[Justin]

I'm sure everyone has heard christians moaning and groaning about how society is catering to other faiths more than theirs and how christianity is more persecuted now than ever before. I say to hell with that shit! Christianity is being waited on hand and foot and being served with a silver spoon on a golden plate. Two of the biggest holidays are theirs, Christmas and Easter (disregarding their pagan origins of course). Their list of laws being put up in public places (the ten commandments). When was the last time you saw the laws of another religion put up in public? Prayer before a lot of sports events and christian groups forming in our schools. 40 gazillion christian tv channels. Christian groups rally and halt the building of restaurants that serve alcohol, places that have porn, places that sell pagan things, and even stop some singers or groups from performing a damn concert. Wide swaths of the south are dry because of their bullshit. Our president can get up and reference god and even have prayer on national tv. Etc. Christians should shut the hell up. They are the ones being catered to. No one is persecuting them because how can you do anything to them when both hands and all your time is pretty much consumed in kissing their ass?

[Mr. Majestic]

Christians can't acknowledge this because they are supposed to be persecuted. Hell some are even taught that if you're not being persecuted then you're doing something wrong, any other former Pentecostals in the house? Let me get a whoop whoop. Any way I really think all this bitching is just guilt. It's really more like they're trying to convince themselves that their persecuted.

[OnceConvinced]

They want to be persecuted. Because that will mean that Jesus will be returning soon. They want the tribulation to start, they want to be able to say "we told you so", they want to be raptured to Heaven.

So far I haven't heard of any modern day Christians being fed to lions yet. If there was any real persecution it happened back in the days of Caligula and Nero.

[Realist]

... from what I was taught the persecution was also appropriate to help sort out the pecking order in heaven! My belief from my teachings in the Open Brethren church was that one could get in by the skin of their balls (like back sliders - once saved, always saved) or those who suffered trials and persecution and attained much more for their master would attain a much higher mark and position on judgement day! What was that old hymn? Went something like "will there be any stars in my crown?" Fuck, we should be locked up for believing crap like this!!

[Vendredie]

I'm against persecution of all sorts, even against Christians-- though really, Christians have no right to say that they are being persecuted unless they're living in Iran (which is about the only place they're persecuted). But it feeds into their BS theory that they will be persecuted and by being surrounded by those who drink alcohol and read Harry Potter (I don't hold grudges, but that was effing ridiculous! ). If they believe they're being persecuted, then they have a right to be downright foul and start a "revolution" against the "godless heathens" and turn the place into a damn theocracy.

This is why I plan on moving to Canada. Or Europe if I ever get the guts to get on an airplane ever again.

[Burnedout]

If you want to piss off the fundies....LOL...... .....why not get together with a group of witches and pagans and, just to stir the pot, try to get the Wicken Creed posted next to the 10 Commandments on city property?....LOL...watch the fundies go ape shit..... .....that would be the perfect way to have some fun....and when they complain, have a huge list, say 100 ways society caters to Christians, and then you say..."we just want a small piece of the action...after all....it's only fair."........

This post has been edited by Burnedout: 14 July 2008 - 08:57 AM

[Vendredie]

Haha, nice. 1-10 "thou shalt not kill, keep the sabbath, no adultery, yada yada yada" and right next to it: "An' it harm none, do what ye will".

Good ol' Wiccan Rede

[xandermac]

My sister told me the other day that everything happens for a reason blah blah blah gods plan blah blah. Yesterday I called her and she's having a rough time and I said "Well everything happens for a reason" I guess that was just mean on my part.

[Burnedout]

xandermac, on Jul 14 2008, 10:31 AM, said:

My sister told me the other day that everything happens for a reason blah blah blah gods plan blah blah. Yesterday I called her and she's having a rough time and I said "Well everything happens for a reason" I guess that was just mean on my part.

Hell, you were nice....I would have asked her if she pissed Gawd off....... ..........

[decafaholic]

Former Pentacostal here! Whoop Whoop!

I echo all the poster's sentiments. Xtians talk all the time about "Taking back our nation" "America needs to return to God" it's likle they won't be happy until we're all walking around in Jesus and Mary costumes, in which case we'll look just like the Middle east lol.

If the US gets any MORE Christian, I'm going to throw up. it's beyond reasonable already.

[Realist]

decafaholic, on Jul 15 2008, 05:40 AM, said:

Former Pentacostal here! Whoop Whoop!

I echo all the poster's sentiments. Xtians talk all the time about "Taking back our nation" "America needs to return to God" it's likle they won't be happy until we're all walking around in Jesus and Mary costumes, in which case we'll look just like the Middle east lol.

If the US gets any MORE Christian, I'm going to throw up. it's beyond reasonable already.

Decaf ... I thought from looking in from the outside the US had already been taken back by Xtians! Thank goodness it is nothing like that here!

I always think Christianity (especially of the Fundamentalist type) has the capability to react in exactly the same way as extremist Islamism if it did not have such a free reign in the Western World. It smugly sits back and points out the evil of terrorism (and rightly so) as caused by some extremist Muslim groups, but would it react the same way if it did not have the open free reign it currently has in the Western World?
For instance I remember in my church missionaries who were killed spreading the "good word" in Third World countries being given martyrdom status. I remember my church being totally supportive of breaking other countries laws if necessary to spread the word. Richard Dawkins has also openly mentioned the extreme level of violence threatened to himself by some Xtians. I guess to a degree Northern Ireland mirrored that.

Would be interested in others thoughts on this?

[Misterspock1]

Can't agree with you more. Just read 1 Peter and it will tell you all about it.

There's always been this Christian argument that persecution actually proves Christianity is true. After all, why would people persecute Christians unless deep down they knew it was true? It shows that Satan is very active in the world, trying to snuff out believers and bring as many people to hell as possible.

But the fact of the matter is that Christianity actually has the power. The vast majority of people worldwide believe in some sort of God, and a majority of people in the United States affiliate themselves with some Christian denomination or another. Money, up until recently, had "In God We Trust" scrawled on it (thank God that is finally being taken off), the Pledge of Allegiance says "one nation under God," you will still often hear prayers at public events, and as far as I know the Ten Commandments is still on the wall of the Supreme Court. Not to mention that our president and many other political leaders in this country are Christians (or at least call themselves Christians) and attend church. Pretty much no matter where you live in this country you can pick up a televised church service, at least on Sunday.

On the other hand, you see people like Michael Newdow publicly slandered for having the audacity to stand up against it. People like Tim LaHaye and Paige Patterson come forth and say the end is near. It's almost like they're afraid of us, to an extent. Using the same argument they use, perhaps their persecution of us indicates that we are right and they are wrong.

[upstarter]

Good thread, I have nothing to add... however I cannot let this go. The phrase is "woe is me" as in woe (sadness, sorrow), not "whoa is me" as in whoa (slow up there old nag).

Yep I'm a fussy old bitch.

Heather

[Realist]

"But the fact of the matter is that Christianity actually has the power. The vast majority of people worldwide believe in some sort of God, and a majority of people in the United States affiliate themselves with some Christian denomination or another."

.... yes, I guess that position of power for Christianity also comes from the US being the leader of the free world.

[Madame M]

Realist, on Jul 14 2008, 05:06 PM, said:

Would be interested in others thoughts on this?

I think the only thing that is keeping Christianity from being as militant and radical as Islam is the conditions that the majority of christians live in- like you said, free reign in the western world. I am particularly worried knowing where alot of christian rhetoric is heading here in the States. In my opinion, and I'm no expert so grain of salt, conditions are getting ripe for some radical christians to rise up. We have fear of terrorism here, our economy is in recession and "liberal agendas" are gaining ground (gays can marry in CA, abortion has not been overturned in spite of two years of Bush in office..etc). The fact that someone like Mike Huckabee- christian dominionist- could even be one of the republican front runners in the primaries is worrisome. It shows me that there is support for the rhetoric.

[Neon Genesis]

Zenobia, on Jul 14 2008, 11:49 PM, said:

Although maybe they should... The wiccan rede is much better than the 10 commandments. Briefer, takes up less wall space. Would cost fewer tax dollars to post it. Maybe some money-conscious polititian would like the idea. LOL...

The Wiccan Rede is definetly way better than the Ten Commandments. Even though I'm not a Wiccan, I still live my life by the philosophy of "do what ye will yet ye harm none." It's nice and simple, it actually makes sense, and it doesn't have all of the confusing nonsense of the bible.

[RubyHypatia]

decafaholic, on Jul 14 2008, 01:40 PM, said:

Former Pentacostal here! Whoop Whoop!

I echo all the poster's sentiments. Xtians talk all the time about "Taking back our nation" "America needs to return to God" it's likle they won't be happy until we're all walking around in Jesus and Mary costumes, in which case we'll look just like the Middle east lol.

If the US gets any MORE Christian, I'm going to throw up. it's beyond reasonable already.

I'm not a slave to fashion, but I can't imagine living where I have to wear clothing that was in style thousands of years ago.

[Asimov]

They are taught that they are going to be martyrs for their faith against all scoffers. Of course, that was back in the day when there weren't that many Christians and they didn't have a worldwide influence. There's nobody big enough now to throw em to the lions.

So instead of being actual martyrs, they think going onto atheist site forums and posting is martyring themselves for Christ. It's pathetic. And then they think that anyone who wants some political equality within society and not be treated like a pile of shit by the government is "attacking" Christianity.