[Neon Genesis]

There was a survey done awhile back where Americans were polled about which minority they hated the most and atheists were hated more than gays and lesbians. I'm not sure how transgenders faired in the poll. I'm gay but I don't know what it's like to be transgender but in my personal experiences in dealing with Christians, it at least seems like they hate both the LGBT community and atheists a lot but in different ways.

This post has been edited by Neon Genesis: 02 February 2010 - 03:55 PM

[Creepy Doll]

Neon Genesis, on 02 February 2010 - 03:54 PM, said:

There was a survey done awhile back where Americans were polled about which minority they hated the most and atheists were hated more than gays and lesbians. I'm not sure how transgenders faired in the poll. I'm gay but I don't know what it's like to be transgender but in my personal experiences in dealing with Christians, it at least seems like they hate both the LGBT community and atheists a lot but in different ways.

You can be an atheist and just not talk about the fact that you're an atheist and no one would likely care. However, try taking hormones, changing your name and a list of other things that immediately scream the fact that you're transgender -- things you cannot hide -- and see how well it goes. TG people lose jobs, housing, are denied medical care and even murdered quite regularly. THAT my friend, is persecution.

[Neon Genesis]

I didn't mean any offense in my post. I said I didn't know what it was like to be transgendered. Gays and lesbians are murdered for who they are too and can lose their jobs. Like in the case of Matthew Shepard and how Christians in Uganda are trying to pass a bill to murder gays. But isn't this question of asking who do bigoted Christians hate the most like asking a KKK which race they hate the most?

This post has been edited by Neon Genesis: 02 February 2010 - 04:50 PM

[Creepy Doll]

Neon Genesis, on 02 February 2010 - 04:36 PM, said:

I didn't mean any offense in my post. I said I didn't know what it was like to be transgendered. Gays and lesbians are murdered for who they are too and can lose their jobs. Like in the case of Matthew Shepard and how Christians in Uganda are trying to pass a bill to murder gays. But isn't this question of asking who do bigoted Christians hate the most like asking a KKK which race they hate the most?

I didn't think you meant offense. None was taken. I'm just making the point that Christians are fucking morons if they think what they deal with is anything like real persecution. I don't see any Christians losing their jobs, their homes, or getting killed because they're Christians, specifically here in the U.S.. To state such a thing is completely fucking asinine. However, there are a couple of minorities to which this DOES happen on a regular basis and it's a proven fact. I happen to be one of those minorities and to hear Christians whine about this shit just makes me want to vomit. When they have friends who are killed, when they've been harassed on the street, when they've been kicked out of housing and lost their job simply for being Christian, then I'll listen. These are very real things that happen to some minorities. Every. Fucking. Day.

[Neon Genesis]

I agree completely and to me it makes it sound like they're ungrateful to their god when they complain about how "bad" they have it when they really don't. Doesn't the bible command Christians to not complain?

[Creepy Doll]

Neon Genesis, on 02 February 2010 - 05:01 PM, said:

I agree completely and to me it makes it sound like they're ungrateful to their god when they complain about how "bad" they have it when they really don't. Doesn't the bible command Christians to not complain?

Philippians 2:14,15: Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

[godlessgrrl]

Dang - 25 replies? I seriously thought I might get just one or two... thanks for reading, y'all, and thanks for the kudos!

Re: the "it'd" thing - yeah, it looks weird, but is technically correct, though strange. So sue me.

Re: Christian presidents - for the article I'm using the broadest definition of the term "Christian" as possible. So the intent is to include not only batshite fundie types (like W) and moderate but devout believers (like, say, Kennedy), but also folks who were simply affiliated with a given church or denomination regardless of their innermost beliefs. That definition is bound to be found unsatisfying for somebody, but I think I can live with it.

Re: expecting a shitstorm - yeah, that's very possible. I don't really know what kind of readership I have, how many people actually visit my blog - I don't have a counter installed and don't seem to get many comments. It comes and goes. Who knows though, maybe this one'll actually piss some people off.

It's scheduled to post in March at godlessgrrl.blogspot.com. Guess I'll just have to wait and see!

Thanks again for comments, I really appreciate it.

[OmnipotentEntity]

May I send your blog post to the op-ed column of my local newspaper, provided I of course credit you with writing it?

[godlessgrrl]

Oh yeah, I forgot - about quoting it or sending it along...

Since it seems to be getting good feedback I've re-scheduled the article to publish this Sunday at 11:00 AM at godlessgrrl.blogspot.com. After that date if anybody wants to quote a portion of it, I'm totally OK with that - just credit me with "© 2010 Godlessgrrl. All rights reserved". And feel free to add a link to the article too.

If you want to pass it on, I'm OK with people quoting the first two or three paragraphs, then providing a link for people to follow.

As for passing on to the press (wow! I'm honored), I'd need to know what paper first before I grant permission to send it on my behalf. I might decide to submit it myself instead.

[OmnipotentEntity]

gwenmead, on 02 February 2010 - 11:13 PM, said:

Oh yeah, I forgot - about quoting it or sending it along...

Since it seems to be getting good feedback I've re-scheduled the article to publish this Sunday at 11:00 AM at godlessgrrl.blogspot.com. After that date if anybody wants to quote a portion of it, I'm totally OK with that - just credit me with "© 2010 Godlessgrrl. All rights reserved". And feel free to add a link to the article too.

If you want to pass it on, I'm OK with people quoting the first two or three paragraphs, then providing a link for people to follow.

As for passing on to the press (wow! I'm honored), I'd need to know what paper first before I grant permission to send it on my behalf. I might decide to submit it myself instead.

www.nwfdailynews.com

[OmnipotentEntity]

Besides the press is the best way to get this to the people who need to read it.

[Citsonga]

Neon Genesis, on 02 February 2010 - 05:01 PM, said:

I agree completely and to me it makes it sound like they're ungrateful to their god when they complain about how "bad" they have it when they really don't. Doesn't the bible command Christians to not complain?

The bible also tells them that they will be persecuted because of Jesus' name, so I think a lot of them think that they have to see persecution in their lives in order to be "True Christians." As such, any little inconvenience can be twisted into persecution in their minds, even if the inconvenience is simply not being allowed to force others to believe as they do.

This post has been edited by Citsonga: 03 February 2010 - 05:23 AM

[ContraBardus]

gwenmead, on 02 February 2010 - 10:38 PM, said:

Re: Christian presidents - for the article I'm using the broadest definition of the term "Christian" as possible. So the intent is to include not only batshite fundie types (like W) and moderate but devout believers (like, say, Kennedy), but also folks who were simply affiliated with a given church or denomination regardless of their innermost beliefs. That definition is bound to be found unsatisfying for somebody, but I think I can live with it.

It was a great post. Totally spot on. I'm just nit picking here, so don't take it seriously or anything, but even considering your definition of Christian, you've still got Monroe and Madison as non-Christians. Neither of them has any record of any connection to any church or religion.

Every other President has some 'official' affiliation with a Christian Church of some kind, though in the case of Lincoln and Jefferson, it was purely on paper. Their own writings and words make that clear enough. They could still be classified as Christians 'officially' because they were identified as such on some records.

Washington can be argued either way. He's a bit contradictory on his religious views, and it's hard to tell what his real beliefs were. He used Christian language, but also spoke against Christianity in deistic terms. So, it'll probably be an eternally ongoing argument.

Just a little thing, but as mentioned before, I can see where it might detract from your point taking the time to explain that. You've still got an overwhelming majority there regardless.

Just a bit of odd trivia to chew on.

[Loren]

Gwen, that was excellent! You delineated many of the things I've fumed over for years.

Gwen kicks ass!!!

Citsonga, on 03 February 2010 - 05:22 AM, said:

Neon Genesis, on 02 February 2010 - 05:01 PM, said:

I agree completely and to me it makes it sound like they're ungrateful to their god when they complain about how "bad" they have it when they really don't. Doesn't the bible command Christians to not complain?

The bible also tells them that they will be persecuted because of Jesus' name, so I think a lot of them think that they have to see persecution in their lives in order to be "True Christians." As such, any little inconvenience can be twisted into persecution in their minds, even if the inconvenience is simply not being allowed to force others to believe as they do.

I've long thought that quite often there's a psychological justification structure at work: If Satan is opposing me, I must be doing the godly thing. Why else would it be happening? The more vigorous the opposition, the greater the validation that I'm on god's side. And if I'm not getting enough opposition to suit me, all I have to do is go act like an asshole until someone gets fed up enough to slap me, then I've got my godliness validation.

I see the same thing going on in the various demon possession circuses we see in some groups of Christianity. Some of those folks are just in love with demon possession. They live for it.

[NonXNonExX]

I completely agree with your post and i did take the time to read the whole thing, BUT, for me it was just too much like a fundy getting another lecture on how bad non-Xtians are. My naughty side would truthfully be much more interested in reading the feedback you get from those "persecuted Christians." It's one reason why i like the companion site so much. I love it when a deluded Xtian comes in and tries to convert everyone with their simplistic non-logical rants and quickly gets shut down. Now that's what i call fun!