Why is the world hostile to Christians?

[Odin2006]

I just want to point out that some of the signers of the declaration of independece were athiest! If anyone wants to argue that i can try to find some proof online.

And most of them were defoacto deists.

 

[Leifmk]

no one expects the Spanish Inquisition!!

Considering how many times that show has aired, I think by now everyone expects the Spanish Inquisition.

 

[blackheart]

Why is the world so hostile to anyone?

This thread's title makes me laugh, as it implies there is some sort of conspiracy theory against Christians. Quite frankly, the world is hostile towards anyone who wants to stand out.

 

[Kayak]

Because people hate being reminded of personal responsibility.

MobBoss, could you explain what you mean here? Do you think that a christian would bring personal responsibility to mind any more that anyone else?

 

[El_Machinae]

Christianity extols people to be generous despite no perceived benefit to ourselves.

However, due to opportunity cost, you still have to be generous wisely. As an athiest, I can give my money to charity in such a way that the most people benefit (or that society benefits as a whole). So, an athiest can be equally generous as a Christian, and still benefit himself.

edit: in other words, an athiest can (nowadays) be motivated to be as generous as a Christian, because (nowadays) you can give away most of your money and still benefit indirectly.

Maybe it was different 2000 years ago, because our economy wasn't so interconnected back then.

 

[willemvanoranje]

I'm not sure if this is about your direct environment or the entire world, but I would like to say some things about the latter:

The hostilities in the world against the west do, in principle, have nothing to do with religion at all. Religion is just a concept used to express other feelings. What we see in the world today has to do with modernisation.

For the past 600 years the western civilization has taken over the world. For hundreds of years western culture has been pushed upon other cultures all over the world, resulting in countries like the USA, Canada and Australia being part of this very same culture today. Latin-America is very closely linked to the west. Now, there are parts in the world where the excisting cultures were strong enough to initially resist the western culture, that was spread through modernisation. With the growing globalization of today however, countries all over the world, and especially in the Middle-East, face a huge question: What to do? Will they take over the European modernisation and go with the flow? Or do they want to preserve and defend the old values and old way of living? Or maybe try to combine these two, what kind of happened in Japan and South-Korea.

That is what this situation of today is about.. modernisation. Osama bin Laden obviously is someone against modernisation, but at the same time he sees that he can't stop modernisation by himself. He sees that people all around him, his brothers, sisters, neighbours and other fellow-citizens, all join the modernisation... I think you can fill in the rest of the picture.

Religion has not caused today's situation in any shape. It's just a pretext, a concept, abused to justify the actions and complex relations of today. It's just much easier to explain that what I've just written...

 

[carlosMM]

The world isn't especially hostile to christians - christians just want to perceive it as such. Some weird inbred longing for martyrdom or some such, I don#t know. Your tough luck, man!

 

[Taliesin]

The world is not tremendously hostile to Christians.

i have absolutely no problem with ordinary christians, its just people like the Texas Republican Party that just.....well lets not get into it, somebody on here has a link to something about them

Speaking. Dominionists-- scary people who think giant man-scorpions are going to jump out to torment humanity any moment when one of the seals in heaven is broken-- terrify me. They wouldn't be quite so frightening if they weren't in a position of major influence in the world's only superpower. (I still wouldn't want to live among them, mind you, especially since I suspect being a Catholic in the deep south isn't much easier than being a transvestite.)

 

[Little Raven]

As others have said, the world is hostile. Period.

Various circumstances and conditions can mitigate or enhance this basic hostility, but being Christian is likely not a significant factor. At least not in the US or Europe, which is where I presume you're located.

 

[Irish Caesar]

I still wouldn't want to live among them, mind you, especially since I suspect being a Catholic in the deep south isn't much easier than being a transvestite.

I haven't really had a problem except meeting a lot of people whose first words to me are something like, "What I don't understand is the Pope! And how can you dare call him the Holy Father?"

Then again, I have yet to venture too far away from Atlanta--but I've met plenty of people who live far enough away from the city to know what you mean.

 

[MobBoss]

I tend to think of it as ...

A fundamentalist thinks there is more to their religion than "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and "love the Lord thy God". They think they know how Christianity is 'supposed' to be above those two commandments, and aren't afraid to act on their moral convictions, even if it hurts people.

Well, in all honesty, if you were right, the bible would be the width of a tissue paper.

Sorry, but there is quite a bit more to it than just doing unto others and loving God.

 

[MobBoss]

MobBoss, could you explain what you mean here? Do you think that a christian would bring personal responsibility to mind any more that anyone else?

Sure. Basic christian tenets revolve around a person conducting their life in such a manner as to be christlike. Be a good citizen. Dont sin. Love one another.

However, a lot of people in our world dont want to "feel bad" about what they have done and make excuses for their own bad behaviour, instead of repenting of their actions before God and asking forgiveness.

 

[CaptainF]

Because people hate being reminded of personal responsibility.

What do you mean?

I thought that vesting faith in god implied that responsibility was at least partly in the hands of god.

On topic:

I do not believe the world is hostile to christians. I am not hostile to any christian I know. Having god is a good thing, as some people accompany it well, but I personally do not believe in God, though I maintain a spiritual aspect. This does not mean that I am a hippie however.

I only have problems of extremists of any wing, be they atheists, christians or muslims...whatever. Keep thy religion to yourself, keep it away from government. Prosletyze it to someone else if they ask you.

 

[JollyRoger]

It's called Christian Persecution Sydrome. They see hostility to an extent it doesn't exist. Not much different than non-Christians seeing Christians as hostile to certain classes of non-believers or particular classes of sinners.

 

[JollyRoger]

Because people hate being reminded of personal responsibility.

Personal responsibilty? What is your evidence that Christians possess more personal responsibilty than the general population?

 

[MobBoss]

What do you mean?

I thought that vesting faith in god implied that responsibility was at least partly in the hands of god.

God puts the responsibility on mans shoulders by giving him free will and choice. If one is faithful to God, then in turn God is responsible to the follower in various ways.

I only have problems of extremists of any wing, be they atheists, christians or muslims...whatever. Keep thy religion to yourself, keep it away from government. Prosletyze it to someone else if they ask you.

Does this mean that you think only Atheists should hold political office, or for example, sit on the Supreme Court?

 

[MobBoss]

Personal responsibilty? What is your evidence that Christians possess more personal responsibilty than the general population?

I didnt say they did, however, by implication, they are expected to have more personal responsiblity than non-believers are they not?

Personally, I think a lot of people who call themselves christians shouldnt, as its fairly evident that they have no real interest in living a Christlike life. All it does is give Christians a bad name.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Does this mean that you think only Atheists should hold political office, or for example, sit on the Supreme Court?

Not if they're atheist extremists, apparently!

 

[JollyRoger]

I didnt say they did, however, by implication, they are expected to have more personal responsiblity than non-believers are they not?

No. Actually, I would expect a Christian (or any other religious person) to have less personal responsibility as they rely on ancient myths to keep them in line. A non-believer, on the other hand, seeks responsibilty from within.

 

[MobBoss]

No. Actually, I would expect a Christian (or any other religious person) to have less personal responsibility as they rely on ancient myths to keep them in line. A non-believer, on the other hand, seeks responsibilty from within.

Rofl. Yeah, responsiblity from within. The prisons are loaded with those kind of people.