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.

@Osco "I agree. The keyboard warriors aren’t brave enough to attack Islam or Judaism. Christianity is an easy target probably because they’re not informed enough to be able to question other religions"

Where would you like me to "attack Islam or Judaism?" And what would you like me to say?

It's perfectly possible to have absolutely zero respect for a religion (any religion) while not hating the people who follow it. Are you under the impression that the people who mock Christianity think that other religions are perfectly fine? One reason people in the UK are more likely to disparage Christianity than other teligions is because they live in a country where Christianity still has some sway in the country even though most of us don't even believe in it.

Well said. You cant say it's ok for someone to ridicule one religion only and not others. If you wouldnt ridicule Islam (which I agree, you shouldn't) then why is Christianity ok to ridicule?

I would have thought that was obvious. Because they do not wish to be accused of racism.

I'm sorry.. you think that Jews and Muslims haven't asked for special treatment for their religions in the west? Have you been outside lately? Why are there certain rules attaining to different religious garments and feasts that aren't Christian? Also let's move away from religion and look at other ideologies, why do we have to have shared bathrooms for men who think they are women or at least listen to their demands?

What is it that Christian's have demanded that is so wild for you? if you're talking about evangelising and spreading the word of Jesus then you should blame Muslims for doing the same but you're implying it's always Christians which is proving the point of the original post

How is it hate speech? It’s just people’s opinions. You may hate their opinions but they may hate the prospect of returning to a world where religious rules are allowed to influence society and democracy.

If you’re secure in your faith then I assume you can comfort yourself in your belief that you will go to whatever version of heaven you believe in and the atheists/other religions won’t.

I think people are less inclined to mock other religions because they’re associated with minorities and that’s bullying/racism. Plus genuine fear.

IMO people who criticise / make fun of Christianity feel the same about all religions but may be more likely to talk about Christianity for a number of reasons.

1. we are a Christian country so there’s more of it around.
2. elements of Christianity are still very visible - for example some aspects of the king’s coronation seemed frankly ridiculous to many people in the modern age.
3. people don’t like having things imposed on them - prayers at school etc, like all authorities it’s something to rebel against.
4. disparaging other religions can feel more like disparaging a minority or ‘punching down’ so people are less likely to do that
5. some religions are closely aligned with particular ethnicities / races and people don’t want to be racist. For example decent people don’t want to be antisemitism.
6. Christianity is seen as a tolerant and non-fundamentalist religion on the whole. If you criticise Christianity you won’t get cancelled / threatened with violence.
7. others see this same tolerance as weak or even woke and think it’s fair game.

Lots of these comments prove your point OP!

I would have thought that was obvious. Because they do not wish to be accused of racism

"At the same time, Christianity has grown enormously in sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, where there were relatively few Christians at the beginning of the 20th century. The share of the population that is Christian in sub-Saharan Africa climbed from 9% in 1910 to 63% in 2010, while in the Asia-Pacific region it rose from 3% to 7%. Christianity today – unlike a century ago – is truly a global faith. (See world maps weighted by Christian population in 1910 and 2010.)"

From research- so it's disingenuous to assume if you ridicule Christianity you are only ridiculing white populations. You arent.

Because I have the sense to know that what other people think about my religious beliefs is completely irrelevant.
Does their disrespect damage what I believe - no.
Does their disrespect harm any one else - no
Does their disrespect stop me worshiping as I wish - no.

Most religions preach tolerance and gentleness. U.K. law protects the right of freedom of worship so what they think counts for nothing. Those who show disrespect or aggression on religious grounds are the ignorant, the uneducated. The 'football hooligans and thugs' of the world whom I avoid and ignore. They are not worth listening to.

Lilac - I think most people are talking about this country (uk, this is a uk based website).

Christians are persecuted in other countries because other religions are less tolerant. IMO Christians should be proud of their tolerance, but unfortunately it does make them more vulnerable.

Most religions preach tolerance and gentleness. U.K. law protects the right of freedom of worship so what they think counts for nothing. Those who show disrespect or aggression on religious grounds are the ignorant, the uneducated

This is how I feel. My faith is strong and the Bible said people would do this. It's a bit disappointing that people go out of their way to attack others and put them down but it says more about them and their character than anything else. I respect atheists and other faiths- we are all entitled to believe what we want. But to purposefully attack others for their beliefs indicates a certain ignorance and hatred that actually makes me pity them more than anything.

Have recruiting preachers of islam or judaism or sikhism been given time during the school day to tell your children what they are supposed to believe? Have they been expected to participate in prayers, songs and plays that assume default acceptance of any other religion? I don't blame atheists for pushing back when Christianity is pushed by state institutions. I'm a Christian myself but I don't believe in unsolicited evangelism. If someone asks of their own free will to hear about my beliefs I'll tell them, but I was shocked at the amount of preaching to kids about what they ought to believe happened at my DCs (not CofE or religiously affiliated) school.

I’ve just seen this is on site stuff.

Taking the piss out of things is a vital part of democracy imo.

if we can’t laugh at the ridiculous we have big problems.

Christianity has ridiculous aspects where as other religions have barbaric aspects, if that makes you feel better op.

@AppleStrudel23 " you think that Jews and Muslims haven't asked for special treatment for their religions in the west? Have you been outside lately? Why are there certain rules attaining to different religious garments and feasts that aren't Christian? "

It depends what you mean. I fully support the right of people of any religion to wear the garments and celebrate the festivals required by their religion. I do not support, for examples, demands by people to have specific input into the state education system.

Surely you are secure enough in your faith that these kinds of comments won't bother you? You believe that the Lord exists and surely that is all that matters?

This is a Christian country. But yes, all other major religions are discussed and celebrated in schools. Well at least, they are around here. A lot of time was spend on Diwali/Eid.

How is it you think that they shouldn't do a nativity play but I assume you have no problem with them celebrating Christmas. Knowledge is power. As children we are taught the religion of this country so that as adults we have the knowledge to decide whether or not to follow that faith.

I am a Christian and I am glad to live in a country that allows discussion, even criticism as there are plenty of other countries that have imprisonment or death for any perceived criticism of the dominant religion.

Totally this. Everyone in this society is impacted and controlled controlled by your beliefs, that's why you get resentment.

• state schools must have daily worship

• laws and political systems are rooted in Christianity, still has an impact on many lives today (eg. abortion in Northern Ireland)

• business opening is based round your schedule

• bishops in the house of Lords to "ensure morality is a factor in decision making"

Other religions are equally strange to me, but they don't impact me. Also because I was made to spend hours of my childhood learning your beliefs (literally taught as fact at my state primary), I know which bits don't make sense to me. Whereas other religions, I just don't know enough about to be effectively critical.

How is it ignorant to disrespect religion?

Why would you assume that a person’s atheism isn’t based on careful thought and a wide range of reading?

By adhering to one particular religion are you not in effect disrespecting all the other religions? Are you ignorant of them? Did you carefully research and look at the evidence for all the religions before selecting the one that happens to be true? Or do you happen to be the faith of you parents? Or to have been drawn to a particular religion through circumstance or chance encounter?

This, and put very mildly.

If no one mentioned Christianity to me, or tried to get me to change my behaviour because of their faith, I would almost never mention Christianity at all. As it is, I generally only mention, attack or ridicule it when it comes up because someone/some group who professes to be Christian expects their faith to affect my life.

I am the same with other religions - but Christianity takes the brunt of it because it impinges on my life far, far more than any other faith.

You feel more persecuted than Jewish or Muslim believers at the moment? I think this might be a you problem…

But go on then. I’ll bite! Christianity and the divides within in have been an explicit part of British culture since time immemorial - therefore more people in the uk have been injured and negatively impacted by it than any other world religion.

Personally? I am not sure that anyone can fervently believe in anything without intentionally switching off a critical faculty. I find it all a bit absurd - if it was harmless, I’d leave well alone. But the (RC + CofE) arrogance in the face of repeated child abuse scandals - the gulf between the life of Jesus and wealthy Christian lives (so many twitter #thoughtsandprayers, so little action) make it fair game in the same way as corrupt politicians.

It’s ironic that Christians are suddenly against “hate speech” when it’s directed at them…

Because all religions are made up bullshit designed to control uneducated people.

As soon as people become educated they realize this...

Oh yes you sound so highly educated.

Sprog - quite, as a small child being taught various bible stories as if they were historical facts I can clearly remember thinking ‘that can’t be true’. Other religions tend to be presented in a ‘xxx people people believe that… way’ which isn’t quite so jarring.