How do people "live out" their Christianity in countries where religion is unpopular?

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deMontfort said:
I’ve gotten compliments on my crucifix up at Harborview.
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Great! I get quite a few positive comments at SCCA/Fred Hutch when I am there. I carry bible and Rosary and the Catholics (and other believers) come out of the woodwork!
 
BartholomewB said:
" … for some reason …"
The reason is not altogether unconnected wih explosives, I think.
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I think more seriously Christianity is their cultural history to reject. It’s kind of like you treat your on family members more critically than your guests thinking.
 
michaelArc said:
Living in The Netherlands, Christianity is near extinct. If I were to talk about my faith openly I would either be ignored, labeled or ridiculed.
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Indeed, my grandfather and father are Dutch. My Grandfather was a very devout Catholic and my father is also quite active. My grandfather once related that, when he emigrated, his mother was afraid he’d lose his faith by moving to the US. As you’ve experienced it was quite the opposite. I guess the Dutch mentality of practicality does not mesh well with religion… If you can be a good human without religion, then Sunday is another free day during the week. If church admonishments against prostitution, divorce, homosexuality, chastity, mild drug use, abortions, etc. are socially impractical; reject them. It should be said how much WWII likely decimated Christianity in Europe. European society imploded and I suspect religion was seen a part of the society that had failed so spectacularly.
 
michaelArc said:
Living in The Netherlands, Christianity is near extinct. If I were to talk about my faith openly I would either be ignored, labeled or ridiculed.
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In Australia it’s heading that way a bit too.
The only time when Catholic is mentioned in the media its either in a mocking way or it’s regarding the priest sexual abuses.
 
Our belief is our business. It should not be a problem as far as practicing the faith is concerned. It is a bit more difficult though to have friends of the same faith in the social circle. The thing is, one has to be faithful to one’s faith regardless of the surrounding as long as one is not persecuted.

It is still not too bad in Australia. There are still viable Christian communities. If you want a deeper Christian environment, try checking out with the various Catholic parishes. There are some strong Christian Communities in major cities there.
 
Before we had civil rights legislation in the US employers had no qualms about asking, “What church do you go to?” A “wrong” answer could mean the difference between having a job and unemployment. The nuns used to tell the young people looking for work to say that they went to the First Christian Church or St Peters Christian Church.
 
I used to wear my cross everyday (the chain broke recently and I need to fix it), I still wear my key of Solomon. Never had an issue. I also stop to have chats with the 7th Day Adventists in the shops.

While I don’t speak religion during work I do chat with colleagues in lunch about it quite often. I’ve not really had a problem? If you hop on social media you can usually also find religious study groups if you want to socialise more.
 
In places where Christians are actually persecuted, Christians don’t “live out” their faith in the sense that they make it public. If they did that, they would die. St. Edmund Campion is a good example of this.
 
I don’t get it.

Why is it okay to mock Christianity but not okay to mock Islam?

Not that I want to mock Islam, but why the double standard?

When I was an atheist I did polite disagreement but not outright mockery to any religion.
 
Because if someone mock their God, christians silent. But when someone mock allah, they got killed by the muslims.
 
A lot of people treat Islam as a race, so if you make fun of it, that makes you “racist.”

I never understood that.
 
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Me too.

There’s lots of non-white Christians too but no one is ever called racist when Christianity is mocked.
 
Sarcelle said:
I don’t get it.

Why is it okay to mock Christianity but not okay to mock Islam?

Not that I want to mock Islam, but why the double standard?

When I was an atheist I did polite disagreement but not outright mockery to any religion.
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It is for their own safety not to mock Islam. Mocking Christianity is safe enough, by the way.
 
Sarcelle said:
I don’t get it.

Why is it okay to mock Christianity but not okay to mock Islam?
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People view this as “punching up”. It’s not seen as ok to mock the marginalized. Especially in the US, where Christians hold the power, and it’s very difficult to live as an open Muslim.
 
That’s what have noticed too.
For examples I have heard comedians numerous times mocking Christianity/Christians but interestingly never have the courage to mock Muslims.

I definitely don’t want them to mock Muslims,they shouldn’t mock anyone for their faith.
 
Living in the south, Catholicism is a minority. I live out my faith by giving away rosaries, talking to people about their faith and the differences between theirs and Catholicism. I suggest books, mainly Rome Sweet Home and Why We’re Catholic. I invite them to mass. I do my best to be the best example I can be
 
Rozellelily said:
That’s what have noticed too.
For examples I have heard comedians numerous times mocking Christianity/Christians but interestingly never have the courage to mock Muslims.

I definitely don’t want them to mock Muslims,they shouldn’t mock anyone for their faith.
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It’s not about courage. In comedy, it’s not courageous to mock the downtrodden. Comedy mockery flows upward (as it should), to those in power. Going downward is typically just racism/sexism/etc
 
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