# Healing and Wellbeing > Spirituality, Religion and Faith >  >  Do you get put down for being different?

## rachelchloe

Do you ever get...talked down to, because you don't believe in the 'normal' thing? I personally am atheist, and I am proud if it, but I do get rude remarks when people find out I am. 

I was wondering...Does this ever happen to you?

OH! And by normal, I mean whatever the main religion is from wherever you live.

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## CityofAngels

No one bothers you about stuff like that where I live.

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## WintersTale

It has never personally happened to me, but I have friends who have faced this issue.

It is terrible to be put down for what you believe in.

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## Marleywhite

I live in Florida where everyone is Spanish and the main religion is Christianity, so yes I have been put down because of my "religion". I once had a friend stop talking to me. Other times I just get rude comments.

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## takethebiscuit

Yes. I've had people take the mickey out of me and put me down a lot about this. One of the reasons why, until recently, I did not share too much about what I believed religion/spirituality wise. 

But..well...this sounds odd but The Goddess made it clear to me that doubting myself is also doubting her. Faith can be questioned, examined, explored and perhaps even challenged with respect. Whether you believe faith comes from the divine or simply from the person, it has value just as non belief does. Some people are not going to understand who The Goddess is to me and that's as it should be. My religion is not the truth of the universe. It is simply the inspiration I have given my life to. 

I meet so many people from different faiths, spiritual paths and from none. Just because I can't sit with their philosophy does not make their philosophy bad or wrong. Jesus preached peace, love and compassion. The Goddess preaches peace, love and compassion, Buddhists preach a life of peace, love and compassion. Muslims preach a life of love, peace and compassion. Other religions preach a life of love,peace and compassion and so do non believers. Many of the teachings are hard to live up to, for sure. But if we don't make the mistakes then we will never be reminded of what it is we want to avoid. If we were perfect to begin with then none of us would be given the chance to grow and develop.

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## Chantellabella

I've been slammed both ways. When I didn't believe in God, people slammed me with how terrible I was for not believing in a higher power. Then when I started believing, I was slammed with how stupid and delusional I was for believing. That happened a lot on the other forum. That's why I had to sneak into this section. I wanted to test the waters. I will never understand how my beliefs affect others if I don't shove them down people's throats. I guess people project their anger on others because they can't do it to the people they need to do it to or something. But yeah, I have been put down by both sides. I guess that's why there's a saying to avoid religious and political conversation. People are passionate about their beliefs and somehow feel the need to punish others who belong to something they are against.

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## Ironman

Yep, I get it, even on forums.

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## JesusChild

I think this is the first time I have openly said I am a Christian and this is what I believe, I don't speak to my family about my faith, I did tell my mom about my relationship with Jesus. My girlfriends doesn't really believe so even just talking about Jesus or my personal faith makes her uncomfortable, she never puts me down though but I do worry that there will be people who will, I become very uncomfortable with the thought of being ridiculed for my beliefs.  

You'll always find people on both sides who will put you down or make you feel uncomfortable about your beliefs whether you believe or don't believe, there are those who will respect you as I do and those who will look down at you but focus on the compassionate and understanding and those who uplift you and respect you. I sometimes worry too that people would think I was a bible thumper because there are people with the mind set that anyone who is religious is trying to shove religion down other peoples throats.

You're from SAS right? I don't know if we've ever met but probably  knew me over there as Ironpain, I can see why you came over here, I already like the atmosphere here.

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## JesusChild

For me I'm not ashamed to say Jesus is my Lord and Savior, Surely God is my salvation; I will trust & not be afraid. -Isa 12:2 well online but in real life that's a little more difficult, wish I could say that I'm brave to tell people I believe but I'm afraid that I will be perceived as a Bible thumper or someone who needs a crotch or what other label I'll be identified with for my belief in Jesus Christ but it takes a person with a lot of faith and conviction to say proclaim to the world that they believe in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.  I respect your right not to believe and I would only ask in understanding that you respect my right too belief.

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## Trendsetter

Only on that terrible SAS forum, that's about it

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## JesusChild

> Only on that terrible SAS forum, that's about it



Looking back I can see why people feel the way they do about SAS, somebody should be able to talk about their faith freely and honestly without worrying that someone is going to attack them, especially on an anxiety forum, that it should be a place where people who believe can come together and share in their faith without people looking down at them and insulting them or making them feel uncomfortable.  It should be a community of people reaching out to each other in faith respect and understanding.

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## Dunkin

This site also feels safe to me. I am able to talk about my faith on my profile without being ashamed of who I am. But I fear for telling people irl.

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## Chantellabella

> Looking back I can see why people feel the way they do about SAS, somebody should be able to talk about their faith freely and honestly without worrying that someone is going to attack them, especially on an anxiety forum, that it should be a place where people who believe can come together and share in their faith without people looking down at them and insulting them or making them feel uncomfortable.  It should be a community of people reaching out to each other in faith respect and understanding.



I wanted that also. I think I'm going to go grab at least my entries on a thread I made over there called How has God touched your life. I wish I could bring the thoughts of other people also, but I can't. But I hope that others here will add their own testimonies to the thread.

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## WintersTale

Well, I am fine with whatever religion you choose to be, just as long as you don't shove it down my throat.

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## VickieKitties

My Dad is a big time atheist, he thinks I'm a crazy person.  Maybe you have to be a little crazy to have had a religious epiphany, I'm ok with that.

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## Misssy

I feel like I get put down for not being wealthy. Generally I don't broadcast my spiritual beliefs to people. I've never been put down for my non-believing ways really.

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## Misssy

I agree with winterstale, I've got better things to do than go around focusing on other people's religions. I don't care up to the point where they use their religion to abuse other people etc. I don't like the honor killings of females etc. Not even sure if that is religion or if it is more culture.

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## Member11

I've been called stupid, fuckwit, told I will burn in hell and that god/jesus hates me because I'm an atheist. But I guess that isn't any different to anything else in my life, everything I do or say is questioned, judged, made fun of or gossip about. It makes me feel broken, an outcast and feels like I don't do things correct or like normal people would. It makes me want to live in a cave somewhere and avoid people altogether, at least then I can avoid that hurt I get from people for not acting "normal".

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## Total Eclipse

> I've been called stupid, fuckwit, told I will burn in hell and that god/jesus hates me because I'm an atheist. But I guess that isn't any different to anything else in my life, everything I do or say is questioned, judged, made fun of or gossip about. It makes me feel broken, an outcast and feels like I don't do things correct or like normal people would. It makes me want to live in a cave somewhere and avoid people altogether, at least then I can avoid that hurt I get from people for not acting "normal".



 :Hug:   :Hug:   :Hug:

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## toaster little

If I ever end up swearing, I get all kinds of dirty looks and everyone starts lecturing me about how it's inappropriate.  They say the same words and phrases and it's ok if they do it, but unacceptable if I ever do it.  It's always from people who say they are Christian and go to church.

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## Misssy

> I've been called stupid, fuckwit, told I will burn in hell and that god/jesus hates me because I'm an atheist. But I guess that isn't any different to anything else in my life, everything I do or say is questioned, judged, made fun of or gossip about. It makes me feel broken, an outcast and feels like I don't do things correct or like normal people would. It makes me want to live in a cave somewhere and avoid people altogether, at least then I can avoid that hurt I get from people for not acting "normal".



---wow Joker, you must live in a very religious family or town? Some areas are not extra religious

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## Chantellabella

> ---wow Joker, you must live in a very religious family or town? Some areas are not extra religious



If they were calling him names, those people may have their own "religion," but they certainly aren't "godlike" in my opinion. The God that I know in my heart doesn't call any of his children names. Especially the ones who don't believe. imho, God loves all of his children and and nobody has a right to judge his children (not even so-called holy people). 

I'm sorry that happened, Joker. Please don't let clueless people who use religion as a superiority trip sway your spiritual beliefs. We are all different and have different spiritual paths as well. It's a personal thing, imo, and nobody can tell you whether you are right or wrong because they don't know. They haven't died yet to find out have they? 

Personally, I speak to God and put my faith in him, but I don't belong to a religion. I also get angry with God and struggle to trust him. I certainly don't need an entire town to "tell" me I'm wrong to waver in my faith. Seriously, it's the wavering and journey of faith that I believe is the learning part of being on earth. (that's just my belief and believe me, I won't be telling people to believe the way I do.....................they couldn't keep up with my spiritual ups and downs  ::):   because I even get nauseated on my spiritual roller coaster)

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## Inscrutable Banana

I don't concern myself with what other people believe unless their beliefs specifically compel them to cause harm to others. Ultimately, peoples spiritual and religious experiences and beliefs are their own and it's not my place to try impose whatever mine may be upon them, and I expect people to show me that same level of respect and understanding. If I think that people can be comfortable with me holding an objective opinion of their experiences I'll gladly listen to someone explain to me why they believe what they do, but a lot of people aren't really capable of having an discussion about spirituality or religion without taking differences in beliefs personally so I usually avoid the subject entirely. Politics is often a similarly volatile subject that I prefer to avoid unless I have good reason to believe things won't go south.

Personally, I consider myself agnostic. I hold neither a concrete belief that there is or isn't something more than just what we experience as individuals during our relatively limited time on this planet. I simply don't know enough yet to feel confident one way or the other about a lot of things, and I figure I'll either come to my own personal understanding during the course of my life (through willful collection of knowledge and contemplation or through some sort of epiphany) or I'll find out when I'm dead. For the moment, all I can do is live my life and try my best to do good by myself and others with a reasonable expectation of occasionally faltering due to being an imperfect creature.

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## SmileyFace

People are more accepting that I practice Buddhism nowadays. Before, years ago, people i came across always had to joke about the religion, saying its stupid 'to worship some kind of fat man.' Buddha himself was not fat, that's Budai.

People may be more accepting now, but I still wish more would educate themselves about each religion before making crass remarks.

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