Some Christians do get it

[VinylTurnip]

@Baldwin

On the other hand, if your experience was typical, then we’d have to figure out how 80% of the US population are somehow being persecuted by the remaining 20%.

Many in the 80% persecute themselves and each other. We 20% are such meanies, we force the majority into deep self-loathing.

(Which, as it turns out, is precisely where their religion expects them to be. Shouldn’t they be thanking us?)

[Sunspace]

@olivesmarch4th

And certainly a cross God is not the God for me!

I much prefer a religion that think happiness is, you know, good.

[Fear_Itself]

@ITR_champion

People say these things to me while knowing nothing other than that I’m a Christian.

How did they know you were a Christian?

[Jackmannii]

I’ve been an atheist
a lukewarm secular Jew (briefly)
and a Christian
When will I be loved

I liked the original Ronstadt lyrics better.

In my neck of the woods, there are still a bunch of Christians who don’t get it, such as the supporters of this would-be martyr (who used his classroom as a pulpit and burned a cross into a student’s arm with an electrical device).

[Lemur866]

@Jackmannii

I liked the original Ronstadt lyrics better.

Since I’m an asshole atheist, you meant The Everly Brothers.

[Qadgop_the_Mercotan]

@Jackmannii

In my neck of the woods, there are still a bunch of Christians who don’t get it, such as the supporters of this would-be martyr (who used his classroom as a pulpit and burned a cross into a student’s arm with an electrical device).

Yeah, we’re pretty thick with that type here too.

Including ones that taught in my kids’ middle school when they were younger. With the support and blessing of the community. Granted, they didn’t seem to be burning students, but biblical quotes flew fast and furious, and my daughter was given grief for voicing belief in evilution (mainly from her classmates, I admit.)

And many local residents still find our public schools here too secular, and put their kids in private religious schools.

We put our kids in a private, secular school.

So yeah, around here, the majority of people who self-identify as christians do definitely speak up, and talk about the persecution and discrimination they feel.

At work just the other week, one woman at the lunch table voiced her concerns about how her preacher will soon be dragged from the pulpit for preaching the christian message, now that Obama is coming into power. And 5 others there agreed with her. They frequently discuss their oppression, comparing it to that experienced under the Romans.

The only self-identified christian in the bunch who disagreed with them is a breakaway catholic, whose priest is married and no longer recognized as a priest by Rome.

We non-christians at the table (a Unitarian, a handful of agnostics, and one jew) keep out of their conversations and talk sports. 3 or 4 people who have never voiced their opinions on matters religious tend to join us.

So in my day to day, personal experience, some christians do get it. But not the majority that I interact with.

[Ichini_Sanshigo]

@Jackmannii

In my neck of the woods, there are still a bunch of Christians who don’t get it, such as the supporters of this would-be martyr (who used his classroom as a pulpit and burned a cross into a student’s arm with an electrical device).

With R. Kelly as his lawyer he’s sure to win! :smack:

[gonzomax]

@olivesmarch4th

Yeah. There has been unprovoked unpleasantness on these boards both from atheists and Christians alike, on a level you generally don’t find in every day life.

Not to pick on the OP, but the underlying implication of ‘‘Some Christians do get it’’ is that most Christians don’t. It’s kind of the religious equivalent of saying, ‘‘this small group of people is a real credit to their race!’’ I know you probably don’t mean it that way, Cumberdale, and I can relate to your frustration when religious zealotry interferes with basic civil rights. However, the kind of narrow thinking that is often displayed on these boards with regard to spiritual practices is quite frustrating, especially for those of us who really enjoy a good conversation about religion.

Ramen

[appleciders]

@Baldwin

On the other hand, if your experience was typical, then we’d have to figure out how 80% of the US population are somehow being persecuted by the remaining 20%.

Purely as a nitpick, the simple fact of majority does not make a group immune to persecution. Blacks were the majority in South Africa during apartheid. The Sunni minority in Iraq oppressed the Shi’a majority. You need to have some sort of power structure in place to allow that minority to inflict its will on the majority.

I’m not saying that Christians are being persecuted in America, just picking nits. Carry on.

[Revenant_Threshold]

I think i’d say that, whatever your beliefs or experiences, it’s pretty silly to believe that they’re a good reflection of society at large, or that your person experience is going to be all that similar to everyone else’s. There are people on here who’ve spoken of considerable negative reaction to their beliefs (or lack of), even from family - and people who’ve said that they encountered only support. To assume that another’s experiences are especially true or representative because they match mine would be ridiculous. Not to mention that in the first place we’re assuming motives and thoughts on behalf of others based on that experience in the first place. Comments “in my experience” have been run through a limited, biased viewpoint twice even before anyone else gets to hear it.

[PopeJewish]

@Baldwin

On the other hand, if your experience was typical, then we’d have to figure out how 80% of the US population are somehow being persecuted by the remaining 20%.

@Small_Hen

I think a lot of people like to play the victim, or play a minority card, when the reality of the discrimination they face most days is “Sally doesn’t like me and called me a dummy!” or “Billy says that I’m going to the bad place!” People disagreeing with you, thinking that you’re silly, or even being nasty about your beliefs is a part of life. Grow a thicker skin and move as far away from that person as possible.

The only people who have a leg to stand on with the discrimination argument are the gays. Even then, I think the discrimination flows less from Christianity and more from White Republican Males who use Christianity as an excuse. The reason gays cannot marry has less to do with God and more to do with a lot of people who think it’s icky.

I agree with this. People love to play the victim, and a lot of severely right-wing christians love to throw out the religion card simply because they feel that popular opinion is swinging away from the super conservative christians (thank the gods) and want to feel they’re being discriminated against.

But you’ll pardon me for not playing a harp because the largest religion in the world, which holds most of the money and most of the power in the world, that has caused suffering in other religions for the past 1500-odd years, feels like they’re being discriminated against. I’m not saying it’s right, I’m just saying suck it up. Jewish people were discriminated against for thousands of years. Muslims in Christian countries were discriminated against for over a thousand years. Blacks were discriminated against for several hundred years. Gays for gods know how long (really depends on the culture) but are still being heavily discriminated against as far as legal rights are concerned. It’s not right to discriminate against someone based on things like race or religion, but Christians have been doing it since the Church came to power, so I really can’t feel any sympathy that they suddenly now feel people are doing it to them, and I feel it’s blown way out of proportion.

I don’t mean to incite anyone, I really don’t care what people believe, I just think it’s ridiculous that christians feel they’re being discriminated against in this day and age. Is the there a movement against the christian majority? sure, do some people take it too far? of course, people are generally idiots. But Christians are in power, they have most of the money, and are still pressing their beliefs on everyone else both in religious terms and through laws. So no, I definitely don’t think there’s discrimination going on.