'Christianophobia,' Anti-Christian Hostility Infects Powerful Elite Subculture

a reply to: Deaf Alien

Maybe I'm not understanding your post, I get quite touchy when Hitler is brought up as any example. Please explain clearer if you can.
thanks

originally posted by: TheConstruKctionofLight
Their biggest "crime" was threatening to bring in a non fiat gold based monetary system. Cant have that can we

Yeah, that's a recipe for regime change every time.

If you want to have a short-lived stay in power, try any of these:

-Stop using the USD to price your oil.
-Refuse to let international corporations put you into debt.
-Stop using international banks.
-Stop sharing your natural resources.

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

Oh I was adding to your reply to Stormdancer777's post listing number of Christians killed by various regimes throughout history. It's a complicated issue. Take Nazi Germany for example... Christian clergies weren't killed because of their beliefs but for being against the regime.

It's a complicated topics. Different people have been killed for various reasons, not merely because of what they believe. And many leaders were religious, not atheist.

originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: grandmakdw

I give up on "conversing" with you. You obviously have hatred in your heart for Christians

i waste no time on hatred. it is an ugly and poisonous emotion. what i do have is concern for the emotional well being of our species as a whole, and how it is taxed by the regular political, economic and social exploitation of spirituality. i express this concern by critiquing the tripe regularly submitted by a diverse community that all share one thing in common: they spread ignorance. but more importantly, they spread fear.

this is where we deny it.

I respect that and will stop trying to reason with you.

No matter what I say, you will twist it into something ugly that I don't mean at all. That is your right on ATS and I'll respect that.

i respect your right to make that decision. my only point was that in the event the shepherd is a sham, the flock should take care of it and not just float over to another shepherd. even if only by speaking the true word just as loudly as he defiles it. let good men not stay silent when the dragon roars.

and for the record, you strike me as good model for christians everywhere.

So Tsar what would you recommend? Sadly I'm not blessed with your oritory skills but I will say I'd take a world full of believers of Jesus over the likes of you and yours!

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Sure pal, keep telling yourself whatever you need to. It may even help one day.

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
a reply to: Chronogoblin

What about all the other non-Christian cultures who are persecuted every day?

I don't have any problem acknowledging Christians are persecuted on some level. What I have a problem with is Christians who claim they're being persecuted while they're better off than most other people. Don't act like you're the only one who is persecuted or that Christians don't persecute others themselves (Not directed at you).

That's fine. No offense taken. I can even see your point. There are a lot of very well off brothers and sisters in the faith, however, that does not mean that other less-fortunate peoples aren't stepped upon daily for their beliefs. Nor, did I ever say that Christianity was alone in that effect. I am glad you can see that there does exist more than a little hostility. I could post videos all day about the atrocities commited all over the World, but someone would just want to disassociate, and derail, so I don't. People act like ISIS is the only people's the behead Christians, that would be false.

a reply to: Chronogoblin

What do you mean?

Most Christians in American have no idea what persecution is. Like somebody said, ask a Chinese or North Korea Christian and they'll tell you what persecution is.

Allowing same-sex marriages, abortions, atheism, teaching evolution theory in school, homosexuals, etc. is not persecuting Christians.

a reply to: Stormdancer777

I understand why you posted, but really you can't fight against prophesy.

Listen to Jesus words in John 15: 18-21

18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.
19 If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.
20 Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours.
21 But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.

This is a fact, and the comments, in this thread verify it.
Persecution is physcaal against Christians where it is legal, and mostly verbal and typed where it is not.

Edit

Allowing same-sex marriages, abortions, atheism, teaching evolution theory in school, homosexuals, etc. is not persecuting Christians.

It greatly distressed Jesus when he saw bad things happening at the temple, to the point it's the only recorded instance of him actually getting angry, so you don't think all those things you mentioned bother Christians at the physiological level, because it bothers me. But I won't vote against them, or protest against them, or do anything against them, but we can't support in any way those things.

What happened to Lot is happening to sincere Christians today

2 Peter 2: 6-8

And by reducing the cities of Sod′om and Go·mor′rah to ashes, he condemned them, setting a pattern for ungodly people of things to come. 7 And he rescued righteous Lot, who was greatly distressed by the brazen conduct of the lawless people— 8 for day after day that righteous man was tormenting his righteous soul over the lawless deeds that he saw and heard while dwelling among them.

True it is not direct persecution, but the fact the OP made this thread tells me she is feeling a little bit like Lot .

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

Thank you blue jay, and I know you are correct.

The post do make that obvious also.

It's pretty hard reading some of them.

Emotional pain comes to mind,

god bless

I must say, I believe their is a little phobia and paranoia among certain nonbelievers, even on a subconscious level.

It becomes obvious when you kick so hard against the conviction you are experiencing, not fully understand why you are so adamantly opposed to the urging of the comforter.

There is a battle for ones soul.

originally posted by: Stormdancer777
embarrassing silence of Christians

A second-century Church Father named Tertullian famously said that “the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians,” meaning that Christianity thrives under persecution. This certainly appears to be the case now, as Christianity is flourishing, for example, in China and Africa, while growth is markedly slower in Europe and much of the first world. If current trends continue, China will have the largest Christian population of any nation in the world in just 15 years.

So as Islamic extremists try to eradicate Christianity in its birthplace, and still others attempt to stamp it out in where it is growing fastest—Africa and China—the west seems somewhat complacent, and rests on the sacrifices of prior generations. Moreover, the western response seems often what has been called the “embarrassed silence of Christians in face of anti-Christian persecution.”

www.breitbart.com...

I am a born again Christian. I had turned away from God once because of childhood trauma. I turned my life over to Him after I almost died and my daughter did die at birth. I actually gave myself to Him and told Him to take me instead. I was willing to sacrifice myself for her. My life may not have been filled with "puppies and rainbows", but she at least deserved a chance at it. For me, I won't go into details, but I will say it was a spiritual awakening.

I am now on a journey to discover myself, and where I stand in religion in general. I know how I feel about religion, I feel, in my heart, how God feels about me. Don't ask how I know, I just do. When I mess up, I beg for His forgiveness and begin anew. I don't believe in bashing any one religion or person, it wasn't in my nature beforehand, and it certainly isn't now. I know there are others who are against Christianity, and I'm sorry to hear that, but I don't force it upon you, but please, don't bash my right to practice it. Anymore than I don't bash your right to practice, or not practice, your religion or non-religion. I was married to an atheist and for 20 long years I had to listen to my religion constantly being dissed, meanwhile I never once said anything against his right to not practice. It wasn't fair, but what can you do. I have other friends who are non-believers, some are very sweet and kind to me, some get mad if I post a verse on my Facebook wall. I don't force you to read it. Change your notifications.

On the same token, I have gay friends, and an ultra-conservative Christian friend who gets mad at me on Facebook just because I associate it with them. I don't tell him who to hang out with, and I constantly remind him that Jesus hung out with prostitutes and thieves. Hanging out with them will not make me gay all of a sudden. Anymore than marrying an atheist made me atheist. It's called tolerance. If everyone had some, this world would be so much nicer to live on.

Unfortunately, everyone remembers something Christianity did a millennia ago, not the nice people who are hear now, just the fundamentalists, because THAT is who everyone is defined by. The crazies in your group. Just remember people, there are crazies in EVERY group, including Muslims, Atheists, etc....

originally posted by: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: ManBehindTheMask
Wait........

I see a lot of justification here for hating christians........

But its wrong to dislike Muslims.........even tho they are the ones cutting off heads, blowing themselves up, killing women and children , not allowing women to drive or vote, and killing people for a cartoon?

Two different kinds of intolerance are being discussed here. Christian intolerance is towards Christians wanting to push their religion on others. Muslim intolerance is people hating Muslims because they are Muslim. If Muslims ever got a reasonable presence here in the US to push theocratic laws or try to impose their religion onto my life enough, then I'd complain about them too. But that isn't the case, instead its ALWAYS Christians trying to push their religion onto me here in America.

Funnily enough Christians are constantly complaining about Muslims implementing Sharia Law here in the states, when Christians are closer to implementing THEIR version of Sharia Law than Muslims could ever hope to be.

Oh but you say "Dont lump them all into one group under Islam!"

Yet I see a whole bunch of you doing the same thing to Christians and justifying your illogical , cognitively dissonant attitude....

Check again, I don't want to kill or persecute any Christians for their beliefs. I DO want Christians to stop imposing their religion onto people who don't want it though.

Stop being politically correct and start being honest.........the threat isnt coming from Christians.......

Start with yourself in recognizing the types of discrimination going on.

yes there are hypocrites, yes there are a-holes........

But there is only ONE religion on the planet right now thats having a REAL issue with its followers......

STOP ignoring it and start addressing it.......stop making excuses and stop the projection on to Christians and others....

Now you are trying to turn this thread into a Muslim hate thread (which is offtopic)... Aren't you a Christian? Aren't you supposed to love everyone. THIS is the attitude that is making people not like you guys.

Islam needs reformation out of these extremist elements period, full stop.....

THATS the religion you should have an issue with, you know , the one causing real harm

Christians cause harm to the world in their own way when they try to legislate to get evolution not taught in schools or try to legislate against abortion. Christians still have the same level of intolerance towards people not of their religion as Muslims do (as in its a small proportion of the overall population that are a bunch of idiots and loudmouths that give the whole group a bad name), but Christians have learned how to be sneakier with it (and therefore actually do more damage overall than the immediate gratification of violence).

Only SOME Christians don't believe in evolution. Not all of us. I believe in Christianity AND Science. It's ok to believe in both. Honest.

*looks down* I'm not burning at the stake yet? Good! We're ok! My daughter and I are HUGE fans of Science. And Biology too! My daughter is on birth control. Heck, I was too when I got pregnant with my daughter. My daughter was a Depoprovera baby! Go figure! So a Christian and birth control. Same sentence and not hit with lightening yet! As the pope said, (paraphrasing) "God said procreate, not pop them out like bunnies! I'm talking to Duggers 100 kids and counting!"

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

it almost makes me wonder if jesus knew that half the people who worshipped him would turn out to be assholes. self-fulfilling prophecy. of course people are going to get upset.

I came to the conclusion after study that literal hell was mistranslated, however, I still worry about it.

a reply to: Anyafaj

thank for that ,

I really don't have any bad memories about going to church or christian friends, found great comfort from them most the time.

If there was a personality clash or difference of opinion I never attributed it to being Christians but human.

originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: Blue_Jay33

it almost makes me wonder if jesus knew that half the people who worshipped him would turn out to be assholes. self-fulfilling prophecy. of course people are going to get upset.

Yep sure did.

Matthew 24:
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Here we see Christ talking about non Christians who appear as Christians.
Matthew 13:24-30

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’
29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

a reply to: Anyafaj

Only SOME Christians don't believe in evolution.

I am big on science and they know it, I don't deny evolution or creation but find they can complement one-another.

en.wikipedia.org...

list

a reply to: Punisher75

so basically, be quiet and mind the company you keep.

originally posted by: Deaf Alien
I went through this thread and I saw no examples of persecutions unless I missed it?

If you claim that Christians are being persecuted, then show examples.

And why do some Christians care what others think of them? So some people hate them. BIG DEAL. They aren't bothering anyone.

It doesn't say when the article was written, but here's a few

10 examples of Religious Persecution

(*Please note I stated religious, and did not specify Christianity)

Religious persecution is a common occurrence in the history of man. Being abused, mistreated or even killed for having a difference in religious beliefs, connections or lack of them, is all too common; even in many lands today. One’s religious views can be seen as a direct extension of their moral fiber. When it comes to some cultures, this can become a significant issue.

Many things can result in religious persecution, especially in lands where the State imposes its views on citizens. Anyone bold enough to publicize their opposing views is often criticized, shunned and even viewed as a threat to that States security. Socially, demeaning the religious view of any group can lead to violent uprisings, at the least. Unfortunately, the violence that religious persecution has led to in many lands has become so bad that it can be referred to as a human rights issue.

10. Africa’s Cry for Religious Freedom
9. American Outcry
8. Falun Gong
7. Martin Luther
6. Charlemagne’s Pagan Persecution
5. Stalin’s Deadly Rule
4. Hitler’s Horrendous Hatred
3. Constantine
2. Bloody Mary (Mary Tudor)
1. Jesus of Nazareth

As you can see, religious persecution is nothing more than an oppressive act. If it were meant for all people to believe the same things…would we not have been created with the same brains? How long will it take for those in positions of power to understand that eventually the subjects of their oppression will grow tired of being victimized? How long will it take those being victimized to find a way to break free?

For so long, so many people have been robbed of so many freedoms. If one man wasn’t better than another because of the color of his skin; can he be better than him because of his faith? There are two themes that seem to be prevalent in almost every religion known to man; love and peace. How much peace can there be if one man can’t love another, simply based on which or how many God’s they serve? Is anyone’s God really happy with their behavior towards another human being? Most of all, does anyone really believe they’re guaranteeing their place in their faith’s Eden by exhibiting what can clearly be called hatred?

Persecution of Christians

In jail for changing his status from Muslim to Christian. Having the AUDACITY to not leave his country and go into hiding, but chose to stay and record when the Muslim Brotherhood took over during the Arab Spring.

The true reason for the extreme prison sentence most likely lies in Bishoy’s history. In 2007, Bishoy, then Mohammed Hegazy, petitioned the Egyptian government to change his official religious status, an unprecedented move in a thoroughly Islamic society. Bishoy converted to Christianity from Islam in 1999 at age 17. His public request to change his religious status generated death threats and forced Bishoy and his family into hiding.

When he was arrested, Bishoy was in southern Egypt filming clashes that resulted after Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi was ousted from office in July 2013. Hundreds of Christians were attacked, some kidnapped and thousands of churches and Christian businesses throughout the country were looted and destroyed.

Another former Muslim

Alireza Seyyedian is a 37-year-old former Muslim who has been a Christian since 2006. Last year, security forces confiscated his computer during a raid on his apartment. Authorities then discovered video of Alireza’s baptism in Turkey on the computer. In December 2011 he was sentenced to six years in prison, for crimes against national security and propaganda against the regime.

The judge stated that since Alireza was baptized in Turkey, he was trying to express the lack of freedom in Iran and was therefore was propagating against the regime. He was also accused of holding regular meetings with former Muslims and distributing Bibles among youth. They also said he had communication with Zionist satellite TV channels such as Mohabat TV and Radio Mojde and shared worship hymns he had written with them. The verdict also falsely accused him of being a member of the Jesus Only cult.

There are more here, and no, not all are Muslim. I think everyone should have the right to chose your own religion, whether it be Muslim, Christianity, Judaism, or yes, even Atheism. Only YOU can make the choice right for you.

edit on 1/31/2015 by Anyafaj because: (no reason given)

originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: Punisher75

so basically, be quiet and mind the company you keep.

Eh I dunno about all that, I think the issue he was addressing was there will be many many people who claim to be Christian, however it does not make it so. (Hence the wheat and the tares example. If you look at a tare they look outwardly similar to wheat, however they are not the same thing based on appearance alone.)

After all I can claim and even believe night and day that I am a NBA basketball player and I might even be tall, however that does not mean I get a check from the NBA at the end of the day. LOL