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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mocking Christianity

603 replies

Ihatepcos · 21/02/2023 20:45

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.

OP posts:
ZenNudist · 21/02/2023 22:33

GodisLove0 · 21/02/2023 22:10

@Ihatepcos
Luke 6:22

Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil because of the Son of Man

Thanks for this. A little something to lift the spirits amidst all the hate.

I knew this thread was going to go a certain way. We should play mock Christianity bingo. I knew sky fairy would come up pretty quickly.

Let's not forget:

  • something about believing in science;
  • something about being rational (which is a joke when you think about everything that had to go right in the universe to get us here);
  • attacking Christians in general for the failings of the Catholic church;
  • attacking Christians in general for wars which use faith as a cover for other geopolitical interests;
  • but cancer/pain/evil etc anything trying to concentrate centuries of nuanced philosophy and rigorous complex debate into a soundbite;

I could go on. All these threads are the same. It's tiresome and the overriding sense of hatred and superiority is not worth fighting against. Your world view will be well thought out, a faith is lived. Faith is rarely acquired and given no thought again.

I see how the 'offensive to other religions' post has been deleted but not the swathes of the anti-christian bigotry on this thread. Point proved.

MillenialAvocado · 21/02/2023 22:35

Yeah I 100% agree OP. I've had to put up with some vile comments as a Christian, it can be really hurtful.

TheDogthatDug · 21/02/2023 22:35

Any religion is fair game to have the piss taken out of for me. Believing in a supernatural entity that has some influence over our lives is irrational imo. If God is real then so is Father Christmas.

Blinky21 · 21/02/2023 22:36

I'll mock all I like, especially given the church's outdated views on gay marriage. Luckily Christianity is in decline in the UK

Nonicknamesleft · 21/02/2023 22:36

Yep, pisses me off too. Standard though, in any online forum - just look at the comments sections of any national paper in response to any story that touches on the church.

TheDogthatDug · 21/02/2023 22:37

Sorry I should have said God/Allah/Yahweh/Any other deity

Untitledsquatboulder · 21/02/2023 22:38

Tough shit. I've had a lifetime of having to listen to Christian teaching and the church trying to keep women down. I will laugh and ridicule as much as I like.

PrincessPeach92 · 21/02/2023 22:41

I think they're all a load of nonsense, although I'd probably be a bit more diplomatic in say a work environment.

But it's true, people are much more hesitant to criticise Islam despite the hugely sexist and homophobic beliefs that many practitioners hold.

IWineAndDontDine · 21/02/2023 22:48

I would openly disagree with a flat earther so why wouldn't I with anyones religious beliefs? What's the difference between "the earth is flat" and "there's a man in the sky who helped me pass my maths test because i got on my knees and asked him to but he also gives children cancer. Oh, and he managed to spontaneously inseminate some virgin with a floating man."

I hope there isn't a god because if there is, he's a shitpiece who frankly, has a lot to answer for

RampantIvy · 21/02/2023 22:49

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

That has never ever been the sole preserve of Christians. What about all the Islamic terrorist groups? Stalin? Putin? The Khmer Rouge, Kim Jong-un and other dictators?

I agree with you@Ihatepcos. I'm not religious, but I don't mock people who are. It says more about the people who sneer at people who have a faith than the people they are mocking.

WentForAWalk · 21/02/2023 22:49

I detest all religion. I don't detest all who have a faith.

I just feel sorry for them.

FatOaf · 21/02/2023 22:50

It's a protected characteristic.

So is gender reassignment, but most Mumsnetters want to burn trans people at the stake.

So is sexual orientation, but the Roman Catholic church considers sexual activity between members of the same sex as a mortal sin.

Are you one of those Christians who cherry-picks protected characteristics that you believe should be protected and ignore the others? Just like carefully selecting which bits of Leviticus you think God actually meant and ignoring the rest?

CarpetSlipper · 21/02/2023 22:54

As someone who group up in a religious cult, I don’t understand how some religious groups are allowed to get away with some of the things they do and that should absolutely be questioned. I wouldn’t take the piss out of a christian but I do think all religion is bollocks and I can’t comprehend how grown adults still believe it.

RampantIvy · 21/02/2023 22:54

WentForAWalk · 21/02/2023 22:49

I detest all religion. I don't detest all who have a faith.

I just feel sorry for them.

I don't think they want or need your pity.

bluelollipop99 · 21/02/2023 22:54

Blinky21 · 21/02/2023 22:36

I'll mock all I like, especially given the church's outdated views on gay marriage. Luckily Christianity is in decline in the UK

I'm not Christian, but the Methodist Church, United Reformed Church, Scottish Episcopalian Church , Church of Scotland and the Quakers all allow gay marriage in the U.K . As do many non-denominational / independent churches.

WentForAWalk · 21/02/2023 22:56

RampantIvy · 21/02/2023 22:54

I don't think they want or need your pity.

Luckily you don't get a say in how I feel.

Nonicknamesleft · 21/02/2023 22:56

Ceryneianhind · 21/02/2023 21:08

Why is it disgusting?

We don't pander to other ideas we may think as crazy? Why is it ok to believe in a God, and not an imaginary friend / Santa / East Bunny

Logically, to non religious people, there is no difference really - to us, there is no God and no Santa either

The difference is, that most athiests don't care that someone believes or not, where as the religious get offended when someone doesnt follow their God

I don't think we (Christians) are at all offended by your choices. It's more the utter bloody rudeness about ours that grates.

MrCadburysParrot · 21/02/2023 23:03

I mean...that's nonsense, but carry on...

RenoDakota · 21/02/2023 23:10

IWineAndDontDine · 21/02/2023 22:48

I would openly disagree with a flat earther so why wouldn't I with anyones religious beliefs? What's the difference between "the earth is flat" and "there's a man in the sky who helped me pass my maths test because i got on my knees and asked him to but he also gives children cancer. Oh, and he managed to spontaneously inseminate some virgin with a floating man."

I hope there isn't a god because if there is, he's a shitpiece who frankly, has a lot to answer for

Think this is exactly what the OP was talking about. Ignorant twats spouting unpleasant, unintelligent crap designed to offend.
And no, I am not a Christian so don't need to be told to "turn the other cheek".

OMG12 · 21/02/2023 23:14

ThisNameIsNotAvailable · 21/02/2023 22:13

I thought that was Islam? Genuinely.

Islam or probably more specifically Sufism had quite an impact late medieval, to the beginning of the very early early modern period intellectual movements in Europe. Some of the most important works of Hermeticism translated by Ficino appear to have come from Muslim areas (although they are likely to predate Islam they themselves were probably influential on Sufism)

The expulsion of the Jews form the Iberian Peninsula in 1492 was important in the spreading of Kabbalah esp when adopted by people such as Richelieu et al.

neo platonism was also influential during the reformation period

people like Bacon, Dee and the Elizabethan court circle were doing their thing.

obviously all of this was underpinned by concepts and mythologies going back to Mesopotamia, Babylon, Egypt, prob some Far Eastern influence.

Ancient greek philosophy and work on mathematics obviously had an impact.

in truth everyone has had an impact, growth never came from those trying to maintain the status quo. Many of those who did push the boundaries eg Bruno, aggripa suffered.

todays culture and even the cultures we claim were its bedrock were in turn influenced by a wide variety of other cultures. It’s why cultural appropriation is a joke! There was an article the other day in one of the broadsheets of some idiot flogging himself about how he felt terrible about teaching yoga and appropriation- didn’t even stop to think most of modern yoga poses are Scandinavian gymnastics/British military exercises nicked during the days of Empire.

There’s never one right answer. Even if accepted Christianity as a bedrock there’s hundreds of different influences that have shaped Christianity.

what Christianity has been of over 1500 years in Europe is the filter through which Europeans have viewed all other cultures

JustForThisOneTime · 21/02/2023 23:24

Konfetka · 21/02/2023 20:49

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

I really can't tell if you are being sarcastic. Are you?

JustForThisOneTime · 21/02/2023 23:29

parietal · 21/02/2023 21:04

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.

This.

calmandcaffeinated · 21/02/2023 23:33

Comeonbarbiebrianharvey · 21/02/2023 22:29

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.

I think this is what OP was alluding to us part of the issue. It's not about avoiding criticism of religion but instead being respectful and not being mocked left right and centre for simply having that religion.

The post about lent reminds me of a thread about about a mum asking which formula to give baby and a load of breastfeeding fanatics were shoving their unwanted opinions on everyone (despite OP clearly stating they weren't breastfeeding). In the same way I think religious groups just want to practice their faith without fear or ridicule. That said, I completely agree that they too need to respect the beliefs of others.

ZiriForEver · 21/02/2023 23:43

I can't respect a religion which doesn't respect me: my bodily autonomy (vs abortion), my skills (majority of christian denominations doesn't allow female priests), my life choices (sex without marriage). Religion which asks women and not men to pledge obidience when entering marriage.

I suppose it is only logical that predominantly women's website have more people who don't happily follow misogynistic teaching. And Christianity is the one religion which is most relevant in our region, which means from all religions it is the one whose followers are the biggest threat for my freedom.

Siepie · 21/02/2023 23:55

I would never vote for people's religious rights to be taken away.

Just this week, a candidate for SNP leader said she would have voted against my right to marry my wife, based on Christianity.

26 bishops sit in the House of Lords, just because of their religious status, and all those who voted on gay marriage voted against it.

What was that about "protected characteristics" again?

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