My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

MNHQ have commented on this thread

Site stuff

Anti-Religious Trolling On Mumsnet

882 replies

DioneTheDiabolist · 26/03/2016 00:36

I get that not everyone is religious and that some people are very anti-religious (some with good reasons).

But some MNetters are religious, others are simply curious. So how come so many threads are allowed to be derailed by anti-religious trolls? Today a thread about Good Friday was deleted because a troll came on. FFS, it's Easter! Threads about Islam are regularly derailed by Islamophobes. On a thread seeking information on Judaism in the Philosophy & Religion topic, a troll has posted LMFAO. Ok, serious question, why does the Jewish God make all men wear a funny beards? She continues venting for a few posts before eventually exiting the thread saying that she is on drugs because It's Easter, party time.

She is a MN regular, like most of the anti-religious trolls here. I have reported her posts but they still stand.

Trolls are not interested in knowing what other people think or believe. They have no desire to discuss the point of actual threads and rarely start threads of their own regarding their issues with religion or belief. They just derail threads in the hope of driving all talk of religion and different beliefs off MN. And they are succeeding.

Why are MNHQ allowing this to happen? Deleting threads instead of dealing with posters? Allowing blatant anti-religious trolling to derail threads that people may find supportive or informative? Is MN a religion free zone? Because if it is, that's ok. I just think that religious posters should be told. Then they can go elsewhere if they wish to discuss their beliefs.

OP posts:
Report
pickmeupputmedown · 26/03/2016 00:55

Agree with you 100%. I'm a Christian but rarely nowadays comment on religious threads because of the anti-religious posters. If I see any thread that does not interest me then I just skip onto the next one - if posters are not into religion why don't they just do the same. Do they really think that we are going to change our mind about our religion just because of what they say?

Report
ElinorRochdale · 26/03/2016 01:05

I agree, OP. Many self-proclaimed atheists seem to be consistently rude and intolerant of other people's beliefs. And what happened on the Good Friday thread was apalling, with the OP almost bullied into asking for her thread to be deleted.

Report
RudeElf · 26/03/2016 01:08

I'm atheist and I totally agree.

Report
DioneTheDiabolist · 26/03/2016 01:19

Elinor, my experience of atheists (and I was one for many years, so maybe a bit biased) is that most of them are ok that others have a faith. And some are actually interested in other people's faiths.

This is not a religion vs atheism thread. It's a thread about trolls.

OP posts:
Report
AGnu · 26/03/2016 01:29

Yup, I tend to avoid even reading threads related to any religion now. All the "sky fairy" stuff will just irritate me.

I even thought twice about commenting on this thread because I don't have the energy to deal with arguing.

Report
SecretWitch · 26/03/2016 01:33

Agree. I read that thread and was appalled.

Report
FiveSixPickUpSticks · 26/03/2016 01:51

Another I agree here.

Report
ElinorRochdale · 26/03/2016 01:58

But Dione, where do you draw the line between trolling and the continual belittling of people's beliefs that goes on, not just in threads specifically on religion, with talk of sky fairies and imaginary friends? But since it's your thread, I won't say any more.

Report
seoulsurvivor · 26/03/2016 02:00

I am not religious but can't stand seeing people mock faith. It just seems so dim-witted and narrow-minded. Such people always come across as adolescents to me.

Report
emotionsecho · 26/03/2016 02:04

I'm wondering how MNHQ can justify letting the comments made by the person quoted in the OP's post stand and also for allowing/condoning the appalling behaviour on the Good Friday thread.

Report
gruffaloshmuffalo · 26/03/2016 02:07

I totally agree. I even started to report it but I didn't know how to express what I meant. This totally sums it up

Report
VertigoNun · 26/03/2016 02:10

I started the thread I think you are discussing. I didn't mind the posts about having a cup of tea etc, I was amused by them. The cruel posts were the reason I reported my thread as it was turning into carnage. My thread title was not well thought out so I felt bad.

I understand one of the posters apologised to MNHQ for their posts.

Report
FiveSixPickUpSticks · 26/03/2016 02:23

It isn't just your thread Vertigo

The quite in bold is another thread.

Report
SeriousSteve · 26/03/2016 02:27

I totally agree too.

Report
VertigoNun · 26/03/2016 02:30

I have seen some upset Jewish posters on a thread and did report those. I also left some threads as some posters went too far over Islam.

I don't know what the answer is, as you say there is free speech.

I found the comments going too far about IQ being somehow a problem if you have faith.

Report
DioneTheDiabolist · 26/03/2016 02:30

Elinor, there is no difference between trolling and continual belittling of people's beliefs. But there is a difference between Atheism and anti-religious trolling.

OP posts:
Report
MrsTerryPratchett · 26/03/2016 02:32

Massive atheist here. I will also fight until the cows come home on matters like religion in schools and the like.

I just made five minutes to look at the thread about Judaism. Shock WTAF? Utterly dreadful.

Report
Haudyerwheesht · 26/03/2016 02:32

I completely agree and from what I've seen its much more acceptable on MN to belittle Christian beliefs than any other religion too.

Fwiw I am agnostic.

Report
Atenco · 26/03/2016 02:37

It really just shows how little reflection some people put into their belief in the non-existence of God. They think that by putting other people down, they are showing how clever they are, rather putting across a good argument, when the situation requires, which would probably be beyond them.

Report
ThirtyNineWeeks · 26/03/2016 02:42

I believe MN is anti-Christian and is just another cog in the wheel of driving Christianity from this country.

Report
VertigoNun · 26/03/2016 02:50

I have read the thread now and understand the upset at the magic mushroom post.

Most people on my thread were lapsed Catholics and most seemed to have given up on organised religion or simply like me had a little reflection/prayer moment.

I don't recall anyone saying they were climbing a mountain barefoot and doing a few decs of the rosary or anything.

Report
DioneTheDiabolist · 26/03/2016 02:55

Vertigo, I don't think you did anything wrong in starting your thread. And I am so sorry it went tits up because of an anti-religious troll.Thanks

I don't think that MN is more anti Christian than anti-semitic or Islamophobic. It just seems to be very tolerant of anti-religious trolls, many of whom are regular posters.

OP posts:
Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

JasperDamerel · 26/03/2016 03:36

I didn't see the posts, but it sounds as though the troll was horrible.

But I don't think that the atheists on MN are worse than the theists in general. I am religious, but very liberal and believe that the church and state should be separate, and I often find myself coming to a thread intending to post from a religious perspective but end up agreeing more with the atheists.

Report
DioneTheDiabolist · 26/03/2016 03:45

Thank you to all the posters on this thread so far.Thanks I didn't think it would get this many replies.

I hope MNHQ respond and clarify the situation for deists.Smile

OP posts:
Report
VashtaNerada · 26/03/2016 05:43

I agree. I'm as atheist as they come but I believe in treating other people's beliefs with respect. Sure, if someone was using their religion to justify something horrible I would stand up to it, but just talking about your beliefs? It's not okay to insult and belittle someone for that.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.