Why do Orthodox Christians get mad anytime someone disagrees with them

[Universalist Catholic]

Kind of like how anytime someone says anything contrary to their religious beliefs, they go all fanatic. 

I remember someone wrote a bad review for Bill Weises book "23 minutes in hell", and he got some extremely nasty comments from some Fundamentalist Christians. 

http://thegreatrealization.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/man-who-claims-he-went-to-hell-scams-christians/

Someone on youtube made a video about his beliefs on Universalism, and sure enough, some Augustinian Christian, and a Fundamentalist made some nasty comments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAwGT3ers98&feature=related

Plus, I had experienced this in school, where some fundamentalist girl kep telling me and my friend how to do stuff, and my friend had enough of her, an told her to just shut up, no one wants to hear it anymore.  Then she told the principal on us. 

It seems like they can sure dish it out, but cannot take it when someone tells them something contrary. 

If you've been on Yahoo Answers, you would know what I mean.

[WhiteWings]

First of all many people can't stand being proven wrong. People start bar fights over who's the best player of their own football team.
In religious matters I think two additional factors come into play.
- Disagreement with the person is disagrement with the Bible. and that's blasphemy.
- Trying to save souls.

 

[peacemaker]

Try evading a pool cue, because that of another believed it was their quarter!
Most cue sticks are made of wood (hay and stubble), or the inner core is bonded to an outer layer of artificial fibers.

peacemaker

[friendofmankind]

The whole book of Timothy carries the message - "DONT GET INVOLVED in ENDLESS geneologies, quarrels, old wives tales etc..."  And it gives good reasons why not too.
It also says the living God is the savior of ALL men, especially believers, so if people dont listen to that part, i see no reason why they would listen to the rest.

I just dont get involved with it anymore, if people listen, great, if not, great as far as im concerned.

If they had any hope at all that all people would be saved, or even a desire then they would look into the matter with an open heart, and not a closed heart, closed mind, deaf ears and blind eyes as most of them very stubbornly do.

But its their choice.

If they want to worship some diety that loses most of His creation to an eternal fire, good luck to them...But they would find more morals in a sack of spuds.
Their religion actually sucks any life, or love out of them, but they can't see it...If the KJV says it, it must be true, never mind what the ancient Hebrews and Greeks wrote...The KJV and the NIV are completely infallible...Oh and the message bible is generally accepted by modern Christianity too...But the ancient Greek and Hebrew?! Aion meaning an age?  Hell meaning a word to cover something up?!  FORGET IT!!! NO!!!!! HOLD YOUR EARS!!! IT CANT BE TRUE!!! NO HELL??? NO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT FOR MOST PEOPLE???!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
I CANNOT and WONT accept such a HIDEOUS AND EVIL DOCTRINE OF DEMONS!!!!  HOW DARE THEY SAY GOD IS SO LOVING AND MERCIFUL!!!

You get the point.

I actually agree with the ancients who said that HELL although false SHOULD be taught to keep the 'simple' believers in check...Because if they believed God was going to save everyone, they wouldnt be following Him...They cant follow God out of love, they can only do it out of fear.  (Perfect love casts out fear by the way).  And pay God 'lip-service'.

EVERY ET believer so far I have spoken too...the FIRST thing they have said to me was...."We should just all throw away our bibles and go out doing as much sinning as we can then if Universalism is true...Why bother being nice?"

Er....Et'er....You MISSED the point.  Big time.

[willieH]

willieH: Hi UC...

Kind of like how anytime someone says anything contrary to their religious beliefs, they go all fanatic. 

I have been a believer in the Salvation of All and reconciliation of all things for almost a decade now... and in that time have visited many Christian forums.  I have been a member here 6 or 7 years...

Most ALL the other forums I have been on have kicked me out (3 of them were UR forums!)  Even those in UR forums, at times, will not be tolerant of the TRUTH when it is proposed.  Calling your witness, such as: "rude" or naming your opposition to their shaky RELIGIOUS position, as an "attack" 

Most recently a forum called the "Tree of Liberty" forum...   

It almost makes me laugh out loud that they named the forum using the word LIBERTY...  For that is hardly practiced.  You have "liberty" there, as long as you AGREE with their positions... otherwised, you are thrown to the alley, or dispersed from their "goody2shoes" forum, FOREVER...

I joined TOL specifically because someone came here, saying there was a discussion on UNIVERSALISM going on there, and were seeking some from Tentmaker who could discuss ON BEHALF of the doctrine of the Salvation of All... "Peacemaker" and myself from Tent went over there, as far as I know PM is still there... not sure.

I had one after the other which were in the discussion, either drop out completely or put me on "IGNORE" so they would'nt have to read my responses...

I would paste Scriptural arguement for UR... and they would "cut & paste" dialogue from a "theologian" or just answer without addressing the Scriptures I noted... 

I believe that if JESUS and the Apostles had FIRM OPPOSITIONS and TORMENTORS, that anyone bringing the TRUTH shall have them as well...

Doesn't bother me... I glory in Him, and leave the prosperities and adversities for Him to avail within my efforts to witness of the TRUTH, wherever I might engage that witness... praising Him in the Sun and in the Rain...  YHVH

...willieH 

[dmatic]

Indeed, willie!  if God had not planned for your encounter over there, I would not have had the pleasure of watching you operate!  An expert you are, in my humble opinion, too! (I've printed off most of your posts to re-read, as I continue to try to get BB to repent!)  I believe he falsely accused you, and even though he wants not to discuss this anymore...I am challenging him on this serious of offenses....he accused you of calling everyone who disagreed with you a liar!  AND, even more 'offensive', he decalred that you knew not the heart of God nor His character!!!!!   Amazing...blindness.

Sadly, peacemaker was also banned....(Now why would a peacemaker be banned????)

I say "sadly", because I appreciated the deepness of his posts, and am saddened that others will not be granted the privlege of reading them over there!

Anyway...I'm spending what little free time, I have....over there...for just a bit longer...I suppose....but I've engaged two of the "Moderators"  peace, dmatic

[Chris]

As has been pointed out already, such behavior is not limited to the Orthodox. It even exists among the unorthodox - even those who believe in UR.

I've seen it in this forum as well as others, having also been banned from other UR forums for daring to ask questions or enter into conversations with others who had a different perspective from my own (and the site owner).

Seems some don't like to be questioned.  

But had I never been willing to question my own beliefs or have them challenged by others, I'd never have come to believe in UR. Nor would I have had some of my beliefs "within" UR changed as a result of allowing them to be challenged (as some here can attest to, as they were my "challengers" )

I think it all boils down to how you "react" to those challenges that makes the difference. Some welcome them and some don't. And I don't believe that you can convince someone of anything if they are not at all receptive to being "challenged" in some way. And I think that goes both ways. Even the one doing the "challenging" needs to be open to the possibility that they might be the one proven to be wrong.

To me, this is how iron sharpens iron. But only those who are willing to be taught, as well as (possibly) teach others, are going to benefit the most.

[peacemaker]

I joined TOL specifically because someone came here, saying there was a discussion on UNIVERSALISM going on there (also the Hell Test), and were seeking some from Tentmaker who could discuss ON BEHALF of the doctrine of the Salvation of All... "Peacemaker" and myself from Tent went over there, as far as I know PM is still there... not sure.
...willieH 

          The Hanging ...

          ... Tree of Liberty

"Having the love of life within their fleshly food that is primarily obtained by the killing and consuming of others."

peacemaker

(aka; oneofmany, as the former was already taken; the latter was in times past)

[peacemaker]

Sadly, peacemaker was also banned....(Now why would a peacemaker be banned????)

I say "sadly", because I appreciated the deepness of his posts, and am saddened that others will not be granted the privilege of reading them over there!

"Where two or three are gathered."

Thank you for the encouragement, brother dmatic!
Especially, while in attendance on that forum.

"Wise sayings often fall on barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away."

I know the moderators, even here, have a difficult task.
Although at Tentmaker, you will not be eternally tormented.
However, there is always the matter of correction.
Butt, it is done in love and only when necessary.

peacemaker

[martincisneros]

People get mad over someone disagreeing with their position on something, whether they're Christians or not, because of either a lack of character, a lack of love, unforgiveness about other matters that's got their love bottle necked, a lack of training in nonaccusatory communication to where they may only seem to be coming across that way because of their verbage, superlatives, tone of their voice or body language, or because they consider a particular matter a life or death matter, whether it rightly is or not.

Additionally, depends on your approach and to the degree they regard you as disrespectful and the degree of that where they're able to turn the other cheek and where the line is at that you can cross when people start flying across the bar, as WhiteWings said.

Sometimes people can just come across as mad when they're not genuinely mad because they've got a stronger personality than yours in some way or some other characteristic about them, their status, or stature that you're intimidated by even if they're a total teddy bear, whether it's their size, their intelligence, a certain amount of bombast in how they carry themselves, their economic, social, or political clout or level of authority in a sphere of life or whatever -- or you're catching them about "this" while they're mad about something entirely different and you didn't know to slowly back away before they saw you, and you didn't know to duck before you opened your mouth and God help you now that you have! roflol

[gky]

To Universal Catholic,

I am really appreciating your questions. 
You have the same disposition as I.
I'm reading your posts and the responses with great interest and enjoyment.
Please keep it up.  And thank you for encouragement (meeting another
who has the same genuine concerns is very encouraging).

[Paul Hazelwood]

There are many reasons people get mad, but most arguments that tend to head that way are simply from those who insult, get called on it, then deny that's what it is.  Perhaps some do not believe they are insulting someone but I do not think that ignorance is an excuse I will let slide.   

The thing is though, none of this that happens determines who carries truth,  you could of gotten kicked out of all the forums on the internet and it doesn't make a person right.

[WhiteWings]

The person with the best lawyer is right.
Ultimately we all have the same lawyer 

[Chris]

I don't think that anyone brought up being kicked out of other forums as proof of the accuracy of their beliefs (speaking for myself, anyway); just proof that such behavior exists in all circles, even the ones we find ourselves in now - or from time to time. It's not limited to Orthodoxy; it can be found even in those groups who claim to have been kicked out of "Christendom" and warn others that they will be too, when they come to see "the truth".... though they don't like to tell you (or even admit) that they will do the same to you, if you disagree with them. And, as Martin said, it's not even something limited to Christianity - er even religion in general - no one likes to be told that they are wrong. But some are better at receiving (or even offering) correction than others. I think that is why our best "teachers" are those that to whom the Lord leads us and to whom we submit ourselves, rather than those who seek us out in an attempt to try to declare themselves our teacher. 

[Beloved Servant]

My heart melts every time I hear the Word...
...MASTER...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfFdGbdlyzI&feature=related

[Beloved Servant]

There's only ONE TEACHER!

[Chris]

There's only ONE TEACHER!

AMEN!!! Let us all sit AT HIS FEET together!! 

[Cardinal]

  In a word....FEAR.

When the voice of God was heard in the garden in their fallen condition, Adam and Eve hid themselves because they knew in their hearts they were out from under the healing wings of their covering.

They were EXPOSED in their darkness by the Light that both speaks AND gives understanding. Understanding comes when He speaks because by it's very nature, it reveals our condition by revealing that which is perfect, and in so doing comparing where we are at that moment, ie. in darkness (darkness means ignorance, ignorance of the Light, ie. the "darkness comprehended it not").

It's the same today, and so we are told; "men hate the light because their deeds are evil" (one with the darkness). Blessings....

[Universalist Catholic]

I actually agree with the ancients who said that HELL although false SHOULD be taught to keep the 'simple' believers in check...Because if they believed God was going to save everyone, they wouldnt be following Him...They cant follow God out of love, they can only do it out of fear.  (Perfect love casts out fear by the way).  And pay God 'lip-service'.

EVERY ET believer so far I have spoken too...the FIRST thing they have said to me was...."We should just all throw away our bibles and go out doing as much sinning as we can then if Universalism is true...Why bother being nice?"

Er....Et'er....You MISSED the point.  Big time.

From what I see, those people who believe in eternal torment do not seem any better than everyone else, but seem to think they are.  Yet all the reveal is a high ego, and an extreme nastiness towards people who are different from them.  Best example of Today I can think of is the Westboro Baptist Church.  Full hellfire believers.  Yet I dont see them treating others kindly.  All they do is protest at peoples funerals.  Plus only being righteous out of fear seems to create even more evil.  All I see with hardcore traditionalists is a high ego on who is the most rigid, and brag about it.