Life in Our "Anti Christian" America

[Sandpiper]

Life In Our Anti-Christian America

Robby Berry

Prologue

During a recent exchange of flames and frivolty on a local Usenet group (osu.opinion, a newsgroup available only to students of The Ohio State University), somebody made the observation that America was an "anti-Christian" society. As an atheist, I am well-aware of the extent to which religion, especially Christianity, permeates our society. As a result, I found this claim difficult to believe. As I was in a playful mood at the time, I decided to debunk his claim in a somewhat roundabout manner.

I'm certainly glad this has finally been brought out into the open. The anti-Christian bias in our society has reached absurd proportions. Consider:

During the 1988 election campaign, George Bush said that Christians should not be considered patriots or real American citizens.

Bill Clinton steadfastly refuses to give any speeches at local churches.

Both major political parties are dominated by anti-Christians. The Republican party, for example, gave us such hard-core atheists as Pat Buchanan, Dan Quayle, Phyllis Schlafly and Ronald Reagan. And the Democrats have given us such personalities as the Rev. Martin Luther King and the Rev. Jesse Jackson-- both noted for their vicious attacks on all forms of Christianity.

Let's talk about the media. On Sunday mornings, nearly all major television channels broadcast pro-atheist shows; it is nearly impossible to find religious programming during that time period. Further, Madalyn Murray O'Hair has her own cable TV channel, while Pat Robertson has been unable to obtain one for himself.

Most major newspapers run a special weekly section devoted to atheism. There are no equivalent sections for religious news.

Anti-Christian shows such as the American Atheist Forum are broadcast by major national networks. Meanwhile, Billy Graham is only able to get on the air through public access TV, which is watched by few people.

On news programs and "reality" TV shows such as Rescue 911, nobody is ever shown giving thanks to God after surviving a disaster.

It is almost impossible to find a shopping mall with a Christian Armory book store, while Atheist Book Centers are featured prominently on every corner.

While atheists couples who marry rarely have any difficulty finding a place to do so, it is nearly impossible for Christian couples to find a church where they can marry.

For that matter, churches themselves are extremely rare, while atheist meeting centers can be found every few blocks.

Recently, several atheists have shot and killed Christian priests as they were going to work in their churches. Similarly, atheists are well known for blockading churches on Sunday mornings.

Nearly all of our elected public officials are atheists; they even have to swear on a copy of Darwin's "Origin of Species" in order to take office.

In a similar vein, jurors must take an oath upon a copy of the Skeptical Inquirer before they can serve. There have even been court cases thrown out because one of the jury members was a Christian who insisted on swearing on a Bible.

And of course, people are free to wear pentagram jewelry, but those trying to wear cross-shaped earrings or pendants to work will be politely told to remove the jewelry or lose their job.

Speaking of the workplace, Christians often find it nearly impossible to get time off work for religious holidays such as Christmas.

Even our language reflects the radical anti-Christian bias that pervades our society. For example, when somebody sneezes, most people say "Darwin bless you". Similarly, "Voltaire dammit!" is a common cussword.

All of our money has the atheistic slogan "We do not trust in God" printed on it. (Contributed by Mike Hurben, <[e-mail]>.)

In school, our children are made to recite the pledge, "One nation, anti-God, indivisible...." (Contributed by Mike Hurben.)

One cannot rent a hotel room without finding a copy of Nietzsche's The Anti-Christ in the room. (Contributed by Mike Hurben.)

Organizations such as the Boy Scouts deny membership to Christians. (Contributed by Mike Hurben.)

In the military, it is nearly impossible to obtain Conscientious Objector status for religious reasons, even though those with philosophical reasons can obtain C.O. status relatively easily. (Contributed anonymously.)

Christian churches are forced to pay exorbitant taxes. (Contributed by Rick Gillespie, <[e-mail]>.)

You can't drive anywhere without seeing a Darwin fish or a "Jesus Was A Fraud" bumper sticker stuck to a car. (Contributed by Rick Gillespie.)

Georgia recently passed a new law requiring schools to have a "moment of noise" during which children are encouraged to degrade Christianity. (Contributed by Rick Gillespie.)

College campuses usually have dozens of atheist organizations, but few if any for Christians. (Contributed by Mark Anstrom, <[e-mail]>.)

There are several well-known atheist campus preachers who lecture on college campuses on the virtues of atheism. (Contributed by Mark Anstrom.)

Also common on college campuses are groups of students handing out copies of Betrand Russell's "Why I Am Not A Christian"; some even force people who don't want these books to take them. (Contributed by Mark Anstrom.)

Campus newspapers often print editorials extolling the virtues of atheism. (Contributed by Mark Anstrom.)

People look at you funny and wonder if there's something wrong upstairs if you admit to being a Christian in public. (Contributed by Mark Anstrom.)

Many Christians are afraid to admit their Christianity to their parents and friends, for fear their kin will consider them immoral Christian scum and want nothing to do with them. (Contributed by Mark Anstrom.)

At presidential inauguration ceremonies, Madalyn Murray-O'Hair (that well-known friend of several presidents) gives a short pro-atheism speech. (Contributed by Matt Barry, <[e-mail]>.)

"There are no Christians in foxholes" is a popular slogan in our society.



Read the Rest at:

http://www.infidels.org/misc/humor/lioaca.html

[stepnw1f]

1. When a President Tries Ammending...

... the Constitution of the U.S., due to Christian beliefs (a Special Interest Group), then yes the church has way too much influence in the government. I am not buying the "Anti Christian" argument.

[izzie]

6. I wish they would look at what the Puritans did to their....

'City on the Hill' for, I think, about 70 years with a church run society. These people do not understand that if it is a church run society their must be laws on what church run society it will be. That is why it was left as any church or no church if you want.I did enjoy the paper. They should have brought up the Blue Laws we had even when I was a child. Time to get rid of all those foot ball games on Sunday, shut the markets and malls, racetrack etc and get into church.

[RandomKoolzip]

2. Right fuckin on....

That was beautiful....I love hearing Christians mewl about how they're so oppressed and such underdogs. Boo hoo. A lot of 'em want to see atheists like me behind razor wire; this I know for a fact. I lived in Nashville for five fucking years!! I couldn't go a DAY without JAYZUS being foisted on me.

Religion is just a way of keeping the poor from rising up against the rich. That's all it ever has been. And frankly, I don't need another goddamned ring in my nose that the powers- that -be can pull....

[stopthegop]

5. BS...name one Christian

who wants to see athiests behind razor wire...

[Lars39]

7. Why do you doubt him? There are people who don't even

consider atheists as citizens having rights. Bush 41 being one example.

[stopthegop]

8. just asked for an example..

and I doubt his statement because it goes against all of my (too many) years of experience in this country.

[Lars39]

10. I usually try not to talk my state down.....

but he said "Nashville". Headquarters of the Southern Baptists. I live near there. I believe him.

[RandomKoolzip]

15. Thanks, Lars.

Yeah. Seriously. If you don't live in Middle Tennesse, you have NO idea what it's like. The fundies there are of a far more virulient strain than your average, run-of-the-mill Christian; they view the North as a "Heathen Aggressor" (These are terms I've heard from people), and the entire rest of the world a lake of fire.

Look, stopthegop, I'm sorry if I offended you. I don't want to step on anyone's toes. It's just that as an atheist, MY toes have been stepped on quite a bit by fundies, and I guess experience has clouded my view of organized religion (although I've always been agnostic, I only became atheist after living in Nashville- if there is a just God, she wouldn't allow her followers to behave like the fundies there do.) In Hendersonville, Tennessee, I once drove by a church whose marquee sign read "Islam: Religion of Evil." This was not an isolated incident.... Don't get me wrong, some of my friends are Christians...I just get along better with Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Atheists, because none of them have ever tried to convert me, much less convert me using threats of damnation and ostracism. They practice a "live and let live" version of their religion. I wish the Nashville fundies did, too, because they make life unbearable for heathens.

I'm glad I'm in Chicago now, where I can go for weeks without some fresh-faced white person coercing me to go to church with him.

[RandomKoolzip]

9. Well, there was this guy who I worked with in the kitchen of

a restaurant in Nashville who said that all Atheists and Muslims should be "put away." When he'd rant on and on, everybody but me used to nod their heads in agreement. I'd leave to go to the bathroom. Everytime a Fundie tried to convert me (which happened on an average of three times a week when I worked with the public), the discussion always ended with the fundie saying, "well, you're going to Hell, but I'm going to pray for you." Bill O'Reilly's explicit mission satement on his show is to "root out secularism." The subtext of the "Rapture" theory is that non-believers are doomed to DEATH (i.e. prison)while the believers are subsumed by God (living ABOVE the non-believers, i.e the wardens of humanity) The Trinity Broadcasting Network often portrays the lives of atheists as being not worth living. Jack Chick. Casual friends of mine in Nashville dropped me like a hot stone when I gave them an honest answer to "where do you go to Church?" as if I should be quarantined. I worked as a manager at an ice cream shop in Nashville for over a year, and the owner asked me one day if I had "heard the good news." I gave him my honest answer, trying to be very non-hostile, and was fired three days afterward.


Maybe I should have used the word "fundamentalists." All I know is that it was a VERY hostile environment in Nashville for an atheist like me.

[stopthegop]

11. thanks for replying...

Re: the one guy who said athiests and muslims should be 'put away' (I assumed he meant killed)..if he said that, you must know that's not the doctrine of any Christian group with more than three members..a Christian's duty to non-Christians is to try to convert them, with perusasion...not all are good at backing off at the right time...

all the other examples you list sound like (maybe) over-enthusiasm..
1) Christian doctrine teaches non believers will go to Hell, Lake of Fire..varies a little..I agree it's a clumsy thing to say to someone

2)Bill O'Reilly has every right to try to change society, as do we all

3) your understanding of the Rapture is flawed...you might want to do some research..

4)& 5) sounds like the people made bad decisions..but everyone has a right to drop friends or fire people they choose not to associate with...

look around a bit..you'll find more love than you appear to have encountered so far...

[Lars39]

12. I've never seen a finer case of trying to invalidate someone's

personal experience. That took real skill.

[stopthegop]

13. not invalidating....explaining from a different perspective...

I never said the things didn't happen...just that it may not mean what he thought...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. Well done; but I'm afraid that unless fundamental "christianity"

is the only religion in America, these wack-os will believe the country to be "anti-christian"

[Lindacooks]

4. Beautiful

Thanks for this.

[salinen]

14. As a card carrying Atheist

I could not have done better. Bravo! I started a thread long ago with the same premise, only using "all those" left leaning T.V. and radio personalities. Like transgender newscasters, Molly Ivins 3 hour talk show, etc.