Mocking Christianity

[Ihatepcos]

I am so sick of people thinking it's okay to ridicule Catholicism and Christianity. This is especially apparent on Mumsnet. Every time there's a thread about religion I can't even read the replies because they're so awful.

The same doesn't seem to apply to the Muslim, Jewish, Hindu faiths etc.

If you don't believe in God that is your choice. But purposely mocking someone's faith and calling it a load of bullshit (and worse) is just not acceptable. So many people turn to faith to help them through extremely tough times in life and you are mocking the only thing that is keeping them going.

Agreed. People would do well to remember that Christian values are the bedrock of civilisation as we know it.

Obviously depends on the context and situation but I don't see why non believers should have to lie.

I wouldn't purposefully mock but I do think it's a load of bullshit (the lot, Islam, Judaism, paganism Etc) so if that's the context of the discussion I'll say so

I openly mock all organized religions. I was raised in the Catholic cult so feel I'm allowed to criticize it as much as I want. But it's no better or worse than the other global mythologies/ fictional story books people have hilariously attached their sense of self worth to.

No religion should be above ridicule.

See it as a chance to practice the tolerance, compassion etc that should characterise your religious practice, if your faith is important to you? The Buddhist approach is to honour someone who mocks their faith, and honour them as a teacher offering insight into a different way of approaching the world.

Surely a true Christian would embrace, forgive and love their tormentors ?

Maybe you aren't a real Christian ? Try harder. It's all about faith, I am told. Frequently, since apparently I have none.

Exactly the type of comment that this thread is about. Disgusting

Bollocks.

Or superb irony.

So hard to tell these days.

Why disgusting? Religion is an idea and no more worthy of respect than any other.

@Ihatepcos

What did you expect?

Why do you care what other people think about your faith?

Surely it's between you and your god.

Turn the other cheek and all that

I agree but i just don't read the threads. I have wondered before why mumsnet HQ allow such hate speech and yet will police homophobia, racism etc.

Much more respectful to other religions here.

It's not like that IRL. I work with lots of people from different cultures who were really interested today asking me about the religious significance of pancake day. No one felt the need to castigate me or share opinions about my faith. Even though I know one colleague is observant Muslim and another Hindu.

It's not an idea. It's a protected characteristic.

Quite

Saying spiteful or personally insulting things isn't ok, but I think people should be allowed to express robust opinions about religions, point out the obvious holes in theur credibility and the awful things that have been done in their name, and express disbelief in things for which there isn't the slightest shred of proof. That goes for all religions, not just Christianity. There is no reason why religion should be any more protected from criticism and disbelief than any other kind of opinion.

I wouldn't purposefully mock but I do think it's a load of bullshit (the lot, Islam, Judaism, paganism Etc) so if that's the context of the discussion I'll say so.

^This. I have many times expressed the view that religion is bullshit, but only to people who are willingly engaging in a debate about religion and religious belief!

Completely agree, Christians and Christianity is mocked and denigrated and traditionally Christian values are disrespected even in a supposedly Christian country.
There seems to be plenty of people who want to fall over themselves to appease Muslim beliefs but Christianity often fails to get the same respect.

Nope. I find it entirely acceptable to mock all sky gods. And I say this as a former Christian. It's all nonsense.

I was raised Catholic by my mum and stepdad and was taught about being a hedgewitch by my nanna. My spirituality is mine as I see others as theirs, I may not concur with them but I'll respect them

You know I think you're right, perhaps it says more about the posters

Surely if you really think about it, you can see how silly it all looks from an outsider's perspective. And that's without going into the absolute horrors inflicted on the world in the name of God, and the appalling conduct of many religious institutions.

Christians have inflicted enormous damage on people of their own and other faiths and continue to do so.

It’s important to call this out.

Do you not think Jesus would have something to say about the Catholic church’s teachings and history of torture and murder?

Judaism, Islam and Hinduism aren't forced on people in the form of the Lords, compulsory religious content in schools and a state religion.

Leave us alone and we'll leave you alone. Just like the Jewish, Muslim and Hindu people manage to do.

Zeus would like a word with you.

You don’t see much mockery of Islam on here - or at least I never have - probably because it’d be seen as 😱racist. Which it wouldn’t be anyway, since being Muslim is not based in any way on racial origin.

This is hilariously incorrect.

it is normally OK to mock up (mock the powerful / the leaders) but not to mock down (the weak / the outsiders). in the UK, Christianity is the largest religion & a big cultural force, so many of us like to mock up. other religions which are smaller could be mocked by their own adherents, but it would be rude for outsiders to mock.