Christian nutjobs have no self awareness, apparently

[TheFeniX]

The chart shown in the OP convinces me that most Americans have never read the bill of rights. People assembling to protest something, or speaking out an opinion, even for religious reasons, isn't extreme, it's an American right.

The right to bear arms is a right and many people inside and outside the US consider gun ownership extreme. The point is that 50%> of US citizens believe there's an extremist bent when protesting due to religious reasons, which is a pretty broad stroke when you use the "somewhat" qualifier but they are likely jumping to images of abortion clinic protesting (and subsequent violence) or stupid shit like protesting movies or other entertainment they don't like. That and hating gays loses a bit more of it's broad appeal every day.

Like it or not, there's a fucking laundry list of anti-Christian imagery I can think up just off the top of my head. You've got Christians of all strokes, even those with name recognition and power, endorsing violence and the idea that certain people are sub-human. You do that long enough and this is what you get: people start jumping to the worst possible image when you combine "protest" and "religion." Islam has this same problem. How many death threats get out there and how many acts of violence over some cartoons?

EDIT: also, Really?! people consider helping those in need extreme?! That's it, I'm moving to Canada. They have their problems, but at least the populace has some grasp of the definition of charity.

That's 6%-19% of people surveyed. I'm sure I could find 10% of Americans who think drinking whole milk is extreme. Also, take into account "somewhat" and that some people surveyed would consider it extreme to actually volunteer, rather than just donating a dollar amount to a charity.

[adipose1913]

The right to bear arms is a right and many people inside and outside the US consider gun ownership extreme. The point is that 50%> of US citizens believe there's an extremist bent when protesting due to religious reasons, which is a pretty broad stroke when you use the "somewhat" qualifier but they are likely jumping to images of abortion clinic protesting (and subsequent violence) or stupid shit like protesting movies or other entertainment they don't like. That and hating gays loses a bit more of it's broad appeal every day.

Like it or not, there's a fucking laundry list of anti-Christian imagery I can think up just off the top of my head. You've got Christians of all strokes, even those with name recognition and power, endorsing violence and the idea that certain people are sub-human. You do that long enough and this is what you get: people start jumping to the worst possible image when you combine "protest" and "religion." Islam has this same problem. How many death threats get out there and how many acts of violence over some cartoons?

That's 6%-19% of people surveyed. I'm sure I could find 10% of Americans who think drinking whole milk is extreme. Also, take into account "somewhat" and that some people surveyed would consider it extreme to actually volunteer, rather than just donating a dollar amount to a charity.

All very good points.
I think more what annoyed me is the fact that both Atheists and Christians have forgotten what tolerance means. No one can say "okay, I don't agree with what your doing, but I don't hate you for it" anymore If you don't agree with something, I should be okay with you expressing your belief as long as you don't put me down. This is why, as a christian, I facepalm whenever I see some preacher or churchgoer launch into the "fire and brimstone" nonsense. I mean, if you want to actually show what the religion is about, focus on "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:43) and "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (John 8:7) We are supposed to help those in need. We don't go and set up a soup hall at the White house, we go to the bad parts of town and help people get back on their feet. At its basic level, religion is there to set a moral compass on the world to guide you, and whether you go by the Catholics or the Lutherans, Christians are supposed help their neighbors AND enemies. I don't care if you think religion is crock or not, I just want Christians to act like Christians and stop being hostile towards non-christians.

[biostem]

adipose1913, it is also easy to cherry-pick bible verses that espouse hatred and exclusion. The point is that there is no one "correct" way to practice a religion. As such, groups need to either distance themselves from the other practitioners, (by creating a new sect or such), or b vocal in which aspects of their own religion they endorse or oppose.

In the case of atheists, the issue here is that you have one group that is against any religious dogmas, and another that is in favor of them. If the former were to compromise on which dogmas were permitted to be enforced though law, then the other group has gained something, while the secularists have lost ground.

[jwl]

As a Christian, I can say I've done a few of category two, as well as some in lower categories.

But on semi-relvant two tangents: these Christians that were busy pushing circumcisions for religious reasons, did they skip over significant portions of Galatians and Acts? Especially Gal.5:2-12.

Secondly, "tithing" does mean what the author of the article thinks it means, it does not exclusivly talk about giving money to religious communities but also to widows, orphans, foreigners and the poor and vulnerable.