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I'm Particurlarly Curious...
Now I know this may not be entirely true for everyone or everywhere but I'm curious as to why Christianity tends to take more blows then any other religion.
As someone just recently said ( won't name them without permission first ) it seems that out of every religion out there, people (in general) hate Christianity the most. It's like as soon as they hear the word Jesus, Christ or God they immediately go into defensive mode and start shooting it down. D: ESPECIALLY on Gaia. I practically fled from one of the threads I made there one Easter. I'm Christian and proud to be so, and I don't have a problem with being an atheist or having another religion. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But seriously! Where's the unadulterated hatred come from? D: It makes me feel sad to know people would judge me and decide they hate me before getting to know me, just because of my faith. Here's some spoon-feeders for you: -Discuss your religion (if you have one or not is fine). -Do you receive ridicule because of said religion/because of your lack of religion? -Do you yourself hate religions/Christianity. Yeah. This has probably been done before, and there's probably another thread somewhere, but I really want some answers, y'know? It's been eating at me for a while. Dx |
Sadly, I'm surrounded by the answer to that question where I live. >.<;
It's a stereotype thing. People don't generally notice the quiet, peaceful Christians who FOLLOW their religion instead of bullying people with it, because they're not always up in your face threatening you. But because of the small percentage who ARE in fact like that...well, those people stand out. And since, like I said, you don't really THINK about what religion someone follows UNLESS they're making a big deal of it...the stereotype that all Christians are rude, greedy, self-righteous Bible-thumpers was born. Now, honestly? I don't think there's any truth to that stereotype. Except maybe in my town...but that's not the point. I live in Stereotype Land anyway; just about EVERYONE fits the stereotypes about their race/religion/gender/what-have-you. >.<; I don't go around bashing people for being Christian, even though I'm agnostic myself...and in fact, I've even gotten into serious theological conversations with various people of various religions. I quite enjoy that. But...not everyone sees things the way I do. A lot of people ARE bitter about those stereotypical Evangelists...and really, I can't blame them for being bitter. But I do so wish they would STOP directing it at people who actually FOLLOW their religion well enough to know better than to try and "spread love" with threats.. >.<; |
Very true, Fullmetal.
It is a stereo-type isn't it? I know some of them mean well but surely they must realize by being so rowdy and loud about it they're making a bit of a mess? D: Oh geez... I feel like I'm critizing myself now. x3 Anyhow, it's really nice to know that there are people out there who don't hate Christians. Most of my Christian friends, from church and school, are normal anyways. I hate how some people also tend to think that just because we're Christian we're immediately prim and proper with not a thing out of place. Pfft. My room looks like a friggen bomb hit it and my pigeon hole (like school locker) is even worse. xDDD |
This is an easy one. What's the first thing you hear when talking about Gay Marriage and Abortion? Christians oppose it. This is not true of all christians, and lots of other things are said on the matter by lots of different groups. And Fundies (not every christian) are just plain scary. They're the loudmouths you normally see being idiots about serious issues. Um, yeah. Once again, my post is filled with generalisations that aren't always true of everyone. So don't get angry if you're not part of those stereotypes. Its a pity that pleanty of the biggest loudmouths are a part of them. |
My personal experience is this, which doesn't mean it's true for everyone.
I'm Athiest. I don't bash on the religions of others, I don't criticize them, etc. But, when people ( and in my case it's always been Christians ) learn that I'm Athiest, they sit and bark about how I'm going to hell, try to convert me, and then tell me they'll pray for my damned soul. Athiests don't believe in Hell. Just.. To clear that up. I do not worship Satan, as they believe I do. I simply don't believe either he or god exist. And then there's the.. Around where I live, the Christians who go to church then treat you like crap at their Sunday Breakfast/Lunch, etc. Like.. You are the scum of the earth to these people and they simply think it's ok to be mean and rude to strangers because they pray every week, and that makes it ok. It's the general attitude of that, that makes it hard for people to be alright with Christians. The whole, `` Well I prayed for forgiveness from God because I was a complete dick to 15 people this week and it makes it ok for me to do it again and again because I'm a good Christian and I go to church! `` That.. Isn't exactly how it works. And, I went to Christian School growing up. It isn't like I'm not educated on it. |
Ryu, Peacock, I'm afraid to say you have had the unfortunate luck of meeting all of the high-and-mighty Christian types.
Some of them aren't really Christians at all. They just do it for attention and social status. Some of my most trusted friends are atheists, I don't care about that. And there's no way from here to the Himaylas that I'd be rude to someone just because they aren't Christian. D: That makes me angry to be honest... -.- They have no right to judge people like that. |
I think that to a degree it's like fruit cake. Especially on Gaia. See everyone hates fruit cake because they think they should. It's become popular to hate it, they make jokes about it on TV. But really, it's fruit and cake...there isn't that much to hate. It's just a stereotypical fad to bash it and hate it. I am fairly certain that Christianity is tough enough and has endured far worse than a handful of angsty kids on Gaia, or anywhere on the net over the past 2000 years to not be greatly affected at it's core by the bashing. :D
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You give a good point there.
And...a very interesting analogy. x3 I like it. It's true, simple and funny too. Fruitcake. I'm gonna remember that one! *ahem* Anyway, I agree with that too. Maybe that's why I'm not allowed to watch the Simpsons. Dad always said they made fun of Ned Flanders too much. :/ Who knows? -shrugs- |
Thank you! I don't watch the Simpson's either. I could, I just don't. *shrugs* Dun appeal to me.
Edit: I wanted to add a comment though. The bottom line is whatever you believe in, if you have true faith in it, your faith will sustain you through anything that people say to you about it. I think that might be a large part of why people bash certain things. We live in a show me kind of world. People are jaded and they want proof of all things. They want it NOW too. So for many they haven't been taught to believe in something. On Gaia I have seen so many kids say there is no proof. If you say of course not, that is why they call it faith, they don't understand that concept. That doesn't just apply to Christianity either. It applies to anything we have to have faith in. That's part of the reason why people get divorced so much more than they used to. They lose faith in their partner, their ability to work things out, and themselves. The sad thing to me is that people who have faith in nothing are empty in many ways and usually they don't see it. I don't care what people believe in, that's their choice. But I just wish they would believe in SOMETHING. |
That's definitely right.
And, it reminds me of a line from Serenity. *ahem* You've raised lots of points that I overlooked! =D Thank you Blondheart! I'll be sure to try and keep this all in mind when someone snaps at me or..whatever. x3 |
Though I enjoy hearing about other religions, and believe that they all hold merit in one form or another, I myself don't follow any particular one. I prefer to classify myself as 'religiously eclectic'.
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Thats fine Arlyekra!
At least you're nice about it. :3 LOL. I just spent about thirty seconds staring at your username thinkings Arkeyla? When I finally spotted your signature. x3 |
I'm happy I could help! :D
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Well there seem to be alot of serious Christians mainly in America, I'm not saying everyone is over there but a quite large percentage, some of the really serious ones have made fools out of themselves when they're gone on a reality TV show and tired to force their religion on other people and eveyone else has gone and walked off while the person has a hissy fit because they can't force their religion on everyone else.
Then there are the poor people who ask for advice on abortion then you get all the anti-abortionist forcing their opinion on the person who has asked for advice. Serveral people have closed their topics about it because of that. Then there are the people who get jumped on because they tell them to shut up and not force their opinion on others. It's these type of Christians who give all tose who follow the Christian religion a bad name. I for one do not want God forced down my throat. Just because I've been christaned doesn't mean I'm going to be a Christan or have to follow that religion I am my own person and I shalt chose to change religions as and went I feel like it. I beleive that you have the right to chose which religion you want to follow, how and strickly you want to follow it and not have one forced on you. |
All of which is entirely your choice.
-nodnod- Having things forced upon one's self can be a pain in the backside. I'd hate it if someone tried to force something down my throat. I'd probably start going off at them too. <.< Heh. Funny how it works huh? |
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It's alright if someone is telling you about their religion and how it works but it just goes too far when they try and force you into joining. My friend tried for force me into going to a Christan youth club once, her parents are not religious and they don't really like christians because of what happened with one of their daughter's boyfriends who became a Christan and he changed dramatically.
They reluctantly let my friend go to the youth club she liked it and I think she may be going to become a fully blown Christan, she tried to force me to go and I didn't want to because although I am Christan I don't follow Chrisitany that much, and I really don't like having other people's opinions forced upon me. Normally forcing something on someone will make them not want to do what has been forced onto them. Rather than them staying with what they've been forced into. |
@Arkeyla- LOL.
She's doing better then I am! Nekkid apart from undies and gloves. x3 @Rock- Very true. Not forcing my opinion, but I personally love my youth group. So much fun. x3 |
I think that Christianity takes more "blows" because it is the most wide spread religion and in my opinion, the most hypocritical.
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Here in my school, when they learn I'm atheist, they go "Ohh SERIOUSLY?!?" and then they look at me like as if I had 7 horns on my head and a third arm xP There once came this girl trying to convert me with those ridiculous reason they tend to give. I mean, if she said something like "Convert to christianity, our moral views will make your faith stronger each day, and make you happier" I would of felt somehow good that she had a nice reason and said it politely, but she was like "How can you not be christian? Then tell me WHO created you!" and kept saying that everyone was the God' sons and that my father got the "bread each day because of the holy lord". And that's where it seriously annoyed me to the point I started talking louder and told her to shut up, because my father didn't work from 5:00am to 9:00pm and even more just to receive free bread from the Lord. And then I went away, it wasn't worth my time. PS: @Yeah: Most of them are hypocrital by that "if I go to church, anything I've done will be forgiven" way of thinking. Jesus' teaching are good if you look at them from a moral point of view, but when people start being extremists and trying to convert anyone to christianity to "earn the heaven", that's when it all goes wrong. Peace~ |
I'm agnostic, and there is no religion that bothers me any. I actually like talking and debating religion when I find a person who is open to that sort of thing. I think that what bothers people about Christianity the most is that many Christians pick and choose what parts of the bible they want to believe in. I am a decent and moral person, but there have been Christians that have decided I'm a horrible person simply because I don't share their religion. It hurts when that happens as I usually don't share my views with people unless I know them well. I've lost 2 (supposedly) good friends because I can't believe in any god. I know that there are good and decent Christians out there, but 1 bad Christian speaks louder then 100 good ones.
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Christianity is the largest religion in America. Thus, more people in America are Christian than any other religion. And the more there are in general, the more radical, hateful ones there are. The more radicals there are, the more a negative stereotype forms.
Personally, I don't like the Christian religion. I attended a nice, friendly church for about five years. I was there almost every Sunday, I attended many functions, I brought my friends, the whole deal. I was never forced to go to church, the church wasn't a radical hate-and-fear based one. Unlike my mother, I had a very nice experience. Now, I won't get into my reasons for leaving the faith, because they're off topic (I'll discuss them with anyone who asks, but as of right now, they're not relevant) Most of my friends are Christian. We just generally have an "agree to disagree" thing, and we don't talk about it. So believe me when I say that I'm aware that there are very nice Christians. But in my opinion, despite what it says, there is too much underlying hate in the religion for it NOT to have so many hateful followers. And as many others have pointed out, you don't notice the quiet, peaceful Christian as much as the one in your face telling you that you're going to hell if you don't adopt their lifestyle. I think it's very wrong to assume that all Christians are mean and hateful. That's just the same as the ones who assume that all Atheists are horrible and moral-less. (I'll have you know that I'm quite a prude at times! :P) The hate flies both ways, and all it does is fuel more hate. But I can't see that ever stopping. |
I personally have never seen someone be made fun of because of being christian. Every one in my school... we're pretty cool about these things, and if someone makes a remark, it's a joke on both sides.
It's kind of like that with race too. But that's because my school is completely full of mixed races. We're all comfortable with each other, so we know that we're just joking. |
I think the reason a lot of people don't like Christianity is because of the ultra-conservative Christians that think if you don't follow the Bible, you are a bad person. I am personally Christian, and actually converted from Buddhism because I was tired of not understanding what anybody said in Temple. However, that is irrelevant. When people look at Christianity, they see the people that try to convert everybody they see, talk about how gay people will burn in Hell, ect, ect. These people put Christianity in a bad light, forcing their beliefs on other people. Most Christians doesn't do this, but the only ones that make the news are the hateful ones. Therefore, they are the only ones to get noticed.
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These are all my personal beliefs/opinions.
I was raised in Church of Christ since I was very young. I went to bible school, and that sort of thing off and on my whole life. Until around my Junior year of High School, I hadn't really thought much about it. But, I finally, took a really good look at this faith I had been raised in. While yes, there are the faithful, the true-hearted souls who genuinely want to be good people, the loud mouths tend to be better heard. Not only this, but, thinking about some of the bible, was really contradictory to itself. Love -everyone- except, the gays, the non-believers, and so on and so forth. Help them, don't help them. Turn the other cheek, fight in the Crusades. Be good to women, but they can't hold office- only the motherhod roles. Man and Woman are equal, but woman is not. God is merciful, God is jealous- so love him and praise him at every moment. Human instincts are given to them by God, but they can't follow them-that's sinful. It just seemed... so impossible. I've since stepped away from this, and took a quiet look at some other religions, just to see what they were like. And I found a nice little surprise. Religions with balance. Man and Woman are different, yes, but they co-exsist and compliment each other. Earth and nature are revered, instincts are not sinful, and people are not little puppets to an all being. Freedoms of choice, just with gentle guidance, not set 'plans' or 'fates'. By no means to I hate this really. It pains and saddens me that so many people, so fully believe that badgering people that they are so wrong, only one way is right... they tell people that who they are is the worst sin commitable.... that they will burn in Hell, and in the same breath say theirs is a merciful and kind God... That sort of thinking is what makes me not jump to help the stereotypical 'loud mouth' Christians. I have no problem with others. A friend of mine is Christian, and she is one of the kindest people I know. She knows that I'm not a part of her faith anymore, and accepts that. That... is an attitude that is sorely needed in many people of this faith. |
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