Anti-Religious Trolling On Mumsnet

[DioneTheDiabolist]

I get that not everyone is religious and that some people are very anti-religious (some with good reasons).

But some MNetters are religious, others are simply curious. So how come so many threads are allowed to be derailed by anti-religious trolls? Today a thread about Good Friday was deleted because a troll came on. FFS, it's Easter! Threads about Islam are regularly derailed by Islamophobes. On a thread seeking information on Judaism in the Philosophy & Religion topic, a troll has posted LMFAO. Ok, serious question, why does the Jewish God make all men wear a funny beards? She continues venting for a few posts before eventually exiting the thread saying that she is on drugs because It's Easter, party time.

She is a MN regular, like most of the anti-religious trolls here. I have reported her posts but they still stand.

Trolls are not interested in knowing what other people think or believe. They have no desire to discuss the point of actual threads and rarely start threads of their own regarding their issues with religion or belief. They just derail threads in the hope of driving all talk of religion and different beliefs off MN. And they are succeeding.

Why are MNHQ allowing this to happen? Deleting threads instead of dealing with posters? Allowing blatant anti-religious trolling to derail threads that people may find supportive or informative? Is MN a religion free zone? Because if it is, that's ok. I just think that religious posters should be told. Then they can go elsewhere if they wish to discuss their beliefs.

"Why is it acceptable for people to jump into these threads throwing around insults and belittling people's beliefs?"

It isn't. People get roundly told off for doing that.

And I understand that the people who knock on my door are doing so because they feel that they are doing me a favour, that they want me to be saved.
Well maybe I think that I'm doing the religious a favour by stopping their misguided faith in a deity.

People who tell others they're going to hell are no better than those who feel they have the power to 'stop' other people's beliefs.

It is in no way damaging to believe in God. However, it is potentially incredibly dangerous and stupid to ignore potential mental health issues, insisting they are something else.

The thread you quoted was a really bad thread to use in your argument, purely because anyone with sense would be considered about the child's mental health and the parents lack of interest in it.

Completely different thing to wading onto religious threads and telling people they're crazy. This is a child with potential issues that would not be helped by ignorance and a giant dose of 'woo'

"People who tell others they're going to hell are no better than those who feel they have the power to 'stop' other people's beliefs."

I don't think I have the power to stop other people's beliefs.

Since when do people belittle those without faith? That's a new one on me. Do they pop up and go 'hahaha you idiot'? No,thought not.

There may be the odd one or two who will do the going to hell speech but they are certainly in the minority and often avoided by those who are religious too!

For a member of my family, belief in gid has been incredibly damaging.

Just don't answer the door. But this thread isn't about RL.

I don't see anyone with a belief on mn posting on a non religious thread saying the problem is that they don't go to church. What I do see is people minding their own business asking about churches or spirituality and have their threads repeatedly derailed.

I didn't mean to aim that at you, Bertrand

The people on the MN threads (very probably) aren't the ones who talking to you on the street, knocking on your door though, Pipbin.

The OP is just talking about religious people being able to talk about aspects of their faith and belief, amongst one another and anyone else who wants to consider faith issues highlighted in the OP, without the thread being constantly interrupted by posters challenging or belittling their faith (without reference to what is being discussed).

And I can quite believe that you regard the Christian God in the same way as Odin or Zeus, however, you actually don't need to remind me every time I am talking to someone else about aspects of my faith.

Exactly Lottie

tilder out of curiosity,in what way? And damaging according to you or according to them?

Maybe so, TripTrap but I can use plenty of less controversial examples if you wish.

You sure could and I agree with you on the religious threads thing, people see it as fair game for ridicule and that's not on.

The thread you posted though, that's natural concern and rightly so

"Since when do people belittle those without faith?"

Well, every time someone expresses any concern about the influence of religion on society they are pretty soundly "belittled".

Atheists are often told that they have no moral compass, impulse to charity or sense of wonder. Oh, and that they are bitter and jealous because people of faith have a choice of a third more schools than them.

"Maybe so, TripTrap but I can use plenty of less controversial examples if you wish."

Please do.

Since when do people belittle those without faith?
I've been told that I don't have any morals as I don't have faith.

Is it a particular Church that has members that do that sort of extreme harassment? I am in no way saying I don't believe you, Oh, but that is horrendous abuse and not representative of your average parishioner.