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.

@BarHumbugs @Singersong I assumed the use of hate speech was intended to refer to the legal term. Which it is.

So you want criticism against Christianity banned on mumsnet but happy for it to be in the wider society?

Stifling free speech is not a good thing, even if it offends you.

For eg a woman in Germany has recently been prosecuted for calling a rapist a rapist.

Free speech will make all of us uncomfortable in one way or another but it is so, so important.

And your comprehension is very weak if you don’t understand the concept of free speech and where it’s suppression leads.

I'd say I'm culturally Christian so if I'm ever going to comment on religion and the absurdity (to me) of it then I'm going to come from that perspective. People speak on things they personally relate to or have knowledge of or who have lived through a particular upbringing or have experienced. In this case religion. So their point of reference isn't going to be say, Islam or Hinduism.

Oh god, Christians trying to claim victimhood status now.

They don't.

I don't see this about any other religion.

Then you don't read MN very widely. Get on any thread about a brown person committing a crime, the Islamophobes come out rubbing their hands.

YANBU

There are double standards on here - other religions are untouchable

They have the complete opposite effect in my opinion. They sound childish and stupid.

I recently watched an interview with a Nun, don't buy lad bible. She was asked something along the lines of how does she know God is real, she said she doesn't. That's what people who make that kind of statement don't even begin to understand.

I work with asylum-seeking families of a variety of faiths, many of whom are displaced on religious grounds.
I shudder at the notion of people taking personal offense at religious differences, because, as previous posters have stated, freedom of expression is as critical to democracy as religious freedom.

It isn't hate speech to point out when someone is talking nonsense.

I don't think Jewish Mumsnetters will agree with you

I think most people are live and let live - I agree that you will see people being vile about any religion and its adherents.

I think there are probably a few issues that are specific to the UK that might be causing people to feel they have more right or cause to criticise Christianity than other religions.

One is the special status of Christianity in the UK state. The state funds religious segregation of children in education, pays for children to be proselytised to within state education structures and enables religious discrimination against four year olds. When Christians have preferential access to significant numbers of schools, their clergy having reserved seats in the legislature, ask for and receive state funding for their buildings and have their prayers as the default in many aspects of the state apparatus, it is likely to annoy those who think the state should treat people equally regardless of religion.

I think the rise of the religious right's political influence on policy in the US is also making people nervous about that kind of thing to take root here, and is making people less tolerant.

And underpinning it all is the cultural factor that Christianity is the religion that people have much, much more experience of. Many atheists were raised Christian themselves. Others will have experienced it through school, through seeing their head of state also being head of a church and Christian practices being part of the life of the state in various ways, through having gone to a Christian school because their parents chose it or because there was no other option, and through Christianity being much more intertwined in our culture. Other faiths don't occupy anywhere near the same status or have had such a huge influence on the way our country developed or on quite minor aspects of the way we live our lives today.

Maybe it’s to make up for the thousands of years Christians chose to torture, kill, enslave etc anyone who didn’t believe or who believed in a slightly different flavour of Christianity?

Sauce for the goose and all that?

as others have said, Christianity pervades our lives far far more than any other religion. We are indoctrinated at school (even non faith ones) where it is stated a fact. what you perceive as “hate speech” is a reaction to this being forced upon us.

further, being religious is a choice in this country so you need to be able to defend it. Race, disability, sex, sexuality is not a choice - and hate speech against those - particularly the former two - is a far bigger problem
on this website.

Eh?

So you’re comfortable calling atheists childish and stupid @Singersong ? So you enjoy a bit of hate speech towards others when it suits you?

You're calling people 'childish and stupid' (and other things) just because they don't believe in your god, yet we're not allowed to say who ridiculous we find your god concept? That's not how free speech works.

No. I am comfortable calling childish and stupid people, childish and stupid.

It's got nothing to do with their belief in God and everything to do with their smart arse insults about sky fairies. I didn't say religion should be free from criticism, in fact I think it's important to do so. But when the line is crossed to hate speech then that's too far.

You see I think right there is Christianity’s problem. It has been for thousands of years. Believe what I believe or you’re wrong.

@Singersong I understand you’re very upset and passionate about this but stifling the free speech of others is not a good thing. It really isn’t.

And I say that as someone who sees the beauty in Christianity.

Yes but would you be as quick to say that to a Muslim, Hindu or Jew?

Are you talking about the God who chose the RF to being born in a obscene opulent life style and let them keep it while millions of others have been suffering all manner of hardship throughout the ages?
The same one who let the PoW heal in comfort with the best care in the world while others can’t even get an appt? (by the way is she on sick pay or not? is her money reduced while she is out of work? is sick leave a ‘rhing’ for her?

Or

Are you talking about the God who spared Donald T’s life but allowed an ex firefighter die while he protected his wife and daughter?

Well maybe atheists are comfortable in their assertions about the man made god we're apparently not allowed to criticise?
You can't call 'hate speech' and then be downright disrespectful to others.

Define “christian country”

Wow, 'smart arse' now.
You cannot control what others think, much as you seem to think you can.