America is not growing hostile towards Chriastians; it is hostile towards religious bullies.

[Czernobog]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

 

[Ringel05]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

 

[Czernobog]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

 

[Ringel05]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Everyone has their own take and typically is colored by what they want to believe, not necessarily what is really happening. Have fun.

 

[kwc57]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Let me help then.

ra·tion·al·i·za·tion

/ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)ləˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)līˈzāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rationalization; plural noun: rationalizations; noun: rationalisation; plural noun: rationalisations

1. the action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
"most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization"

 

[Czernobog]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Let me help then.

ra·tion·al·i·za·tion

/ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)ləˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)līˈzāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rationalization; plural noun: rationalizations; noun: rationalisation; plural noun: rationalisations

1. the action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
"most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization"

And who do you porpose are the ones who are "rationalising"? Me, or those who insist that "America is growing hostile to Christians"?

 

[Ringel05]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Let me help then.

ra·tion·al·i·za·tion

/ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)ləˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)līˈzāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rationalization; plural noun: rationalizations; noun: rationalisation; plural noun: rationalisations

1. the action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
"most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization"

And who do you porpose are the ones who are "rationalising"? Me, or those who insist that "America is growing hostile to Christians"?

Both to differing degrees, it's a highly politicized issue, some choose to view it a pervasive, others like you choose to view it differently, both views are highly subjective based on pre-existing bias which obviously leads to self rationalizations. As with most highly politicized issues the reality is frequently somewhere in the middle.

 

[Czernobog]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Let me help then.

ra·tion·al·i·za·tion

/ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)ləˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)līˈzāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rationalization; plural noun: rationalizations; noun: rationalisation; plural noun: rationalisations

1. the action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
"most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization"

And who do you porpose are the ones who are "rationalising"? Me, or those who insist that "America is growing hostile to Christians"?

Both to differing degrees, it's a highly politicized issue, some choose to view it a pervasive, others like you choose to view it differently, both views are highly subjective based on pre-existing bias which obviously leads to self rationalizations. As with most highly politicized issues the reality is frequently somewhere in the middle.

Rather like to see your evidence of this. You seem to be suggesting that, at least to some degree, America is becoming hostile to Christianity in general. And what would be your evidence of this? Are there churches that are being shut down? Are Christians being denied their right to assemble, and worship? How, precisely, is Christianity being attacked? Not, mind you, efforts to stop Christians from infringing on the rights of others in the name of their "religious convictions", but actual attack on, and infringement of Christians' right to lawfully practice their religion.

 

[Ringel05]

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Let me help then.

ra·tion·al·i·za·tion

/ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)ləˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)līˈzāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rationalization; plural noun: rationalizations; noun: rationalisation; plural noun: rationalisations

1. the action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
"most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization"

And who do you porpose are the ones who are "rationalising"? Me, or those who insist that "America is growing hostile to Christians"?

Both to differing degrees, it's a highly politicized issue, some choose to view it a pervasive, others like you choose to view it differently, both views are highly subjective based on pre-existing bias which obviously leads to self rationalizations. As with most highly politicized issues the reality is frequently somewhere in the middle.

Rather like to see your evidence of this. You seem to be suggesting that, at least to some degree, America is becoming hostile to Christianity in general. And what would be your evidence of this? Are there churches that are being shut down? Are Christians being denied their right to assemble, and worship? How, precisely, is Christianity being attacked? Not, mind you, efforts to stop Christians from infringing on the rights of others in the name of their "religious convictions", but actual attack on, and infringement of Christians' right to lawfully practice their religion.

Perspective is everything......... It's difficult in this area to show evidence as one person's convictions are another's infringement and vice versa plus convictions can be viewed as positive or negative depending on the viewer's interpretation.
There are Christians who want to impose their idea of what society should look like and blame non-Christians for all the evils in the world. Conversely there are non-Christians who blame Christians for all the evils in the world and and would ban or bar the practice of Christianity or any religion for that matter. Granted both those extremes are thankfully in the minority but they do exist.
Let me ask you a question that may answer yours, do you think religious people have a right to political representation or not, political representation that espouses and promotes their viewpoint?

 

[Czernobog]

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Let me help then.

ra·tion·al·i·za·tion

/ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)ləˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)līˈzāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rationalization; plural noun: rationalizations; noun: rationalisation; plural noun: rationalisations

1. the action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
"most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization"

And who do you porpose are the ones who are "rationalising"? Me, or those who insist that "America is growing hostile to Christians"?

Both to differing degrees, it's a highly politicized issue, some choose to view it a pervasive, others like you choose to view it differently, both views are highly subjective based on pre-existing bias which obviously leads to self rationalizations. As with most highly politicized issues the reality is frequently somewhere in the middle.

Rather like to see your evidence of this. You seem to be suggesting that, at least to some degree, America is becoming hostile to Christianity in general. And what would be your evidence of this? Are there churches that are being shut down? Are Christians being denied their right to assemble, and worship? How, precisely, is Christianity being attacked? Not, mind you, efforts to stop Christians from infringing on the rights of others in the name of their "religious convictions", but actual attack on, and infringement of Christians' right to lawfully practice their religion.

Perspective is everything......... It's difficult in this area to show evidence as one person's convictions are another's infringement and vice versa plus convictions can be viewed as positive or negative depending on the viewer's interpretation.
There are Christians who want to impose their idea of what society should look like and blame non-Christians for all the evils in the world. Conversely there are non-Christians who blame Christians for all the evils in the world and and would ban or bar the practice of Christianity or any religion for that matter. Granted both those extremes are thankfully in the minority but they do exist.
Let me ask you a question that may answer yours, do you think religious people have a right to political representation or not, political representation that espouses and promotes their viewpoint?

Sure they should. However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". Just as Muslims have a right to political representation, pagans have a right to political representation, and every other person, regardless of their religious bent, has a right to political representation. However, none of them have the right to have their religious views codified into law. We have a congress that is over 90% Christian. Are you suggesting that Christians don't have political representation? Just how much of Congress would you suggest should be Christian, in order to consider that Christians have "political representation"?

 

[Ringel05]

Let me help then.

ra·tion·al·i·za·tion

/ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)ləˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)līˈzāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rationalization; plural noun: rationalizations; noun: rationalisation; plural noun: rationalisations

1. the action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
"most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization"

And who do you porpose are the ones who are "rationalising"? Me, or those who insist that "America is growing hostile to Christians"?

Both to differing degrees, it's a highly politicized issue, some choose to view it a pervasive, others like you choose to view it differently, both views are highly subjective based on pre-existing bias which obviously leads to self rationalizations. As with most highly politicized issues the reality is frequently somewhere in the middle.

Rather like to see your evidence of this. You seem to be suggesting that, at least to some degree, America is becoming hostile to Christianity in general. And what would be your evidence of this? Are there churches that are being shut down? Are Christians being denied their right to assemble, and worship? How, precisely, is Christianity being attacked? Not, mind you, efforts to stop Christians from infringing on the rights of others in the name of their "religious convictions", but actual attack on, and infringement of Christians' right to lawfully practice their religion.

Perspective is everything......... It's difficult in this area to show evidence as one person's convictions are another's infringement and vice versa plus convictions can be viewed as positive or negative depending on the viewer's interpretation.
There are Christians who want to impose their idea of what society should look like and blame non-Christians for all the evils in the world. Conversely there are non-Christians who blame Christians for all the evils in the world and and would ban or bar the practice of Christianity or any religion for that matter. Granted both those extremes are thankfully in the minority but they do exist.
Let me ask you a question that may answer yours, do you think religious people have a right to political representation or not, political representation that espouses and promotes their viewpoint?

Sure they should. However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". Just as Muslims have a right to political representation, pagans have a right to political representation, and every other person, regardless of their religious bent, has a right to political representation. However, none of them have the right to have their religious views codified into law. We have a congress that is over 90% Christian. Are you suggesting that Christians don't have political representation? Just how much of Congress would you suggest should be Christian, in order to consider that Christians have "political representation"?

Here's the problem with this statement; However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". What religious views are you referring to? How would any of those views restrict your rights? That's what I'm talking about, perceptions vs reality.

 

[Czernobog]

And who do you porpose are the ones who are "rationalising"? Me, or those who insist that "America is growing hostile to Christians"?

Both to differing degrees, it's a highly politicized issue, some choose to view it a pervasive, others like you choose to view it differently, both views are highly subjective based on pre-existing bias which obviously leads to self rationalizations. As with most highly politicized issues the reality is frequently somewhere in the middle.

Rather like to see your evidence of this. You seem to be suggesting that, at least to some degree, America is becoming hostile to Christianity in general. And what would be your evidence of this? Are there churches that are being shut down? Are Christians being denied their right to assemble, and worship? How, precisely, is Christianity being attacked? Not, mind you, efforts to stop Christians from infringing on the rights of others in the name of their "religious convictions", but actual attack on, and infringement of Christians' right to lawfully practice their religion.

Perspective is everything......... It's difficult in this area to show evidence as one person's convictions are another's infringement and vice versa plus convictions can be viewed as positive or negative depending on the viewer's interpretation.
There are Christians who want to impose their idea of what society should look like and blame non-Christians for all the evils in the world. Conversely there are non-Christians who blame Christians for all the evils in the world and and would ban or bar the practice of Christianity or any religion for that matter. Granted both those extremes are thankfully in the minority but they do exist.
Let me ask you a question that may answer yours, do you think religious people have a right to political representation or not, political representation that espouses and promotes their viewpoint?

Sure they should. However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". Just as Muslims have a right to political representation, pagans have a right to political representation, and every other person, regardless of their religious bent, has a right to political representation. However, none of them have the right to have their religious views codified into law. We have a congress that is over 90% Christian. Are you suggesting that Christians don't have political representation? Just how much of Congress would you suggest should be Christian, in order to consider that Christians have "political representation"?

Here's the problem with this statement; However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". What religious views are you referring to? How would any of those views restrict your rights? That's what I'm talking about, perceptions vs reality.

Really? Abortion? Gay marriage? Where have you been for the last 40 years. Again, over 90% of Congress is Christian. Every single Supreme Court Judge is Christian. Every President, with two exceptions, have been Christians. Every Governor across the country, other than Pennsylvania, and Hawaii, are Christian. Christians have not only representation, but near unanimous control of the government in this country. In what way do you suppose that Christians do not have political representation?

 

[Ringel05]

Well done, I love a good rationalization.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Let me help then.

ra·tion·al·i·za·tion

/ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)ləˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌraSH(ə)n(ə)līˈzāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rationalization; plural noun: rationalizations; noun: rationalisation; plural noun: rationalisations

1. the action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
"most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization"

And who do you porpose are the ones who are "rationalising"? Me, or those who insist that "America is growing hostile to Christians"?

Both to differing degrees, it's a highly politicized issue, some choose to view it a pervasive, others like you choose to view it differently, both views are highly subjective based on pre-existing bias which obviously leads to self rationalizations. As with most highly politicized issues the reality is frequently somewhere in the middle.

Rather like to see your evidence of this. You seem to be suggesting that, at least to some degree, America is becoming hostile to Christianity in general. And what would be your evidence of this? Are there churches that are being shut down? Are Christians being denied their right to assemble, and worship? How, precisely, is Christianity being attacked? Not, mind you, efforts to stop Christians from infringing on the rights of others in the name of their "religious convictions", but actual attack on, and infringement of Christians' right to lawfully practice their religion.

Another reason I'm broaching the subject this way is we are a constitutional representative republic and not a true democracy. The Christians could no more institute Christian law as the Muslims could institute Shria Law as SCOTUS would rule those laws unconstitutional so I see little to no threat from that area. Take for instance if we were a true democracy then a hundred plus years ago the largest voting bloc in the nation, Baptists, could have passed a law making the Baptist faith the official and only faith allowed to be practiced in the US. Conversely today, under a true democracy, the atheists could ban all religion. thankfully it doesn't work that way.

 

[Ringel05]

Both to differing degrees, it's a highly politicized issue, some choose to view it a pervasive, others like you choose to view it differently, both views are highly subjective based on pre-existing bias which obviously leads to self rationalizations. As with most highly politicized issues the reality is frequently somewhere in the middle.

Rather like to see your evidence of this. You seem to be suggesting that, at least to some degree, America is becoming hostile to Christianity in general. And what would be your evidence of this? Are there churches that are being shut down? Are Christians being denied their right to assemble, and worship? How, precisely, is Christianity being attacked? Not, mind you, efforts to stop Christians from infringing on the rights of others in the name of their "religious convictions", but actual attack on, and infringement of Christians' right to lawfully practice their religion.

Perspective is everything......... It's difficult in this area to show evidence as one person's convictions are another's infringement and vice versa plus convictions can be viewed as positive or negative depending on the viewer's interpretation.
There are Christians who want to impose their idea of what society should look like and blame non-Christians for all the evils in the world. Conversely there are non-Christians who blame Christians for all the evils in the world and and would ban or bar the practice of Christianity or any religion for that matter. Granted both those extremes are thankfully in the minority but they do exist.
Let me ask you a question that may answer yours, do you think religious people have a right to political representation or not, political representation that espouses and promotes their viewpoint?

Sure they should. However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". Just as Muslims have a right to political representation, pagans have a right to political representation, and every other person, regardless of their religious bent, has a right to political representation. However, none of them have the right to have their religious views codified into law. We have a congress that is over 90% Christian. Are you suggesting that Christians don't have political representation? Just how much of Congress would you suggest should be Christian, in order to consider that Christians have "political representation"?

Here's the problem with this statement; However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". What religious views are you referring to? How would any of those views restrict your rights? That's what I'm talking about, perceptions vs reality.

Really? Abortion? Gay marriage? Where have you been for the last 40 years. Again, over 90% of Congress is Christian. Every single Supreme Court Judge is Christian. Every President, with two exceptions, have been Christians. Every Governor across the country, other than Pennsylvania, and Hawaii, are Christian. Christians have not only representation, but near unanimous control of the government in this country. In what way do you suppose that Christians do not have political representation?

Yet SCOTUS ruled Gay Marriage and Abortion to be constitutional, how many governors, presidents and congress critters that are Christian support Gay Marriage and Abortion because they understand our government is secular? Obviously quite a few.

 

[Czernobog]

Rather like to see your evidence of this. You seem to be suggesting that, at least to some degree, America is becoming hostile to Christianity in general. And what would be your evidence of this? Are there churches that are being shut down? Are Christians being denied their right to assemble, and worship? How, precisely, is Christianity being attacked? Not, mind you, efforts to stop Christians from infringing on the rights of others in the name of their "religious convictions", but actual attack on, and infringement of Christians' right to lawfully practice their religion.

Perspective is everything......... It's difficult in this area to show evidence as one person's convictions are another's infringement and vice versa plus convictions can be viewed as positive or negative depending on the viewer's interpretation.
There are Christians who want to impose their idea of what society should look like and blame non-Christians for all the evils in the world. Conversely there are non-Christians who blame Christians for all the evils in the world and and would ban or bar the practice of Christianity or any religion for that matter. Granted both those extremes are thankfully in the minority but they do exist.
Let me ask you a question that may answer yours, do you think religious people have a right to political representation or not, political representation that espouses and promotes their viewpoint?

Sure they should. However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". Just as Muslims have a right to political representation, pagans have a right to political representation, and every other person, regardless of their religious bent, has a right to political representation. However, none of them have the right to have their religious views codified into law. We have a congress that is over 90% Christian. Are you suggesting that Christians don't have political representation? Just how much of Congress would you suggest should be Christian, in order to consider that Christians have "political representation"?

Here's the problem with this statement; However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". What religious views are you referring to? How would any of those views restrict your rights? That's what I'm talking about, perceptions vs reality.

Really? Abortion? Gay marriage? Where have you been for the last 40 years. Again, over 90% of Congress is Christian. Every single Supreme Court Judge is Christian. Every President, with two exceptions, have been Christians. Every Governor across the country, other than Pennsylvania, and Hawaii, are Christian. Christians have not only representation, but near unanimous control of the government in this country. In what way do you suppose that Christians do not have political representation?

Yet SCOTUS ruled Gay Marriage and Abortion to be constitutional, how many presidents and congress critters that are Christian support Gay Marriage and Abortion because they understand our government is secular?

Precisely. It is not Christians who do not have ;political representation. It is Christian extremists, who want to codify Christian doctrine into law, who do not have political representation. The vast majority of Christians do not want Christian doctrine to be codified into law. You seem to be trying to suggest that the Christian bullies, and domninionists are, in fact, the majority. I do not believe that.

 

[IsaacNewton]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well said. You then have to ask who is brainwashing these people to believe something that is the opposite of the truth, and what do they get out of doing that. Who benefits from making 'christians' afraid every day of their waking life.

A local yocal on the city council recently introduced a bill to put 'in god we trust' on the wall of city hall. How about you put 'in god we trust' on the wall of your house or your church. Stop cramming your religion down everyone else's throat.

 

[Ringel05]

Perspective is everything......... It's difficult in this area to show evidence as one person's convictions are another's infringement and vice versa plus convictions can be viewed as positive or negative depending on the viewer's interpretation.
There are Christians who want to impose their idea of what society should look like and blame non-Christians for all the evils in the world. Conversely there are non-Christians who blame Christians for all the evils in the world and and would ban or bar the practice of Christianity or any religion for that matter. Granted both those extremes are thankfully in the minority but they do exist.
Let me ask you a question that may answer yours, do you think religious people have a right to political representation or not, political representation that espouses and promotes their viewpoint?

Sure they should. However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". Just as Muslims have a right to political representation, pagans have a right to political representation, and every other person, regardless of their religious bent, has a right to political representation. However, none of them have the right to have their religious views codified into law. We have a congress that is over 90% Christian. Are you suggesting that Christians don't have political representation? Just how much of Congress would you suggest should be Christian, in order to consider that Christians have "political representation"?

Here's the problem with this statement; However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". What religious views are you referring to? How would any of those views restrict your rights? That's what I'm talking about, perceptions vs reality.

Really? Abortion? Gay marriage? Where have you been for the last 40 years. Again, over 90% of Congress is Christian. Every single Supreme Court Judge is Christian. Every President, with two exceptions, have been Christians. Every Governor across the country, other than Pennsylvania, and Hawaii, are Christian. Christians have not only representation, but near unanimous control of the government in this country. In what way do you suppose that Christians do not have political representation?

Yet SCOTUS ruled Gay Marriage and Abortion to be constitutional, how many presidents and congress critters that are Christian support Gay Marriage and Abortion because they understand our government is secular?

Precisely. It is not Christians who do not have ;political representation. It is Christian extremists, who want to codify Christian doctrine into law, who do not have political representation. The vast majority of Christians do not want Christian doctrine to be codified into law. You seem to be trying to suggest that the Christian bullies, and domninionists are, in fact, the majority. I do not believe that.[/QUOTE]

Actually I said just the opposite and your initial approach to the subject and resultant responses appeared to imply you did believe that.
Your OP appears to imply that there is no one who is pushing to ban or bar open religious practice and or discourse and that the entire problem rests with Christians only. That's the way you've been coming across hence my reference to rationalizing.

 

[Ringel05]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well said. You then have to ask who is brainwashing these people to believe something that is the opposite of the truth, and what do they get out of doing that. Who benefits from making 'christians' afraid every day of their waking life.

A local yocal on the city council recently introduced a bill to put 'in god we trust' on the wall of city hall. How about you put 'in god we trust' on the wall of your house or your church. Stop cramming your religion down everyone else's throat.

How about if one put "In God we Trust" up next to a "Christians are responsible for all the evil in the world" sign at a protest? Is that cramming their religion down your throat?

 

[Czernobog]

Sure they should. However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". Just as Muslims have a right to political representation, pagans have a right to political representation, and every other person, regardless of their religious bent, has a right to political representation. However, none of them have the right to have their religious views codified into law. We have a congress that is over 90% Christian. Are you suggesting that Christians don't have political representation? Just how much of Congress would you suggest should be Christian, in order to consider that Christians have "political representation"?

Here's the problem with this statement; However this does not translate to "Christians have a right to have their religious views codified into law". What religious views are you referring to? How would any of those views restrict your rights? That's what I'm talking about, perceptions vs reality.

Really? Abortion? Gay marriage? Where have you been for the last 40 years. Again, over 90% of Congress is Christian. Every single Supreme Court Judge is Christian. Every President, with two exceptions, have been Christians. Every Governor across the country, other than Pennsylvania, and Hawaii, are Christian. Christians have not only representation, but near unanimous control of the government in this country. In what way do you suppose that Christians do not have political representation?

Yet SCOTUS ruled Gay Marriage and Abortion to be constitutional, how many presidents and congress critters that are Christian support Gay Marriage and Abortion because they understand our government is secular?

Precisely. It is not Christians who do not have ;political representation. It is Christian extremists, who want to codify Christian doctrine into law, who do not have political representation. The vast majority of Christians do not want Christian doctrine to be codified into law. You seem to be trying to suggest that the Christian bullies, and domninionists are, in fact, the majority. I do not believe that.[/QUOTE]

Actually I said just the opposite and your initial approach to the subject and resultant responses appeared to imply you did believe that.
You OP appears to imply that there is no one who is pushing to ban or bar open religious practice and or discourse and that the entire problem rests with Christians only. That's the way you've been coming across.

No. Not Christians, but with Christian bullies, and political operatives - admittedly, mostly from the Right - who stand to gain, politically, by stirring up the passions of Christians, and convincing them that "The ebul Libtrul Left" is coming after their religion, just like the gun lobbyists gain when they convince conservatives that "those damn libruls are comin after ur guns!" It's not Christians that are the problem; it is dominionist bullies, and opportunistic politicians that are the problem.

 

[IsaacNewton]

"America is becoming hostile towards Christians!" This seems to be becoming the most popular battle cry of the religious right of late. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. right-wing politicians and religious talking-heads like Franklin Graham are trying to convince people that “religious liberty” is not only being threatened, but on the verge of disappearing.

Really? Disappearing? Recent polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians. That long line of U.S presidents stemming back to the founding of the nation? Well, except for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, all of them were professing Christians to varying degrees. And Congress? You know, the people who actually make the laws we live by in America? Well, that group of people is actually 91.8% Christian. And let’s not forget the Supreme Court, the body that decides which laws are constitutional and which ones are not– that’s predominantly stacked with Christians too, having two justices who are Jewish, and the rest entirely Christians.

If religious liberty is "disappearing", and Christianity is in danger of extinction in America, then Christians are certainly a self-destructive lot - because America is near-entirely controlled by Christians.

But, you see, America isn't becoming hostile towards Christians - it's just had its fill of religious bullies. No one give so much as a single fuck if one is a practicing Christian. There’s no movement to banish churches and put them under government regulation like in China. No one is stopping Christians from gathering together with other believers, from feeding the poor, or even from standing on the street corner with obnoxious signs that say “God hates f*gs!”

Religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble are all alive, and well in the United States. These freedoms are not just tolerated; they are embraced. What is not embraced, and what America is becoming increasingly hostile towards, are Christian extremists trying to institute their own version of sharia law that infringes on the rights and liberties of the rest of us. There’s a huge difference between freedom to practice one’s religion in a pluralistic society where we all equally have that right, versus enshrining one’s religious views in laws that are imposed on the rest of us. Just as there is a difference between saying that you want to be free and not forced to marry someone of the same sex, versus wanting to deny that right to someone else you don’t even know. Again, there is a difference between wanting the freedom to own a business and conduct commerce freely in the public square, versus demanding to run a business that discriminates and infringes on the basic rights and dignities of anyone whose personal choices one finds distasteful.

The irony is that the extremists, and politicians would have everyone believe that this is a fight between the "godless", and the believers. Refer back to my paragraph describing just how much political power Christians hold. It isn't atheists, pagans, or other no-Christians opposing these draconian attempts to control the lives of others; it. Is. Christians who have said, "Enough is enough,"

No one is trying to stop you from being a Christian. The country is not growing hostile towards Christians. It’s just growing hostile towards extremist, religious bullies, who are trying to hijack the nation and force everyone to live under their own set of morals and ethics.

Well said. You then have to ask who is brainwashing these people to believe something that is the opposite of the truth, and what do they get out of doing that. Who benefits from making 'christians' afraid every day of their waking life.

A local yocal on the city council recently introduced a bill to put 'in god we trust' on the wall of city hall. How about you put 'in god we trust' on the wall of your house or your church. Stop cramming your religion down everyone else's throat.

How about if one put "In God we Trust" up next to a "Christians are responsible for all the evil in the world" sign at a protest? Is that cramming their religion down your throat?

Why this never ending need for Christians to put up their religious graffiti on every wall? They are religous taggers. Just put up a 7 foot cross in your living room, and one in your church, write all your favorite bible verses on every surface in your house and enjoy your life. Why the need to tag public buildings?