Girl Asks WWJD?, Gets Death Threats
Daily Kos reports on the emails and threats she has received:
*It’s people like you who need to f*cking die and get raped while your corpse rots in the sun.
*F*ck you, I would jack off on your parents if I could. If you don’t like the team, get out of the park. That means take ur small d*ck and get the f*ck off of my homeland you faggot chocolate gulper.
*You are a TRAITOR to your country and should be executed for treason. All you do is bitch about the US. If you hate it so much, why don’t you GET THE F*CK OUT.
*Are you a muslem [sic] terrorist?
Are these radical pro-war atheists sending her these messages? No. Muslim extremists? Not a chance. Jewish extremists? Not very likely. The source of these messages are most likely political conservatives who also consider themselves Christian conservatives. Yes, it looks like it’s a conservative Christian value to tell a 15-year-old girl that she should be raped and die for expressing compassion for Iraqi children.
This is what Christianity in America has come to. Obviously not all Christians are like this, but those who aren’t can’t pretend that they therefore aren’t in any way involved or connected to it. Christians are responsible for what Christianity is — and if they refuse to take responsibility for their own religion, then what’s the point of even adopting the “Christian” label in the first place?
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Comments
“The source of these messages are most likely political conservatives who also consider themselves Christian conservatives. Yes, it looks like it’s a conservative Christian value to tell a 15-year-old girl that she should be raped and die for expressing compassion for Iraqi children.”
Whoa. What evidence do you have of that?
Evidence? No - if I had evidence, I wouldn’t say “most likely.” That phrase is based on the fact that most Americans are Christians and most supporters of the war in Iraq are both politically and religiously conservative.
There are probably some Americans who would have strong negative reactions to criticism of America’s invasion of Iraq and who are also not religiously or politically conservative, but there numbers are tiny compared to the rest. Ergo, the ones in question here are “most likley” the larger group.
By that reasoning, you’d be justified in speculating on any unsolved crime by saying, “probably a Christian”, because they are the majority. You’re usually a lot more careful in your assertions.
I would say that a person seriously trying to imitate Christ is very unlikely to have written the disgusting email you cite.
Most people who commit crimes are Christians - as are most of the people in prison. Those who write such emails - and I receive them myself on a regular basis - consider themselves sincere and devout Christians. Christianity is what Christians do, and these people are no less “true” Christians than anyone else.
It would be wrong for me to find the most outrageous thing said by an atheist and attribute it to atheists in general, saying, “Apparently it is an atheist value to …”
But this is exactly what you’ve done to Christians. It obviously is NOT a conservative Christian value to tell a fifteen year old girl she should be raped and die. Nothing Christ ever said would support this.
Mike: except that these emails are not inconsistent with what conservative Christians have been saying and doing. It’s not all that extremist. The fact that you consider it inconsistent with the words attributed to Jesus (if he existed) doesn’t mean that they do.
I don’t doubt that you get such messages from self-described Christians. I’d just ask that you don’t characterize the teachings of the religion based on the worst behavior of some who claim to follow it.
Thanks for the discussion.
” I’d just ask that you don’t characterize the teachings of the religion based on the worst behavior of some who claim to follow it.”
I don’t. Did you not read where I wrote “Obviously not all Christians are like this…”?
Yes, you did say not all Christians are like this. But in referring to the disgusting email as reflective of a “Christian value”, you imply something sick is inherent in Christian doctrine, not just in some individuals who call themselves Christians.
I ran track in college. I fell during a race once. You wouldn’t say, though, “It looks like at Notre Dame they teach their runners that it’s good to fall.”
“But in referring to the disgusting email as reflective of a “Christian value”, you imply something sick is inherent in Christian doctrine, not just in some individuals who call themselves Christians.”
Not in the least. Remember, I said that Christianity is what Christians do. There is nothing “inherent” in Christianity - it’s not inherently peaceful or violent, loving or hateful. All such things can be found in Christianity. War, violence, and hate are Christian values insofar as Christian exhibit such attitudes and behaviors in the context of their religious beliefs.
“You wouldn’t say, though, “It looks like at Notre Dame they teach their runners that it’s good to fall.””
Since I said nothing at all about what Christianity “teaches,” the analogy doesn’t work.
Since I obviously object to the content of the email, why not say that it’s apparently a Christian value to repudiate rape and violence?
If you’re hung up on the word “teach”, then how about, “apparently it’s a Notre Dame ‘value’ to fall down during a race”?
“…why not say that it’s apparently a Christian value to repudiate rape and violence?”
For some, it is. Did you not read where I said that “Obviously not all Christians are like this”?
What are you doing about those who are like this, though?
“how about, “apparently it’s a Notre Dame ‘value’ to fall down during a race”?”
Maybe because “falling down” isn’t a value?
Is falling down not a value b/c it’s an action? Well, so is “to tell a 15-year-old girl that she should be raped and die for expressing compassion for Iraqi children.” How is that a “value”?
What do I do about this sort of thing? First, try to live right and show what I think to be true Christian values. Were I to meet a Christian who did such a thing (never have), I’d make the point I made earlier; ie, anything Jesus ever said or did would be antithetical to such behavior.
You’re a smart man. It won’t look bad to acknowledge a mistake. Claiming such a thing as you described is a “Christian value” is defamatory. It reflects on the individual, not a religion he’s not following.
Telling someone they should be raped and should die tells you about their values because it says something about how view other human beings. Falling down doesn’t, obviously.
Whether Jesus said anything about the subject is irrelevant: Christianity is what Christians do, so if Christians advocate the death of those who disagree with them, that becomes a Christian value. It reflect not just on the individual, but on the religion as a whole. Saying otherwise is an attempt by other Chrisians to evade responsibility for what is happening to their religion.
Funny, but that was a primary point I was making. Thank you for helping me to make it.
I believe I understand what you’re saying, but still respectfully disagree.
I did visit Ava’s site and leave a complimentary email, emphasizing that Christians do not necessarily wish to silence her or see her hurt.