Why do you allow people to attack and ridicule Christianity?

[Singersong]

Time and time again I see people taking the absolute piss out of Christianity. Calling people delusional and saying it's made up bullshit etc. why do you allow this? I don't see this about any other religion.

It goes far beyond atheism and you claim to be against hate speech.

Not a Doug Stanhope fan then?

Point 1 - It's not mocking to have a different view.
Point 2 - All christians are 'supposed' to want people to be saved, it's one of the main bases of christian belief!

At the last census fewer than 50% of the population of the UK were Christian.
Bullying of anyone from any religion is unacceptable.
But people have a right to challenge beliefs especially if those beliefs result in actions that adversely affect other parts of society.

Exactly.
Challenging a belief system or not agreeing with a belief system is healthy and normal.

Point 1 - It's not mocking to have a different view.

It's not mocking to have a different view. It is mocking to tell someone who has a faith (any faith) that they are delusional.

You seem to have a bee in your bonnet about all Christians being vocal evangalical bigots towards anyone who isn't a Christian.

That simply isn't the case. I can only think that you have never met any who are quietly Christian and get on with their life who think live and let live.

I think that religion is a personal thing, but I don't have the hatred that so many people do towards it. It's called being broad minded and accepting that other people have different views.

You are entitled to your view that God doesn't exist, as do I, but I have enough social awareness to respect that some people have a faith and I do not mock them for it, unlike you.

I think all religions are made up nonsense.

I'm an aetheist - and anti religion generally- seems to cause so much shit in the world- so I think this is probably the only thread I've commented on specifically about religion.

I suggest you read my previous posts which have addressed all of these points (some more than once).

I tend not to use colourful language about Christians. It is a little dificult to maintain that stance sometimes when I'm told I have a god shaped hole in my heart! And when I am sympathised with and prayed for because of my empty, joyless life.

How come I have managed to avoid meeting the rampant Christians that so many of you on this thread have met?

I think in the same way I’ve managed to avoid the rampant atheists 😉

I've genuinely never met one. But - and speaking as an atheist - the most intolerant people I know are those who practically define themselves by their atheism, rampant atheists you might call them.

You don't talk to many Americans?

The Bible tells us that we will be mocked for walking with Christ.

Luck?

No.

Not sure where you are getting this from. I’m a Christian and I call out many posters for Islamophobic comments. Not once have I seen MN remove any of these comments. It’s patently untrue to say that only Christians are attacked on here!

In my life I’ve met 0 rampant Christian’s, and 3 what I always call militant atheists (they are not actually militant but what I mean is shoving their beliefs down my throat in a forceful way!). However I am aware that my Christian-ness probably brings out the preachiness in atheists and maybe the preachy Christian’s don’t target me as they think they will be preaching to the converted? I did have Jehovahs witnesses knock on the door and my dog chased them away

Seriously, though, you either live in an area where people don’t proselytize or they don’t think they have to because you already belong.

At any rate all other religions are slso made fun of, or held in contempt by someone, but it just doesn’t have salience for you. Whenever and wherever a religion has power it will try to enforce blasphemy laws to suppress criticism. In the UK you have only recently lost this power. Its not like you never had it. And many people who you see as impermissably attacking your religion are simply revelling in a new found freedom to speak their mind on a matter of importance to them.

I have encountered some combative atheists irl - usually men trying to draw me into arguments etc. But my ex (who is the loveliest ex I have!) was a left wing atheist. His best mate was a Muslim guy.

He had criticisms of the organised church & conservative extremists but didn’t mock Christianity or Islam - at least not to my knowledge!

Most people I know just get along but you’ll always get the more argumentative or even hostile ones in every group.

But let’s not pretend that Muslims don’t get abused online and offline.

Some people only care with their group is being insulted, but I walked out of a church service once when the pastor made a completely unnecessary dig about the Muslim community.

Great post, especially the final paragraph.

Probably because you're already a Christian. It's quite simple logic if you think about it.

Although my DW is a strong Catholic, and she often meets "rampant Christians" insisting that religion should be done in their particular way (usually the Alpha Course), rather than accepting it as a personal thing.

That's possibly why, then. There are a significant number of incredibly aggressive American Christians. The Westboro Baptist Church is one of the most famous but there are many, many other groups like them. Even outside of those extremes, a large proportion of US Christians regard anyone who's not Christian - and they've frequently got a very narrow definition of what "Christian" ism that often even excludes followers of the Roman Catholic church - as untrustworthy, actual or potential sex offenders, outright evil and/or devil worshippers who deserve to burn forever.

That being said I have encountered a few quite rude Christians over here. The Mormons I've had turn up at my door have generally been delightful, if incredibly sheltered. Some of the JWs, though, seemed very keen to try to position my disbelief in gods as some kind of deliberate choice motivated by a desire to do bad things. At least they don't think I deserve to burn in hell.

It depends how you express your opinion doesn't it @Werweisswohin

"I think you are delusional" is mocking "I don't believe in God" isn't. Surely, you have the social awareness to know the difference? Don't you?

Do you think that expressing any negative view of a religion, or stating that there is no evidence of any god, is 'mocking'?

Go for it then. But if you are going to mock Christianity then try mocking other religious faiths while you’re at it … see how you get on

I'm not sure how 'Go for it then' is a relevant response to my post that you quoted (which was asking whether Christians (and/or people of other faiths) extend the same respect they demand for their own religion to all kinds of beliefs held by other people.

No idea, but I 'met' a few while going through a difficult time in my life.