The blog of Dr Glenn Andrew Peoples on Theology, Philosophy, and Social Issues

“It’s only the religious who make threats….”

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Just a quick note on something that happened today:

I’ve been following with some interest the arguments about California’s proposition 8 that defined marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman, ruling out same-sex marriage. One disturbing development that has emerged is the wave of personal harassment, vandalism and even death threats that some conservative Christians are receiving by those who opposed proposition 8 and the religious convictions of many who supported it. For a couple of examples see here or here, for plenty more, as they say, “just google it.”

And then what should happen, but I get an email from an atheist with whom I’ve had some email exchanges recently, who wrote to me just for the purpose of saying, and I quote: “Funny how it’s always the religious who send the death threats.” He wasn’t talking about proposition 8, he was saying this because of a court case involving evolution where a judge received threats purporting to come from the opponents of evolution.

Funny how it’s always the religious? Is this the point where I say “funny how it’s ALWAYS THE ATHEISTS” who make untrue and stupid generalizations at points in history where the headlines scream at them just how wrong they are”?

But no, that would be to make a generalisation, I admit. Still, it did make me shake my head in disbelief. Nice going, Edward. There are none so blind.

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3 Comments

  1. OK, now that is priceless. What kind of blind fundamentalism is it that says “It’s ONLY the religious who make threats?” Has that guy been living under a freakin’ ROCK? Seriously, that just willful tunnel vision. It confirms my suspicion about the faith based mantra that some of the more mindless opponents of religion force themselves to believe.

  2. John C

    That’s incredible. Talk about a person undermining any genuine outrage they have! It’s a bit like screaming “wolf.” If you overstate and make every claim have the same hysterical level, pretty much every complaint will be ignored because people will just roll their eyes and go “Oh great, it’s this guy again, paranoid and exaggerating as always.” If you take genuine complaints and add falsehoods to them, don’t be surprised if nobody ever listens to your genuine complaints.

    Way to go “Edward” – that is, if you’re trying to get all such complaints ignored, even when they are (unfortunately) genuine. It’s this kind of shrieking that makes Christopher Hitchens look like such an idiot. A bit of hero imitation perhaps?

  3. Ed

    I have first hand experience of people who oppose conservative Christian causes *themselves* sending threats of violence or murder to the likes of same sex marriage advocates or the defenders of evolution in public education, in order to draw sympathy for the cause and to paint “fundies” in the worst possible light. Not proud of it, but I’ve seen it. That’s why I always take threat reports – although seriously – with a pinch of salt, because you just never know.

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