then misrepresent other peoples beliefs. Clearly their own beliefs dont have enough substance behind it so they have to bash others in order to make themselves and their beliefs seem better.

After a good amount of experience in debating, I've realized how far people will stoop to try and support their own opinions- they twist truths, re-word history, and even make stuff up to make themselves sound more credible.

Many sides do it. Christianity, Islam, atheism, what have you. People look for things that back themselves up and refuse to check all "facts".