The Right's claim of religious persecution "ridiculous & embarassing"

Complete nonsense. Christians are scared that they're losing their dominant position in the country. Period.

 

Good retort.

 

Actually, they call it a theory because it is well supported by a vast body of evidence. Science is about evidence, not faith.

 

I know the truth hurts, but who said life was easy? Christians in the US claiming oppression are equivalent to white nationalists who claim the white race is under assault. Completely deluded.

 

Actually, only a bellicose cult of aggressive theocrats with an ideological agenda.

Traditional Christians who embrace the faith's central message of charity as recently articulated by Pope Francis entertain no such fears.

 

Your saying so doesn't make it so. It's your intent to marginalize this whole thing. I take that with the smallest of grains of salt.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, we certainly know you don't have an ideological agenda.

 

I think it's noteworthy the author uses language such as "ridiculous and embarrassing." Do you see the strategy?

 

'Vast body of evidence'? And billions (if not trillions) of believers over several millennia, archeological and historical data isn’t considered a ‘vast body of evidence’ to you? I wouldn’t expect it to since you reject any nothing that a higher being than you could possibly exist. But yet, there is no ‘vast body of evidence’ that explains how all this stuff in the universe got here. Without a creator you’re simply stuck with ‘it just got here’ or ‘it’s always been here’ with absolutely no body of proof for that conclusion. What does this leave you with? Faith! You must BELIEVE the universe just MAGICALLY popped up out of nothing; with not one bit of evidence to prove this.

 

Some with their own like to accuse everyone else - including the pope - of having agenda, of course.

My agendum is to support a government of the People that expressed the ethical values of the People in working for the People without favouring any sectarian religious preferences or discriminating against them.

 

Of course the Pope has an agenda to promote his faith. Why wouldn’t he? I am a Christian; why wouldn’t I have an agenda to promote my faith? We have no desire for a religious state. All we want is to be FREE to worship in our own way and spread our message. But in America, the only limits that exist in this regard is the limit placed on government. They cannot establish any religion or religion itself and they cannot prohibit the FREE practice of any religion. That is as simple as it gets. So people can have all the agendas in the world regarding religion and government does not have the authority to prohibit that.

 

Well, when one compares apples to accordions the comparison could come across as ridiculous.

However, there's no question that American Christians are subjected to an inordinate amount of hostility from all too many atheists and Leftists in this country. This hostility and hatred is really quite unseemly coming from segments of the population who claim to be all about things like reason, compassion and altruism.

 

Of course he has an agenda. To promote the ethical values of Christianity. That is not a matter of partisan politics, unless partisan politicians make it so.

Some do. There are those who mistakingly regard the United States as a Christian nation.

As is the case. All religion businesses must be treated equally by government.

 

There is no question that most Christians share neither that prejudice, nor paranoia.

 

And some believe we should have a monarchy rather than a representative government. There are fanatics of every breed. As long as the constitution is adhered to neither will ever happen.

I agree. But I suspect we might differ on what that treatment is.

 

I would consider taxing them like any other business, with the same applicable charitable deductions, of course.

Given that so many Christians are what you would label "Leftists" - and a fair share probably atheists as well - your fears are irrational.

 

You speak for most Christians, Natty? When did a plume of white smoke mark this development?

As for your hyperbolic accusation, I wouldn't consider the victims of anti-Christian hostility to be guilty of fear and/or paranoia.

It's not my fear - it's merely an observation, just as I am capable of observing that Christians are not atheists.

You do have a point about many Christians being Leftists, though. However, that doesn't negate my observation that Christians are subjected to anti-Christian hostility and hatred. I see it on display in this forum on a regular basis.

 

Actually the body of evidence limited as it is supports nothing of the sort.

 

Yes, everyone is subjected to hostility and hatred by someone, I suppose, and Christians are no exception, but don't be shocked that some who are sincere members of a Christian community and conscientiously practice and espouse Christian charity toward all do not entertain notions of a spirit world populated by ethereal entities. The Christian ethos does not demand validation by celestial beings to be embraced as a moral code.

 

The point is the hilarity of these Religious Right folks that claim they are oppressed on the basis of religion.

 

The same could be said about anyone in America when compared to those who face real oppression in the world.

 

I'm not shocked at all, Natty. On these things we agree.

 

Well, I actually support religious based companies not having to pay for things which are against their religions.

When the Catholic Church opposed being forced to pay for birth control and abortions to be covered by the insurance they offered employees, Obama made a compromise which shifted their part of the costs directly to the insurance companies. This was viewed by most as a fair compromise, which is was. This same compromise could be offered to private companies whose owners oppose being required to pay for insurance coverage which offends their religious beliefs.

 

No it can't. Some oppression is real. How is the religious right "oppressed" as a group ? by gays for example as so many claim ?

 

Of course it can, show me an instance of oppression here that is worse than anywhere else in the world.

 

Why are you changing the topic ? My claim was that Religious Right claims oppression where there is none.

Blacks and Gays are oppressed here more than in Canada (to answer your question even though you avoided mine)