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Christianophobia = Christian Fundamentalism/Extremism?

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wayneL

wayneL

VIVA LA LIBERTAD, CARAJO!
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Just spotted this article in the Torygraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/05/view05.xml

British Christian traditions are being threatened by "Christianophobia" created by a "politically correct brigade", a Tory MP has warned.

Mark Pritchard, MP, who is leading a parliamentary debate on the issue today, said that he feared that Christianity could be hijacked by extremists if mainstream political parties fail to support this country's Christian tradition.

Do you agree with Mr Pritchard that British Christian traditions are being undermined? Is this the result of "political correctness"? Does "Christianophobia" actually exist and, if so, how would you define it?

Should Christianity continue to enjoy a privileged position in British society? Or should the secular society we live in afford all religions equal respect?
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I'm no fan of organized religion, but could the continued marginalization of all things Christian lead to more extremist and fundamentalist Christian movements?

I think it has a high probability.

Thoughts?
 
Indonesian Christians are exactly angels , needless to say neither are their counterparts . I think we are already seeing fundamental christanity taking root in certain areas of life , the issue is whether it can be contained .
 
chops_a_must said:
So what gives Christianity such a special place? If you use this logic, every religion would have to be treated the same.
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Well, like the idea or not, the western Christian tradition forms the basis of European type cultures.

For instance, Christmas. No longer a strictly Christian religious event, it is now an intrinsic part of secular western culture... yet there are attempts to suppress it on religio-political grounds.

What I'm asking is: could this piss Christians off so much that they turn to violence as a means of re-asserting themselves. Already, the bible thumpers are getting a bit carried away with themselves on other fora I visit.

Just posing questions. :cool:
 
wayneL said:
What I'm asking is: could this piss Christians off so much that they turn to violence as a means of re-asserting themselves. Already, the bible thumpers are getting a bit carried away with themselves on other fora I visit.

Just posing questions. :cool:
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Well, you look at the main political figurehead of christian fundamentalism in the world... ie Dubya, and I would argue giving such a person power hasn't exactly lessened violence. Quite the opposite in fact.

Until these fundamentalists realise they are wrong and agree to give up their beliefs at the point of a sword, I will still push for burning at the stake, for their crazy astronomical and world views.
 
Right just to fuzz up the lines , ( note I'm a catho ) , the Pope is the Prince on earth , but he and every Cardinal in the line up are either barristers or economists .

So , whilst we get use to the human errs and pick them to bits :D

we must remember forgiveness is divine :rolleyes:

so that only leaves Christ as the front runner on the christian scale , as he is the King of the Earth and The Heavens .

Even gorgeous ol Liz must concede to him .


PS.. it get's better , if we are to lay blame at the feet of Christ , the poison pill there is that Judism says he doesn't exist , so we can't prosecute a non-entity .

How's that for a catch 22 ?
 
wayneL said:
I'm no fan of organized religion, but could the continued marginalization of all things Christian lead to more extremist and fundamentalist Christian movements?
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Dunno.

Maybe get hold of a teddy bear, name it Jesus, and see what happens.
 
theasxgorilla said:
You mean like a KKK revival?
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I don't know, just working on pendulum theory; push it too far one way and it swings back hard to the other extreme. People like Dawkins with his all out assault on religion, will not rid the planet of religion, only steel their resolve... bananas with flip-tops notwithstanding.

We are now largley out from under the thumbprint of the church. Maybe we should just just humour our Christians and the last vestiges of Christian influence on society, instead of trying to obliterate it... at the same time, being completely tolerant of other religions.

Just thinking on the fly really.
 
wayneL said:
What I'm asking is: could this piss Christians off so much that they turn to violence as a means of re-asserting themselves. Already, the bible thumpers are getting a bit carried away with themselves on other fora I visit.

Just posing questions. :cool:
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It really wasn't long ago Christians were fighting largely in the name of religion. I think we'll see it again in our life time, as we will see a significant re-emergence of fascism.
 
kennas said:
It really wasn't long ago Christians were fighting largely in the name of religion. I think we'll see it again in our life time, as we will see a significant re-emergence of fascism.
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K - this is just my opinion, though i reckon a few might agree, that this is happening right now. I mean when Dubya stood in a church after Sept 11 and announced that the USA was now on a CRUSADE, against islamic terrorists (not sure of the exact 'label' used) ... then there's only one way to interpret that for me.

...Add to that what we suspected at the time and now know - that Iraq had no WMD (as Hans Blicks strongly asserted at the time) and nothing to do with 9/11 or Al-Q. then.....??

then Mr Greenspan says Iraq was about oil....

... Its a foregone conclusion for me.

We are there now.:(
 
Dukey said:
K - this is just my opinion, though i reckon a few might agree, that this is happening right now. I mean when Dubya stood in a church after Sept 11 and announced that the USA was now on a CRUSADE, against islamic terrorists (not sure of the exact 'label' used) ... then there's only one way to interpret that for me.
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And don't forget the original name of the campaign in Afghanistan was a biblical reference. Lol!
 
i think the whole hillsong phenomena and increased expression of christian pride could be part of it. we have muslims being all "allah in your face" and actively chasing converts throughout the world, while christianity is wallowing with the rest of the west in political correctness, trying too hard to be nice to everyone and lacking relevance to youth and modern society. as such more assertive christian sects like hillsong are increasing in popularity, especially among young believers and they can form powerful voting blocs given time.

the worst excesses of christian fundamentalism are on show with the Phlepses in america see GOD HATES FAGS but its still a far cry from blowing up buses and committing mass murder.
 
wayneL said:
Just spotted this article in the Torygraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/05/view05.xml


I'm no fan of organized religion, but could the continued marginalization of all things Christian lead to more extremist and fundamentalist Christian movements?

I think it has a high probability.

Thoughts?
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WayneL you make a great point... I made this myself in one of those other threads started by 2020 (can't remember which one...) where I said I can forsee a time where the fundamentalist Dawkinites start a war against the religions...

The way the debate is going around at present, hatred is replacing polite discourse more... and intolerance is swelling on all sides of the fence.


Certainly, the so called atheists who had valid cases against the preachers and evangelists of the religious world, aren't shy about doing a fair bit of preaching and evangelisation themselves... but their modus operandi is generally ridicule!


As a reasonably moderate christian (IMHO :D:D), my time on the ASF has led me to realise that Christianity is under siege... This has actually had the effect of only strengthening my beliefs... (can't help it, that human nature).

I can assure you, most Christians are dead opposed to fundamentalism... the majority are dead against GWB and his cohorts in the bible belt... BUT
the more an more people put Christianity under siege, the more its forces everyone, moderates included, towards fundamentalism... (its a good lesson in muslim relationships too, and dissaray makes a good point on the rise of hillsong).

PS: the same can be said for any group that is persecuted that has strong beliefs... greenies, save the whales, buddhists monks (eg in Sri Lanka), muslims, athiests, etc...

Tolerance is the answer... and quite possibly a re-evaluations of guidelines governing Freedom of speech....
 
disarray said:
i think the whole hillsong phenomena and increased expression of christian pride could be part of it. we have muslims being all "allah in your face" and actively chasing converts throughout the world, while christianity is wallowing with the rest of the west in political correctness, trying too hard to be nice to everyone and lacking relevance to youth and modern society. as such more assertive christian sects like hillsong are increasing in popularity, especially among young believers and they can form powerful voting blocs given time.

.
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Funny you should mention hillsong, was talking to my wife’s sister last night and it seems she has started attending with her friends. Never saw that coming considering she was not religious at all. It seems to be sucking up ages 16 - 35 fairly rapidly. Some of their views seem purely market driven to keep worshipers from straying. Think Ill stick around with the heathens a while longer yet.
 
Well, it has been written that WW III is under way in the view of some Muslims.

By what happens in some countries perhaps they are right :(

I guess the opposing religions that are prepared to fight for their beliefs are going to react, how does that hymn go........

" Onward Christian soldiers, marching off to war............... "

something like that, recall a bit from Sunday School a Looooooong time ago :)

Besides them good old boys have to have something to point there big guns at :D
 
I agree Rafa - and Wayne - Tolerance is a good course...

But unfortunately it seems that fundamentalists - muslim, christian, whatever - aren't interested in Tolerance. They are more interested in pushing their message down the throats of the 'unenlightened'. By and large non-fundamentalist types have been very tolerant of various religious groups in the past... but even they seem to be becoming less tolerant.

Doesn't look good for anyone really does it?

Maybe Planet Earth needs a common enemy... to unite the fold!!! Bring on the Martians!!!!!!!!!!!


Ahhhhh...... men.???
 
Rafa said:
Certainly, the so called atheists who had valid cases against the preachers and evangelists of the religious world, aren't shy about doing a fair bit of preaching and evangelisation themselves... but their modus operandi is generally ridicule!
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Yep. This is my problem with Dawkins.

I am without doubt an evolutionist, but I cannot stand him. He doesn't seem to realise he invokes exactly the same tactics he is supposedly arguing against. Conversion is certainly not the aim for an atheist, enlightenment is.
 
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