Christophobia

[tocis]

Wow. I mean wow. Part of me, the "man" part of me who once threatened the guy who beat up my mom when I was a kid, that part wishes I could have been there. The adult part of me...wishes I could have been there.

Count me in on that too.

(Man does this thread make me post-crazy... sorry everyone, I don't mean to flood it to bursting - I just can't stop myself...)

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

Just because the US aren't (yet?) an officially christian nation does not mean that no one will care if christians are persecuted.

Fundamentalists, maybe.

I think you made my point quite nicely

 

[sparklecat]

I'm probably a Christophobe because I have to admit that my fear of certain Christians borders on irrationality. After my experiences in Montgomery, AL with some Christians, I've reached a point that if someone in real life tells me they are a Christian I distance myself from that person immediately...politely but immediately. I find that I can no longer risk a new friendship with a Christian because of how badly I was treated and turned upon in Alabama. I'm not going those nightmares again.

I maintain relationships and friendships with Christians that I knew before then. Most of my family are Christians and I have several Christian friends whom I trust and enjoy.

So, I don't know. I'm probably throwing the baby out with the bath water with respect to new acquaintances yet I can't seem to stop my immediate and adverse reaction to "I'm a Christian."

My experiences aren't as bad as yours, but when religion comes up and someone finds out that I'm an atheist, I mentally prepare for some sort of verbal attack. Count me in with the Christophobes.

 

[JGG]

I think you made my point quite nicely

Third time: Who do you see rounding up all the Christians into camps?

 

[tocis]

I think you made my point quite nicely

Of course fundamentalists habitually do their best to persecute non-fundamentalists wherever and whenever they can anyway, so I guess it's kind of fair to give them a taste of their own medicine.

I'll say it openly, here and now:

I disagree with all christians (well, obviously, or I'd still be one), but I don't have any problems with them on a personal level. I wish them all the best and won't bother them as long as they don't bother me.
But fundamentalists... well, suffice it to say that I won't shed a tear for them. At least not the "reverend" phelps type et al. If they reap what they sow... I trust they'll be happy for getting what they wanted.

 

[tocis]

Third time: Who do you see rounding up all the Christians into camps?

Yup, that point still has to be established.

If christianity is all about love, as so many christians keep telling me, why then should anyone consider fundamentalists with their (so very often) clearly hate-driven attitudes to be christians too?

 

[sidhe]

I haven't written about it in a long time here so here's the Readers Digest version:

My tires were slashed and my windows were broken on my car because I had a Darwin fish on the back. The fish was ripped off and wrapped in a vile note which was left on my front seat. It left no doubt as to the reason for the crime. The police did come and take a report but I was advised that "People don't take well to those things here. You ought to be more careful."

I was harrassed and stalked by a street preacher. I eventually had to get an order of protection.

A co-worker attempted to "witness" to me while I was in the bathroom, properly disposing of solid waste.

No matter how many times and how politely I declined to discuss religion, I was continually asked my views and invited to church. It came to a head during a meeting where two of my co-workers stated their intended goal was for me to agree to come to church that Sunday. I politley declined and attempted to change the subject. They continued to ask why, why, why. Finally, one of them said, "What's the matter, are you some kind of atheist?" I made the mistake of replying, "Yes, I am." Well, it stopped the invitations but....

I was whispered about in hallways, just in my hearing, called that "Yankee Atheist" (I was born in Oklahoma...is that Yankee land?) and other kind names like "Satan Worshiper" "Devils Daughter" "Leftist Commie" (The last I find somewhat funny as politically I'm a moderate and far from a Communist.)

Pamphlets, tracts and scriptures were piled on my desk in my absence. To the point that there was almost a trashcan full every day. Once, my cube walls, my computer and my seat were completely covered with scriptures and tracts using duct tape. Ever try to get the residue of duct tape off of a computer screen?

A couple of days after this, my car was once again targeted. This time, completely covered with scriptures and tracts using duct tape. It took me 3 hours to get all the stuff off my car.

I was marginalized in ways I shan't take the time to describe here. I shan't describe the numerous and unwelcome attempts to "witness" to me despite my repeated pleas to be left alone. I shan't describe the times that I was confronted in anger or in scorn. Eventually, I was fired. And this was at a State agency.

Like I said, Reader's Digest version and only a small part of the garbage I went through.

Whoa.

Count me in with the "wish I was there" crowd. I live in backwoods Georgia, so I know somewhat what you're talking about. That's why I don't have a Darwin fish or "Love is the Law" bumpersticker on my new car. My old car got lightly keyed for a "Jesus Wouldn't Hate Gay People" sticker.

 

[selfinflikted]

I haven't written about it in a long time here so here's the Readers Digest version:

My tires were slashed and my windows were broken on my car because I had a Darwin fish on the back. The fish was ripped off and wrapped in a vile note which was left on my front seat. It left no doubt as to the reason for the crime. The police did come and take a report but I was advised that "People don't take well to those things here. You ought to be more careful."

I was harrassed and stalked by a street preacher. I eventually had to get an order of protection.

A co-worker attempted to "witness" to me while I was in the bathroom, properly disposing of solid waste.

No matter how many times and how politely I declined to discuss religion, I was continually asked my views and invited to church. It came to a head during a meeting where two of my co-workers stated their intended goal was for me to agree to come to church that Sunday. I politley declined and attempted to change the subject. They continued to ask why, why, why. Finally, one of them said, "What's the matter, are you some kind of atheist?" I made the mistake of replying, "Yes, I am." Well, it stopped the invitations but....

I was whispered about in hallways, just in my hearing, called that "Yankee Atheist" (I was born in Oklahoma...is that Yankee land?) and other kind names like "Satan Worshiper" "Devils Daughter" "Leftist Commie" (The last I find somewhat funny as politically I'm a moderate and far from a Communist.)

Pamphlets, tracts and scriptures were piled on my desk in my absence. To the point that there was almost a trashcan full every day. Once, my cube walls, my computer and my seat were completely covered with scriptures and tracts using duct tape. Ever try to get the residue of duct tape off of a computer screen?

A couple of days after this, my car was once again targeted. This time, completely covered with scriptures and tracts using duct tape. It took me 3 hours to get all the stuff off my car.

I was marginalized in ways I shan't take the time to describe here. I shan't describe the numerous and unwelcome attempts to "witness" to me despite my repeated pleas to be left alone. I shan't describe the times that I was confronted in anger or in scorn. Eventually, I was fired. And this was at a State agency.

Like I said, Reader's Digest version and only a small part of the garbage I went through.

Yeah, I live in southern Alabama, and this is certainly not an exaggeration. However, I have found that if you try and become as invisible as possible, you will be spared this type of grief. I typically keep to myself, and generally don't offer any personal information unless I know the party(ies) in question can be trusted. There are some decent people here, but few and far between. I can totally understand how you must feel about this state though. Sorry to hear about your experience, as I can sympathize.

 

[Harpuia]

(Emphasis mine)

Does anyone in this thread still dare to claim "This is not a christian nation"? Not officially, granted. But looking at the way things are...

On the flipside, I have heard stories of people witnessing to "non-believers" and getting in trouble for it at their workplace, and them stating America is a pagan nation only a step away from persecuting Christians... so...

Me on the other hand... well.. my own stories of being a different Christian a "dark Christian" in my old days in high school so you will, could make anyone squirm.

 

[Garnet2727]

Yeah, I live in southern Alabama, and this is certainly not an exaggeration. However, I have found that if you try and become as invisible as possible, you will be spared this type of grief. I typically keep to myself, and generally don't offer any personal information unless I know the party(ies) in question can be trusted. There are some decent people here, but few and far between. I can totally understand how you must feel about this state though. Sorry to hear about your experience, as I can sympathize.

With the exception of the Darwin fish, which was "removed" within one week of moving to Alabama...I was invisible with respect to my beliefs. I never started a conversation about religion. I refused over and over and over again to discuss religion. Nevertheless, the "in-your-face" Christians where I worked would not leave me alone. I was continually asked about my beliefs until I said, out of exasperation, that I am an atheist.

As for the street preacher, here's a thread I opened shortly after it happened: http://www.christianforums.com/t1013950-when-no-is-not-enough.html

Please don't resurrect that thread, y'all...I just put it up to illustrate the fact that even when I was minding my own business, people were getting in my face.

But...I need not turn this into the "Garnet's Whining" thread. I moved back to Michigan, permanently, in May and things like that just don't happen here.

 

[Garnet2727]

Jerusha_Girl,

I think that Wiccans have a much tougher time of it in the US than atheists. While atheists are generally viewed with scorn or sorrow, Wiccans are viewed with fear and hatred.

It's a sad world we live in sometimes.

 

[Harpuia]

Jerusha_Girl,

I think that Wiccans have a much tougher time of it in the US than atheists. While atheists are generally viewed with scorn or sorrow, Wiccans are viewed with fear and hatred.

It's a sad world we live in sometimes.

Most Wiccans though are NOT like Jerusha_Girl or the traditional Wiccans. Most Wiccans become Wicca as teenagers just because it's a better "alternative" to Christianity because they think the rules are looser over there. However, some Wiccans I know tend to be even more conservative than Christians and I hear the higher up you go, the more conservative you do become, so it's just like being a Christian only... Wicca.

 

[Harpuia]

I think it depends on the area you're in, the people who're around you, and so on. It's not easy to be a Wiccan on the internet, that's for sure.

And I know a fair number of Atheists who're on the recieving end of hatred too. It's pathetic, really.

Seriously?!?

And right-wingers have been complaining to me that Christians have it rougher on the internet than anywhere else...

 

[Harpuia]

It depends. There certainly are some who come with that sort of "rebelious" attitude, but their facination is fast and shortlived. I don't really fault people who are short-timer Wiccans, who do it for a month or two, maybe a year, and then move on... Especially if they're teens. That's the age where they're trying to find who they are. Sometimes that involves experimentation. Generally, I'd rather experimentation with spirituality to find their identity, then experiment with things like drugs, sex, crime, etc.

I think the important thing to remember is not to judge a religion as a whole based on the teenagers that are attracted to it while trying to find their place in the world. I mean, let's be honest, try wandering through the teen section of this site, as a Christian, some of the things that are said in there... Let's just say, you wouldn't want your religion judged by the statements/mentalities in there.



Conservative not necessarily in political stances, but in beliefs. There are some Wiccans, especially those who are in Traditions, Covens, or follow a specific path (Alexandrian, Gardnerian, Seax, etc) who tend to be come off as very elitist, especially towards those who they feel are "not real Wiccans" or "less Wiccan" than them.

Thankfully, those groups are relatively quiet, they don't try to convert people, and they tend to keep to themselves. So we don't really hear a lot from them, Wiccan or not, when it comes to expressing their opinions on others unless you seek them out and ask. Even people here who are Wiccan have some of those beliefs, but they're great people and they don't jump down somebody's throat or get in their face when they see somebody practicing a style they disagree with. If you ask, by goodness they'll share, but they don't generally volunteer it.

Heh.

Can't say I've ever been a Wiccan, but I know a few on the higher ups of the Wicca religion who've told me quite a bit about that stuff. Dated a priestess myself at one point to the dismay of the church I was in. I told them I didn't really care what they thought because the girl was a virgin, and was following more principles in the BIBLE of all places than any girl I met in church. Weird, huh?

 

[tocis]

So your a hypocrite then?

I am? How so?

If some people think that hate is OK, they should be able to deal with being hated themselves. What's hypocritical about that?

 

[levi501]

Hilarious when people who are apart of the majority have a persecution complex.

 

[Harpuia]

I bet that went over like a fart in church...

That's why I try to remember to look at the person, not their spirituality, but I freely admit, sometimes it's hard and when I'm face to face with a evangelical fundimentalist who's advocating at the top of his lungs things I don't believe or find questionable...

I don't know. It's just hard.

Oh yeah! Tell me about it. Sometimes I wonder if those evangelicals are trying to make a self-fulfilling prophesy. An antichrist created out of THEIR hate. A world who hates them because of the actions THEY did. Yeah, the prophesy would be right in Revelation, but it would be those right-wing elitist Christians who fulfilled the prophesy themselves with their continued attacking of any non-Christian or Christian with a different view.

Oh, btw, that priestess and I broke up amicably after six months. We're still good friends, and we're both still been single ever since.

 

[JGG]

Hilarious when people who are apart of the majority have a persecution complex.

Does anybody have a clue who he's being persecuted by? I've asked three times now, with no response. Its a pretty vague persectution complex.

 

[Harpuia]

Does anybody have a clue who he's being persecuted by? I've asked three times now, with no response. Its a pretty vague persectution complex.

Ask a Christian, these will usually be the top ten answers, in random order:

Satan
the liberal media
atheists
secular humanists
judicial tyranny
ACLU
"pew-sitting" Christians
liberal Christians
Democrat Party
NAMBLA

Make what you will with it.

 

[Harpuia]

That's a really interesting theory that I think should be explored by those you're talking about... :o

I'm thinking about it.

It's gonna be a chapter in a book I'm writing.

That's good to hear. There's nothing that I think feels better than having a relationship and, when it doesn't work out, you can still go to the person as a friend. That's so rewarding.

Yeah, but I haven't seen her in a while. She moved away.