What do you do when things are too "holy" to discuss?

[amalhope]

I often experience this with relatives back home.

An innocent discussion is initiated, fluffy talk ensues, things start to get more serious, religion is seeped in, then it's either shut up and smile and end the discussion, or question religion and voila you're a "disbeliever" or one who has derailed off the "right" path.

It's no secret that people back East have much stronger religious inclinations than others around the world and than a lot of us living abroad or educated abroad.

Could it be that being taught religion so stringently is one of the reasons that our people and neighbours back East are more one-dimensional in thought? Religion teaches people not to question "the words of God". If they cannot question "God", doesn't that make them more susceptible to worshiping religious figures, political leaders, kings, rulers, dictators, fathers, elders, etc.? Once this “divine” allegiance is engrained in the minds of people at an early age (via religious teachings), doesn’t it also make it harder to break “less-divine” forms of allegiance in later years?

Moreover, doesn’t interaction with “same” others as a result of living in homogeneous or semi-homogeneous countries, cities, villages, neighbourhoods also impede thought evolution and debilitate the chances of breaking loose of the allegiance philosophy?

In Lebanon – which is a relatively less homogenous country than others in its vicinity – people tend to be more open to different thoughts. Although in Lebanon we might end up slaughtering each other over silly disagreements, before we actually pull out our knives or after we put down the guns we are more open to hearing opposing views or “crazy” views than other people of neighbouring countries. Lebanon’s diversity has somewhat aided us in liberating our thoughts to an extent.

The impediment to taking things beyond this stage remains religious loyalty and homogeneous communities. Will the day come when we see all neighbourhoods in Lebanon a mixture of different religious communities, or better yet, secular communities where no one knows the other’s religion and religion-specific names become a thing of the past?

[Dalzi]

Only ignorants believe that questioning religion and God is a taboo. Insecurity leads to sensitivity, and talking to them is as bad as talking to terrorists who kill all and go to heaven, and to the blasphemous who hardly know anything about religion, yet open their mouths to turn you off. Few days back I joined two friends of mine (a haririst and a jordanian) for a coffee by the beach. We got with our talks to the topic of the so called 'religious' where we live and their scandals disasters and horrors. The topic was mainly focused on hypocricy especially among women; we went on and on only to notice later that a scarfed woman was sitting behind us and about to burst coz of what we were saying. As is the usual case these days, she assumed we're blasphemous coz we're criticizing their hypocricy, which is the truth.

Your thinking can never evolve if you're with your kind all the time because your knowledge stops at your experiences; and if you do not mingle with other people you can never learn to accept and appreciate differences which are as natural as the diversity of everything existing on earth.

When you say 'educated' you have to remember that there's a difference between education and knowledge.

[amalhope]

Dalzi,

Thanks for sharing your experience. You're right when you said "insecurity leads to sensitivity".

What I meant by "a lot of us ... educated abroad" is schooled abroad.

[Salome]

Originally Posted by amalhope

What I meant by "a lot of us ... educated abroad" is schooled abroad.

abroad many are not living in a restricted Lebanese community therefore they do not need to accommodate to a more rigid religious society or behaviours...maybe it is only about behaviour and how you get used to a different type of social life

In Lebanon lately people got more zealous because of the sectarian tension and fears on all sides...when they feel their community or religion is threatened they stick more to their beliefs

I dont think you can argue with faith, if the discussion partner is very religious then I dont think it makes sense to present any opposing views to that person

[amalhope]

Sometimes you cannot choose your discussion partner.

Sometimes you smile and shut up.

Sometimes you have a discussion and get somewhere.

Sometimes you argue back and regret it.

[shreek]

Originally Posted by Dalzi

Only ignorants believe that questioning religion and God is a taboo. Insecurity leads to sensitivity, and talking to them is as bad as talking to terrorists who kill all and go to heaven, and to the blasphemous who hardly know anything about religion, yet open their mouths to turn you off......

and I think Lebanon is the only country in the world where you can curse the Almighty and its ok, but cursing any zuama will lead to certain trouble.....

Originally Posted by Dalzi

Your thinking can never evolve if you're with your kind all the time because your knowledge stops at your experiences; and if you do not mingle with other people you can never learn to accept and appreciate differences which are as natural as the diversity of everything existing on earth.

own kind you mean own religion or own people?
I think we Lebanese are very ethno-centric when it comes to association.
Ya3ni I would prefer to associate with my (Lebanese) shia shopkeeper than the Sunni Egyptian who sometimes works there nightshift.

Originally Posted by Dalzi

When you say 'educated' you have to remember that there's a difference between education and knowledge.

akeed, as my Uncle used to say, 'el 3elem mab ya3ti fehem'.