There is no War on Christianity

[LisaLynne]

Or Christmas. Or Easter. Or Lent or All Saint’s Day or All Soul’s Day or President’s Day.

Here’s what’s going on. Christianity has been the dominant religion in western society for a very, very long time. Due to this dominance, our culture has developed certain privileges associated with being Christian. Now, as we move (unless Bush et al have their way) towards a progressive, enlightened society, we are charged with accepting, acknowledging, and, I hope, celebrating the differences between each of us, including the fact that not everyone is Christian. However, as the privileges for being Christian are removed as we move towards this goal, some Christians who do not realize what is going on and what has been going on see this as persecution.

You see, the privileged or majority group rarely see the fact that they are privileged. As many have described it, it’s like a fish relating to the water it swims in. The water has always been there and the fish has always been in it, so it’s taken for granted and goes unnoticed. We see the same thing with white people who complain about how all the “good” jobs go to black people. We see the same thing when men complain about how women are taking over the entire world. Are either of those things true? No, with race and gender, we still have a long way to go before we have a truly equitable society, but that doesn’t stop those who see their falsely-attained privileges being removed. I say they were falsely attained because they were breed into society based on prejudice and, in many cases, hatred. They were not earned.

So, that’s the same thing with this whole ridiculous “war on Christianity” thing. Some people don’t want everybody to have a seat at the table and feel threatened when they sense somewhere in their being that they are being expected to be more accepting. Plus, it energizes the base because a group that feels they are being attacked from the outside is much more cohesive.

And it gives O’Lielly something to talk about. Because I think that dude is running out of topics.

[shenmue]

1. Excellent

[Faygo Kid]

2. Well spoken. O'Lielly finds another way to fatten his ratings.

He and the others exploiting this absurdity are all about the money. They found an issue to exploit, and are running with it. Bet Rove is trying to figure out a way to get this on the ballot, like gay marriage - energize the base for 2006.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. A War on Christianity? And I MISSED it?

Damn!

I also missed seeing the Go-Gos in person at a small club I used to frequent, back in 1980.

I HATE missing good stuff like that!

--p!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

4. Making people feel victimized

encourages them to put together and pull their resources (right into the collection plate.)

As a life-long Christian, I just can't seem to find the battlegrounds of this war. I have never been discriminated against for my faith, that I am aware of, at least. I recently applied for a personal religious holiday to take off Good Friday and nobody said boo to me about it. No biggie.

The word "war" is probably the most overused word in the language.

[hlthe2b]

5. Disagree...

The war on Christianity comes from the so-called RW fundie "christians" and all their enabling hypocrits, including O'Liely. Their bastardization of the meaning and tenets of Christ can only be perceived as such....

[Minnesota Libra]

6. Instead of "cohesiveness may I suggest "Control" over.........

.....others. The whole idea behind religion itself has always been control by the few over the many without always using armies. The boy king, O'Reilly, Pat Robertson, etc are prime examples of this control over the many. Certain "accepted norms" are the very basis of religion and anyone challenging or ignoring those basic norms are the "bad guys" or in this case "atheists".

What we need to a complete return to the 60's where religion was accepted but then non-religion was also accepted and no one was thought less of for either one.

[LisaLynne]

13. Very good point.

All of this is about control for Bush et al.

And yeah, I hope we can get to a place where we can all accept what others believe and know what we ourselves do and do not believe and it's all cool.

[Strong Atheist]

7. "I've been up so long it looks like down to me." Exactly. nt.

[William769]

8. Anyone who has spent any time at all on DU

Knows there is a war on Christianity.

[DanCa]

12. Actually only one person here on DU

has ever insulted me for going to church and praying. Out of the sheer number of people on DU I find that number staggering. Oh and I attribute the person who made the personal attack as a result of bad upbringing and not representing those good people that disagree with christianity as a phillosophy.

[RBHam]

9. There is SO a War On Christianity...

From the "inside"...

Meet the Christian Mafia.

http://www.insider-magazine.com/ChristianMafia.htm

[DanCa]

10. Their is a war against the pro life movement

waitasecond I thought we were talking about Christians.

[baby_mouse]

11. Exactamundo.

DING DING!

X

[raysr]

14. There should be a war on

Christianity, they should all be driven back under the rocks from hence they came.