[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

And this is NEWS??????? I lived there for 8 years since ‘93......and Christians were hated THEN! They call them ‘happy clappy’ and were CONSTANTLY ridiculed in the media and public. Churches continue to fold. I had to keep my mouth shut.

[firebrand]

I hear someone was just fired from the Telegraph for putting two sentences in one paragraph.

[Mogwai]

bttt

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[ken21]

there’s no problem for moslems expressing their faith of terror.

[Star Traveler]

It’s getting that way here, and also (with some posters) it’s a problem with them, too (if someone is a Christian and states actions and values are *based* on that, and the Bible). Some FReepers will say to keep “religion out of politics” and that it’s the Christians who are causing the problems for the Republicans...

[marron]

"Just because something's true doesn't mean you can say it. That's quite an important principle.

Because it is true you must say it. Thats a most important principle.

If you can't say what you say you know as truth, you really are a gutless sort, aren't you? In any case, I've found that if you'll just say it, boldly, without apology, it flummoxes a certain class of people and I find it rather enjoyable to flummox them.

[the invisib1e hand]

He argues that society has become increasingly intolerant of the freedom to express religious views.

Certain religious views, that is, right?

It's not like we haven't seen this happen before.

You know, if we let it happen here, we only have ourselves to blame.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

Is this what Christianity has come to??? Afraid to speak the Gospel because we're afraid of how people will react??? Afraid they'll complain and we'll lose our jobs, friends? Christ must be so ashamed of some of us! I'm glad the Christian martyrs of Jesus' time were not as pitiful as we, who have never known the torments they endured, or the Christian faith would have never have made it past the first century!

[Campion]

I was surprised (somewhat) to read comments from British readers on one of the UK newspaper websites during the election that said -- essentially -- that Sarah Palin should be disqualified from political office because she's a Christian and actually believes in it.

Who do the Brits think built their country? Taoists?

[buccaneer81]

I assume this is Jeremy Vine? I listen to BBC Radio 2 all the time and am glad to hear that someone at the BBC is a normal person.

[SkipW]

Well yes, it is problematic if you are a Christian. Who is to blame for this hatred of Christianity. The answer is simple. CHRISTIANS. The most vilified and detested Christians in America are fundamentalists and evangelicals.

I am evangelical. I go to church on Sunday and here sermon after semon about how we need to get out of our “comfort zones” and become more active. What the pastor means is active in the church.

Attend Bible study if you do not presently attend. We need people to clean up around the church and we need to make more Christians. (I have pointed out that we do not make Christians. We invite people to service. We try to live lives that do not damage others and are worth emulating, etc.). The Holy Spirit makes Christians.

The pastor is talking about growing the church. At the same time he is adamant about not getting involved in politics. We are all involved in politics whether we like it or not. Apparently it has never occured to anyone that it was politics when Jesus threwthe moneychangers from the Temple. He was crucified for being a political threat. Following the “no politics” advice has resulted in us being the only group of people in America or the world who can be openly insulted and vilified publically with impunity.

Blacks, homosexuals, women, whatever. Insult them and you bring down the fire. Christians? Spit on them. The only problem there is trying to express more contempt for them than anyone else. What is the Christian response? What do the pastors say? Let us not jeopordize the holy 501C(3). Lets fill those seats and fill those collection plates.

We all know that early Christians were persecuted don’t we? Perhaps we need to see how well we stand up to persecution, so lets just take what they give us. And oh yes. Let’s not snivel about it. After all, if we wanted to stop this we could. But we won’t.

[Gordon Greene]

“Coming soon to a country near you!”

Just a sign of the times... everything here seems to start in California and work its way out from there. Try being an outspoken Christian in Hollywierd. And when there is a void of Christianity other religions and crack-pot beliefs will fill the gap. Other not-so-friendly religions.

(Save the Crusades comment crap... I ain’t playin’ that)

[Clemenza]

To be an “aggressive Christian” in the New York/New Jersey area has been seen as being “nuts” since I was a young kid (I was born in 1976 to give you perspective). The only folks I see going out praising Jesus in public seem to be elderly black women and some largely Hispanic evangelical groups.

[ottbmare]

I know this is true in the UK, but in the US in recent years I’ve found it more comfortable to freely mention God. When I was growing up, one never, ever mentioned such things; it just wasn’t cool, and it embarrassed people. But now I seem to discover fellow Christians everywhere and they openly speak of faith.

I live near Washington DC and work for a company that does science.

[familyop]

Atheism is certainly not a good idea for a national putsch from any group. It’s the wrong and impractical direction and is already starting to backfire—even on the Atheists.

[marshmallow]

Take a look at British TV programs. Clergy are almost always portrayed as naive, bumbling, buffoons, hopelessly out of touch with the world. That is, when they're not portrayed as creepy weirdos.

About 20 years ago, the predominant attitude to the Christian religion in Britain was apathy. That is now gradually but surely morphing into antipathy.

[NYer]

His comments follow the claim from Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, that Britain is an "unfriendly" place for religious people to live.

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