Do you get verbally attacked for being Christian?

[mygreatauntgriselda]

Does anyone else feel peer pressure not to be Christian (or at least not to mention it for fear of ridicule) or get verbally attacked for being a Christian?

I often feel I might be ridiculed so keep a low profile about it at social events, unless I am with other Christians. If I do mention it in conversation, I often get a very aggressive response.

On Friday I was out with some friends I have known on average 20 years each. Conversation turned to the Gaza conflict. One friend then started "ranting" about how all wars are caused by religion (a gross over simplification IMHO - wars are complex and involve disutes over rights, territory, resources etc).

She then started "ranting" about how faith shools are the root of all evil and I found myself being verbally lynched by four women, who had all had a glass or two, about the fact that I am Catholic and our children attend a Catholic school.

These were very PC fiends who wouldn't dream of making blanket statements about people from other faiths but felt fine about being very insulting about Christians.

Has this happened to anyone else - how did you react? I argued my corner but am feeling that I do not want to see any of these "friends" again if they have so little respect for my views, beliefs or feelings.

Sorry that last sentence sounds a bit precious but I was actually quite taken aback by the onslaught

happens quite a lot on MN too.

I always think it is a ridiculous argument - do they think they are going to make you change the views that you hold very dear and presumably have held for a long time, just because they don't agree with them?

I say "Well, I don't believe in Father Christmas but I'm not going to spend any time or energy trying to convince you of it"

This has happened every since Jesus walked the earth, griselda. It is not a new thing.

But you have been set apart, so hold your head up high! Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.

I have been attacked for my faith, yes. It makes a change from being attacked for my disability, though

lol@ comparing your own faith to believeing in FC!

As an atheist I wouldn't dream of attacking someone for being religious at a social gathering.

Also I agree that it's a gross over simplification to say that ALL wars are caused by religion or that faith schools are the root of ALL evil.

Generally I'd just let the subject drop, but the drinks clouded their judgement in this case I suppose.

The trouble is that if it is discussed I DO think religion is bad for society so it would be impossible to speak without putting down religion. All religions of course. Islam is not exempt.

I do think at a party it would be best to keep to light topics. However if you have strong beliefs in and support an organisation that affects all our lives (even when we are not members) then you will be challenged on those effects.

Hardly ever. But then I'm not evangelical and find it doesn't come up in conversation that often TBH. I don't keep to light topics particularly, but rarely would I use "because my religion says so" as a justification for a particular argument.

TheFallen - I'm not evangeliac either. It wasn't me who brought up religion at my social event.

This is a quote froma woman on another thead (out of context but chimes here too):

"i make not value judgements here, although i am aware that value judgements are assigned to me, because i am catholic in an amazing negative way, almost daily."

I'll "engage" people if it comes up in conversation. I don't attack them "a propos" of nothing. I think it's fair game to do so if they are using their religion as a justification for doing or saying something which you don't agree with, or if they bring up the atheism question first.

The problem is that for every nice, quiet Christian who just wants to go about their business, there seems to be a Theo Hobson type who wants to rant about "militant atheists".

Great Aunt Griselda I have the opposite problem. Not bowing to the pressure to be christian when surrounded by those who are. I often go to parties where such topics come up so understand your point. I also find that support comes from surprising quarters sometimes and at others drunken friends ought to be taken with a pinch of salt. Can understand why you have concerns though given your long standing friendships. Were the comments genuinely a direct attack on you or a rather aggressive putting the world to rights.

I don't always find arguing my corner in such circumstances to be very productive - especially if they will have forgotten what you said in the morning. If they can may be you can suggest to them individually that their views offended you to work out whether these friendhips have withered or it was the drink talking.

I have never been attacked for my faith, get mainly quiet respect and interest.

I've been... not attacked as such but met with utter incredulity in some quarters for not being a Christian. DW and I have some nice friends who are born-again and all their other friends are church people, and I have sometimes sensed the utter incomprehension coming off them.

One even said to me "Don't you believe in demons?" To which I said, "Um, no-o!" (in a slightly "Friends" voice, if you know what I mean). Rather took them aback! I think these people had genuinely not met people who didn't believe in the supernatural, or they thought we all had two heads...

not often in real life, mostly just on mumsnet

or they are very patronising. just like some posters on this thread

I think a lot of religious people don't have the ability to "step outside" the frame of their faith and see/hear just how odd it sounds to someone who is not inside the idiom and the beliefs.

I've heard people say casually in conversation "Well, the other day I was talking to God and..." In those circumstances I just don't see how I can just sit there and say nothing. What I really want to say is "I'm sorry? You were what?!" I don't usually dare say it quite so vehemently, though.

aah Kristina but mumsnet is a strange overly bitchy place. I never get attacked for being teacher in RL but do so on mumsnet, I suspect if I was more open about my faith on here I would get attacked for that too.

I've been attacked and made fun of, for my faith, I've also been ignored and snubbed. The most hurtful comments I've found have come from other Christians, maybe because I don't expect to get attacked by them and am unprepared.

LOL @ UQD, how do you casually drop "talking to God" into a conversation?

UQD - you and I I think are poles apart on the subject of faith, but you are (and generally do) talking a lot of sense.

I do get people who are surprised that I'm a Christian - I've recently started wearing a cross again after a gap (chain was broken, not a religious choice ) and a few people have expressed surprise, but I can't think of any time when I've been abused for it.... maybe I just know polite people who don't say these things to my face though...

TBH UQD's friends would strike me as very odd too, unless they were people who I knew through a church connection - we don't all believe literally in demons, and I certainly don't assume other people believe the same as me. I guess some people move in such restricted circles that they forget they are a minority . I do recall a Christian aquaintance, in her mid-twenties, wo claimed not to have heard of Phil Collins, because she "didn't listen to secular music", which struck me as frankly peculiar. (Not saying people have to like Phil Collins, but he is really fairly well known!)

a very senior director who is jewish - not practising - exceptionally pc, brilliant and bright accepting...i thought.

London, v. mixed workforce, in a business where being pc is part of the job.

one of those silly team things, was a quiz, this quiz included the month when the immaculate conception is celebrated.

i knew is was something riiulously wrong - like nov. - it was actually dec. she announced loudly and rudely "Thats just UTTERLY RIDICULOUS, when Christmas is on the 25th!! ha ha.

of course i was gobsmacked at not only her lack of knowledge ( highly educated woman)

but moreso because there would just be no way - SHE herself would think it acceptable to make a similar reference to any ANY other religeon.

and shes not the first.

i tell people i am, i am quite open, but thats becuase i think personally, its fucking shameful for me to keep my head down when these questions are asked, when people have died for my religeon and people have died for the right for me to practice my religeon

Doesn't seem offensive to me TBH.

I do sometimes wonder whether some people take offence where none is really offered.

But I guess you had to be there.

yeah must be

But the feast of the Immaculate Conception is in May.......!