Anti-Christian sentiment in the West
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Anti-Christian sentiment in the West refers to an opposition to Christian people, or the practice of Christianity in the Western world. Christophobia or Christianophobia are also names for "every form of discrimination and intolerance against Christians" according to Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE). Pope Benedict XVI stated in his 2011 World Day of Peace discourse that "Christians are the religious group which suffers most from persecution on account of its faith". The Vatican has criticized initiatives by Western countries to ban crucifixes from public places, ranging from classrooms to courtrooms. popular animated sitcom The Simpsons, South Park and 2003 mystery-detective novel The Da Vinci Code have been criticized as "grave attacks and blasphemies against the Christian religion". Various media responses have dismissed these accusations and have defended their respective portrays as freedom of speech. Nevertheless, a growing number of Christians see this as a human rights issue and reason that depictions in the media should be monitored. Anti-Christian expressions Vandalism The vandalism or defacement of Christian symbols or property is one form of the expression of anti-Christian sentiment. If the defaced or vandalized object is considered holy by Christians, such as the Bible, the Cross, or an image of Christ or a saint, the case becomes that of desecration. Such destruction may also be illegal if it violates property rights or hate crime laws. Arson directed at Christian meeting places or churches is often considered a hate crime. However, churches may also be targeted for reasons unrelated to anti-Christian sentiment, especially racism. According to the Crown, the burning of a church in Minnedosa, Manitoba was committed by two fans of National Socialist black metal music with anti-Christian themes. Vandals stole a wooden statue of Virgin Mary, from the Saint Albert the Great Parish of Calgary, Canada in August 2008 detached her hands, tried to incinerate it, and threw into a ditch along the nearby 22x Highway. In 2010, vandals daubed graffiti and attempted to burn down the White Church of Baildon, West Yorkshire, marking the church with the sign of the pentagram and scrawling anti-Christian graffiti upon it. Music Some fans of black metal and witch house music declare open hatred of Christianity. Headliners of the black metal genre have claimed responsibility for inspiring (if not necessarily perpetrating) over fifty arsons directed at Christian churches in Norway from 1992 to 1996. The most notable church was Norway's Fantoft Stave Church, which the police believed was destroyed by the one-man band Burzum, Varg Vikernes, also known as "Count Grishnackh". Christmas Controversy The term "Christmas controversy" refers to the issue surrounding the celebration or acknowledgment of the Christmas holiday in government, media, advertising, and various secular environments. In the past, Christmas-related controversy was mainly restricted to concerns of a public focus on secular Christmas themes such as Santa Claus and gift-giving, rather than what is sometimes expressed by Christians as the real "reason for the season"—the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is recognized as an official federal holiday by the United States government, and few have raised objections to this designation; however, many groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argue that government-funded displays of Christmas imagery and traditions violate the U.S. Constitution—specifically the First Amendment, which prohibits the establishment by Congress of a national religion. The battle over whether religious displays should be placed within public schools, courthouses, and other government buildings, has been heated in recent years. In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland there have been some minor controversies, one of the most famous being the temporary promotion of the phrase Winterval for a whole season of events (including Christmas festivities) by Birmingham City Council in the late 1990s. British Broadcasting Company (BBC) According to a survey of BBC viewers, conducted by the Corporation itself, the BBC is regarded as anti-Christian. The survey found that Christians are portrayed with "derogatory stereotypes" and presented as "weak" and "bigoted". The BBC dismissed the findings of its report, and a spokesman claimed it "has strict editorial guidelines on impartiality" and that it "does not have anti-Christian bias". One respondent said: "As a Christian I find that the BBC’s representation of Christianity is mainly inaccurate, portraying incorrect, often derogatory stereotypes". Another added: "Seldom do we find a Christian portrayed in drama, and when we do, it is usually a weak person or a bigot". Another said Christians were "represented as dogmatic and unsympathetic or as weak and washy and woolly, or as old". In 2010, the BBC was accused of bias against Christianity in EastEnders over its portrayal of murderous pastor Lucas Johnson, who was obsessed with the Bible. Furthermore, the Corporation sparked outrage in 2005 when it aired the controversial Jerry Springer: The Opera. It was one of the most complained about shows in television history. Film Many examples of perceived disrespect or unnecessary anti-Christian blasphemy have been observed in many popular films. James Bond In the GoldenEye movie, Janus states "What's true is that in twenty-four hours, you and I will have more money than God". Furthermore, in Tomorrow Never Dies, Carver says, "Soon I'll have reached out to and influenced more people than anybody in the history of this planet, save God Himself. And the best He ever managed was the Sermon on the Mount!" However, both of these characters are villains, so the films could more plausibly be interpreted as criticizing anti-Christian sentiment rather than as promoting it. Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four movie has Johnny Storm saying that Victor Von Doom has more money than God. In comparison, Reed Richards is worth "less than a postage stamp". Kill Bill Hattori Hanzo on his latest sword says, "I can say with no ego that this is the finest sword I have ever built. Should you encounter God on your quest, God will be cut". Monty Python's Life of Brian In Monty Python's Life of Brian, it is stated that "All I did was say to my wife, 'That piece of halibut was good enough for Jehovah!'" Tropic Thunder In Tropic Thunder, the director Damian Cockburn calls the helicopter that brought the actors to the remote part of the jungle as God, and himself as Jesus Christ. (500) Days of Summer In , a reference by the protagonist's younger sister to his ex dating a guy "with abs like Jesus". Google Upon typing in "Christianity is" on Google, the search engine suggests "evil, a cult, stupid, a lie, bullshit, false etc.".
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