[culture|religion] The wonders of religious privilege

[jaylake]

I broke one of my own rules and got involved in a lengthy back-and-forth on Facebook with some folks over religious questions. (No link, because I don't want anyone to feel called out or embarrassed - they are welcome to come link themselves in comments if they so choose

Comments

[submarine_bells]

Yes, this. Thank you.

- LGBT poly atheist whose religious family disowned me

[martianmooncrab]

its when the religious wont leave you alone with their invites, their preacher, their fellowship, and the polite No doesnt register. It seems to redouble their efforts to "save" you. The rigidness that would make most Nazis look warm and cuddly. Oh the list is endless when it comes to controlling the flock.

[agent_mimi]

In high school, I suffered through some tremendous bullying from a girl who, during summer between 8th and 9th grade, decided I had to get baptized. I said no, repeatedly, though she called me all summer long. By 10th grade she was harassing me and making my life miserable, easy to do for her since her family was rich and influential in that small town. Since then I've noticed dozens upon dozens of examples where the religious trying to "save" the non-religious has turned into abject cruelty, always under the guise of just trying to help.

[martianmooncrab]

Never trust a reformed (fill in the blank)... its like they got the best brand of Life Spackle... it will make everything perfect.

[mmegaera]

I've never, ever understood why their "must proselytize NOW" trumps my "religion is a personal, private thing, leave me ALONE." Never.

[mmegaera]

I don't remember if I've mentioned the case here that I ran into in a small town in Ohio when I lived there twenty-odd years ago. The town had a daily paper. A Jewish gentleman decided to begin an alternate newspaper that was mostly a Little-Nickel-alike with the occasional article. It did fairly well for a while, or so I was told. Until he decided to express an unpopular opinion and was figuratively run out of town on a rail

[goulo]

Well, that's a sad story indeed. :(

[a_cubed]

Unfortunately, it just plays into their self-valorizing to point out what real religious persecution looks like. The BBC had a report on the burning of churches, the kidnapping of Christians and other serious religious oppression in Egypt at present. One of the churches burnt down was 12 steps from the local polie station who refused to come to their aid. This is what happens when religion and politics travel in the same cart. While I detest Christianity (and most of the other religions, actually) I feel sorry for the Egyptian Christians and deplore the perpetrators of these acts, who are no more following the tenets of their faith in these acts than the followers of Smug Republican White Jesus (SRWJ) in their culture wars in the US.

[alumiere]

Thank you for posting this. I have no brain today, but it clicked, and ,I hope to come back and say more.