Why are Christians critisized so much for trying to raise their children as Christians?

Question

Perhaps I lead a very sheltered life, but I have never seen so much persecution of Christians until I started getting on Yahoo answers. I live in a very rural, Southern Baptist, down home country, town, and the majority of people are Christians, and raise their children Christians. My family and the people I have known all my life are not Bible thumping, religious fanatics, trying to cram our beliefs down anyones throat. We simply believe very strongly in the existance of God, the teachings of the Bible, and have a great love of Jesus and God. We don't wish harm on anyone. We arn't a cult, trying to get people to give us their life savings,to support our crazy beliefs. We are normal, loving people, whose main goal in life is to be good, Christians, minister about the gift of eternal life, and we want our children to have that gift too. However, I am shocked at the number of people on here, who say we are brainwashers, idiots, and evil. Why? Because we have faith in a higher power?

At least what we are sharing with others, and what we believe is giving others something to look forward to in the afterlife. What every non-believer I have heard on here, is offering, is nothing. No afterlife, nothing to look forward to, nothing about love or faith. Nothing at all. At least what I try to share with others, including my children, is something I feel is pure, good, and something to look forward to, in this dark world. Everlasting life, away from all the evil of the earth.

Diseree: Sorry but I have never used Hell and the Devil to scare my children. That is a stereotype that you are unfairly making about Christians. Perhaps some Christians you know have done that, but their our millions of Christians and we don't all do that. I simply teach my kids what I was taught as a kid and what the Bible says. I personally don't care if anyone feels that Christianity is a myth. Do any of you have anything better to offer me? No, you don't, because most non-believers that I have come across, have no belief in anything after you die. At least my beliefs are in something better than this world. So if that is what I want to believe and what I want to give to my children, then why does it really matter to anyone who doesn't believe? It isn't hurting you and I am not trying to convert you or your kids into some religious cult.

Lokasena: (sorry if I didn't get that spelled right) By dark and dreary I mean all the violence such as gangs, murders, women killing their children, rape, child abuse, all the crime, all the drugs, all the sin that is now considered just the way of the world that would never have been acceptable 200 yrs ago. That is what I mean by dark and dreary. I didn't mean my life is, I just mean that the world is going down hill and going fast, just as the Bible predicted. I just feel that it is sad that someone would choose to live this life to the fullest, because they don't believe there is anything after it. We just believe this life on earth is so short compaired to eternity and we don't want to see anyone end up spending eternity in Hell. If you don't believe, I pray that one day you come across someone who can help you see the love we are trying to share with others.

Answer 1

As Christians, Jesus told us that we would be persecuted and hated for our faith. This is the world. These are people that will never talk to your face the way they talk here, but this is an example of what those outside the faith think and say about us. I also was shocked when I first found this site but it's good practise to learn to be ready with the answer if someone in your hometown ever asks you a question. Bless you.

Answer 2

I think that many people will respect and be tolerant of the fact that you believe in a god, even if they do not believe in any such thing themselves.

But when you start telling people that they will suffer for eternity in the afterlife if they do not believe what you believe and give their lives up to your god, it is hardly surprising that people are upset and repelled by these outlandish doomsday predictions.

Also, science has expanded our knowledge significantly and we now are able to explain all sorts of things about the world. In church, there are many people who say things like "it is a mystery, so just attribute it to god" or "it is too much for us to expect to comprehend the magic of god's power and miracles, so just trust that it is god's work and it is good," basically saying that "who gives a sh1t what the real reason is or understanding what's really going on - it's a whole lot easier to just say it was a miracle from or by god," which is ridiculously absurd, as we are not primitive people unable of coming to fully understanding these things.

Also, many non-religious people get justifiably annoyed with religious people who attempt to deny science, telling us that science is wrong and that their system of understanding (based solely on faith and with no grounding whatsoever in evidence or reality) is a better explanation than something we have proof of. Religious people repel MANY people this way. It would be a much better move for the religious people to understand and accept the things science has shown us to be true and INCORPORATE this understanding into their understanding of their religion. This could work for many things, but lets just say evolution since it is a hotly discussed topic. It is stupid to say that evolution is not a very real phenomenon. In order to integrate evidence and our understanding of evolution into religion, religious people could say that GOD created these other animals and created man THROUGH evolution. They could say that evolution is HOW god created these things. The bible doesn't say how god created man or animals. It just says he did it. What if god created animals and created man through use of a special tool called evolution! I mean, how else was he going to create such complex creatures as humans? Through magic??? But unfortunately for the christian community, well over 99% of the christians I have met do not attempt to reconcile these things, actively reject solid scientific understanding and evidence, thereby opting for idiocy.

Answer 3

I can understand your confusion. Granted, there are some who don't like Christians, period. But in the main, what you are seeing is not criticism of Christians as such.

I suspect you would describe yourself as a fundamentalist--and there was a time when that meant just what it should--someone who focuses on the fundamentals--the basics of what Christ taught. BUT--there are among us in this country another kind of "Christian" (and I'lll refer to them in quotes--also bear in mind I don't judge their salvation or lack thereof--only their actions). These aslo claim to be "fundamentalists" but are not.

Instead these-usually referred to as the religious right, or as evangelicals (also aproblem in terminology; legitimate evangelicals are good Christians)--these have abandoned the teaching of Christ in favor of an ideology that bears little resemblance to what Christ taught.

Here is one example (I could cite dozens): last year the new president of the Christian Coalition called on the Board of Trustees to alter the policy of exclusively focusing on a political agenda. A Christian organization should also be active in doing the work of Christ--helping the poor, caring for the sick, etc. The board forced him to resign, giving as their reasons that, first, they didn't want spend time on such matters because they were a political organization and second, because it might "offend" their constituancy.

This is supposed to be CHRISTIAN?

All this is to give you the context for my answer--which is this--and its coming from a fellow Christian:

Christians are not being attacked or persecuted, except by the occasional soul--there's always a few around. But these "right-wing" Christians ARE being attacked--most often by Christians such as myself--not because they are Christian, but because they claim toe name, but neither speak or act as Christ taught us to do. And unfortunately, because many people don't know the difference, many Christians (especially ones in churches/denominations like yours), who are good people trying to do Christ's will, are being confused with these others.

Answer 4

Woah, what makes you think that all Non-Christians are atheists first of all? Some of us practice different religions and some of us do believe in some form of an afterlife.

Secondly, you make it sound as if atheists lead depressing and dreary lives without any hope or love, that is very untrue. They just believe this life is the only one so many of them seek to live it to its fullest.

Thirdly, this world is not dark and evil. It only seems that way if you are focusing on the bad parts of life. Life is wonderful and this world is grand.

And to answer your original question: people criticize Christians for forcing their children to believe by telling them if they don't that they will burn in hell. For using guilt to induce belief. Telling little children that they are personally responsible for Jesus being murdered because he died for their sins. That they are born worthless sinners in need of redeeming. That is what people criticize Christians for doing. If you do not do this, then you shouldn't be so upset. The criticism is not directed at you, but the people who do this.

Answer 5

It is just as wrong to insult Christians and be hateful towards them as it is to do it against any other religion. It seems to come in waves. For two weeks, it will be against one group and then it will be another and so on. I have no idea why anyone would come to this section to engage in this type of rhetoric.

You are entitled to your beliefs and lifestyle and have the right to live that way and raise your kids that way. That is not my issue. I do feel that pointed criticism in moderation on specific issues is not wrong or unwarranted. What you are experiencing here really is hostility and prejudice. I suggest reporting it and calling them up on it. You might want to check out

http://www.beliefnet.com

or for Southern Baptists, http://www.abc-usa.org/ or http://www.sbc.net/.

Answer 6

Hiya.
There are a lot of extremists on this forum - both on the side of Christianity and on the non-believing side. They love attacking one another. In truth, their attacks are aimed at each other, not at rational people living normal lives; it's just that they generalize very broadly in their descriptions of their opponents. Stay on the forum and watch - it's funny. You'll see that Christians sling mud just as often and as nastily as non-Christians and non-believers.
Have a good day.

Answer 7

People don't like the fact that we believe. It's that simple. They think the first thing we say is believe or go to Hell. I have never said that to my children or anyone else for that matter. I believe in God's Love and Grace and that's the greatest gift to share, especially with our children.

May God Bless you.

Answer 8

People are afraid of what they don't know and what may be the truth. Christians have always been looked upon as fanatics and "crazies". Many so-called Christians, David Keresh and Jim Jones, have given Christianity a bad reputation. People are also afraid of God, in my opinion, be'cuz He can be a mirror to us and force us to look at ourselves. People want to belive they are fine on their own and don't need God as a source of peace, comfort and faith.

Answer 9

How on earth could anybody on Yahoo answers persecute anyone?

Answer 10

I don't know any Christians. If you're talking about church people the answer is *hell if I know*.

Church people are fun, they just shouldn't be trusted with facts or logical thinking.

I feel sorry for their kids, but there's nothing I can do about it.

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