Sterotyping Christians Wrong? Yes?

Question

So I have been reading through some questions.. Why do people sterotype Christians. In No way have I ever seen a True Christian go up to someone and literally shove their faith and their belief in Jesus in ANYONE's face. That is wrong. As Christians we are to love and respect others not be rude and cruel to non-believers. Seriously saying that Christians "always shove their beliefs in our face" is wrong. Very Wrong. It is just as saying "Blondes are better" or "I'm older so I am smarter." Stupid.

Signed...
a PK (pastor's kid)

Answer 1

Sure, stereotyping is wrong, but there are just as many Christians saying that people who are not Christian can't have morals, that they run loose in the streets hurting people, etc, and they are stereotyping as well. Jews, Muslims, Atheists, Pagans, every religious group present here has been stereotyped on this message board, not just Christians.

When you say "in no way have I ever seen a true Christian go up to anyone's face and literally shove their faith...in Anyone's face" aren't you also stereotyping? You're saying that all Christians act a certain way, which as you've pointed out is wrong. Stereotypes are inaccurate whether they are presenting and bad OR good image of a group.

Answer 2

I agree that we all need to take a look at attitudes that we hang on to about people. Yes, there have been some Christians who have been less that tactful and sensitive about how they present their beliefs. But this is all about being human, isn't it? We all think we have the right answers and if only we could get everyone to agree with us, well, then the world would be a better place. So, among Christians, non-Christians, atheisits, agnositcs, people of all sorts of viewpoints, there are those who live honorably and respectfully of others and those who still have a lot to learn about tolerance.

If only we would listen more and be slower to form opinions and stereotypes, we might learn from each other!

Answer 3

Stereotyping anyone is wrong.

You're right that most Christians don't go shoving thei beliefs at you in person.... However, extreme Christians seem to be more prevalent on Yahoo Answers, because many of them end up preaching in their answers or telling people how they are wrong for not believing in God.

The internet is a terrible place =(

Answer 4

Unfortunately, Jim Bakker, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and others like them have ruined Christianity for a lot of people, because of their social agenda for America's future. They have loud voices; therefore they get all the press coverage. Therefore people look at that press coverage with skeptical eyes. But they do not represent all Christians.

At its very worst, Christianity is a religion based on a book that says, "This is God's word, these are God's laws, and this is the way God wants us to live our lives." People like Pat Robertson would like nothing better than for America to actually base our system of government on that, while at the same time, kicking out any ideas having anything to do with progress, science, medicine, or what's good for people psychologically. Because after all, God says in this chapter and verse of the Bible that this is how we must live, or we'll burn in hell.

Look at the Declaration of Independence. It says that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights." Can anyone really prove that? Because then you get into the questions of:

A. Whose Creator are we talking about?

B. What does the Creator want from us?

C. What's more important: the fact that the Creator endowed us with our rights, or the fact that we stand up for and value our rights because they still have meaning 230 years after America won independence from England...or that there's a Creator?

Answer 5

The same reason some Christians stereotype other groups. Such as all Atheists lack morals. Or all Pagans worship the devil. It's easier to just lump people who share the label, because so many sharing that label usually say they all stand on the same idea.

Answer 6

"True" Christian is the key. YOU define who is a "real" Christian and dismiss others who claim to be followers of Jesus.

Where's the outrage? Why don't "real" Christians speak up when maniacs ship human beings to death camps? Why didn't "real" Christians stop the Armenian genocide, or the genocides in Croatia or Darfur?

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing." Edmund Burke

Answer 7

im a pastors kid too. and many times i have seen so called christians pressuring others into our belief. theyre just going about it wrong. i just dont think they realize that. but yes, stereotyping is wrong.

Answer 8

Pat Robertson is one of the public faces of Christianity and he is most certainly attempting to force his beliefs on others.

Answer 9

TRUTH: SOME CHRISTIANS MISREPRESENT AND MAKE US CHRISTIANS LOOK BAD. I KNOW. I AM CHRISTIAN TOO. WHEN WE SHARE THE GOSPEL, WE ARENT SUPPOSED TO CONDEMN PPL OR GO TOO FAST AND SHOVE OUR WHOLE FAITH AT THEM. SOME PPL ARE JUST WEIRD. SOME PPL DO AND UMMMMMM THEY JUST STEREOTYPE US BUT WAT CAN WE DO. LIKE STEROTYPING BLACK PPL AND WHIT PPL AND ASIANS. SO... AS A CHRISTIAN I THINK U SHOULD JUST ACCEPT THIS AND MOVE ON. IF U WERE REAL CHRISTIAN, THIS WOULDNT BE A PROBLEM FOR U. IT SHOULD SAY SOMTHING ABOUT IT IN THE BIBLE. OK. THANK YOU.

Answer 10

Since people like to stereotype...never thinking that they might be wrong about that person. It's stupid, but people do it anyways. Like some one could say that, "All whites are racists." Which is of course not true.