I’m sick and tired of hate-filled under-informed people spreading hatred towards Christians and Christianity.
A recent example is the discussion board at Shoutwire on a trailer to the movie Jesus Camp. The discussion is absolutely hateful, ignorant, and offensive, and here’s the comment I posted to that discussion forum:
While acknowledging that not all “Christians” are actually Christian, and that many so-called Christians have done some very nasty things …
How many planes have Christians crashed into buildings?
How many hostages have Christians taken?
How many suicide bombers have been Christians?We need to be a little more cautious and discerning in our snap judgements. Just because we don’t like a certain type of people, or a certain religion – whichever one it is – doesn’t give us the right to say things like the following things I see in this forum:
- “you may get the urge to go burn down a few churches”
- “Is this the Christian equivalent to the Muslim extremeists?”
- “f*cked up christian fanatics that like to dress their kids up (and fondle them off camera no doubt)?”
- “The ultra-religious frankly shouldn’t even be allowed to live.”
Here are people who are doing things you don’t agree with, and don’t like, but they are not forcing anyone to do anything against their will, they are not harming people who do not agree with their religion, and they are exercising their constitutionally-guaranteed right of freedom of religion.
Who are the extremists, I wonder?
Those Christians, or the self-righteous half-illiterate hate-filled pre-pubescent people on this discussion board advocating violence, murder, and destruction … all because they don’t agree with someone else’s point of view. Who’s intolerant now? Who’s dangerous now?
How shocking that these Christians should *dare* to use the democratic rights of their nation to vote, and elect those they see as advancing their world-view. How shocking that they should actually believe what they say they believe and act upon the consequences of that belief. How shocking that they should try to convince others of what they believe to be true. How shocking that they should raise their kids to have the same beliefs as they do.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. If you want your freedom of opinion and religion, you have to grant it to others.
Oh, and connecting your brain, your moral compass, and your mouth is another good idea.
Even online. Or maybe especially online.
I should acknowledge that I have not seen the film Jesus Camp, am not endorsing it nor saying it’s bad, and am not in fact even commenting on the kinds of behavior seen on the trailer.
I am commenting on the behavior and rhetoric that some feel is OK when they are criticizing Christians and Christianity.
John, I happen to agree with your sentiments, and applaud your willingness to jump into the fray and speak your mind! Don’t know if it will cause anyone to pause and rethink, but whether or not it has a discernable affect is beside the point.
You did good.