How Are Christians Discriminated Against?

[Joecoolyo]

Up until the mid-20th century, Catholics were not very accepted in the U.S. (mainly in connection to the influx of Irish immigrants, although it goes all the way back to colonial times).

 

[Commodore]

Oh, hurp durp I missed that.
In that case, all I got is follows of the One True Christian Church being persecuted in the UK, and schismatics being persecuted in Former Yugoslavia.

I'm not familiar with your UK example, could you or anyone else who is familiar with it shed some light on the issue?

 

[Ailedhoo]

Does Israel count as "Western society"?

How about select Christians being banned from the UK?

The funeral hecklers?

 

[GhostWriter16]

They aren't, unless asking for them to keep their views on homosexuality and other issues to themselves, somehow counts as discrimination.

Or asking them not to be bigoted.

If you are expecting them not to use their right to free speech (Or worse, MANDATING that they don't use it) unless they say things you agree with, I'd consider that supporting discrimination.

I guess Christians use the banning of public prayer in public schools thing as evidence but theologically one isn't even supposed to pray in public.

We aren't supposed to pray in public just to be seen but we can pray in public for legitimate reasons.

That said, its not really discrimination per say. I don't like how its enforced federally though. There are areas where it still happens and isn't a problem.

Individuals are still free to pray if they want, it's just that public educators are not allowed to lead classes in prayer. There are a few cases where schools have overreacted to a student praying, but nothing that constitutes a systematic pattern of discrimination. Nothing that compares to slavery, segregation, or any of the actual instances of mass discrimination in this country's past.

The thing we're afraid of is these "Isolated incidents" might get worse as liberal ideas become more and more "Assumed." For instance, some people have suggested that by the time we (Teens of CFC) have kids, homosexuality might be so accepted that even criticizing it on moral grounds may be seen as offensive, everywhere. I definitely am afraid of where that could go.

As for the types of places I'm afraid of it going, see the Philadelphia 11

Now, I'm not one to claim that Christians are facing systematic persecution in the US. We're a very good country in that regard. But not as good as we could be.

 

[MobBoss]

My wife was discriminated against in her 2nd year at a junior college by a professor in one of her psychology classes. She and a couple of other students (that were also christian and being singled out by this professor) made a complaint and won it. Essentially, the professor was needlessly singling them out and ridiculing them constantly for their Christian beliefs in front of the rest of the class even to the point where even the non-christians felt very uncomfortable about it.

 

[Antilogic]

The thing we're afraid of is these "Isolated incidents" might get worse as liberal ideas become more and more "Assumed." For instance, some people have suggested that by the time we (Teens of CFC) have kids, homosexuality might be so accepted that even criticizing it on moral grounds may be seen as offensive, everywhere. I definitely am afraid of where that could go.

As for the types of places I'm afraid of it going, see the Philadelphia 11

Now, I'm not one to claim that Christians are facing systematic persecution in the US. We're a very good country in that regard. But not as good as we could be.

Even the strong advocates of the separation of church and state (like me) denounce these isolated incidents. The overwhelming number of media pundits, politicians, and average citizens are against any sort of banning of personal prayer. Liberal ideas, as vague a term as that is, do not advocate the banning of religion.

The slippery slope argument is pretty weak, especially here where there doesn't seem to be any sort of an identifiable slope where this kind of persecution would gain traction. Especially when African-Americans/LBGTs/Muslims/atheists/other minority groups can point to actual instances of systematic discrimination/persecution in the past, it's really hard to take these sorts of claims seriously.

Serious question here: how could we be any better?

 

[Ironsided]

I feel so sorry for Christians.

 

[Truronian]

For instance, some people have suggested that by the time we (Teens of CFC) have kids, homosexuality might be so accepted that even criticizing it on moral grounds may be seen as offensive, everywhere. I definitely am afraid of where that could go.

What worse ways are there of criticizing it?

 

[GhostWriter16]

Even the strong advocates of the separation of church and state (like me) denounce these isolated incidents. The overwhelming number of media pundits, politicians, and average citizens are against any sort of banning of personal prayer. Liberal ideas, as vague a term as that is, do not advocate the banning of religion.

The slippery slope argument is pretty weak, especially here where there doesn't seem to be any sort of an identifiable slope where this kind of persecution would gain traction. Especially when African-Americans/LBGTs/Muslims/atheists/other minority groups can point to actual instances of systematic discrimination/persecution in the past, it's really hard to take these sorts of claims seriously.

Serious question here: how could we be any better?

How could we do better? By not tolerating the crap we get from places like Philadelphia If they want to persecute, they can get the heck out of our country

(I'd be more than happy to kick them out actually)

What worse ways are there of criticizing it?

Well, for an extreme example, nobody really "Accepts" what that one NC Pastor said about gay people. And he was doing a lot more than morally critcizing homosexuality, he was calling for gay people to be rounded up and essentially imprisoned. That's more than just a 'Moral objection.'

 

[Save_Ferris]

I think that's where you and I differ. Social discrimination sucks, but I don't see it as something worth complaining about because it doesn't abridge any of your rights. It's basically just people being jerks.

Legal discrimination is definitely worth making a big stink over because now we are talking about the actual denial of freedom for a group of people just because the powers that be don't like them.

I think that if someone is being rude, it's perfectly acceptable to complain about it to them. However, many use one person as an example for all people of the same type, and complain to them. That's the problem.

 

[Antilogic]

How could we do better? By not tolerating the crap we get from places like Philadelphia If they want to persecute, they can get the heck out of our country

(I'd be more than happy to kick them out actually)

As your link states (and I haven't done any other investigation, I am assuming this link is factually correct), the arrests were due to confrontations with the police and not their Christianity, and the charges were dismissed in court. So we didn't tolerate it then.

 

[bathsheba666]

Well a few hundred years ago they could torture and disembowel people for not believing in God, and therefore being incarnations of the devil.

You claim to see moons round Jupiter ? You think the earth orbits the sun?
Meet my friend mister heated iron poker.

These days that's discouraged. It's no wonder they're feeling grumpy.

My wife was discriminated against in her 2nd year at a junior college by a professor in one of her psychology classes. She and a couple of other students (that were also christian and being singled out by this professor) made a complaint and won it. Essentially, the professor was needlessly singling them out and ridiculing them constantly for their Christian beliefs in front of the rest of the class even to the point where even the non-christians felt very uncomfortable about it.

You mean she didn't say to herself... sometimes you gotta go along to get along ?

 

[Ironsided]

No, no no she was discriminated against. In the name of the united fools of sheepshaggin'.

 

[MobBoss]

You mean she didn't say to herself... sometimes you gotta go along to get along ?

She's actually had to have that attitude far more times than you would appreciate.

Discrimination affects just about everyone, in all demographs, across all walks of life to some degree. If far more of us 'gotta long to get along' the world would be a much nicer place.

 

[eduhum]

You want an example?

In the Universitat de Barcelona, in the faculty of Philosophy a professor began to work. He was catholic and right-winged- The rest of the faculty staff, communists made him the life impossible, and even stealed him his computer. He had to quit.

PROFFESORS OF PHILOSOPHY!!!

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

I feel so sorry for Christians.

Why? I'd say the vast majority take inspiration for their moral code from a lovely fella called Jesus. I certainly don't feel sorry for them because IMHO, they've got it wrong in regards to "how it all works". All of us are probably riding that train(though the stubborn adherence to The Bible in lieu of at least trying to use critical thought can frustrate me)

 

[warpus]

When I refer to Christian discrimination, I'm usually referring to "social discrimination". That generally implies people, especially on this forum, questioning my beliefs or making assumptions about me based on my religion. This happens more frequently to Atheists, but I am against discrimination in all forms.

Heh.. The questioning of beliefs is not discrimination. I mean, come on.. seriously?

You can't expect to not have your beliefs questioned. Suck it up. This ain't a game! This is real life

 

[Formaldehyde]

The thing we're afraid of is these "Isolated incidents" might get worse as liberal ideas become more and more "Assumed." For instance, some people have suggested that by the time we (Teens of CFC) have kids, homosexuality might be so accepted that even criticizing it on moral grounds may be seen as offensive, everywhere. I definitely am afraid of where that could go.

Only it isn't "liberal" at all to discriminate against anybody. It is actually just the opposite. Are the liberals discriminating against gays, women, and minorities including Muslims and even Jews still to some extent? Why do you think Christianity is any different?

Sure, there might be the occasional liberal who is intolerant towards evangelists and the like. But it is hardly a large group, much less anything approaching a majority of such a tiny minority. So how exactly are they going to convince everybody else to institute any sort of widespread discriminatory practices against the group which is the overwhelming majority in the US today?

And you are more than welcome to "criticize" homosexuality. Just don't try to inflict those views on others in the form of discriminatory laws.

 

[Ironsided]

I like you rugby league fan. you are pretty cool.
Being the car salesman you are, what possible impact could god have on your life? According to the bible; god pretty much hate your kind, doesn't he/she/whomever shemale he is?

 

[Mango Elephant]

We aren't supposed to pray in public just to be seen but we can pray in public for legitimate reasons.

Exactly the reason why I do not like Tim Tebow.

That said, its not really discrimination per say.

You make it seem like it could possibly be considered discrimination. How so?

I don't like how its enforced federally though.

Why not? If my school teachers had us collectively pray at the beginning of class I would be incredibly uncomfortable. It's possible it should be said that leaving it to the states is unconstitutional, but I'm be surprised if you didn't know that.

The thing we're afraid of is these "Isolated incidents" might get worse as liberal ideas become more and more "Assumed." For instance, some people have suggested that by the time we (Teens of CFC) have kids, homosexuality might be so accepted that even criticizing it on moral grounds may be seen as offensive, everywhere. I definitely am afraid of where that could go.

Really? People always surprise me. I think I speak for everyone when I say homophobes deserve to be teased and made fun of.