Ignorance

Ignorance is a lack of knowledge or understanding of an idea, situation topic, etc. Just because someone disagrees with you, that doesn't necessarily make them ignorant. For all you know, that person could be equally as or more educated on that topic than you. Telling someone they're ignorant isn't going to make them see your side or change their mind, either. I don't understand how people throw that word around as if it's an insult, when it is actually, by definition, an unavoidable human condition. I would go out on a limb and say that roughly 90% of the decisions people make throughout the day are based off of generalizations, or predetermined opinions, based on previous experiences, or hear-tell. Think about it. How does one choose to go to work? You make a decision based on generalizations. How do you choose where to eat? You make a decision based on a generalization. The list goes on. Now when it comes to generalizing people or groups of people, this poses a problem. Generalizations about groups of people only creates barriers and breeds more ignorance. Please don't generalize people for holding certain beliefs.

On a side note: It turns my stomach to think that there are parents that tell their kids that they have souls that will live eternally in heaven, but that their gay family friends are abusing their children just by existing and thank god they are not like that, and a good thing they're going to heaven. I'll be teaching my kids to think critically and to ask difficult questions and come to answers through reason, instead of being satisfied with answers they've been told but that can't be coherently explained to anyone outside of their worldview. I think they'll turn out just fine.