What's with all the Christian hating?

Question

I can't help but notice all the loaded, leading questions asked here that are unequivocally biased against Christians. So here are my questions:

1. Why do people think that Christianity is the only religion that proselytizes?
2. Why do people think that fundamentalist movements only happen in Christianity?
3. Why do people think that fundamentalists represent all Christians?
4. Why do people think Christians are all intolerant bigots who hate gays and people of other religious backgrounds?
5. Why is it perfectly okay to attack Christians, but attacking any other religious group is considered hateful?

I happen to be a Christian who doesn't hate gay people, has lots of friends from many religious backgrounds, and who doesn't try to spread Christianity to others. I'd like to know why it's ok to make these false generalizations about Christians, but not about other religious groups.

The fact that a lot (not all!) of these answers are blatantly anti-Christian in nature or are clearly unintelligent just further proves my point. So many people think Christians are undeserving of respect, and nobody really wants to answer the question--why is it wrong to bash every other religion, but bashing Christians is a national pastime (especially on Yahoo! Answers)?

Answer 1

The site has been essentially taken over at a top level by intensely antiChristian entities. They aren't really atheists,since as you've noticed they have no objection to any religion other than Christianity; they are simply antiChristian. A question criticizing Judaism or paganism or Wicca will be promptly deleted. That's strange,too - you have a very,very obvious alliance between the presumed "atheists" and of all people the pagans,and also most Jews on the site. This is a strange triad. All are intensely fervid in their hatred of Christians,no matter what your denomination and by the way,yes their favorite propaganda game is pretending that all Christians are,let us say,Jehovah's Witness or Seventh Day Adventists. There are no Presbyterians in their little book of tricks. No Episcopalians. No Lutherans. No Unitarians. Catholics are only mentioned to deride the Pope. What I recommend to you and all Christians is to make a complaint whenever you see a posting you feel constitutes religious bigotry. Not reasonable criticism - just out-and-out slurs,insults,etc. Welcome to R&S. I'm still trying to find out how high up the chain this all goes. And how much oversight Yahoo is actually providing with regard to site management. Something is indeed very,very wrong with the picture you so accurately describe.

Answer 2

1. Why do people think that Christianity is the only religion that proselytizes?

Because most of the people on this board are only in contact with Christians. It narrows it down when you know several hundred Christians, but only a few of other religions. Also, if one look into history, it just shows the same pattern because we tend to explore European and American history.

2. Why do people think that fundamentalist movements only happen in Christianity?

I don't think people think that. I think that is your generalising with "all people."

3. Why do people think that fundamentalists represent all Christians?

They don't. See above answer.

4. Why do people think Christians are all intolerant bigots who hate gays and people of other religious backgrounds?

Because many do. Many, however, do not. It depends on who you meet...on this board, there are a lot of uber-Christians who act like intolerate bigots.

5. Why is it perfectly okay to attack Christians, but attacking any other religious group is considered hateful?

Actually, many other religious groups are attacked. Atheists are said to go to Hell, Muslims get attacked as being terrorists, Jews for causing world hunger and being greedy and Wicca/Pagan for being witches. Only the Buddhists seem to get away with things here ;-) My advice is not to take it all so serious. You believe what you believe and you sound like a nice guy. Don't generalise everyone here though, just because you have seen a few people being rude to other Christians.

- Monica, an agnostic-

Answer 3

1. I don't think that's a generally held belief. Christianity is just wildly popular among the internet using public, and so is overrepresented in the sample.
2. I think Islam is probably viewed as the more prevalent fundamentalist religion, but the demographics of that religion don't lend themselves to internet use.
3. Well...if you're not trying to shut them up, why wouldn't we think they represent you? For every religious NUTJOB there should be thousands of "normal" believers of that religion shouting at the top of their lungs how crazy that person is. When that doesn't happen...or at least not very often...it becomes viewed as the stance of the religion, not the extreme.
4. Because the vocal ones that identify themselves as Christians generally are. (ok, wildly overgeneralized, but...not completely untrue.)
5. It's not.

Thank you for being a good person. I'm sorry that you are involved with a religion whose extremists make you look like something you're not. Why not spend some time denouncing the extremists that make you look bad by association?

Answer 4

1. They don't, and most people don't have problems with proselytizing in of itself, it is just that these people that have problems with it encounter particularly bothersome forms of it, so it effects them in their day to day life.
2. Again, they don't, they happen everywhere, but fundimentalists Christians are by far the most prevalent form in the United States, and the denunciation of fundimentalist Islam goes without saying for most people... Fundimentalist Christians are on this website for example, I don't know of any other religion's fundimentalists that are...
3. I don't think anyone does, but they are the most bothersome bunch for many and may very well be the majority of Christians frequenting Yahoo Answers.
4. I'd assume because those that are use Christianity as a justification for it.
5. It depends on the particular attack, attacks on Christianity can be just as hateful, and attacks on other stances can be just as neutral. If one actually justifies their "attack" in a way that their views make sense, it isn't hateful, if one repeats dogma and says others are wrong vehemently without actually taking the time to learn what the opposition really believes, it tends to be labeled as hateful...


The main thing that differentiates Christianity from just about all other religion that inspires this stuff is that the majority of all Christianity teaches that all non-Christians are going to suffer for all eternity (and of course if their God, who is the ultimate in morality and goodness lets this happen, then they diserve it and it is "right")... I really don't know of any other religion which holds this view, Judaism doesn't quite have a defined concept of hell, Islam believes at least that the other two Abrahamic religions are favored by God and going to be saved by God, which earns it some points, and I can't think of any Eastern religion which has anything remotely resembling eternal suffering for unbelievers... So Christians are alone in thinking everyone else is going to suffer forever, going from there, I don't think it is entirely wrong to get a bit agrivated.

Answer 5

1. It's not the only one, but maybe 95% of anyone who has ever tried to convert me has been christian.

2. You are incorrect, Islamic fundamentalism is discussed far more widely on YA and in the real world.

3. The loudest voices get heard the most. It's unfair to the rest, but at the end of the day it hurts christians more than atheists so it is up to the christians to do something about that image.

4. It's a common viewpoint, and the reason it is common is that many people hold it. It's unreasonable to think that all christians are like that, but again, enough to paint the rest with the same brush.

5. I pick apart other people's beliefs (reasonably) respectfully when I see holes. I am an equal opportunity objector, and I think you will find that most of the people here are too.

It's not okay to make false generalisations, but there are enough true generalisations about christianity for that not to make a difference.

Answer 6

Seeing as you're writing in English, and that most English-speaking countries are predominantly Christian, then it only makes sense that you would hear a lot about Christianity as compared to other religions.

Perhaps you should try living in a country where the predominant religion is something else, like Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, etc.

You're likely to find the same type of thing.

You sound like a cool type of Christian though, and I'm happy that there are people like you around. I'm tired of how some people use their religion to back up whatever hate-filled beliefs they hold.

Just don't pay too much heed to the haters.

Answer 7

1. No, but it's by and large the pushiest.
2. I don't, there's fringe groups in other religions.
3. Who said that? I never said all Christians are fundies
4. Because most Christians ARE.
5. Yeah right, I guess you missed on what happens a lot everyday in America in real life and also what happens everyday here on R&S.

Just because you happen the rare exception to the rule doesn't mean that most Christians don't do those things.

Answer 8

Honey, then you are a great Christian. When most people hate on Christians openly, they are hating on the Christians who hate openly. I am a Christian, but I am embarrassed when I hear of hate and judgment in Jesus' name. The good Christians live a life of love and generally don't piss people off. If you want to stop this, then start educating all those morons who wear Jesus shirts, don't tip, butt in to strangers lives, judge, treat people terribly, pass out tracks, and generally annoy everyone else. A good place to start would be youth groups. Those kids are obnoxious.

Answer 9

i prefer christians of your kind. i dont bash on christians, i just like to find out the truth in religion in general and learn about religion. the questions i have may seem like bashing but its more about finding out what im missing in my own thoughts. every time i ask a serious question about the thoughts and ideas i have people never actually give me an answer that fits my question. well i wont say nobody but majority.. after you try to find out things that you really are curious of so many times and the only replies you get is a bible verse or some sort of preaching words you begin to wonder if the general christian population actually wants to help people understand or if they just want you to be a christian because they say so..
i would like to thank you though, i honestly do prefer those who dont mind teaching when asked but isnt going to preach to everyone and try to convert people constantly. its the "true" christians i want to recieve answers from because they actually listen.
i was actually chased down in a walmart christmas shopping for friends by a christian screaming about how satan was trying to trick me for 1/2 hr because of my wiccan tattoo... its people like this who ruin the christian reputation... now let me ask questions for knowledge im really not trying to bash!

Answer 10

A lot of it boils down to having bad experiences with nasty Christians, but I agree with you that it's not okay to be vicious back and generalize to all Christians. I see people attacking Christians, people attacking atheists, and occasionally other religious groups are targets as well. But it's most disheartening when I see atheists attacking others, because I share atheism as my (non-)belief, and I know we can be better than that. It makes atheists look bad, and gives religious people an excuse to attack us back. We're all at fault in this cycle until we can rise up as a whole and be respectful to each other, regardless of our disagreements.