Non-Christians: Can you tell me of any hostility you encountered because of your beliefs?

Question

This is mainly aimed at non-Christians, because I am Christian and I've already encountered a LOT of hostility to my faith. Asking other Christians for more examples would be rather redundant. :-)
I'm asking because I have seen very few questions/answers targeting Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc. And I don't really know any non-Christians, although I'm acquainted with several. Maybe it's just me, but it seems that most of the aggravating questions/answers here are targeted at Christians and atheists/agnostics.
Whenever I hear of religious intolerance, it is usually directed at Christians-- probably because I live in a Christian community. So I'm trying to get viewpoints from other groups.

Hence, I'm looking for stories or incidents about hostility that non-Christians have encountered because of their beliefs. Any input is appreciated.

Thanks in advance. :-)

Answer 1

I'm in my 40's and have always had new age/neo-pagan beliefs. Although there have been a few instances in my life where I've had to deal with hostility, it hasn't been very often since I've been an adult. I don't look for trouble and treat others with the same respect that I'd like to see from them. I've found that few people really care what my religious beliefs are.

I've seen the kind of hostility towards Christianity that you're talking about and think that it's sad. It does seem that Christians get targeted more than other folks, but since they make up the majority of religious practitioners, it's only natural that there will be more "targets" for rude people. By percentage, I think that Muslims receive more hostility. Then maybe Jews. Perhaps someday, peopel will try to live in harmony. I hope.

On YA, it is common when Pagans ask questions to other pagans, that Christians will answer in a very rude way. Many of us have received private e-mails that have been very rude. I don't think that the average Christian is this rude, but there are definitely those who profess the religion who are.

As for personal instances of hostility, I have lost two jobs because of my religion. The first time was 16 years ago when I worked in a restaurant. My manager walked up to me in the dining room (with customers sitting 5' behind me) and asked me if I was try to get a piece of her hair to cast a spell on her. I laughed (I didn't think she was serious) and told her that I wouldn't know what to do with it. She was freaking out over nothing. She fired me.

The second time, maybe 8 years later, I had just started working at a machine shop. On my first day, the owner called me into his office and point-blank asked me what my religious beliefs were. I stammered and said something vague, not wanting to share this information. He kept me in there grilling me until I told him. The next day, my co-worker brought me a typed page that he had taken down from the men's room that said all kinds of negative and untrue things about my religion. The owner had posted it in the mens room because I was the only female machinist and wouldn't see it. I read it, then handed it back and told him to put it back where he found it (he wanted to tear it up). A few weeks later, the owner fired me telling me it was because he "didn't think that I was happy working there". My work and attendance was excellent, so he didn't have any other reason to fire me. A few months later, I learned from the temp agency that he told them that he fired me because I had cussed him out. This was an absolute lie. I never used foul language and I had never gotten into an arguement with him. Even when he fired me, I shook his hand and thanked him for the opportunity to work for him! Because of his lie, the temp agency will never place me in another job.

Even though I grew up with new age beliefs, when I as a pre-teen, my parents converted to Christianity. I never converted. My father got violent about it many times. I lost count of the black eyes, fat lips, and many, many bruises. But I held on tight to what I believed. Much time has passed since then and all is forgiven. My father knows that this is just the way that I am and we have a great relationship now.

But I'd rather list all of the kind, tolerant moments that I've had with others. There have been so many. In general, I think that most people are kind and want to live and let live.

Answer 2

Yes as an atheist / agnostic(haven't made up my mind yet) I have encountered many hostilities from Christians, and this leads me to be hostile back. But not just from Christians I am also considered an infidel by Muslims. All atheists want is to be left alone, people can worship or not worship whoever they want, just as long as they aren't pushing it on other people.

Answer 3

Obviously Im not a christian but I Believe In God But when god created us he gave us the chance to make up our own minds to follow him or not I know someday i will be judged but that does not bother me at all either i will go to heaven if I repent or Im going to hell.The only time i encountered hostility towards myself when Jehovahs witsness called at my door and they where trying to force their views upon me and these guys where trying to force their way into my home but apart from that I have no problems with christians my best friend is a christian and he has accepted my way of life and vice versa

Answer 4

Do you recall the Senate Prayer Led by a Hindu on July 13, 2007?

Three Christians were very rude to the guest clergy and were removed.

Answer 5

Well, almost everytime I ask a question involving my religion (Buddhism) I get an abnoxious Christian who pops in to inform me that I'm going to burn in hell, or that Buddha is dead (They say this quite a lot, actually, which kind of confuses me, since I know that he is dead and acknowledge that), or that Buddha can't bring me to heaven (Which I never expected him too). I've also gotten a lot of snide comments at college over my religion, and people who normally talked to me or waved as I passed them on the way to class just began ignoring me once they found out that I was not a Christian. I've also been told that I was going to hell by a six year old, which was kind of creepy, to tell the truth...

But our religion has it pretty easy. If your really want to hear some horror story, talk to a Muslim. I know a woman who has been threatened with death. One nut job even threatened to kill her young son. People are sick...

Answer 6

There's plenty to see every day here.

I personally haven't met with any hostility yet in real life. What I have encountered almost every time I reveal my atheism to someone is the person thinking their position is somehow superior while not knowing very much at all about that position.

Answer 7

All the time from the religious. We (my wife and I) are of the ancient Egyptian faith in Amen, and believe Yeshua (Jesus) to have been it's messiah, not this messiah of the Jews. People, mostly christians, who believe in the old testament judgments of this faith being evil, think we are of a faith in the devil, which we are not. We are constantly harassed because of it. Why is it christians are so prejudical when it comes to leaving people alone to their own faith? Seems to me alot of these people NEED to learn the Lord's ways and HUMILITY, rather than harassing others with their limited points of view.

Answer 8

Ignorant jack mules have made fun of me because I'm a Muslim. It goes back to the War on Terrorism and 9-11, honest to God, anyone can be a terrorist regardless of background. I've been called names and people dared to twist the words of my religion. So in class I exposed them for the idiots that they are and made them the butt of jokes. I've also been given looks in public but I ignore them. Seriously though you would think by now some people would realize just because a group of infidels who call themselves Muslim and go around extolling words they twist for their justification doesn't mean all true Muslim like to fight, Islam is a peaceful religion. Many don't realize that however weird it sound due to media using political cartoons some people made degrading my religion worldwide. I'm sick and tried of the terrorists screwing around and I pray God would give them the foulest punishments found in the lowest level in the underworld. Because I hate being singled out.

Answer 9

Heathen (I was pagan for several years)

I was fired from a job * had to explain that I wasn't a Satanist on another job * encountered daily harassment while on the job - crosses left on my desk, salt thrown at me, my car was vandalized with pro-Christian sayings * I was run off the road with someone yelling "God loves you, we don't, f**k off!" because of a pentagram dangling from my mirror * I had people praying and preaching outside a shop where we were holding ritual * had the police called on same rituals - being accused of using drugs and abusing children in our ritual (there weren't any drugs, no alcohol and no kids there) * I and my friends were refused service at a restaurant when they saw our pentagrams * asked by realty people what church we attend when looking for a place to rent.........

now I'm depressed and irritated

Answer 10

Yes... which is why I generally keep my religious beliefs to myself in real life, unless specifically asked. It's easy to block someone here if they insist on harassing you, but it's a bit harder in person.

But really... there's no such thing as a religious group that does NOT face hostility. No matter what you believe, you are going to offend somebody, and they are going to try and make you pay for it.