Religious Stereotyping Is Bullying

[rug]

Posted: 06/03/2015 5:36 pm EDT
Warren J. Blumenfeld
College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Imagine this: You read on a Facebook page that people opposing your religion have planned a large-scale protest rally at the major Christian church in your home town on your Sabbath day of prayer. The organizers instruct their supporters to bring posters denouncing Christianity and pictures of Jesus on the cross wearing a Hitler-style mustache with captions reading: "He Deserved To Die," and "He Was a False Messiah," because, as stated on Facebook, "...it's what needs to take place in order to expose the true colors of Christianity."

At the protest rally, organizers will be selling and wearing T-shirts announcing: "F--- Christianity." "Everyone is encouraged to bring American Flags and any message that you would like to send to Christians," continued the message on Facebook. Though organizers have promoted the demonstration as a First Amendment "Freedom of Speech" rally, they urge supporters to carry weapons to express their Second Amendment rights as well.

Organizers say they are calling the rally because they "have had enough" of Christianity and people like Timothy McVey, Fred Phelps and his flock, Pat Robertson, and members of the Ku Klux Klan, who, rally planners claim, are not extreme outliers as media reports indicate. They are, rather, expressing the true sentiments in their book, The Christian Testaments (a.k.a. "The New Testament&quot . Organizers stated that they don't want Christianity to spread any further in the United States of America. Argued the protest organizer on his Facebook page, "I am far from politically correct....I'm outspoken, and I've just had it!"

How are you feeling emotionally reading this? What are your reactions about the way rally organizers represented your religion if you are Christian? If this were your house of worship, how safe would you feel attending Sabbath services with your family, including young children with a group of protesters waving American flags in your face as they pack guns in clear view?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/warren-j-blumenfeld/religious-stereotyping-is_b_7486776.html

It's also the height of stupidity.

[Cartoonist]

1. Imagine this:

Why would I do that? What an idiotic exercise. Try to keep things real, rug.

[jmowreader]

3. Okay, try it like this

Change all the "Christian" stuff to "Muslim."

[AlbertCat]

24. Change all the "Christian" stuff to "Muslim."

OK

People will probably have a higher degree of at lest being in some danger of getting killed. This notion comes from experience.


Christianity.... not so much.


Now change it all to "Hindu".

Now "Shinto"

Now change it to a rally against atheists.

What's your point?


It's still fantasy..... a stupid one.

[jmowreader]

35. My point is, Christians in the US are doing these very things to Muslims

What do you think the "draw a picture of Muhammad and put it up in front of a mosque" contests are all about?

[AlbertCat]

36. are all about?

Attention?

The Crusades?


Crap?

[rug]

5. I am not surprised you think the imagination is idiotic. The solution is simple; don't do it.

In the meantime, I wonder where all the cartoons come from, especially Green Lantern.

[AlbertCat]

25. The solution is simple; don't do it.

A better solution is for the faithful to actually have the faith they claim to have and not even care about it.

[rug]

32. "have the faith they claim to have and not even care about it."

By "it", I presume you mean religious bullying.

[Yorktown]

2. So Islam should be exempt of criticism because of Christianity's privileges?

Yes, the bikers protest in front of a mosque was callous and gratuitous provocation.

But this article goes much further.

A Christian wouldn't like to hear of Jesus "He Was a False Messiah,", so one can't say muhamad was not a prophet?

Sod that. Let's say both.

Or let's say the truth: Yeshua was a rather nice jewish guru, muhamad was a rather violent warlord.

[rug]

6. Once again, you have reached a conclusion that is a slurry of non sequiturs.

[Yorktown]

7. You are parroting what I wrote. The article you quoted is a slurry of non sequiturs.

1- it does not follow from the fact Christians would not like to hear Yeshua/Jesus said not to be a messiah that it should not be said.

2- it does not follow from the fact Muslims would not like to hear muhamad to be called a violent warlord that it should not be said.

3- it does not follow from the fact Christians would not like to hear Yeshua/Jesus said not to be a messiah that muhamad should not be called a violent warlord

There are probably other non sequiturs in your article, but we already have three here.

[Fumesucker]

4. I would rejoice because that means the kingdom of heaven will be mine..

A prize of such worth that to compare it with anything else is ludicrous.

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[AlbertCat]

26. A prize of such worth

A fantasy is of little real worth.

[Fumesucker]

29. For the purposes of the OP we were to assume we are Christian

And to a Christian Heaven is the ultimate reward.

[AlbertCat]

30. And to a Christian Heaven is the ultimate reward.

FALSE reward.


All religions hold bunk up as more important than actual things that matter.

[Fumesucker]

38. I tend to think so but I have no way of knowing for sure

[edhopper]

8. is he trying to say

anti-Muslim Christians are assholes?

[rug]

9. Since he's talking about Ritzheimer, I doubt it.

Although they'll find common ground with him.

[edhopper]

10. oh

That asshole. I didn't pay too much attention to the details.
Thought it was needlessly confrontational.

[Major Nikon]

11. Religionists intimidating other religionists with threats of violence are nothing new

Using an example of this to pretend all religious stereotyping is bullying is more than kinda stupid.

[rug]

12. Do you think it applies to Ritzheimer?

[Major Nikon]

13. Do you think it doesn't?

[rug]

14. It's considered good form to answer yes or no rather than duck.

Of course this description of religious stereotyping and bullying applies to him - and the other armed goons there with him. That's the whole point of the article.

Do you think it doesn't?

[Warren Stupidity]

15. Did you actually just write that

with a straight face?

[rug]

19. Yeah. Did you actually ask that with a straight face?

[AlbertCat]

27. Did you actually ask that with a straight face?

I'm sure most of us who know how you post had faces contorted with laughter and rolling eyes.

[rug]

33. I imagine several faces contorted whenever they see a post with my name on it.

And not with rolling eyes and laughter.

[cleanhippie]

20. Bwahahahahahahahaha!

I spit my coffee when I read that.

Un-fucking-believable!

[rug]

34. And do you have a question youn need answered?

[cleanhippie]

39. Do you think that all Pedophile priests and their enablers should be in jail?

[rug]

41. Yes.

Now define enablers.

[cleanhippie]

43. .

en·a·bler
/iˈnāblər,e-/
noun
noun: enabler; plural noun: enablers

a person or thing that makes something possible.

Would you include as enablers, those that knew of the abuse and did nothing, and those that knew about the abuse and protected the abusers by moving them to different a parish?

[rug]

45. Yes.

Now identify them.

[edhopper]

46. You don't think that happened?

just because prosecutors have a hands off policy doesn't mean it didn't happen.

We don't know all the people involved in the 2008 financial collapse because they didn't investigate.

Poorer deflection than usual.

[rug]

47. What are you talking about?

You obviously miss his intent. He's two posts away from saying anyone who doesn't leave the Catholic Church is an enabler. As he's said many times before.

[edhopper]

48. Okay

Thought you were talking about bishops and cardinals.

Won't get into that debate right now.

[Lordquinton]

50. We can start with both living popes

For starters.

[cleanhippie]

51. Start with the Pope and work your way down.

I'll tell you when to stop.

[rug]

54. Tell me where to stop.

That's one post. Your next one will be the money post.

[Major Nikon]

16. I figured it was kinda obvious from my post

Seeing as how this was the only example referenced by the OP.

And no, the whole point of the article was "Religious Stereotyping Is Bullying" which was the title of the Huffpo which you repeated. Using the example of one extremely hateful dipshit sponsored by an organization of dipshits dedicated to hate doesn't mean every example of religious stereotyping is bullying. They were using an example of people who intentionally target religious people to further their agenda of religious hate. That's not the same thing as stereotyping religion itself.

[Lordquinton]

17. ...

[Goblinmonger]

21. ...

[rug]

22. Have you a question you'd like annswered?

[Goblinmonger]

23. No I gave up on you ever answering a question long ago.

Looks like the "u" on the keyboard is fixed but now your "n" sticks.

[rug]

31. Yet you need to respond.

So much fn.

[edhopper]

18. I didn't realize

the shooters at the Texas event came from this Mosque. Which doesn't give Ritzheimer a pass.

I wish I could find a non-biased (anti-Islam) source about the Mosque.

[randys1]

28. Oy, will humans ever grow up or outgrow the need to believe in invisible people?

[hrmjustin]

37. i would be very upset if they came to my church and protested.

[edhopper]

40. But is stereotyping people

the same as comments about a religion.

If I say "Muslims are..." it could be considered stereotyping (depending on context)

But if I say Islam is... talking about the religion and it's tenets, it that stereotyping?

Are we to refrain from criticizing religion because of the threat of being called a bully or a bigot?

[rug]

42. Of corse not, but you have to be intelligent about it.

Islam is not monolithic. Until the criticism is focused, it lends itself to a broad brush.

[edhopper]

44. True

But I wanted to make the distinction.

Of course if i criticize the premiss of the religion, the divine authority of Mohammed or the divinity of Jesus or the veracity of Joseph Smith, it would apply to the religion as a whole, and still not be a "broad brush"

[Yorktown]

52. Islam has a monolithic core

The Quran is the perfect word of god (fundamental tenet)

Therefore any "broad brush" should be narrowed to problematic passages of the Quran.
Examples:
- women are inferior to men (inheritance, witness in court)
- atheists and blasphemers beware:

Those who annoy Allah and His Messenger (..) whenever they are found, they shall be seized and slain (33:57-61)

As for the great exception among muslim nations, Turkey, here is a direct quote from Mustafa Kemal:

God's revelation! There is no God! These are only the chains by which the priests and bad rulers bound the people down. A ruler who needs religion is a weaklings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atatürk's_personal_life#Religion_and_politics

[Zamen]

49. People already do do this

It's not something anyone has to imagine. I remember all the drama during the Proposition 8 thing in California.

[snagglepuss]

53. Those most guilty of stereotyping are religions themselves, actually one could

say that stereotyping is the meat and potatoes of all religions , for example the concept of sinners. People who don't act in a prescribed are stereotyped as sinners. People who submit to scripture are stereotyped as "pious". The least continues.

The very act of dividing everything into good and bad creates stereotypes.

[okasha]

55. Hoist by your own petard, there.

Now how are you going to get yourself down?

[snagglepuss]

56. I'm hardly hoisting myself on my own petard as I am simply stating one of

the main functions of religion. Are you maintaining that religion does not divide the world up between good and bad, believers and unbelievers etc?

[okasha]

59. I'm saying that your post stereotypes religion.

Which it undeniably does.

[skepticscott]

66. Your saying so doesn't make it true

But feel free to actually back up your claim of "undeniably".

[Angry Dragon]

57. God says:

All sinners will burn in hell forever having their flesh burned off

[rug]

58. Of course he does.

Although you left out his chuckling as he concocts typhoons.

[Angry Dragon]

62. God likes floods better

Satan created Republicans

[Lordquinton]

60. I wonder if they count atheist stereotyping in this

Nt

[truebrit71]

61. Of course not silly!

It's only those poor put-upon religions that get bullied....

[Lordquinton]

63. True, true

Atheists are all just angry. All the time. Angry baby eating atheists.

[trotsky]

64. I wondered the same thing. n/t

[Lordquinton]

65. From interactions here

I'm pretty sure they don't.

[skepticscott]

67. Define "bullying"

Or "stereotyping".

Oh..right...you can't. Just words used to inflame and make certain folk seem like victims that they aren't.