The religious zealot

[robvalue]

I have noticed a trend on this forum, in my life experience and listening to shows like the atheist experience, about common theist traits. This is no way meant to be a generalization, and I'm mentioning no names anywhere. I'll leave it entirely to the reader, without comment from me, to decide which if any theists on this board fall roughly into this category. (I mean mentally decide, I'm not encouraging name calling.)

It is a category of theist that I would call a zealot. (Thanks to Alice for reminding me of that word and how aptly it fits.) I'm talking here about zealotry in discussions, not necessarily in actions. This is a list of traits which I have observed in zealots. Feel free to comment on them, or suggest extras.

Again, I'm not calling anyone out with this. This is just a list of observed traits, throughout my whole experience, each of which any particular person may or may not meet. If they meet most of them, then I would be comfortable labelling them a zealot.

1) They have decided beyond a shadow of a doubt that their religion is the only true religion. If they have any criteria which would lead them to accept they might be wrong, they construct the criteria in such a way as to be impossible to meet.

2) They think their holy book is either entirely the word of God, or close enough for them to respect every word.

3) The truth of their religion is about the most important thing to them. More important than their own family maybe, possibly more important than themself.

4) They don't care whether what they say is true. Even when they make claims which are unambiguously refuted, they will either ignore such refutation or compound more lies on top to try and maintain the illusion of knowledge.

5) When it comes to a debate, all they care about is "winning". They have their own criteria for what it means to be winning, and normally this will amount to always winning any debate they take part in. In an attempt to fool others, or maybe themselves, that what they say actually matters, they attempt to put together vague arguments. However, they don't care whether the arguments are sound, or whether they have enough knowledge to be making such arguments.

6) If reality contradicts their religion, then that means science etc. is wrong about reality. Their version of truth must always be able to be shoe-horned in somewhere, and if so this is sufficient to them to maintain it's viability. If this is no longer possible, they will trash or ignore evidence.

7) They have no interest in learning about subjects which may challenge their beliefs in any way, learning about their mistakes, learning how to debate honestly or learning what their opponent's position and justifications really are.

8) They give off a constant air of arrogance, as if there can be no question that what they say is true.

[Godscreated]

I fit some of those, you'll decide which ones no matter what I would say. Turn a few words around and atheist on this site would fit the same things an probably better than any Christian. The words would be for example science book, non-belief and ect.

GC

[robvalue]

If you say so, I wasn't going to name anyone in particular. So we're better atheists zealots than you are christians... interesting

An atheist zealot. Yeah, sure. I'll scratch than down the side of my chainsaw!

[Minimalist]

I fit some of those, you'll decide which ones no matter what I would say. Turn a few words around and atheist on this site would fit the same things an probably better than any Christian. The words would be for example science book, non-belief and ect.

GC

We don't have any holy books. Dawkins and Hitchens are right...but we don't worship them.

[dyresand]

I fit some of those, you'll decide which ones no matter what I would say. Turn a few words around and atheist on this site would fit the same things an probably better than any Christian. The words would be for example science book, non-belief and ect.

GC

We don't have any holy books. Dawkins and Hitchens are right...but we don't worship them.

They sure do have it right.

[robvalue]

Yeah, I tend to agree with most of what they say.

[Spooky]

I fit some of those, you'll decide which ones no matter what I would say. Turn a few words around and atheist on this site would fit the same things an probably better than any Christian. The words would be for example science book, non-belief and ect.

GC

Way to not portray an air of arrogance.

[vorlon13]

Nice list in the OP. A very good primer for Religion 101, of which many a religiousite (particularly the ones we see here) are painfully ignorant.

Zealots are the only ones that have a chance at whatever brand of Salvation they are pimping (assuming they are of the One True Faith, of course). The backsliders, cherry pickers, heretics, blasphemers, and apostates sure as hell aren't Saved and certainly cannot convey any possibility of Salvation to others.

[Brian37]

I fit some of those, you'll decide which ones no matter what I would say. Turn a few words around and atheist on this site would fit the same things an probably better than any Christian. The words would be for example science book, non-belief and ect.

GC

Um no, do not equate all atheists as belonging to one religion, because the word itself "atheist" is a position, not a religion. It is not a political party, moral code or loyalty oath. "Atheist" merely means "off" on one claim.

Buddhists can be atheists, Jews can be atheists, and other atheists can hold new age crappy claims and believe in crap conspiracies like 9/11 and JFK, I have run into them. Atheists can also hold economic views I hate, like fans of Ayn Rand and others who are fans of Che.

Science is label independent. Gravity works in Saudi Arabia, and in Japan and in Mexico and on the north and south poles. DNA is proven in plants in Saudi Arabia, and in Japan, and in humans and tigers and chimps and spiders and every living thing including bacteria.

Science works regardless of which god you chose to believe in, but your god belief is not required anymore than belief in Allah or Yahweh or Thor or Vishnu.

To stupidly claim that valuing facts is dogmatic is what the Church did in putting Galileo under house arrest for telling the truth that the sun, and not the earth, was the center of the solar system.

Do not get upset with us over the books we had no hand in writing. It is not our fault the people that wrote them had no clue of the nature of reality.

[Strider]

Good list!

Zealots will cling to their delusions no matter the circumstances or evidence to the contrary. They also believe that reason and magical thinking are one in the same when, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.