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.

Truth

I found this quite hard to read. It feels really offensive. I wonder if it would get deleted or allowed to stand in context.

Although you managed to be more hateful about 1 and 3 than 2.

Same. I was raised Christian and went to CofE schools/church until I was 16.

It's an absurd religion. I couldn't wait to be old enough to escape it.

Having a religion is like having a penis.
Absolutely fine to have one but if you take it out and try to shove it down my throat, we’re gonna have a real fucking problem!

@Botw1 absolutely I agree. I'm sorry if that was not clear, my point being people chose these bits and do them, so thus shouldn't openly mock where they came from, or where any of it came from. Respect for what others chose to believe or not believe.

@Waitymatey Yet it is due to the faith has given this country has the values which makes it so attractive to other nationals.

Go on then, which specific values from the Christian faith are you talking about ?

@spidereggs

Does your minister just pick the bits of their religion they like too then?

People saying ‘they mock all religions’ but the wider public do not!
I’m a Christian and just take jokes on the chin, about Jesus, God, being a bible bashed, and so on.
People DON’T say the same about allah, or Muhammad, but some some reason we’re fair game?
I just put up with it now, but it is offensive and for some reason we’re not afforded the same respect.
I’ve got Muslim and Hindu friends who actually ARE respectful and are appalled at some of the stuff Christians get.

@spidereggs

But they aren't religious beliefs

No religious beliefs deserver automatic respect

@Botw1 interesting.

Very good minister. Very respected throughout the community. Teaches compassion, kindness, support, community spirit.

I feel I might discuss the other bits with him one day off the back of this thread and how he got to where he is.

I am not offended by this at all. Being persecuted for the Christian faith has been going on for more than 2000 years.

Discipleship is the answer.

OP as a Muslim (and I think many other Muslims would agree with me) I also find it offensive when there are mocking or disrespect portrayal of God, Jesus, Mary, etc. It certainly leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

But having said that I don’t think you can say other religions don’t get a bad press. Islam especially seems to be public enemy number one in our society today. Just look at any random Islamic video on YouTube and see the amount of vitriol in the comments.

I’m not trying to turn this into a competition of which religion gets the most hate. In actual fact I think in today’s day and age when there is a lot of opposition and disagreement to all forms of organised religion, it would be a better idea for Christians, Muslims, Jews etc to pool their resources and work together on the issues which we all agree on.

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

Being black is not a choice. Being gay is not a choice. Being religious is a choice. And if you choose to believe in a God that has absolutely zero evidence behind it, I will think less of you.

Indeed. How is one god believable, but more than one aren’t? I’m not even going to go into the other items that person has listed.

Believing in something doesn’t make you superior to others - this is what that poster is suggesting. It pretty much sums up a lot of religions and their beliefs.

I think you're getting a hard time here, OP, but few posters have got to the nub of why there is more respect shown to other world religions, and why we feel less able to poke fun at Judaism, Islam etc. It's similar to white privilege, in that the world powers behind colonialism (for example) largely operate with the backing of or supposedly in the name of the christian Churches. So Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and other religions were perceived as "heathen" or inferior. The mockery or critical challenge to mainstream Christianity is part of a redressing of the balance and a backlash or asserting of freedom aligned with the liberty to question and refuse what was once an oppressive force.
To mock other religions (from a Western, predominantly white) perspective, smack too much of the racism, paternalism and associated with the "civilising colonialism" of previous eras.
Personally I don't agree with insulting or mocking the beliefs of others, but I'm all for critical questioning and pointing our hypocrisy or damage, whichever belief system.

But the other religions don't get rammed down little kids' throats in schools. We are free to find out about them and then take or leave them.
I don't mock anyone for their beliefs, but I reserve the right to mock religion itself. There really is no rational reason to believe in any of it. Many of its values are laudable but some are really not. I would cite the Roman Catholic stance on contraception, abortion etc and the utter misery this creates in some parts of the world, the centuries of abuse of children committed by men and women of the Church, the C of E's current absolutely shameful position on same-sex marriage, the subjugation of women throughout the ages and even now, the wars carried out in the name of religion, for starters.
Christian values are the bedrock or our civilisation? I think those values are the values of all decent human beings, regardless of religion - or are you saying Christian values are the right ones and everyone who happens to be born into another religion is wrong? As an atheist comparing religions, I would say Sikhism looks far more kind, tolerant and less inclined to hypocrisy!

There is a huge amount of xenophobic and racist hatred directed at other religions

Its nonsense to say it's only Christians

I think we ought to be respectful of others (something that MN has a real issue with in all areas really) but we should be able to agree and have a debate (like most of the posters here).

As a Christian, I've seen the harm done to many others and often I reluctantly state I am one until people get to know me. In particular, the churches harm in issues around class, racism, abuse of children, homophobia, and far far worse (such as the slave trade), mean that I am sceptical to want to be grouped with these people. But I am not them, and I have reasons for my beliefs but also a strong criticism against the church and it's practices (past and present). I do think Christians and those of all religions need to understand what hurt and pain has been caused, being aware in a similar way to being aware of white privilege (and in many ways religious privilege still exists will schools admissions, etc).

I think it's very important we can criticise religion but I think we can also respect different people and their beliefs so long as those beliefs do not lead to actions that harm others.

@Lemonlettuce to be fair you’re right there, as a Christian I stand in solidarity with you. No religion should be persecuted.

@donquixotedelamancha sorry if I’m being thick but I’m not quite sure what the purpose of your post is….

@Botw1 I take that point.

So a Christian country geared round Christian festivals, celebrated by most. Perhaps now culture over tradition. Yes.

But back to the OP I do think it is mocked more and more openly and without incrimination than other religious beliefs.

@GyozaGuiting Thank you and the same for you…. We may be in a tiny tiny minority but I still think religion has a lot of good to offer the world

This is MN. There is a little group of posters who would argue that black was white if they thought it made them look important. They also like to believe they are superior to others, and seem to be of the mistaken impression that those reading their posts will be astounded by how clever they are. Many of them also appear to be very bitter at life in general.

I find MN totally different to real life. There are jerks IRL, of course there are, but many on MN have made it into an art form.

Good for you. Genuinely.

The miracle man who walked on water and rose from the dead is nonsense, though.

I thought this thread was gonna be about Kate Forbes and her stalled attempt to lead us to freedom. 😅🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿.

Anyway, I agree on the point that I don't see the same level of vitriol directed towards other faiths, some of whom have even more hardline positions on subjects of the day than Christianity.