What makes Christians more susceptible to attack? Options

[blaarg]

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.

wow, please let me copy this and save it because it is fucking awesome.

[blaarg]

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.

I don't think this is entirely true. I think Christians get the brunt of the attack here in the US because we (non-believers) DO understand more about it (more so than any other religion) leading us to be more vocal against it.

I know from personal experience that I was only religious in my younger years because of indoctrination by the likes of my parents. I naturally attack Christianity more so than any other because, in essence, I've been there.

[Jim]

Most of the reason I'm against Christians is 80% of the ones I know are super hypocrites. They also like to attack science saying it's false and then embrace it with the other side when it helps their cause.

[Hartmann]

I don't think this is entirely true. I think Christians get the brunt of the attack here in the US because we (non-believers) DO understand more about it (more so than any other religion) leading us to be more vocal against it.

I know from personal experience that I was only religious in my younger years because of indoctrination by the likes of my parents. I naturally attack Christianity more so than any other because, in essence, I've been there.

I can understand that. I think that most who are "against" Christianity or at least critical of it, have some sort of experience with it.

However, I don't think that experience makes the person an expert on the religion. You understand the basic premise and the surrounding events but some of the finer points may not have had time to sink in.

I will agree that there are a lot of people who are hypocrites, in fact, I'm sure I've been one at some point and will be one in the future. But aren't we all hypocrites at one level or other?

[Jim]

I can understand that. I think that most who are "against" Christianity or at least critical of it, have some sort of experience with it.

However, I don't think that experience makes the person an expert on the religion. You understand the basic premise and the surrounding events but some of the finer points may not have had time to sink in.

I will agree that there are a lot of people who are hypocrites, in fact, I'm sure I've been one at some point and will be one in the future. But aren't we all hypocrites at one level or other?

Beating your kids on the way to church and on the way home seems a bit too much leeway for my taste

[dauss]

For me, all the news and some events that have affected me personally now and when I was growing up. Muslims....not so much.

Who bombed and assassinated doctors at abortion clinics?
Who fondled little boys while preaching anti-homosexuality?
Who had gay sex and snorted meth while preaching anti-homosexuality?
Who knocks on my door telling me that jesus is the only way into heaven and that I will burn if I don't accept him?
Who's fault is it that I can't pick up full strength refridgerated beer in so many states and liquor on sundays?
Why isn't safe sex taught practiced in schools/who are giant prononents of abstinence only when it has been proven that it doesn't work?

[jonathan83]

For me, it's just the personal touch that christians have affected my life. Muslims....not so much.

well that's because you're in the states. if you lived in the middle east, muslims would affect you (being a non-muslim) far more than christians would.

Who bombed and assassinated doctors at abortion clinics?

at least abortion is legal here. do you really think women would have those rights in muslim countries? if they even tried to do that, they'd be stoned or hanged.
furthermore, talking about bombings...2 words, muslim terrorists

Who fondled little boys while preaching anti-homosexuality?
Who had gay sex and snorted meth while preaching anti-homosexuality?

if you were homosexual in a muslim country, not only would your life be hell, you may even be executed (iran)

Who knocks on my door telling me that jesus is the only way into heaven and that I will burn if I don't accept him?

well, if you weren't muslim in muslim country, they may just kill you. they believe they can and should kill non-muslims

Who's fault is it that I can't pick up full strength refridgerated beer in so many states and liquor on sundays?

do you think you can buy alcohol in muslim countries? their alcohol laws are severely more restricted

Why isn't safe sex taught practiced in schools/who are giant proponents of abstinence only when it has been proven that it doesn't work?

do you really think muslim countries teach about safe sex? no freakin way.

you see, when you compare the two, christianity is like living in amsterdam compared to living in a muslim country.

This post has been edited by jonathan83: Oct 15 2007, 10:56 PM

[blaarg]

However, I don't think that experience makes the person an expert on the religion. You understand the basic premise and the surrounding events but some of the finer points may not have had time to sink in.

True, it doesn't make me an expert, but I don't see how if I learned/understand the core tenets and rejected it how learning the fine points/becoming an complete expert would help me turn back to religion. I mean if I don't like the big picture...

[Spectatrix]

I was born and raised Catholic (and was pretty devout in my younger years), now am an atheistic agnostic. I do not have a problem with Christians and Christianity in general, but I do not feel any guilt in speaking out against those in the faith that strike me as utterly moronic. Surely you will not deny me my right to call Fred Phelps a bloody bigoted idiot?

As for why I don't "attack" Islam as frequently as Christianity... well, frankly, there aren't as many Islam-related goings-on in the US for me to comment on. *shrugs*

[Jim]

When did this turn into muslim country versus 'murica?

[Spectatrix]

When did this turn into muslim country versus 'murica?

Uhhh...

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).

[Jim]

This thread, from the topic description and what people are saying is, "Why do people attack Muslims less than Christians?". Two different ideas there

[Hartmann]

As an example let's look at Ann Coulter's recent comments.

She stated something to the likes of "if Jews converted to Christianity they'd be perfect". This has caused an outrage at both Christians and at Coulter. Now, what she said should not have been spoken in such a way because it came off as her saying that personality and morality wise, the Jew would then be perfect, when in fact, I think that the agreement is that she meant that spiritually they would be perfected (God's chosen people + salvation).

Looking at the news and talkshow coverage of her comments, there are comments such as "Muslims should be outraged". What? Why, because she didn't include them? Yet, Muslims (in this country and European countries) openly teach that the non-believer should be killed if not converted. And no one thinks that's a big deal?

I guess a public figure should keep their beliefs and feelings bottled up and are not entitled to say what they want to say, no matter how wrong it may be. Paging Sally Field.

Another comment was, "Doesn't she [Anne] know that Judaism came before Christianity?". I am fairly certain Coulter knows the history of Judaism and the fact that Jesus was a Jew. The non-understanding of spirituality make that question irrelevant my view as the person asking it wants to see Anne's comments as a physical problem not a spiritual one.

I don't agree with Anne on what she said but why are the targets so much bigger on Christians?

Thank you for the responses so far, they've been interesting.

[jonathan83]

how's this for you guys: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/10/16...ersy/index.html

Al Qaeda has put a $100,000 price on his head and offered an extra $50,000 for anyone who murders him by slitting his throat after the eccentric artist and sculptor drew a cartoon depicting the Prophet Mohammed as a dog.

One Swedish Muslim woman who lives just an hour-and-a-half drive from Vilks said she hopes to make good on the al Qaeda threat and slaughter Vilks like a lamb.

"I can do this in the name of Allah, and I will not fail. I could slaughter him in the name of Allah," says the woman who identified herself only as Amatullah.

She adds, "If I get the opportunity."

Dressed in a black burqa from head to toe and uttering death threat after death threat, the woman -- a wife and mother -- says she is defending her religion and her prophet if she manages to kill Vilks.

christians don't put out a notice to all members saying "go kill him" just for making fun of their religion.

[pebkac]

well that's because you're in the states. if you lived in the middle east, muslims would affect you (being a non-muslim) far more than christians would.

at least abortion is legal here. do you really think women would have those rights in muslim countries? if they even tried to do that, they'd be stoned or hanged.
furthermore, talking about bombings...2 words, muslim terrorists

if you were homosexual in a muslim country, not only would your life be hell, you may even be executed (iran)

well, if you weren't muslim in muslim country, they may just kill you. they believe they can and should kill non-muslims

do you think you can buy alcohol in muslim countries? their alcohol laws are severely more restricted

do you really think muslim countries teach about safe sex? no freakin way.

you see, when you compare the two, christianity is like living in amsterdam compared to living in a muslim country.

I think dauss's point was that those events tend to rub people the wrong way in terms of liking or disliking Christianity. Sure, things are a lot worse in a lot of muslim countries, but those are a long way from here. Most people are more concerned with what's happening in our own country.