Question by LabGrrl: Pagans: How should you react to people who make claims about your faith’s basis that are contrary to fact?
This question primarily refers to the pre-Christian culture derived Pagans who have archaeological and historical documentation, [thus the ‘you’] but I suppose also refers to people who just seem to make crap up about people willy-nilly. Should we attack these people or just present facts and move on.
Best answer:
Answer by Fairycakes
Just move on because they are living their lives in fear and feel more powerful when putting others down
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
I try to (firmly) present the facts. Most won’t listen, but there might be the odd person who will. I, personally, choose not to “attack” because then I feel it would make me no better than them.
Try to be nice in the face of their ignorance. Learn all the facts and either present them calmly or walk away.
present facts, educate them, mention how rude, mean,judgmental or whatever they are being/sound, how thats not nice etc, and then move on
no point atacking them, that just makes you out to be the ‘bad guy’
no reason to be bothered by them or anything they say, you cant change their views, and they are entitled to them, no matter how bigoted, judgmental, arrogant or ignorant they may be, sadly
In cases where people are making claims contrary to facts but doing so out of ignorance I try to kindly present them the facts. However, if they are doing it out of bigotry, well I’m quick witted and sharp tongued and I know just enough to make any large group look like the very incarnation of evil (and am smart enough to leave and/or drop the conversation before being drawn into a discussion of facts / history for which I am not prepared).
With Patience, Tolerance, and Sharp pointy sticks, (as a last resort)
We do not Evangelise, seek Recruits, or Lambast other Religions, having suffered ( and learnt) greatly at the hands of those who do. (Spiritually speaking, of course.) Our ways are our ways, and we do not obstruct others from walking alongside us. Neither will we roll over and submit to those who would do us harm. Beware. Hell hath no fury like an outraged Pagan. Respect is offered, to all who merit Respect. Nothing is offered to those who offer nothing. A painful shock for those who offer violence .Be told.
I site a few source and if they still insist x, y, and z, I write them off as a lost cause and go on with my life.
I can not stand willful ignorance.
That’s one of the reasons I created my website.
Instead of spending a lot of time trying to explain
the truth to them, I can just give them my card or
a link to the website, and it’s done.
Of course if they are too lazy to read it, then they
will have to stay ignorant… but that’s not my
problem.
answer: depends on my mood sometimes. Personally, first option is to attempt to educate them and others. Present the facts, counter their ignorance.
If it’s an all out attack and they’re being willfully ignorant, that’s harder to be polite over. Depends on the situation.
I refuse to argue with idiots.
(They drag you down to thier level and beat you with experience.)
Ignore it, move on.
they’ve already destroyed everything about my god, or at least prevented it being passed on, so they can’t do any more harm. but where i see an error, i prefer to correct it; and where i see willful ignorance, i prefer to mock it.
i get just as cheesed at the atheists who say all religions are oppressive or all religions claim to be the only truth as ignoramuses with no grasp of history. but the worst are the ones who write off thousands of years of history as ‘satan’s plan to deceive humanity’.
Answer: I present facts and (ideally) make sure those facts are understandable by an 8-year-old child.
I can only try to educate those who say “nobody worships the (fill-in-the-blank) Gods anymore”