Why do you allow people to attack and ridicule Christianity?

You're calling people 'childish and stupid' (and other things) just because they don't believe in your god, yet we're not allowed to say who ridiculous we find your god concept? That's not how free speech works.

So you’re comfortable calling atheists childish and stupid @Singersong ? So you enjoy a bit of hate speech towards others when it suits you?

Eh?

as others have said, Christianity pervades our lives far far more than any other religion. We are indoctrinated at school (even non faith ones) where it is stated a fact. what you perceive as “hate speech” is a reaction to this being forced upon us.

further, being religious is a choice in this country so you need to be able to defend it. Race, disability, sex, sexuality is not a choice - and hate speech against those - particularly the former two - is a far bigger problem
on this website.

Maybe it’s to make up for the thousands of years Christians chose to torture, kill, enslave etc anyone who didn’t believe or who believed in a slightly different flavour of Christianity?

Sauce for the goose and all that?

I think most people are live and let live - I agree that you will see people being vile about any religion and its adherents.

I think there are probably a few issues that are specific to the UK that might be causing people to feel they have more right or cause to criticise Christianity than other religions.

One is the special status of Christianity in the UK state. The state funds religious segregation of children in education, pays for children to be proselytised to within state education structures and enables religious discrimination against four year olds. When Christians have preferential access to significant numbers of schools, their clergy having reserved seats in the legislature, ask for and receive state funding for their buildings and have their prayers as the default in many aspects of the state apparatus, it is likely to annoy those who think the state should treat people equally regardless of religion.

I think the rise of the religious right's political influence on policy in the US is also making people nervous about that kind of thing to take root here, and is making people less tolerant.

And underpinning it all is the cultural factor that Christianity is the religion that people have much, much more experience of. Many atheists were raised Christian themselves. Others will have experienced it through school, through seeing their head of state also being head of a church and Christian practices being part of the life of the state in various ways, through having gone to a Christian school because their parents chose it or because there was no other option, and through Christianity being much more intertwined in our culture. Other faiths don't occupy anywhere near the same status or have had such a huge influence on the way our country developed or on quite minor aspects of the way we live our lives today.

I don't think Jewish Mumsnetters will agree with you

I work with asylum-seeking families of a variety of faiths, many of whom are displaced on religious grounds.
I shudder at the notion of people taking personal offense at religious differences, because, as previous posters have stated, freedom of expression is as critical to democracy as religious freedom.

It isn't hate speech to point out when someone is talking nonsense.

YANBU

There are double standards on here - other religions are untouchable

I don't see this about any other religion.

Then you don't read MN very widely. Get on any thread about a brown person committing a crime, the Islamophobes come out rubbing their hands.

They don't.

Oh god, Christians trying to claim victimhood status now.

I'd say I'm culturally Christian so if I'm ever going to comment on religion and the absurdity (to me) of it then I'm going to come from that perspective. People speak on things they personally relate to or have knowledge of or who have lived through a particular upbringing or have experienced. In this case religion. So their point of reference isn't going to be say, Islam or Hinduism.

@BarHumbugs @Singersong I assumed the use of hate speech was intended to refer to the legal term. Which it is.

So you want criticism against Christianity banned on mumsnet but happy for it to be in the wider society?

Stifling free speech is not a good thing, even if it offends you.

For eg a woman in Germany has recently been prosecuted for calling a rapist a rapist.

Free speech will make all of us uncomfortable in one way or another but it is so, so important.

And your comprehension is very weak if you don’t understand the concept of free speech and where it’s suppression leads.

People can choose to believe what they like. It is however not hate speech to point out why I feel that all religion is man made and why I don't follow any of it. A lot of hate is actually perpetrated in the name of religion.

Posters shouldn't be allowed to ridicule any religion. Saying you disagree with religion as a whole, or specific faith practices, is reasonable; but I really dislike the "sky fairies" type comments some come out with (as if they are original and clever).

I'm an agnostic, for context.

What rules do you mean? You mean the freedom to practice their religion? Or are there additional laws and freedoms that apply to only Jews and Muslims?

Yes. Religions control people by striking the fear of God in to them (literally) and use community pressure to ensure people don't realize how ridiculous the whole system is.

It is so sad that it still goes on and even sadder that more people are being drawn to religion because their lives are so empty.

Not sure if anyone else has asked this but I’m genuinely interested to know what this refers to I'm sorry.. you think that Jews and Muslims haven't asked for special treatment for their religions in the west? Have you been outside lately? Why are there certain rules attaining to different religious garments and feasts that aren't Christian?

This is a Christian country, of course people will feel more comfortable with critiquing Christianity - they’re more familiar with it. Many of us were brought up with it being shoved at us through education, brownies etc because it was just a ‘given’. Some of us and our families have been directly and negatively affected by the institution or representatives of the church.

I think it’s because, in the UK, Christianity is actually part of the culture. Even for atheists.

It’s always been acceptable to be rude and disparaging about your own culture. It’s not ok to do it about others.

I think it’s as simple as that.

Well it's a good job that's not what religion is about then, isn't it?