What makes Christians more susceptible to attack? Options

[Hartmann]

I read this message board and a few others and there are outright attacks on Christians (not so much here) with things like "crazy faith" and rude remarks being made towards the faith and the people who believe.

On these same message boards, neither the Muslim faith nor the jihadi movement are attacked or even mentioned.

My question is, why the disconnect? If Christians are so crazy in thinking there will be an "end times" why aren't the Muslims in thinking that all who do not believe should die (oddly enough, Christians don't believe this).

I'd like to keep this as clean and friendly as possible. Please no "Christians are dumb", etc.

[jonathan83]

i think it's because most people here have more experience growing up around christian people vs. muslims. the average american knows more about what christianity is than what islam is about, so they attack it more.

[kcroxyoursox]

I'm not sure what boards you're reading, but could it be that an attack on Christians would rile more people up than the handful of Muslims?

Edit: Also, now that I'm thinking about it, I think Jon's onto something with the "better known" theory. When I was younger I would ask all of my friends if they were Christian or Jewish. I thought everyone fell into one of two categories because my parents were one of each and everyone I asked that to always answered one or the other.

[Oasis]

Because you can attack Christians and not be brutally murdered for it

[blaarg]

It's because we live in America.
According to wiki, 80% are Christian (or identify themselves as Christian) while 5% of other religions (including Muslim, Jews, Buddhists, etc...) when you have that much difference in percentage of religious beliefs it's natural to attack the one where 4/5 belong to...

If Christians are so crazy in thinking there will be an "end times" why aren't the Muslims in thinking that all who do not believe should die (oddly enough, Christians don't believe this).

You forget the fact that we non-believers are going to be damned to hell for all of eternity (Muslim/Christian doctrine). I guess thank you Christians for being reasonable for my 70+ years on Earth and unreasonable for infinite years after that...

For that reason alone, all religions are the same to at least me (don't want to generalize for all non-believers). "If you don't believe in [X] something bad will happen to you for a really long time..."

[Seeker]

christians are easy targets because they continue to believe fairy tales in the face of scientific evidence, they don't use common sense, and they cover their ears while humming "lalalalalalala i can't hear you lalalalala" anytime you try to talk some sense into them

fuckin' christians

[Mommy]

I hate blatant attacks against Christianity. Personally, I dont know what I believe in as far as the beginning of times and the end of times, but I will always side with the Christians on this just for the simple fact that I like their stance better and I will stick up for the lesser popular belief. My boyfriend and I get into evolution debates because he believes in it and well, I dont. He doesnt ridicule me, but thinks its silly that I take that side. There is this trend towards disproving Christianity scientifically. I think that intolerance in science is what is building the intolerance in society. I have yet to understand the big bang theory. It makes no sense, but they push it at school kids. We grew up in an era that really pushed scientific fact, and I think that has hindered the tolerance for Christianity, because that is what American science directly attacks.

[chook]

Its becasuse people want to blame something for their problems, and we live in a society that doesn't take responsability for their shortcommings.

[pebkac]

People have tendency to be egocentric and think that their way of thinking is the only way. This goes for everyone no matter if you're Christian, Muslim, Rastafarian, or atheist.

But I agree with blaarg. If we lived in a country that was predominantly any other religion, it would be the same way to that religion.

This post has been edited by pebkac: Oct 15 2007, 11:29 AM

[Hartmann]

It's because we live in America.
According to wiki, 80% are Christian (or identify themselves as Christian) while 5% of other religions (including Muslim, Jews, Buddhists, etc...) when you have that much difference in percentage of religious beliefs it's natural to attack the one where 4/5 belong to...
You forget the fact that we non-believers are going to be damned to hell for all of eternity (Muslim/Christian doctrine). I guess thank you Christians for being reasonable for my 70+ years on Earth and unreasonable for infinite years after that...

For that reason alone, all religions are the same to at least me (don't want to generalize for all non-believers). "If you don't believe in [X] something bad will happen to you for a really long time..."

So why are no other faiths attacked? Is the fact that there are pushy Christians the reason they are attacked over Muslims (or other faiths)?

Or is it truly a numbers game?

I doubt in Saudi Arabia Muslims are the dominant recipient of attack like posts or comments.

I don't attack atheists or put down what they believe or what they lack belief in so why should my faith have that applied to it? For a society that wants "equality" it seems to be quite the opposite. It seems that attacking the things that we do not understand is ok, as long as we disagree with it.

You can say you disagree with Christianity because its premise of Hell and eternal damnation and the fact that you think it may be a fairy tale, but I can explain to you that what most Christians point out to non-believers is fluff and nothing more. Would you still think that attacking them would be ok if they were (more) passive?

[TetraGrammaton C...]

i would say it is a simple appeal to audience. the board is basically composed of christians and non-religious people. attacking any other religion would seem a bit silly.

agnosticism, atheism and the like:
they are often divided people, with no supporting network, unlike many religious people.
these people are often prepared to be on the defensive and make attacks before they are attacked.
this board has several people that subscribe to similar beliefs/non-beliefs and there is a feeling of comfortableness in that, but when someone says something religious, it is like walking into the geek shop and confusing star wars with star trek. this is not because there are not a fair amount of christians, but because for the most part this board is vacant of religious discussion. i used to try to start some, but they often ended poorly.

because religion is often very silent and unspoken, people often forget that anyone on here is different than they are. we naturally assume people act similarly to the way we do and when something different pops out, it becomes a point of contention. a lot of people who are not religious often forget that religion plays a large part in other people's lives. it becomes difficult for them to imagine.

an alternative view suggests that the discrimination is one based on presumed intellectual superiority, as if negating religion is progressive/evolution. In that mindset people look back and see their fellow man using what they believe to be a "square wheel" when they think that a superior wheel is readily available. if this person fails to choose what appears to be a logical upgrade, the person who has already taken that step may regard them as being of lesser intelligence without acknowledging the time and pain associated with any sort of major mental shift.

there are a lot of people who have chosen their faith or lack thereof based on their own intellectual and philosophical development. these people often have very complicated views and respect for others choices.
unfortunately, just as with christianity, people often get led like sheep into the religion or non-religion of their friends and parents without developing their own mentality. this creates people with beliefs that have not matured, but instead were a result of systemic conformism. these types of people often childishly lash out at others, who believe differently because in their inexperienced mind there can be no other way.


and on a side note "intolerance in science"
that seems sort of silly to me.

[Oasis]

So why are no other faiths attacked? Is the fact that there are pushy Christians the reason they are attacked over Muslims (or other faiths)?

It isn't politically correct to attack the minority. It's funny that if a celebrity attacks Christianity the news outlets don't care, but if someone attacks say Judaism it's a national crisis for weeks on end.

[jonathan83]

I doubt in Saudi Arabia Muslims are the dominant recipient of attack like posts or comments.

this is true. i think the muslim countries are more respectful to their religion , but also they're pretty much all muslims anyway, so they dont make fun of their religion.

[Melanie]

Two words (or a name... whatev)... mAnne Coulter

[Billy]

Generally, if you lived in America, and had a bad experience with religious people (especially if religion were the cause of such bad experience), you're going to resent that religion more so than a religion you have little experience with (no credit is better than bad credit).