Ever since I joined N-L, I learned a lot of things both good and bad. Consider me as a third party, my friends on N-L are actually my first Nigerian friends, the story is so long so I'll stop here.
One thing bothers me though, why is it that when someone doesn't share the same views as you do, you immediately attack the person? I know that sometimes you have to comment on a post you consider weird or offensive but come on, 90 % of the people I've seen posting are alike.
Subjects like: God, Sex, Mentality, Race . . . you get all defensive.
It's either White or Black, but you all forget about the color gray. Sometimes, my mom and sister sit with me while I show them your posts, they are stunned.

It's like you're all from another world or maybe it's me.

Just because someone doesn't believe in God, the person is automatically a fool? If you want to 'win someone to Jesus', you should be patient.

I've noticed this behavior with Christians but Nigerians ROCK THIS ATTITUDE. No kidding.

Are there any open minded Nigerian Christians out there? I'lld love to meet them.

^{You will meet them if you post in the correct section: religion.}

Religion is a fundamentally divisive. It encourages the midset of "we are right, they are wrong, and that's all there is to it". Such a mindset cannot bring forth unity. Only a lukewarm believer can be open-minded.

Seun:

^{You will meet them if you post in the correct section: religion.}

Religion is a fundamentally divisive. It encourages the midset of "we are right, they are wrong, and that's all there is to it". Such a mindset cannot bring forth unity. Only a lukewarm believer can be open-minded.

I'm sorry for posting in the wrong section. Anyways, I think you're right. The 'we are right' attitude is getting out of hand.

What I've learned is that Nigerians are generally rather outspoken. That has both it's bad and good sides, but when it touches religion, it can become quite ugly at times.
One funny anecdote, when I just met my wife, I had the impression that she was angry at me a lot of the time and that she was bossing me around, but it's just that she has a more direct way of communicating and I wasn't used to that. Once I knew that, things smoothed out quickly.

Retro,

Nigerians are usually very religious. Apart from Christianity and Islam, our cultures are intertwined with various traditional religions. Atheism is a foreign concept and many Nigerians find it difficult to accept. I, for one, believe everyone has a right to believe whatever they want to, though I hope that the atheists here would get converted. I don't think christians here are intolerant as u make it seem. Christianity is exclusive, i.e. it claims to be the only true way to God. We christians believe that and say that. I haven't seen anyone call someone a fool for not believing in God, though the Bible actually refers to those who say there's no God as fools. I don't see any Christian throwing that around here. As I said, Christianity is exclusive, but it's also very loving and tolerant. We don't go around insulting people for not believing in Jesus. I don't think Christians here are any less tolerant than muslims or atheists.

Retro, what you're describing is a troublesome aspect of the many weaknesses of Nigeria's societies and cultures. Specifically, using abuse and fear to force religion on people, and turning everything into a battle of Good vs. Evil, the religious vs. the "heathen", black vs. white, etc. Conventional wisdom tells us that many things in life are quite complex and we should not be so eager to deal in extremes and absolutes. I myself was once a victim of such tactic, having grown up in Nigeria, but eventually was forced to take a more pragmatic view of what our people call religion, i.e. hell, fire and brimstone. Unfortunately, that is something you will have to learn to ignore until Nigeria is lucky enough to go through a type of renaissance (or maybe the proper term is revolution) which might force people to take a more sensible approach to what religion currently is and the role it plays in society by asking questions, and hopefully eliminating the paralytic enigmas (i.e. replacing religion with common sense) that this issue has created in our society.

GL:

I, for one, believe everyone has a right to believe whatever they want to, though I hope that the atheists here would get converted.

I can assure you that not many people think like you. Like you said, everyone has the right to believe in whatever they want to. You don't have to force your opinions down our throats.

I don't think Christians here are intolerant as u make it seem. Christianity is exclusive, i.e. it claims to be the only true way to God. We Christians believe that and say that.

They are. If you don't believe in God, you're automatically attacked by almost the whole forum. You HAVE to believe in God. People usually forget that we are all entitled to our opinions. In my opinion, most Nigerians and Christians are close-minded when it comes to religion.

I haven't seen anyone call someone a fool for not believing in God, though the Bible actually refers to those who say there's no God as fools. I don't see any Christian throwing that around here. As I said, Christianity is exclusive, but it's also very loving and tolerant.

Just because you haven't seen yet doesn't mean they don't exist. They do, that is why I made this topic.

We don't go around insulting people for not believing in Jesus. I don't think Christians here are any less tolerant than Muslims or atheists.

You insult non believers indirectly. You come off as aggressive. Most Christians in my opinion, aren't tolerant.

My parents are exceptionally liberal. They only insist that I acknowledge the presence of a higher power. I've been encouraged to delve into the literature of other religions and to analyze the good and the bad, which is why I wasn't surprised at the Da Vinci Code, no matter the outcry.

Generally, I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion except it's that I follow their ideals. I've had people hate me because I don't think the way they do -- and that's very prevalent in Nigeria. Just say you don't hate homos or that you'll marry a muslim and you'll lose some 'friends.' My aunt, for example, hates Igbos even though her most trusted friend is one [she makes an exception there].

I had a lot of muslim friends in Nigeria - my best friend was one. His parents were very enlightened and his mother treated me like her son the one time I went there, which isn't something you'll say of most Christians.

Nigerians, especially the Christian are too agressive in their evangelism. I might be sounding like I love muslims and hate Christians but I hardly meet Christians who believe in living and letting live. You can go to the North and see wherec hristians set up 'shop' in a predominantly muslim area and fix 'foghorns' to the outside of their shacks, disturbing the neighborhood.

When the people complain, they say the 'Holy Ghost fire' is disturbing their sleep. Down South, it's almost a crime to be a muslim in any school. I could go on. . .

@Zahymaka,

Indeed everyone is entitled to their opinion, even though they're not liked for just holding those opinions. The problem with your post is that you sound like someone living in a remote part of the world.

Zahymaka:

My parents are exceptionally liberal. They only insist that I acknowledge the presence of a higher power. I've been encouraged to delve into the literature of other religions and to analyze the good and the bad, which is why I wasn't surprised at the Da Vinci Code, no matter the outcry.

Would you be surprised if you knew what Muslims did to Ali Dashti for simply researching Muhammad's life and career? Broaden your scope and ask yourself what form of "outcry" comes from Muslims on just about any criticism of Islam.

Zahymaka:

I had a lot of muslim friends in Nigeria - my best friend was one. His parents were very enlightened and his mother treated me like her son the one time I went there, which isn't something you'll say of most Christians.

That is because you haven't met "most Christians". I spent my very first month in the USA in the home of Christian "strangers" who knew nothing about me. They dared to take me into their home inspite of the fact that they knew I was a Nigerian and we had received bad press of late with the popular 419 scams which many people now think originated with us. When I finally got myself sorted, they didn't ask one dime back from what they spent on me; not to mention how many times they have visited me in schoolas if they were my parents.

Zahymaka:

Nigerians, especially the Christian are too agressive in their evangelism. I might be sounding like I love muslims and hate Christians but I hardly meet Christians who believe in living and letting live. You can go to the North and see wherec hristians set up 'shop' in a predominantly muslim area and fix 'foghorns' to the outside of their shacks, disturbing the neighborhood.

And Muslims were very genteel in the North during the riots following cartoons of Muhammad that had nothing to do with Nigeria, abi? Please, let's just be practical and stop pandering these misconceptions.

Zahymaka:

Down South, it's almost a crime to be a muslim in any school. I could go on. . .

Honestly ask yourself why this state of affairs now exist in the South (and how real this complaint of yours is), following what Muslim Northerners have done in recent past.

@ Zahymaka,

Zahymaka:

My parents are exceptionally liberal. They only insist that I acknowledge the presence of a higher power. .

Generally, I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion except it's that I follow their ideals. I've had people hate me because I don't think the way they do -- and that's very prevalent in Nigeria.

You have chosen nepotism to a particular religion in your inputs here. I dont care to which religion you pertain to here, but your first statement and the subsequent one got my attention at first readings. They seem to run contrary to each other, thereby making the whole of your other inputs left to the shadow of belief to be baseless. If your parents are actually liberal, from my knowledge of sociology, I dont expect that they will insist you to acknowledge the presence of a higher power.

Your input further goes to show that you are highly economical with the truth or better still, biased with your inputs here, and do not really know what is ongoing here in Nigeria or most especially in the Arab world. Do you know in the North, there is the Taliban Network growing?, are you not aware of the two Kano riots, or have you ever heard of Sharia in the Northern states and their mutiliated victims, have you ever heard that the highest level of education they deem fit in the North is how to recite the quran, or speak,write the Arabic language, did you hear of the Miss World that had to taken away from Nigeria, did you know about the protest that never recieved public attention following the cartoon about Muhammad here in Nigeria, where innocent lives were killed? Or my brother while serving in Kano that was almost killed by Muslims?

Give me an instance, here in Nigeria, where True Christians have ever incited themselves to take up arms and slaughter muslims, because of the slander they keep posting about Christ, then we can reason together.

You are highly entitled to your opinions, but I seek that your eyes of understanding will be opened.

Yes Retro, there are a few more open minded ones about, but I agree that generally Nigerians are pretty extremist about their religions.

My Nigerian boyfriend is a Christian, he goes to Church, he prays every morning and reads the bible every day. He pays his tithes and tries to live a Christian life.

I am an atheist. He doesn't try to convert me. I don't try to convert him. We respect each others beliefs.

I would express my view on this but I'm a little gun shy when it comes to saying things about Nigerians on this forum since I was banned for same    Hi  Seun! How r u? Miss me? 

so u are not nigerian trini

Stilettos:

so u are not nigerian trini

No I'm not. I'm from Trinidad and Tobago

islander

go through her posts,only a Nigerian can use those adjectives and perculiarities in writing style
I was also flabberkujarred when she said she wasn't Nigerian
well trini I guess Nigerians and trinidadians have some similarities.

what are people from your country called?
I thought they were 2 different countries now?

babyosisi:

go through her posts,only a Nigerian can use those adjectives and perculiarities in writing style
I was also flabberkujarred when she said she wasn't Nigerian
well trini I guess Nigerians and trinidadians have some similarities.

naaaaah, one can tell shes not Nigerian, abeg!

Hi Ladies!

yes I'm an Islander.     They call us Trinidadians if you're born in Trinidad and Tobagonian if u were born in Tobago.  It's one Republic, but Tobago is quieter and slower paced, people are friendlier, more of a tourism spot, Trinidad is more commercial, must faster pace.

We call ourselves Trinbagonians 

I was so amused by pidgin that I had to start learning it from the friends I made on Nairaland that I talk to on Yahoo, so sometimes I interject it here and there for emphasis. 

But sissi is right, trini and nigerians have a similar pidgin english we use, we just call it local dialect or colloquialism. 

So it's easier for me to understand pidgin than other folk I guess. 

Blue! No mind, I am Nigerian when i have to be ooo, abeg, doh bring wahala for me here on this blessed day. 

trini_girl:

Hi Ladies!

Blue! No mind, I am Nigerian when i have to be ooo, abeg, doh bring wahala for me here on this blessed day.

Infact,the girl is Ijaw lol
You be niger delta proper.

hey! na wa for u babyosisi lol

Bunch of hypocrites they are