Posted by Skep on May 11, 2011 at 22:52:45
In Reply to: Re: is a different spiritual perspective a threat? posted by long time exer on April 30, 2011 at 12:43:16:
Nearly everything that is different to a belief, any belief, is a potential threat to those holding that belief. One extreme reaction is to react before falling and accepting it (insecurity). The other extreme is I don't care right now because it is not too important (contempt).
I think most people in the world are somewhere at the middle. We may think about the challenging new views, or discuss them with others while examining our position, or just simply dismissing them because we are not interested.
Some people just assert their views to assert themselves as real believers (of that belief) and others may just argue aimlessly and for the sake of argument.
And then, I have been tempted to think that some people just are on a type of power trip but I don't really believe it. Most of us have had some experience with that and don't want to encounter it again. I don't understand why some people want to put others in a box instead of just being comfortable in having a box for themselves.
Exchanging opinions, views, and experiences is cool. Maybe somebody will benefit from them, even through discussion. But let the discussion and questions be a two-way street and have those very same questions be open to all, including the person who first asked them.