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.

[AimUnder]

I totally agree with you OP. It's for this very reason that I took a long break from MN and no longer use it as regularly as I used to. Especially the anti-Muslim threads, they really get me down.

[Pipbin]

I've been thinking about this thread and my two pence worth is that us atheists get 'trolled' on a daily basis.
People knocking on our door, people stopping us in the street, putting leaflets through the door, adverts in public places, children having to join in with Christian worship (yes I know that you can remove them but that makes your child seem odd and who wants to do that), signs in the street telling me that I'm going to hell.

[BertrandRussell]

"Especially the anti-Muslim threads, they really get me down."

Really? How does that square with the "You wouldn't say that about Muslims" meme?

[Hairyfecker]

Pipbin you need to move. That doesn't equate with most people's experience. And you are really stretching the definition of trolled if it includes adverts!

[DaphneWhitethigh]

Fuckaducky, clickbait titles are not in breach of MN rules or etiquette. Some people don't like them, but they are a consistent part of the site. If you don't like them then you are at liberty to a) ignore them b) click through, see whether it's a subject you're interested in and engage, or not c) post to tell the OP that you disapprove of her tactics. You are not at liberty to get abusive.

[BertrandRussell]

Pipbin you need to move. That doesn't equate with most people's experience. And you are really stretching the definition of trolled if it includes adverts!"

You see, I think that is a typical response "Oh, don't be silly, you're exaggerating. And anyway, a bit of Christianity never did anyone any harm......."

[BertrandRussell]

I'm not sure that discussion "that thread" is helpful. It's gone- so it's one person's view against others- and all very subjective.

[Parrotmore]

On another thread I reported someone who suggested the op had committed incest- it was allowed to stay as apparently didn't break guidelines. It's so subjective to the 'teams' opinion and I find it appalling

[Abraid2]

Try getting MNHQ to edit thread titles such as 'Oh my fu.kin. God', but spelled out in full. They won't.

I'm agnostic now but think it's awful.

[BertrandRussell]

I don't like sweaty titles either, actually. But why should ones with "God" in them be special cases?

[BertrandRussell]

Sweary, not sweaty!

[Abraid2]

Sweat really is revolting on titles.

It is swearing at an entity that quite a number of people regard as divine. Or, at someone that a lot of people love. Like seeing a thread entitled *Abraid2's fucking mother'.

.

[SurferJet]

lol ( sorry, I shouldn't laugh on a religious thread )

[Pipbin]

So it's my fault that I get religious leaflets put through my door? I should move? Where do you suggest? I have lived all over the country in cities and villages and it has all been the same.
I'm not saying all those things happen every day but the certainly happen more than once over a year.
People are allowed to shove a leaflet through my door saying that if I believe then I will be reunited with my dead children (I don't have dead children but that's not the point), but if I tell them that it's all a load of made up bollocks I am the one in the wrong.

[DaphneWhitethigh]

OMFG isn't swearing at God in that sense though. The "F" is merely an intensifier. And it's a phrase so embedded in online culture that it would be a huge struggle for MN to outlaw it. (Although they are prepared to fight on disablist words that are ubiquitous elsewhere so it's not unprecedented).

[YesterdayOnceMore]

I find the use of Sky fairy etc highly insulting and abusive.

[DaphneWhitethigh]

I wish I could catch the people dropping leaflets for magicians and exorcists at it fuckaducky. Now they are actually evil.

[Backingvocals]

I am an atheist and anti-religion. I'm not rude to people though. I wouldn't belittle anyone's beliefs but I do think it's ok in the context of a discussion about religion to question the mystical elements of it.

[KillBillHill]

I posted on the Good Friday thread because I genuinely didn't know the importance of 3pm. One particular poster was horrid on there. You wouldn't talk like that to a religious colleague or friend or even stranger in real life. It's very easy to spout shit behind your electronic device though isn't it 😒

[Pipbin]

I find the use of Sky fairy etc highly insulting and abusive.

I find getting told that my IVF ending in miscarriage was because I didn't pray highly offensive and insulting too.