to wonder if posters on here would refer to Islam as "a load of old tosh"..

[OhdearNigel]

...in the same way that they think it is acceptable to ridicule Christianity. If a poster had started a thread about considering joining a mosque I wonder how many people would be prepared to post that Muslims were a bunch of bigoted fools due to their religious belief on homosexuality ? Or that a Hindu's beliefs were, to quote " a load of old tosh" ? If you don't think that would be alright to post, it's not alright to post it about Christianity either.

I don't believe in any religion or god, and I struggle to understand how anyone else can. But I would never call any religion a load of old tosh because although I can't understand for the life of me why not everyone is more scientific, I respect their right to believe whatever they choose to.

I think I am more openly critical of Christianity - well, Catholicism really - because it is a religion I know intimately. I am less likely to enter into a debate on the nuances of any other religion because I don't know them well at all. So I do have an opinion about women in the Catholic church which I have developed through personal experience. I also have an opinion about women in Islam, but I am aware I have formed much of that through the media, so I would be more reticient about offering that opinion up, IYSWIM.

But that's not because I think the Moslem next door is going to put a fatwa on me. At all. I haven't read the Alpha course thread but if it goes 'AIBU to go to the Alpha course' then of course you are going to get people going 'YABU it's a lot of tosh', in the same way that if someone posted 'AIBU to convert to Hinduism' I think yes, someone would post back 'YABU it's a load of tosh'.

The problem, Ilovedaintynuts, is that it is perfectly socially acceptable to say that about Christianity but would be considered completely inappropriate if posted about Islam. It is total hypocrisy.
I assume that you wouldn't be so rude as to say to a practising Wiccan that their religion was a load of old crap, would you ? Well, maybe you would.

Actually it was another post that got my hackles up, one that inferred that taht all Christians were bigots to be freely laughed at and criticised.

I think you're misrepresenting what was said on that thread actually.

The "load of old tosh" was in a sentence about the posters own personal feeling after she had attended the Alpha course.

OhdearNigel Sorry... I need to stop laughing a second, did you just suggest that Wiccans don't get ridiculed?!

Empjusa - also that people who practice Islam aren't subjected to abuse

I wonder if the OP has actually ever read the Daily Mail for example.

I'd love to live in the OP's world!

I was brought up in a practising Christian family, my culture is largely based in christianity, my government gives special privelidges to non elected chistians, so I feel far moe comfortable criticising something which is to do with ME than criticising someone else's cultural and religious background. Like I can moan about my DP, but you can't. Jewish people can tell Jewish jokes, I wouldn't.

As it happens I think all belief on a god of any kind is groundless but I have no wish to be rude about anyone just because they hold those beliefs dear.

I think people are more likely to say that Christianity is a 'load of old tosh' because, in this country, that is most likely to be the religion they were brought up with and know the most about.

Unless people have studied other religions they are less likely to have an in-depth knowledge of them whereas people who were schooled in this country or other christian countries will have a pretty good working knowledge of the most salient points of Christianity and therefore more comfortable criticising it.

not sure if yabu or not.
but do wish people could respect other peoples beliefs

It's all a load of old shit. All of it.

I agree with WilsonFrickett. If we are more scathing about Christianity, it is from a position of knowledge. The UK was shaped by Christianity, it runs through our society like 'Blackpool' in a stick of rock. We therefore feel it is "ours" and if we want to slag it off then we bloody well will. I am religiously an atheist but culturally a Christian. If someone asks me why I think Christianity is a load of old tosh, I can tell them why in great detail. I don't know enough about Islam, Judaism, Jaainism etc. to do so.

But, all religion is a load of old tosh.

It's very difficult to respect something you consider to be a load of old shit though

I would. All religion is utter nonsense. And I've seen plenty of anti atheist remarks on here,Riven. The one that seems to crop up all the time is that we can't possibly have morals as we have no one to answer to.

All religion is tosh, we just walk on egg shells for fear of being called racist if we rude about any faith other than Christianity despite the fact that the fastest growing Christian church are in Africa and China.

Tosh in excelsis, one and all.

But, no need to be rude. I hold the same views on Simply Red, but would think it unneccessary to barge onto a Mick Hucknall fansite and proclaim them.

YABU OP. The poster who used that expression was expressing her own personal opinion. Which she is fully entitled to.
I agree, all religion is a load of old tosh. I don't respect any of it, however I do respect the fact that other people have a right to believe and practice it, as long as that doesn't override another person's rights.

You really can't see the difference in a European country between:

1. Criticising Christianity, the established, wealthy and influential 'establishment' religion of much of the Western world.

2, Criticising Islam, a religion that is frequently stigmatised in the western world whose adherents are often subject to racism and Islamophobia?

Really?

That said generally speaking I don't express my views,unless I'm asked about them,preached to or while on a discussion board such as this.

I wouldn't say that about ANY religion. Rude.

And not to mention the fact that most of us probably have some experience of Christianity so know for a fact that it's a load of tosh.