Anti-Religious Trolling On Mumsnet

Religious expression is however covered by the Equalities Act 2010.

So it is not like a bun-fight topic. It's like ageism, sexism disablism and racism.

I'd agree that MN has (sadly) a mixed history on dealing with how people post about protected characteristics, but I hope they will strive to ensure postings comply with the Act.

I'm an atheist and some of the comments are very tacky and rude. Having said that they are not trolling and there is just as much rudeness in a lot of other threads.

Saying ' is mumsnet a religion free zone' is just silly. It's just as easy to say is it a bottle feeding/let babies settle themselves/loving strip clubs/ Scottish referendum/exit the eu free zone'. All of those along with a million more are contentious issues that bring the same type of response.

I'm with Meditrina - it's not about religion, it's about bad manners and flat-out rudeness.

There was a recent thread about giving up leather (started by a vegan) and one particular poster was adamantly defending her right to be a twat to people with different food choices to her. She denied any parallel with religious intolerance but it was there IMO.

I agree MN should delete posts rather than threads.

Posters being rude or ridiculing other posters or their beliefs is not OK, but is not "trolling" IMO. If people breach the MN guidelines their posts should be deleted etc. Otherwise free speech is fair enough.

I am an atheist, although I do try to have tolerance for all beliefs and faiths, and I do not agree with trolling in any way, shape or form.

I am not for one minute condoning trolling or disrespect, but I think VertigoNun has identified the reason her thread went a bit tits up correctly in that it was her choice of title, which simply said 'What are you doing at 3pm?'

From my perspective - I categorically do not believe in God. If I walk into a church for any reason - wedding or christening or whatever - I am entering a place of someone else's beliefs and will absolutely respect that. I cannot, however, tolerate people preaching at me in the street, ringing my doorbell at 7am at the weekend for an unsolicited chat about Jesus, or trying to shove leaflets about God in my face when I am trying to enter the tube station.

In that vein, I think the fact that some atheist MNers found themselves drawn into clicking on a religious thread surreptitiously just rubbed people up the wrong way and they acted a bit childishly.

There is a big difference between that and people seeking out boards in the Religion topic specifically to troll.

Whether you believe in one God, many or none, that's still a belief.

Absence of belief, nicking the best bits from several, or just awaiting proof/enlightenment is agnosticism.

I do not find it's the agnostics who are rude.

I think, in a diverse society, there is simply no place for the appalling rudeness seen here all too often.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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. WTAF? Utterly dreadful.

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.

I totally agree too.

It isn't just your thread Vertigo

The quite in bold is another thread.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.