"All Movements Go Too Far"

[VanReal]

The title here is a quote from Bertrand Russell and it makes me think of a question to people regardless of their beliefs.

With regard to your beliefs or disbeliefs do you feel you are tolerant of others' thoughts when you become involved in a debate or do you just find yourself frustrated because of your inability to convince the other person of your opinion?

I have always struggled with persons with very strong belief systems constantly "pushing" their thoughts and opinions on people without even being provoked.  What would cause someone to knock on my door and ask strange questions about the afterlife, morality, my relationship with the Lord?  I would never randomly select people from a crowd and begin telling them of my non-belief nor would I try to convince a believer of my view.  I certainly do not shy away from a conversation once it has started, and I don't pretend to believe something I don't, but I try to be respectful of other people's thoughts and can't stand it when people are so rudely abrassive when debating.

I think of Madalyn Murray O’Hair and how vocal she was about atheism, and although I admire her activism and strong sense of self, I feel she became the same as the religious groups that annoy me, forcing her non-belief down people's throats.

Can you feel okay about not believing or belieiving in something without shouting it from the rooftops?  Do you agree with Bertrand Russell that all movements go too far?

[Recusant]

Generalizations like this are easy to disagree with; they seem calculated to provoke discussion.  And what is "too far?"  I guess that even an 'movement' like Procrastinators Anonymous could be said to go too far by existing at all.
When I debate somebody, I don't expect to convince them of anything; I simply enjoy the interplay of ideas.  It's a very rare thing to actually get somebody who really believes something to change their mind, so if you go into a debate hoping for that result, of course most of the time you will find it frustrating.  As for rudeness, while occasionally it can be amusing, overall it's simply counterproductive.

[VanReal]

Generalizations like this are easy to disagree with; they seem calculated to provoke discussion.  And what is "too far?"  I guess that even an 'movement' like Procrastinators Anonymous could be said to go too far by existing at all.
When I debate somebody, I don't expect to convince them of anything; I simply enjoy the interplay of ideas.  It's a very rare thing to actually get somebody who really believes something to change their mind, so if you go into a debate hoping for that result, of course most of the time you will find it frustrating.  As for rudeness, while occasionally it can be amusing, overall it's simply counterproductive.

The intention was to provoke discussion.  You answered my question though in that you have the ability to enter a debate without the intention of forcing your opinion on the other person.  I do the same.  It's just that often in a debate on an issue without a answer that can be proven people tend to go overboard and stop being constuctive and thought provoking and instead become aggressive and forceful.  

Procrastinators anonymous - too funny!  I have that problem and believe me could never go too far as I'd never get started:)

My thoughts on this truly stem from the fact that religion creeps it's way into every conversation imaginationable, that does irritate me.  At the same time I worry that those of us that don't believe may become their polar opposite and constantly enter that non-belief in every conversation, thus becoming what we don't agree with.  There will of course be extemists in any group, I'd just rather mine be more accomodating and tolerant of others'.