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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to ask why Christians seem to make everyone so angry?

222 replies

Bardette · 30/03/2014 18:50

Any post involving Christians or the church seem to attract an extra level of venom from some and I wonder why?

OP posts:
VampyreofTimeandMemory · 30/03/2014 21:32

bardette, yes - last time i encountered a christian who took the bible literally, the only response when asked how/why/wtf was along the lines of 'i trust god, god can do anything, etc' - to me, that is crap.

ChunkyPickle · 30/03/2014 21:35

I'm nominally Christian (sent to sunday school when a child for years, but not Christened), I have some very Christian friends, even a vicar or two, who'd I'd consider good friends. I don't think that there is anything wrong with individual Christians, any more than any other person, and a certain type of, young, come as an adult to Christianity Christian, tends to be so very nice, helpful and generally the kind of neighbour you want.

However

As in any organization there is also a type of person who seems to be there more for the glory, and those are the people who put me off going to church as a child, when, because my parents weren't church-goers, my siblings and I were regularly snubbed (despite the highest attendance at sunday school, being eager to help, and really not bad children), in favour of the children of people in the church committees.

and in general principle, organised religions (or people in the name of religion) perpetrate atrocities, both small and large, world-wide. Sexism, homophobia, mutilation, gross misconduct with charitable funds (you only get our money if you teach abstinence etc.). You may say that it's only some people, and it's not really Christian to do these things, and yet it's written into church law that women can't be bishops etc.

kim147 · 30/03/2014 21:35

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Whathaveiforgottentoday · 30/03/2014 21:37

I get irritated by the hypocritical nature of some christians i've known. However I do get irritated by lots of other people I've known. Does bug me when they think they're better than me just because they are christians. To be honest, I don't get angry with them, it just confirms my believe that you don't need to believe in God to be a decent person which confirms for me that religion just aint worth it.

BuddyButters · 30/03/2014 21:38

I'm quite happy to criticise all religion :)

MojitoMadness · 30/03/2014 21:39

It's not just Christianity though, it's all religions. Why? Because in every religion (with the possible exception of Paganism and Buddhism) people are repressed, slaughtered, killed, vilified, raped, abused for doing something or other that some book that has been rewritten 1000 times over has decreed is immoral/bad/a sin/whatever. Because wars are fought over some mysterious figure in the sky and people die for something that is not real!

BuddyButters · 30/03/2014 21:41

Yep. What Mojito said. All that over an imaginary figure.

kim147 · 30/03/2014 21:41

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Tanith · 30/03/2014 21:56

I do find it interesting that the bigotted anti-women, anti- gay agenda is often ascribed to Christianity.

In fact, Jesus never taught these things. They came some years after his death from St. Paul who, in the words of Thomas Harris, hated women and should have been named Apall.

I think true Christians don't set themselves up to be better than anyone else. After all, Jesus made it very clear what He thought of the arrogant Pharisees of the time.

wobblyweebles · 30/03/2014 22:07

The blonde woman on Question Time the other night set back acceptance of Christianity a few decades...

Driveway · 30/03/2014 22:10

It's the way they spoil picnics. And summer in general.
No no wait. That's wasps.

formerbabe · 30/03/2014 22:11

I don't discriminate... I have a strong dislike for all religions.

I have yet to meet a religious person of any faith who isn't one or more of the following...

a. Hypocritical
b. Ignorant
c. Sanctimonious
d. Judgemental

HairyGrotter · 30/03/2014 22:13

I, for one, am glad the Devil is winning...I've always thought he was more fun

BackOnlyBriefly · 30/03/2014 22:14

Christians often complain they are treated worse than any other religious group. This demonstrates that they don't really give a shit about Muslims or Jews etc or they would have noticed that they get criticised too. It's very revealing.

pointythings · 30/03/2014 22:20

formerbabe then you have been unlucky - I have several colleagues and good friends who are religious and who are absolutely genuine, tolerant, decent, generous, warm human beings. One's Sikh, one's Muslim, the rest are Christian. They have no problem with my atheism because I am like them - or try to be.

Which is why my ire is directed at organisations - not groups of people in a community, big organisations like Christian Voice, the Roman Catholic Church (though the current Pope gives me some small hope), Forward in Faith - people like that, whose faith is set in stone - 12th Century stone, that is. You can add any fundamentalist Islamic and Jewish groups to that list as well.

kim147 · 30/03/2014 22:23

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formerbabe · 30/03/2014 22:26

Pointythings, people who are good, decent people are that way in spite of their religion, not because of it...IMO!

almondcake · 30/03/2014 22:26

Tanith, I don't think you'll find many people are angry at Jesus (nor was that the question asked by the OP). This isn't about the sayings of Jesus. It is about why posts about Christians or the church make people angry.

It is interesting that an anti-women and anti-gay agenda is ascribed to Christianity by various Christians. The fact that people notice this happening is fairly unremarkable.

BackOnlyBriefly · 30/03/2014 22:34

I see we have the usual 'but people who do that are not Christians' argument. Do Christians round the world know that their faith can be decided by some poster in the UK on MN? Surely that's up to god isn't it?

Or have we been graced on this thread by a living prophet of god?

pointythings · 30/03/2014 22:40

Absolutely agree, formerbabe. The thing that gets me most about church services - and I have been to a few, weddings, school-related and all that - is that somewhere in the hymns or the service there's always a line about 'pity those poor people who don't know Christ, their lives must be utter shit and we should feel sorry for them until they see the light'. That really gets on my wick.

kim147 · 30/03/2014 22:42

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kim147 · 30/03/2014 22:43

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MrsTerryPratchett · 30/03/2014 22:44

I think the reason certain Christians get on my wick and others don't is that the only people who have ever tried to evangelize at me or near me have been Christian. Never met a Jewish missionary in Africa and I did meet Christians. Never had a religious card from a Muslim, have from Christians.

I am perfectly happy to live and let live. Not happy to allow my reproductive choices, marriage, laws, schooling for my child etc. etc. be decided for me because of something I know to be a myth.

formerbabe · 30/03/2014 22:48

I think Christianity is unique in its desire to convert people. I think other religions are less keen to 'recruit' because Islam/Judaism/Hinduism etc have the cultural element to them...

Just a theory..

thebody · 30/03/2014 22:52

I have no problem with any religion but I just don't want to hear about them.

nothing more boring than hearing a Christian,Muslim etc drone on about their beliefs.

good on them for having them but keep it to yourselves guys. it's a personal thing

no religion should have any place in making laws or have a place of honour in any country. it's something to be followed quietly in their house of choice church/mosque.

none should be above the law or pandered to in any way.