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.

The people saying that atheists don't care if someone believes in God are incorrect.

As a Christian, I don't try to shove my faith down anyone else's throat. If someone wants to discuss/debate then I don't mind that and as I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I don't mind if they don't want to believe in God.

But I've lost count of the amount of people who have tried to shove their atheism down my throat. And some of them have been quite unpleasabt/nasty about it when I automatically didn't agree with them that God doesn't exist.

My friend got beaten up for being a Christian. From some of the replies on here, he should have just turned the other cheek rather than reporting them to the police.

So many people turn to faith to help them through extremely tough times in life

...because they are vulnerable and easy to brainwash/control

Religion is a vehicle to control and manipulate people; nothing more!

A lot of wars in the past have started due to religion, as well of course terrorism. I don’t rate religion myself at all, but respect other peoples choices to embrace whichever religion gives them happiness. Just don’t judge me for not wanting to agree with your beliefs, and be preached at.

I respect all religions. I myself believe in god, and aim to adhere to the principles. Do not murder, do not steal ect. I use it as my moral compass when my emotions get the better of me.

The problem I find is the extremists in all faiths, they even judge and punish their own! I find a lot of people seem to be a little hypocritical and search for loopholes to get away with it. Commit what is considered a sin knowingly and purposely but then think it's ok because they prayed and asked forgiveness afterwards :( or condemn others. I also see faith as meant to spread peace and harmony but instead it is used to cause friction and divide.

I wear a crucifix it was passed down in my family and I was given it when my father was sick and he gave it to me for protection. I was attacked by a stranger purely because they saw this and assumed I was Christian and apparently that means I don't deserve to live :(

I think people of any faith, Muslim/Jew/Christian ect all receive hate from certain factions in society. Depending on where you are from different faiths get the brunt of anger. I don't see any religion escape a stereotype

@ThisNameIsNotAvailable I was thinking it's likely an ancient form of Judaism, since it's the origin of all the Abrahamic faiths (including Islam and Christianity), but then that excludes huge swathes of civilisation. I think the ancient Egyptians could possibly be credited with this. Perhaps the god Ra is who we need to thank.

Op I am a Christian and I would personally step away from threads like this! I never entertain comments which are supposed to insult or mock my religion- a respectful debate and I am very open but purposefully and hurtfully my mocking my religion- I never entertain and I don't think you should .

Religion is a spiritual connection which isn't tangible and visible with the naked and earthly eye . People here seek validation by what they can see . The test scriptures apart without any wisdom , studying and understanding of the word .

JUST STEP AWAY ! I didn't even bother read the responses on here - save your soul! You don't need to justify your faith to any unbeliever !!!

Well, they probably think you don't look too bright, with all the mental gymnastics involved in believing in a deity supposed to be characterised by omnipotence and benevolence, yet with a total laissez-faire attitude.

Then again, they are not the ones whose faith calls on them to turn the other cheek and to love those who hate you...?

As a Christian, I don't try to shove my faith down anyone else's throat. If someone wants to discuss/debate then I don't mind that and as I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I don't mind if they don't want to believe in God.

That's great, and I appreciate that from you. Similarly, as an atheist I would never try to convince you that I think you're wrong, and I'm right. Some atheists are utter arseholes, as are some Christians.

From my point of view I do feel that your faith is being shoved down my throat and my children's throats, though, and not just by the arseholes. Through your clergy having seats reserved for them in the legislature, through the only option my children have for a state education is a CofE school that teaches them that the Christian god is real and that other faiths are 'what other people believe', through my taxes paying for religious discrimination against young children. Having come from a country with a more (though not perfectly) secular state, it's quite a stark thing to deal with.

The only time I might mock someone’s belief system is when they are either mocking another religion or so sure they’re 100% right that they refuse to even discuss other possibilities without making g derogatory remarks (and I would include a blind belief in science in this) in reality I’m not mocking the religion I’m mocking the person who thinks they are 100% right with no possibility for alternative view points

i particularly dislike the people who ridicule religion with phrases such as “Sky daddy” etc usually followed by some belief system that claims “cos of science innit”

That applies to many concepts on MN, it's OK to refer negatively to white people but the reverse?????????????? Don't even consider it, it's all 'white privilege' or whatever this week's nonsensical phrase is.
How often does someone ask 'Is this behaviour a cultural thing?' and we know what it implies, if a Christian said it was not part of their culture there'd be hell to pay.

Sounds as good as anyone.

I might have imagined it but I thought that Islam was considered to be the source of huge developments in philosophy, maths, science etc in the Middle Ages and that these were considered to be the bedrock of much of the learning which has happened since.

@Ceryneianhind that's not what you said though. The translators were stale and pale in the 17th century, yes. The authors and editors who decided what to keep/include were absolutely not. Though they were men and patriarchal.

Translated from Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic then eventually from Latin in the 17th century.

No one uses those translations now. Most people are working from modern translations that are less biased. People study the books in their original language to make sure they are as accurate as possible. Social Justice is a major motivator.

You really are barking up the wrong tree on this bit. Except for the sexism. The church edited out women's contributions a couple of hundred years in.

Totally agree.

No idea why Christianity is fair game when they’d never have the balls to mock other religions.

I was brought up Catholic and used to believe it all. Until I realised that the Bible was full of inconsistencies and the vast majority of it wasn't historically or scientifically correct. I no longer believe, because it's not true and there is no evidence to show that there is any form of god, Christian or otherwise. Anyone that does believe is ignoring those facts. So yes, they are making a choice to ignore all the evidence that they are wrong.

'Pale'? How 'pale'? They were middle eastern, not quite as 'pale' as often depicted.

Absolutely this

because xenia knows everything 🙄

"I see Atheists are fighting and killing each other again, over who doesn't believe in any God the most. Oh, no..wait.. that never happens."
Ricky Gervais

@JassyRadlett

I actually agree with you in terms of Christian schools. It's unfair.

How do you know they wouldn't?

I saw on the 'what are you giving up for lent thread' some ridicule, "I'm giving up religion because it's rubbish" ugh..

it's not about being above ridicule, ridicule is annoying and unnecessary when you're just looking for ideas of what to give up for lent.

Erm are you seriously trying to suggest in Saudi Arabia or Iran that Islam isn't forced on people ?? 😒

In Iran ...where women are arrested for not wearing a hijab or breaking Sharia law r e sex outside of marriage?!

I don't think you can argue the state religion ( C of E ) , is anywhere near as forceful ...

I’d say reason, humanism, the Enlightenment, science, and the literary canon (Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Dickens, etc) are the bedrock of our civilisation. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, is frequently a source of cruelty and barbarity. Their opposition to birth control in the developing world, for example, is obscene. They condemn millions of poor women to live like domestic cattle, producing one baby after another, often destroying their health in the process. Birth control and family planning have done more for female rights than every feminist book ever published. How typical of the Catholic Church to oppose it.

That said, I believe people should be free to practice their faith. But people should also be free to ridicule it - especially when you try to convert them. Unlike the woke bullies/fanatics/extremists who are turning Britain into Orwell’s 1984, I believe in freedom - freedom at all costs. As somebody once said, “I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

It is interesting that atheists who believe only in science and cite awful crimes which are caused by religious beliefs never think about the many unethical and cruel research experiments and studies which have been performed in, often, recent history, in the name of ... science.

I'm agnostic, personally, which to me is the only logical position. But I respect both religions and the sciences which have had and continue to have a phenomenal impact on society as we know it, both good and bad.

I mean, global warming, caused by religion? Or by our technological and scientific advances?

YANBU, OP. It's as rude to take the piss out of someone's religious beliefs as it is to take the piss out of their haircut/weight/clothing choices. It feels just as personal.