Best cartoon on anti-Christian bigotry I've seen in a long time:

anti Christian bigotry is almost non-existent.

there are some that are anti Christian, but the argument that Christians are "discriminated" against is a total fabrication of the media, and the RW manipulators.

At this point I am so revolted by what the religious nutcases are doing here and around the world that, as tolerant as I am, I am starting to despise all religous behavior.

At this point my feelings are starting to be: if you want to be religious in the privacy of your own home, that is fine, but you have no right to shove your religion in my face with public displays of piety.

I am also starting to think that religoids should not be allowed to marry, adopt children, or be employed around small children, as they are obsessed with spreading their religious agenda.

I also reject suggestions that religious behavior is genetic. It is a choice, and as such deserves no constitutional protection.

but doesn't protect genetic behavior if it isn't "normal" by society's standards

A little crazy isn't it

And some would say the 14th Amendment protects those deemed a "suspect class".

what they believe. They don't talk the talk, but walk the walk. They tend to set an example through their deeds & good character without wearing their Christianity on their sleeves.

I blame Falwell, Robertson, & their cronies for spreading their hatred & viciousness. They're exceptional in bringing out the worst traits in people, & they represent the false gods these impressionable people have been warned about in the Bible.

By using two wedge issues -- women's right to abortion & gay legal unions -- they've turned their backs on the poor, the sick, the elderly, & yes, the troops, when they refuse to see that they were used for political purposes by the Republican party.

I can relate to your feelings, Warren, but I try to remember that they are an enigma & this atmosphere of feigned Christianity will eventually fade away. They're getting on everyone's nerves.

Brian was a diligent and intelligent network engineer and never 'compromised' ('quick and dirty' or short-cut) on the job. He was smart about politics, both company and public, but never got 'in the game.' I worked closely with him for months before I found out he was a devout (walked the walk) fundamentalist (but not evangelical) Christian. His family and personal life was founded and centered on his profound faith and their "community of friends" - and they practiced without preaching. They didn't regard buildings and ornaments necessary. Their "services" were gatherings in someone's home. Their 'preachers' (missionaries, actually) traveled from community to community, staying in someone's home for a while and then moving on. Their dress was essentially contemporary, but plain without looking austere. (They eschewed any kind of display, even of austerity.) They lived kindness and humility - not self-flagellation, but humility; not self-guilt but humility. A form of self-respect without ego. And they showed love and respect for others - not cloyingly or weepingly, but with mature kindness and not judgmentally.

I once remarked to Brian, as we were working and driving from one installation to another, that he was a "good man." He replied, "Well, I try." I said, "Exactly!" I think that's when we were sure we were friends - that we shared a core value.

The many times I was a guest in their (Brian, his wife, and 7-year-old daughter) home, usually for dinner, were some of the most comfortable, loving times I've ever had. They rarely "talked the talk" - letting their actions speak far, far louder than any words. Did they show impatience? Sure. Did they show humor? Ubetcha. We giggled and laughed a lot. NEVER with malice. Never.

When I think of what "Christian" really, really SHOULD mean, I think of my friend Brian. He touched my life forever.

He was a pious, devout man. An all-around "good egg."

Avoided political involvement. They often had a history of being oppressed by an "Established Church."

The Southern Baptist Conference got in bed with the Texas Republicans some time ago. But even many "Mainline Baptists" still keep that Church/State separation.

There's nothing inherently wrong with being a Fundamentalist. In fact, there are even Liberal Evangelicals. But the Church/State combination has been causing a bunch of trouble.

my giving up smilies for lent has become a permanent condition. As the son of a lapsed Irish Catholic, I am not really anti-religion. My writing here was satrical, just my poor attempt at an exercise in swiftian logic.

The biggest crime of Falwell & Co. is that their corrupt agendas is not only misleading well-intentioned (well, some of them) followers, but turning people away from the churches.

:thumbsup:

:thumbsup:

where none is there. You just have to stick it in there, don't you?

It sure seems as though Christianity IS quite relevant to this thread.

:patriot:

The poster I responded to knows this.

& you might want to take a pill that may be overdue.

Here's one just for you:

He was a middle-aged man who recently moved to Richmond. He's originally from Ghana.

He told us about Islam and why he became Muslim and invited questions. This stuff isn't that unusual at a Unitarian-Universalist church. We're open to all types of faith, but respect reason as well so over-the-top fundamentalism isn't going to fly.

Someone asked a question about terrorism. He told us there are 71 sects in Islam and most of them are very peaceful. Almost all the terrorism comes from a small group of fanatics.

I spoke to him after the service and thanked him for the talk. We spoke briefly about politics and religion. At that point, he told me that the best funded group in Islam are the fanatics, who fan emotions for the benefit of Arab politicians.

I said, yes, just like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson are two of the best funded "Christians" around. His eyes sparkled when he acknowledged the similiarity.

Different religions in completely different cultures, but both Islam anc Christianity are being perverted to political ends.

I love the comparison of the two well-funded "Christians": Falwell & Co and the fanatical Islams.

Both evil agendas require lots of funding to spread the hatred.

(deservedly so).

is a good thing or not. Which is unfortunate in that I do think that ones spiritual development is important, but there has to be some restrictions as to what others can inflict upon society.

That includes Freedom From Religion.

Post-life theories are too often used as a tool to induce poverty and misery. And I'm particularly tired of a certain religious hierarchy with a seat at the UN inflicting its anti birth control policy around the world and on countries with almost no co-religionists.

In short, I think the pain and suffering and wars and oppression done in the name of religion have long since outweighed any conceivable benefit that religion claims to produce.

Religion should be treated the same as porn in the fact that it should be a private matter within the confines of your home. Who claims that religion is genetic? Religion is purely nurtured and taught by ignorant parents who know nothing of history nor science. Religion is making a comeback in this country because of the dumbing down of America and "Intelligent design" is proof. The constitution specifically implies freedom of religion and the lesser known freedom FROM religion. My constitutional rights are being trampled every time I use U.S. currency in which it is stated "IN GOD WE TRUST." Who's we? Certainly its not me. Am I not an American if I do not believe in God, and am not part of the "WE." My taxes pay for the Treasury to add that crap to the currency as well as the wasted ink that reads "One nation, under God." As our forefathers before us, we too might have to flee a theocracy for the pursuit of freedom from religion.

do you discount the possibility (and a few studies) suggesting that they are related? What if these kinds of mental illness can be treated?

I agree about banning them from brain-washing their kids. the fear they use to control people is also damaging to their members.

and I'm here to tell you, anti-Christian bigotry is NOT a fabrication. When I am faced with a nonbeliever that is aware of my faith, I have been ridiculed for attending church, dissed and told I'm nuts. That is part of being a Christian and our Lord told us we had to endure it. But in all due respect to your post, nuh uh!

Now on the other hand, Jesus also told us that the man who beats his breast, prays in public loudly and proclaims how holy he is will be humbled and that he who prays in private will be exalted. The extreme fundies are all about proving how 'Christian' they are by upholding xenophobic beliefs up as the only important values and ones some of them are even willing to break the Commandments to 'uphold' i.e., people who attack abortion clinics, doctors and workers. There is no place in the Bible they should be basing their walk on, namely the New Testament that the Word tells us to go blow up clinics or get on tv and whine about how people are trying to keep them from celebrating holy days. These kind of folk are the worst thing that could have happened to Christianity since the misguided Spanish Inquisition and the forcible 'baptisms' of the Native Americans by the European invaders.

I wish the fundies would crawl back into the woodwork. I haven't been watching the whine; are they complaining that others want to outlaw the Easter Bunny? Or not outlaw it as pagan? Who can keep up with the rightwing moonbats?!

because you aren't teaching them about GAWD! It has happened to me. Has anyone refused to allow their children at your house because of your "lack of morality/ belief in a higher power"? This too. Anyone require your children to pledge allegiance each day to a nation under humanistic principles? My kids are expected to say " one nation under god" in class each day. My children are proselytized to, told they're going to hell (ages 4, 7 & 11) Christian persecution ? My ass!:grr:

but that does not mean that there aren't people with bigoted attitudes about Christianity. I just don't buy that it's some big movement out there. THAT is the fabrication by the right-wingers.

SHUT UP.

done such a thing, they would have regretted opening their mouths to me. I am Christian but I am not a door mat and would have no problem standing down that kind of crap!

I'm sorry you and your kids have been subjected to that. That's just wrong...

Growing up, I considered myself Catholic. I NEVER started the discussion, but if I was asked, I NEVER thought twice about telling someone that I was a Catholic. I got the occasional nasty response from the fundie nuts who claimed that they "hate Catholics", but for the most part, I felt like people were OK with my religion because "at least I believed in God".

Now, as a grown-up atheist, I have found that I try and avoid the question when asked. I've gotten some pretty nasty responses when I have told people that I am an atheist and there have been a few times where I have felt like I was being harassed because I am not a Christian. Again, I am NEVER the one to bring the subject up, I have NEVER tried to get someone to stop believing in their god, but I do hesitate before answering someone who asks me what religion I am and a few times, I have avoided answering.

If there is such a thing as "anti-Christian bigotry", I have never seen it and never felt it...and IF it does exist, it certainly isn't as common or as extreme as the bigotry shown towards non-Christians in my experience.

Sorry for the dupe.

when 9/11 happened. Some men from the American Legion came to his school to teach the kids the "Pledge of Allegiance" and hand out little American flags. My son thought they said "one nation under guard", which I discovered when he recited it for me. My husband and I thought that "under guard" was reality based, whereas "under god' was fantasy based so we thought that was pretty intelligent. My son has contiued to use his version for the last 5 years!

religious beliefs. If you go around broadcasting what you believe, it's only fair that you should expect to hear what others believe and what they don't believe. People shouldn't expect the world to conspire with their belief systems and provide an environment for them in which nothing can be discussed that ruffles their religious theories.

but if I'm asked, I will say what I believe. I am tired of people hijacking Jesus for control purposes on others. I'm tired of the same people acting anything but 'Christian.' I'm also tired of being lumped in with that sort of CINO, Christian in Name Only.

I am not sure if I'm a Christian or not - I've been doing a lot of thinking about that lately. (I am a member of a church, but...)I think I'm a deist, but who knows? I don't, not right now.

Anyway, I always tell people that my religion is very personal and private to me, and I don't care to share it - pray with them - whatever. I've also stopped saying the pledge of allegiance at public meetings, although I do stand respectfully. I just don't like pledging to a piece of cloth, no matter what it symbolizes.

And by the way, I'm not some teenager who is still trying to "find herself." I had my 56th birthday on April 15.

:kick:ed

I just get a box with a red "x" in it. :(

and could see the cartoon. Thanks for the suggestion, anyway! :hi:

You and I are going to have a little talk one of these days.

I know you didn't mean for it to - but that sound a tad ominous.

I'm sure our talk will be a good one. If you are ever in Asheville, I'm usually at Jack of the Woods on Thursday night. (When baseball season starts, I'll be at the stadium.)

Bigotry made respectable.

:hi:

Keeeeek!!

:kick:

I also like the tie design...

brilliant!

I see a lot of religious people who are doing nothing to provoke or intimidate or impose their beliefs getting attacked by nonreligious people, even mocked.

Its leaders are exploitative plutocrats that graduated from the Ivy Leagues and probably don't believe in the religions that they use to control people with in the first place.

And I can't say a proportion outside that of religious that attack unreligious and vice versa, but I see a lot of both to be fair.

IMHO

Just for fairness :)

Why are you having such a hard time seeing it both ways? That's the great thing that's supposed to come about from being progressive...

Why do you feel the need to being 'balance and fairness' into this discussion? We have baptist churches protesting gay funerals, we have prominent TV preachers blaming gays for 9/11, we have religious right drones passing anti-gay marriage constitutional amendments in state after state, yet you feel the need to point out that Christians get hurt feelings too? Isn't this the perfect illustration of what the cartoon in the OP was all about?

They must in some way see their religious tenets being rebuked.

and are total BS, and those that hold such beliefs are assholes who deserve no coddling of their oh so hurt feelings. I feel the same way about the Catholic Church's and Conservative Protestant churches teachings on homosexuality as I do about what Christian Identity fanatics teach about blacks and other "mud" people as they call them. Really, what's the difference? Hate is hate, and should not be tolerated AT ALL, the only difference between these "Mainstream" Churches and the Aryan nations is that they target different groups.

And what is a True Christian? According to your Bible, it is someone who proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and confesses Jesus as their personal savior. Like it or not, Christian fundamentalists like Pat Robertson and Ted Haggert are True Christians.

From where I sit, you and Pat Robertson are both Christians because you both claim to be. That's all I have to go on and the fact that both of you call the other out as not being a True Christian convinces me that you are both very much True Christians. Note that I'm not saying that both you and Pat Robertson are the same. I'm just saying that you are both True Christians.

But then, I'm just an anti-religious bigot because I don't take you on faith, but apply reason to your beliefs.

:toast:

You may not like the way they interpret religion, but it's theirs to interpret.

No more, no less. Thank you King Lear.

are religious?

that people who are religious aren't allowed to marry or adopt children? that openly religious people can't be elected to public office? that they aren't allowed to freely worship? that their religious books are banned? that they aren't allowed to speak about their faith on the public airwaves? that religious people are routinely denied housing and employment? that the religious can't serve in the military?

For the irony-impaired, yes this is :sarcasm:

Attacked? I have yet to hear of a SINGLE Christian in the United States that has been physically assaulted due to their religious affiliation alone, and mocking is NOT being attacked, its being made fun of.

Until you get beaten for what you are or what you believe, until you are FORBIDDEN from participating fully in society due to those convictions, until you lose your children due to what you are or what you believe, STFU!!!!!!!

perfectly illustrated.

and look to your own soul.

Edit: Happy Pagan Ritual swiped by the "sneaky" Christians!

I showed this around at our Easter gathering - was well recieved :D

They believe in that, right? I had a "saved" friend when I was in the service. Very nice guy. He didn't evangelize (among co-workers, at least), but he told us that he prayed for us. This is the perfect solution, imho. It doesn't annoy me, and it keeps the fundies happy, busy and quiet.

In short: Talk to me about Jesus? No. Pray for me? Sure, knock yourself out.

Turn the other cheek so I can smack you harder.

obviously of the same mind as the gay-bashing Fristian in the opening post cartoon:

. . .nature of what we are contending with by connecting "theocracy" with the horrible consequences of permitting the neocon empire builders to infiltrate and dominate our government.

Rev. Neuhaus often misses the mark, but I loved it when he used the terms "theocon" and "theocrat" on Meet the Press this week.

Haven't come across the terms before, but they are terms we should be using. They convey a core truth about the reactionary-christianist-right. Whether monarchy, theocracy, or military dictatorship, its all fascism -- the belief that a faction has the right to absolute rule.

"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart," - H. L. Mencken.

The mustache gives him away!

I always try to make the distinction. I think Liberal Christians rock, it's the conservative dogma pushers that deserve or wrath.