Discrimination, oppression, and the War on Christianity

[Pat Mustard]

Can you name any type of real discrimination against Christians in America?

Also, why is that asking people not to tag you in religious posts on social media, saying happy holidays, and maintaining a separation of church and state is so often considered a war on Christianity; however, the same Christians that claim oppression have no qualms about mistreating anyone who dares to openly not be Christian?

They're not allowed to burn the gheys at the stake?

[onlinebiker]

Is there discrimination against xtians in the US?

Not really enough.

[vulcanlogician]

Don't worry, white Christian conservatives, once you become a minority, you'll get all those neat-o rights, privileges, and handouts that you complain about the current minorities getting. Imagine what you guys will be able to do with all those handouts, considering how industrious and hardworking you are!  On the downside, cops may start shooting you to death if one of you does something as mundane as get angry in public, but that won't be too much of a bother to you guys, will it? Naw, it's way worse for you guys now, isn't it?

But I wouldn't even focus on that part of it. Rather, you should focus on all the cool perks and fringe benefits your newly-acquired minority status will grant you.

[Fake Messiah]

[tackattack]

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As a US Christian I haven’t really personally experienced oppression for my beliefs. Personal discrimination based on my beliefs I have been persecuted for, depending on your definition. Most of what was persecution should have been establishing the framework for social contract interactions, but can be tinged with so much emotion it becomes bigoted and inflammatory, but I chalk that up as the cost of conversation. You have to risk being offended to engage socially.

What would be your definition of 'persecution', then?  If you feel you've been on the receiving end of it, I think it would be important to say specifically what you mean.

I've been denied work and housing based on my perceived religion; did you mean something like that?

Boru

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To be specific, I would define persecution as "creating an unpleasant or hostile situation with the intent to cause someone suffering or harm" . I didn't think it was a big enough deal to specify because I don't particularly feel oppressed or persecuted regularly.

I was fired from a job for saying I was Christian and wouldn't lie to people about x,y,z many years ago. I was released from a position as a volunteer coach for having a prayer at a baseball game. Most of it now-a-days is setting up what I can and can't say or do in public from SJW on an anti-theism bent. I don't think that's really persecution, just really emotive boundary setting with an intent to hurt. Luckily those have been few and far between. Honestly, in the US, we're very privileged, and out of respect for those that die for their faith, I usually don't make it a point at all, unless directly asked like in this OP.

[The Grand Nudger]

Sounds like you were hassling customers and coworkers with you religion, Tack.

That’s not persecution by -any- definition.....

( I do understand that you won’t and can’t see it that way, and not for malice.. but that’s just an example of how your faith has subverted you better nature, both in that moment and in this moment as you describe this as “persecution” in the retelling)

[Mister Agenda]

Um, generically speaking, coaches aren't released because they pray, they get released for getting other people to pray in their capacity as a representative for the institution they're coaching for. Protecting people from having an authority figure who may have influence over things like who starts and who gets benched is preventing the coach from oppressing them; not oppressing the coach. If I hire a Muslim or a Hindu to coach the problem with them organizing prayers seems to be readily apparent to all concerned, but if the coach is a Christian, somehow it's a mystery. If you're not capable of performing the tasks of your job as outlined by your employer, you're in the wrong job; like a Muslim bartender who refuses to mix drinks because he views it as against his religion. Well, he shouldn't be a bartender, should he?

If I call HR on someone who is hanging pictures of dead fetuses on their desks, their religion may be why they're doing it, but their religion isn't why I'm calling HR. It's due to their actions, not their religion. If I find out in an interview that someone is a Christian and I don't hire them because of that fact, that's hiring discrimination. If I don't hire them because they tried to convert me during the interview, that's using good judgment to discern that this person won't know how to behave properly on the job if they can't even stick to showing me they would be a good candidate during the interview.

[tackattack]

I hassled no one, I asked for voluntary prayer, and refused to do something immoral and outside my beliefs. That's in no way proselytizing and hassling anyone. I think you miss drich too much Gae and are just trying to pick a fight

Are you really going to take the side that saying a prayer over my lunch is hassling my coworkers? I don't see how you can make the case that refusing to do something is hassling in any way. Please enlighten me.

[The Grand Nudger]

I understand that you don’t see it that way. Perhaps you should try an application of the outsider test, though?

How public a spectacle was your prayer? Why did anyone else even need to know you were praying... -how- did they know....and are you relating dry facts or your own defense, to us, right now?

Drich isnt even remotely useful to me, as an anti theist. You’re my case example, because I think that you’re a decent human being. It takes people like you to make - my - case.

You, a decent and smart human being... just told us you’ve experienced persecution for your Christianity.... but you and I both know that this isn’t even remotely true.

[tackattack]

Um, generically speaking, coaches aren't released because they pray, they get released for getting other people to pray in their capacity as a representative for the institution they're coaching for. Protecting people from having an authority figure who may have influence over things like who starts and who gets benched is preventing the coach from oppressing them; not oppressing the coach. If I hire a Muslim or a Hindu to coach the problem with them organizing prayers seems to be readily apparent to all concerned, but if the coach is a Christian, somehow it's a mystery. If you're not capable of performing the tasks of your job as outlined by your employer, you're in the wrong job; like a Muslim bartender who refuses to mix drinks because he views it as against his religion. Well, he shouldn't be a bartender, should he?

I was an assistant volunteer coach. We having a team prayer for years and pray over our victory meals. It wasn't until an atheist parent's child joined and they felt the need to make it a point that I was released to save the drama. At no point was there discrimination or oppression of the boys based on their participation in the prayer or personal beliefs it was solely a SJW point. At no point was anyone forced to participate. I will agree that telemarketing wasn't the job for me. But I was still fired for refusing to lie. If I weren't a Christian and just refused to lie I probably would have been fired as well, so that's probably a bad example.

@Gae Bolga it was public and on the field at a team huddle pre-game. I can only guess the mother didn't want their child to be perceived as different from the rest of the team because the prayer confused him.

We can say both cases weren't because of my religion, but of other people's personal beliefs. My boss thought that I should lie to customers. The mom thought I was singling out her son. I guess there is no such thing as persecution. Glad that was solved. It's not the Christian who gets beheaded's fault it's the wrong beliefs of the regime that does it?