Is there really a War on Christianity???

Question

Some lady at the airport was rambling about how the US is being anti-Christian and that for the past 50 years Americans have been "killing" Christianity.

As a Christian that lives in the US I just don't see this. It's kind of hard to say you are persecuted when you are the majority by 80%.

Any thoughts? If there IS a war going on, please provide evidence of such.

Thank You.

pnkyz brain: the US was NOT found upon Judeo-Christian values, rather humanist ones.

Answer 1

To Kenny P:

I'd like to challenge Kenny P to find ONE PUBLIC and TAX SUPPORTED LOCATION where Jews or Muslims have demanded a local government to place their religious symbols as have the christians.

The ONLY time this issue comes up is when the evangelical christians demand that the government violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution. The First Amendment establishes that there will be a separation of church and state. Therefore, christian religious symbols placed on tax payer supported property is wrong.

Christians have the same rights as everyone else. Those rights include placing their religious symbols at their place of worship or at their homes or anywhere else where they are the sole property owners. But, you christians, just like everyone else, BY LAW and the US CONSTITUTION, may NOT place your religious symbols on 'tax paid for' locations as it is a violation of the First Amendment which establishes that the US WILL NOT EVER be a country like Iraq or Iran where religion is part of, or IS the government. In the US there is a separation of church and state.

So, the only problem is with the christians who want THEIR religion to be in the view of everyone in every place, including tax paid for property. If the christians would behave like other religions and respect the beliefs of others, then there would be no problem.


A reply to pnkyz_brain:

You quoted the Alzheimer patient Ronald Reagan when you posted:
The frustrating thing is that those who are attacking religion claim they are doing it in the name of tolerance, freedom, and open-mindedness. Question: Isn't the real truth that they are intolerant of religion? They refuse to tolerate its importance in our lives.

In reply:
In making that statement, it was Reagan who was demonstrating the same intolerance of those who disagreed with him and you, pnky. THAT is why there is a separation of church and state in America because there are differences. By disallowing religious display in tax supported areas, by disallowing the reading of the bible (whose bible? Yours? The Quoran? ... how about the teachings of Buddha? How about Hinduism? Of course, the last two are atheist religions ... would you allow those? When will there be time to teach the three “R’s”? )

THEN, you also are a victim of misinformation or a flat out liar regarding the regulation of taxes for churches as churches get their money TAX FREE! So, just how are the taxes being regulated?

THEN, you want non-denominational prayer in schools. So, you would disrespect the beliefs of those who DON’T believe in god ... how christian of you to disrespect others.

Finally, you again are either a victim of misinformation or a liar when you state that there is no provision in the Constitution for separation of church and state. Would you please provide the Supreme Court or any other US Constitutional court ruling that supports what you are lying about?

On the other hand it has long (since 1879 in the Supreme Court case of Reynolds v. United States) been established that since "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion...." Together with the Free Exercise Clause, ("...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"), these two clauses make up what are commonly known as the "religion clauses" of the First Amendment. Regulation of religion not only means that congress cannot regulate, but congress (or a governmental agency) can do NOTHING to support a religion, too. GET IT pnkyz?

Answer 2

Before the Christian faith claims a war is upon itself, perhaps it should look at the war(s) it caused by imposing itself onto others - banishing people from homes and native lands. The Inquisition. Burning people at the stake. I was born and raised Catholic and was left wondering what exactly I was praising - an institution that passes judgments or a higher power that loves all. It irritates me to know end when people go on an on about how people are becoming more and more un-christian like. Especially when the christian faiths believe we should all be christians. I personally will not be pushed nor badgered into a belief system when I was given the gift of free thinking by a God as I understand him/her.

Answer 3

At the moment, it's not really going. It's isolated battles that are temporary right now, but it's not a full-on war. The only reason people are becoming anti-Christian is because they're tired of the Fundies and Evangelicals saying that they're wrong and telling them they have to convert. As an Atheist, I feel offended when people tell me that I have to believe what they do and follow their religion just like them. Everyone has their freedom of religion in this country, and too many Christians aren't respecting that.

If there is a war, it's a defensive one.

Answer 4

I can see where some people might feel this as the number of atheists has more than doubled in recent years - now making up something like 15-20% of the population. And we have generally become much more outspoken about our beliefs.

If there is a war on Christianity, it is not on believers themselves, but on the way they are trying to regulate the morality on the rest of the country. We have politicians who are becoming increasingly outspoken about their faith, and we even had an ex-president say he didn't think atheists should be considered citizens or patriots.

Furthermore, I think many Christians are ignoring history and trying to turn the US into a religious state under the guise of it being the founding fathers' intentions.

I have no problem with Christians and their right to their beliefs. But I really would like for them to stop trying to force their beliefs on me.

Answer 5

Ah, yes. We complain about the fact that America is becoming more and more militantly Christian, and some of them declare that we're waging war on Christianity . . .

Example? During the Civil War, the U.S. began including the phrase "In God We Trust." The new dollar coins were going to have "In God We Trust" engraved into the edge of the coin, creating the texture on the edge of the coin. But Congress (having solved poverty, healthcare issues, and global terrorism) took the time to pass legislation requiring that the phrase be put on either the front or back of the coin, so that it's more prominent. After all, if it's on the side, it might be overlooked or it might rub off . . . . Never mind that it's visible in photos, and it could just as easily rub off the front or back.

Answer 6

It's whining, encouraged by certain elements of the Christian right, esp. certain fundamentalist Christians, who see any attempts to thwart them doing whatever they want, as a "war" against them. Like the "war" on Christmas. What war on Christmas, you say? You mean, like vast armies preventing people from celebrating Christmas? Burning churches? Arresting people who have Christmas trees? No, none of those things. What they're talking about is companies that wish people "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" rather than "Merry Christmas." And the legal challenges to nativity scenes on public property. Basically, they are positioning themselves as the victims of religious persecution in instances where people are either trying to be inclusive by using general terms, or trying to enforce the separation of church and state laws that are some of the founding principles of our government.

Answer 7

People knocking on front doors are Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses which most Christian's don't recognize as legitimate. That is unless you are one of them. Yes. There is a war going on. But the Christian's are a sleeping giant. They will wait to gather all the facts and will unite in one voice. The Golden Compass was a complete flop. Why? Because Christian's didn't go see it. Look to the current Presidential race right now. All of a sudden, they all got God. Only Huckabee had God before the race. The Christmas ads made me sick. Trying to pander the evangelical voter. It is the evangelical voter that counts. And what wins elections. They know it. That's why they are doing it. Crazy in a society that is all "me" and what I want. Disgusting and pathetic.

Answer 8

I as a true Born again beleiver in the land of Aust. I
have been devastated to see the actions of many in the U.S Churches, that has become nothing more than
a money making machine

However We here do personnally know of such Pastors in the US who are doing

a Mighty fine job

God bless them for their strength in the Lord

Answer 9

I don't think there is a war on Christianity specifically... Many different groups are after each other, but it's not all about Christianity.

Answer 10

I am not sure I would describe it as a war, but for a nation that was founded on judeo-christian principles, it certainly is being trampled upon. It doesn't rise to the level of persecution that we would see in China or North Korea, but let's not pretend that it's okay.
Regulating churches and other religious organizations through its tax laws.
Limiting religious liberty in the area of public and private education.
Forbidding non-denominational prayer in public schools and at educational ceremonies.
Excluding the Bible from school classrooms and from other school property.
Refusing to permit the religious displays on public property, such as Christmas and Chanukah.
Liberal activists would have us believe our founding fathers were terrified at the prospect of Christians participating in the political process. This led them, we're told, to establish a wall of separation between church and state. But no such provision appears in the Constitution or any of the foundational documents. The principle of separation of church and state is found only in one of Jefferson's letters, and referred, not to the exclusion of religious people from government, but to the protection of religion from governmental interference.