Discussion Why can't Christians handle Criticism Of Christianity ?

[MrCasella]

Everything with them is very black and white thinking everything is either good or bad.

 

[NearlyIrrelevantCake]

They're desperate to feel persecuted despite spending centuries being one of the biggest raping, pillaging, genociding religions the world has ever seen.

 

[Darkover]

Criticism can open the door to doubt. If someone has built their entire worldview, community, and hope on a religious framework, questioning it may feel like standing on a crumbling foundation. This creates existential anxiety.

In tight-knit religious communities, questioning or even entertaining criticism can lead to social ostracism. To avoid being seen as a "doubter" or "heretic," people may reflexively defend the faith, even if the criticism is valid.

Many forms of Christianity emphasize that criticism is part of spiritual warfare—an attack from Satan, secularism, or "the world." This framing turns any intellectual challenge into a moral or spiritual threat.
"You're not just wrong—you're a tool of the enemy."

Some Christians grow up in echo chambers where alternative views are ridiculed, not explored. So when they encounter real criticism—historical, philosophical, moral—they may lack the tools or emotional maturity to engage with it constructively.

In more rigid or fundamentalist sects, questioning is discouraged, and obedience is rewarded. This can make critical thinking feel like rebellion, and provoke guilt, fear, or anger when beliefs are challenged.

Christianity, especially evangelical strains, frames eternity—heaven or hell—as depending on belief. Criticism isn't just theoretical; it can feel like someone trying to lead others (or themselves) away from salvation. This creates high emotional stakes.

 

[Kalista]

to be clear, not all christians react poorly to criticisms of christianity. there are some who are open for discussions, but most likely than not, they will still stick with their indoctrinated beliefs.

for heavy believers, it's their identity. a criticism of their belief is an attack on that identity -- so they take offense.

this will ALWAYS fall back on indoctrination. religion is taught early (with fear) and is defended even when completely irrational. the fear plays a major part of a believer's reaction.
it is also extremely uncomfortable for them to be challenged especially when it's something they've held onto since childhood. understandable in that respect, but still very sad.

as for the ones that latched onto christianity during adulthood, it is often during a vulnerable point in their lives. it serves primarily as a coping mechanism. to challenge that is to essentially destroy what brings them whatever level of comfort -- probably the only thing that does. so they defend and hold onto it tightly, just as irrationally.

 

[SchizoGymnast]

I'm Christian. Criticize my faith all you want as long as you don't attack me as a person. I'm critical of my faith at times. I think that if my belief is real, it can take the heat.

 

[endlessmelancholy]

Do you think others handle it better. They will delete you if you criticize their religion or even bomb you.

 

[Pluto]

 

[NearlyIrrelevantCake]

Do you think others handle it better. They will delete you if you criticize their religion or even bomb you.

Funny, haven't seen my fellow Satanists bomb anyone despite being thrown under the bus for millennia.

 

[SchizoGymnast]

Funny, haven't seen my fellow Satanists bomb anyone despite being thrown under the bus for millennia.

I've met two Satanists. Very nice people. They were actually more afraid of me than anything!

 

[Forever Sleep]

Maybe they're worried for our souls . God doesn't seem to take criticism too well either...

 

[Apathy79]

They handle it pretty well depending on who you compare them to. South Park ripped on Christians almost every episode for 25 years then did one about Muslims and another about scientology that got them put in maximum security holds and multiple death/bomb threats to everyone involved, including the network, so they had to massively censor the episodes. The comparison was comical - shit on Christianity all you like in the most brutal fashion imaginable and literally noone gives a shit, but have even a mild crack at Muslims or scientology and it's like the world is ending.

These things are all relative. Some people get antsy about things they care a lot about. But Christians on the whole don't seem to handle it worse than most. It's also largely personality. I've got a friend who I call God squad because he goes to church every Sunday, married to a Greeny who spends most of her life at various protests, and I can shit all over Christianity with them but do the same with her protests and she'll fly off the handle.

 

[Pluto]

 

[Hvergelmir]

It's not just Christians, or even religious people.
I'd argue that people tend to handle criticism of any deeply held belief, poorly.

 

[Dejected 55]

A lot of people, I hesitate to say most people but it could be true, have trouble when questioned on their beliefs. Some seem to react more poorly than others, but I don't think it is religion based. In my experience, the people who tend to act the most outraged at your question of their believe are the ones who have more doubts themselves and perhaps stray.

As an atheist, I try to be understanding and accommodating that most people don't believe as I do... in essentially nothing. I'm not bothered if you want to talk or question me, but I am bothered if you try and recruit me. I've had countless Christians really go at me to go to their church and "just try" and they get mad sometimes if you don't want to play their reindeer games. But I don't show up at their house and tell the to denounce belief in God and leave their churches, so it's weird to me.

Also, since I wasn't anywhere near 9/11 I can honestly say any problems I've had in my life from religious people has primarily come from Christians. I'm not saying all Christians are evil or wicked. I'm just saying if I'm "supposed" to hate a religion based on how they affect me... well... there you go.

But I think bad people are just bad people. Bad people find ways to twist their religion to support the bad things they want to do... Good people find ways to point out how their religion stands for good. I think both are right, because religions are human constructs to attempt to unify like-minded people. They don't have to be good or bad. Start enough chess clubs around the world and there will be some deviants in chess club. Doesn't mean chess club makes them evil.

 

[cemeteryismyhome]

When I was around 40 years old, I converted to the Catholic Church after having been taught my whole life to hate it. It's a common human trait to react badly when one's beliefs (of various kinds) are criticized. There is a bit of irony in a sentence that says "everything about them is black and white" which in and of itself is a black and white statement.

 

[Custos]

Because religion is a house of cards. You can't go poking at a house of cards

 

[bankai]

They're desperate to feel persecuted despite spending centuries being one of the biggest raping, pillaging, genociding religions the world has ever seen.

Steven Weinberg once said, "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion."


tell them God said it, they will do anything.

 

[noname223]

I loved this Jubilee where Jordan Peterson makes an ass out of himself trying to defend christianity. Debating college students. It was gold!

 

[sinfonia]

tell them God said it, they will do anything

The most evil people of the 20th century were all atheists. We really ought to have a more nuanced understanding of religion in light of that.

 

[FoxSauce]

Do you think others handle it better. They will delete you if you criticize their religion or even bomb you.

Is that scientology?

 

[bankai]

The most evil people of the 20th century were all atheists. We really ought to have a more nuanced understanding of religion in light of that.

Oh, the 20th century. What about all the centuries before that? What about the Crusades? Any idea how many millions were killed during the Crusades? Do you have any idea what those millions were as a percentage of the world's population at that time? Ever heard of the Children's Crusade? Read first hand accounts of the atrocities committed during the Crusades and in the name of religion throughout time. Unspeakable horrors.

 

[Dejected 55]

The most evil people of the 20th century were all atheists. We really ought to have a more nuanced understanding of religion in light of that.

Wait, what? I'm not about to randomly persecute religions specifically... but how do you come by this? Have some specific names?

 

[bankai]

Have To post it,have to,