Question for the Christians

[hiddenhome]

Just wonderin' 'n' musin' like. Do you ever get fed up or feel uncomfortable with the amount of blasphemy on the main boards? I've been noticing it more and more recently. I don't know why people think that this isn't offensive or unpleasant. I don't think they'd do it to other religions Makes me wonder why people are so vehemently anti Christian, then keep making these references. Also, can't understand why people can't equate a religious person's love for God to an atheist's love for their family and children. They wouldn't like to be insulted over their love for their dcs, but quite happily take the pee and dish it out to the faith people. Sometimes they're even hostile and aggressive about it. I find the boards quite slack liberally minded, but don't know why they don't extend this liberalism to everyone. If you truly choose equality, doesn't it mean that the equality should extend to those you don't agree with and even actively dislike?

I know we're supposed to take it as part of being a Christian, but was just wondering how others felt really.

[AKMD]

I don't like it and I wish people would have a bit more respect - not using the name of someone's God as a swear word would be a great start but I think it is very reflective of British society in general. I make sure I tell the people I work and hang out with that I'm religious (not in a pushy way, just in conversation) and in general they tone down the language while I'm around. Some people though will always have the attitude that they can say whatever they like and it's up to religious folks to deal with it. I think that's exacerbated on an online forum where people say things to others that they wouldn't dream of saying in RL.

If people in RL choose to be deliberately offensive I tend to ignore and stay away from them because they tend to be not very nice in other respects as well.

[MagsAloof]

Need specific examples to be able to comment.

[ClaireAll]

It's part & parcel of being a Christian.

Christians have been persecuted for their faith for 2000 years. There is nothing new under the sun.

[MagsAloof]

Christians have persecuted people, too. The 'victim mentality' is a bit weak.

I am genuinely interested to know what it is that you find offensive, OP?

[hiddenhome]

People using JC and Christ and JFC and God in their posts and titles.

It's blasphemy to a Christian when these names are used in these contexts. I'm not being a 'victim', I'm genuinally interested to know if the other Christians find this offensive as well. I'm not personally responsible for the entire history of the church and I haven't personally persecuted anybody, so I think the 'Christians have persecuted people, too' a bit weak tbh

[MagsAloof]

I wasn't addressing you wit that comment, hiddenhome, I was talking to ClaireAll.

I suppose it depends on how seriously you take these things. My family are Irish Catholics, but say 'Jesus, Mary, Joseph', Jesus Christ!, FGS etc regularly. I haven't mixed with very religious Christians enough to know what they find offensive or don't, but if I was told by a Christian they were offended by me saying 'FGS', for example, I wouldnt use it.

I think in general, though, religious people get a very easy ride in this country and are prone to being over sensitive. Christians are NOT persecuted in Britain.

[MagsAloof]

The other thing I would say is that you are easily offended, MN might not be the best place for you....

[ethelb]

Do you mean people saying oh my God? Or do you mean people being offensive about people who are religious?

They are two different things.

OMG doesn't bother me.

The being offensive about religion thing is pretty trendy at the mo amoung badly theologically educated people, to make a sweeping generalisation ;-) but if they must follow the crowd they must.

[MagsAloof]

See, I dont buy this ine trotted out that 'being horrioble about Christians is trendy'.

There have been some popular / populist books stating the case for atheism.Far more average Joes have a basic grasp of atheism now, and have some arguments 'against' God and religion.

I think it is very hard for religious people to be confronted with strident Atheism. I do understand that. It probably does come across as rude, but how do you say 'I dont believe a word of it - and you have no proof' politely? Really?

I dont agree with being deliberately offensive about religion for the sake of it, but sometimes the truth does hurt....

[ethelb]

@MagsAloof My father is an atheist, my mother catholic and I am a Quaker (v recenlty converted)

I find the idea that I just 'can't handle the truth' as though no one has ever said that to me before more than a leetle patronising...

[MagsAloof]

I dont believe in God. I find it patronising that anyone would think that Jesus an 'save' me...but hey ho.

Back to the point of the thread - I think phrases like 'Oh my god', 'For god's sake' etc have become so commonly used, they are almost meaningless to most of the people using them...but I appreciate that some people may be offended and I wouldt nwant to deliberately offend someone when I could just not use the phrase. That is in RL, though. On an interet forum, I think people have to be allowed to speak freely and anonymously, providing they arent discriminatory.

[hiddenhome]

'the truth does hurt' But it's your truth, not ours. The thing is, nobody can prove anything either way, so we each have faith in whatever beliefs we have.

[hiddenhome]

I believe in freedom of speech too, but they wouldn't come out with something about mohammed or something about the Hindu religion would they? It's quite common to openly insult and denigrate people who are Christians, whereas other faiths wouldn't receive the same treatment. Nobody really refers to Allah as an 'imaginary friend' for example. I'm just puzzled to know why Christianity comes in for such a hard time. It's part and parcel of the faith to come across people who have a go at us, but it's still hurtful. I would not say to somebody "you're crazy for loving your dh or ds, you must be misguided in your feelings, you must learn to accept the truth" etc.

[hiddenhome]

Love is not a measurable quality for example. You can say you love someone or something, but that love doesn't exist in concrete form. You can try to prove it one way or another, but it's completely subjective to the person experiencing it. Telling someone they shouldn't love someone/thing is ridiculous and futile because you can't take it away from somebody. This is how people of faith feel about atheists telling us we're nuts or God can't be proven etc. etc. It doesn't mean anything to us, so they move on to the next step and begin the insults and denigration. That causes hurt and distrust, to what aim?

[ethelb]

@Magsaloof, who has said that to you? I think all these shouty outy prostletysing christians are made up sometimes just to prove some kind of point.
I have only ever encountered one once.

[MagsAloof]

Yeah i made it up. there are absolutely NO Evangelical Christians near me. Nope. None at all.


Anyhoo...

[VegimalStyle]

There used to be a street preacher in Cardiff who had a pie chart (single colour) to show the love of Jesus. He wouldn't reveal where he obtained this information. Don't think it was from the office for national statistics...

[seeker]

I try not to blaspheme. And I stop my children doing it whenever I can.


But.

It really annoys me when Christians in this country talk about being persecuted when what they actually mean is "no longer being given special privileges and being expected to adhere to the law of the land"

[DioneTheDiabolist]

I'm a Christian. I regularly blaspheme. I sometimes like to mix blasphemy with profanity. I get that some people don't like it, but I don't live my life according to what some people don't like.

[hiddenhome]

seeker I haven't said anything about being persecuted. I wouldn't want special privileges either.

[DumSpiroSpero]

I don't find 'OMG' or 'Jesus Christ!' etc particularly offensive personally and am guilty of using those phrases myself.

What does piss me off massively is people referring to God as 'so-and-so's imaginary friend' in a way that implies this POV is fact.

If people believe that there is no God - fine, that's their choice, but to be so mocking of someone else's beliefs, which they are equally entitled to and in such an offensive way really does get my back up.

I tend to have to step away from those threads very rapidly...

[Housemum]

Just to clarify when you say OMG do you mean written as that, or the words said in full? In our house it is "oh my goodness" even though the majority of people don't use it as that, just a thought though as I use that term sometimes on Facebook and could easily use it here without meaning to blaspheme.

[DumSpiroSpero]

It doesn't bother me either way. I do know people on here and in real life that would be though so I re-phrase it to 'goodness' most of the time.

[DoubleGlazing]

I dislike swearing in general and religious swearing in particular.

I realise there's little I can do about it though, apart from join the ranks of the minority