So-Called "Persecution Against Christians":

To LamarkNewAge:
Your links are relevant to this conversation. Thank you for attempting to remain on topic.
The first link, New Creationist Movie Is The Latest Religious Right ‘Christian Persecution’ Film talks of the many Christian persecution films that are coming out. These films are purposefully made to pander to a specific audience of free and entitled Christians who feel as if society just doesn't understand the reasons for their faith nor does society want to understand and embrace these beliefs.The second link is confirmation of google hits on the same issue.The third link appears directed at me as a moderator. You have a point in that argument but I suggest we take it elsewhere
So lets focus on DWise1's opening post for further discussion. Question for DWise1:Do you equate the audience for these modern Christian "persecution" films to be the type of Christian fundamentalism that is essentially socially and culturally "viral"? Why or why not?

I'm with you on this one, Dave. Religious bullying has got to go.You're much older than I am, and I appreciate your perspective from that Jesus Freak Movement.I think that getting evangelical christians to accept letting people of the same sex get legally married is going to be a huge step for ending christian religious bullying in this country, in particular.I don't agree with the force-by-legal-route method over simply talking to them and getting them to agree, but I get that you got to do what you got to do.Forcing this issue legally is a disservice to the country, in my opinion. So, let religion = a system of beliefs.Any system that is going to survive is going to have a first priority of self preservation. Even if it has a main priority, the top priority is keeping that main priority going. That's how shit gets viral.I think the evangelicals are at a stage where they're still in their spiritual infancy. They want to run out and tell everybody all the cool stuff they've learned. When you realize that: 1. Nobody wants to hear that shit. And 2. That's a terrible way to get the job done. Then you can accept not even trying, and just sitting back and being available for help when people ask.The evangelicals haven't realized that yet, so please be careful in how hard you guys force them. There has to be balance, I fear putting too much pressure on them and having them cave in. That could get dangerous.And if you're a random atheist reading this thinking: "Fuck 'em, they're wrong and we're right and the law is the appropriate method.", as a theist I say to you: Congratulations, you are beating up a toddler.

I'm a random atheist and if you're making the analogy of evangelicals being children, you need to take it further and understand that children are often wrong and need to be shown what's right. Children soon work out how to behave when the rules are spelled out fairly and are applied consistently. Left to their own devices children would eat chocolate for every meal and steal lego.

Who cares if they agree? We just want them to stop discriminating. That's a matter for law. We don't talk nicely to bank robbers to get them to agree not to rob banks.

I think it would be better for the country, as a whole, if both sides came to an agreement rather than one side forcing the other to their way.

We tried that with segregation. Didn't work.

Sure, but there is also such a thing as child abuse. And the end doesn't justify the means.These are actually adults, but you know how children behave when they get angry. I fear the evangelicals caving in and lashing out later.

How are the racial relationships working out in this country?

And it would be better for the country if everybody agreed not to rob banks - but it ain't gonna happen. We need laws to deal with recalcitrant bank robbers and homophobes.

Is there any evidence that the Christian Right can learn or modify their behavior?

I don't have any.

Poor snowflakes. If I lived in an area dominated with them, I'll just spend *my* life in fear and in hiding without any support. That's a much better solution, right? We wouldn't want to upset bullies, so the bullied should just live with it until they kill themselves. Yay, isn't it great to live in a world were bullies have no consequences because the police and the courts are also bullies accountable to no-one but themselves. Oh sure, they're toddlers. And as a queer person living in their community being spat at and denied employment I have all the power. Oh wait *they* have the power in this relationship. Edited by Modulous, : No reason given.

Come off it, insisting that children treat each other fairly is not child abuse. More likely it's NOT doing that that's abuse. Let them. They need to behave themselves. They don't get special dispensation to treat others badly. Wrong, wrong message.

Funny how we're the bullies when it's the law forcing gay marriage on us against our Biblical conscience that is the bully, putting us in the position of refusing specific services to gay weddings. Now we can be sued and driven out of business for holding a viewpoint that goes back to Eden and was shared by all cultures until very recently.Also what is your problem with the End Times prophecies? Why should any of that impinge on you in any way?

It really wasn't "forced legally".This was mainly a change due to a grass roots movement that resulted in many people changing their view. Yes, the courts did go along with it, but with some reluctance and only after they saw that the culture had already accepted it.