The Power of Love

[Cirion Spellbinder]

So a week ago I was discussing with my dad how you can help closed minded fundamentalists let go of their beliefs. I don't think it's possible (in most cases), but my dad suggested that through love and compassion you can pass these types of barriers and give them the capability to reason coherently. I don't know how I feel about this. It seems a lot like some feel good bullshit that he told me to give me hope that I can help people understand things in the correct way. What do you think?

[brimstoneSalad]

It depends on what the belief is, and how "love" is being used to solve it.
You can't just love at something. If it works at all, it's because you're gotten the fundamentalist to love, which has caused questioning.

Bigots actually meeting gays in the U.S. and getting to know those who are gay personally, realizing gays aren't depraved, is what turned around gay rights in the public eye in the states. That relied on people coming out.

Love of dogs is the difference between how people view them and pigs, for example. But it's no small task.
We can't exactly come out as farmed animals; so how do we inspire empathy for them?

[Cirion Spellbinder]

We can't exactly come out as farmed animals; so how do we inspire empathy for them?

That's a great question. Off the top of my head I can think of a single solution. From what I am aware of most farm animals are highly social and intelligent creatures. I've been to this place called the gentle barn (http://www.gentlebarn.org) which holds a large amount of rescued (mostly farm) animals. Admission is cheap and accessible to basically any working person with the time. Anyways the solution I'm trying to propose is that if we have more places like this where children can interact with these intelligent beings, it can potentially influence them to understand that the perception of animals as livestock is wrong, as they have been given first hand experience of how loving and intelligent these animals are. I sometimes forget how great I am at creating run on sentences...

I apologize for not making any sense and being incapable of forming coherent sentences.

[BleuNoir]

I would put it a little differently. It's not that you can always (or even often) overcome a person's bigotry and indoctrination through love and compassion; it's that you can't do it any other way. For example, a vegan atheist who constantly attacks and picks fights with meat eaters and theists is unlikely to convert anyone to either veganism or atheism. On the other hand, a vegan atheist who is compassionate, demonstrates empathy toward others who don't share his/her views, and sets a good example as a person of high morals, is more likely to change people's minds over time. When attacked, people tend to get defensive. Moreover, people naturally feel uncomfortable when confronted with ideas that go against what they've always believed. It takes time to admit, even to oneself, that one has been wrong about something; the process is painful. The only way to get through that is through patience, compassion, and understanding.