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Why do conservative Christians feel oppressed?

I was in a discussion group recently where the topic was controversial opinions we hold. One woman, a conservative Christian, said her most controversial opinion was her belief in God. I pointed out that the vast majority of Americans believe in God and it's virtually impossible for an avowed atheist or agnostic to be elected to high office in this country. She responded that in her personal life she can't be open about her religious beliefs. (This was Lancaster County, PA, famous for its religious heritage and conservative politics.)

This feeling of grievance among conservative Christians helps account for their overwhelming support for Trump. But where does it come from? How can such a powerful group feel so oppressed?

Lalo 5 June 23
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39 comments

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Almost all rural areas are filled with conservative religious groups. Like the Amish. Most of these areas cling to their religious beliefs like a dog holding a bone. GUNS GOD and GAYS. That's the only thing that matter to these people, that is why DT is in the WH.

1

Because their world view is dying and they can do nothing about it but vote for cheeto for president.

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Does she watch fox news? They have been feeding people the christians are the poor oppressed people line for years.

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I think part of it is that according to statistics 50% of the worlds Christians are Catholic but here in the majority are not. I think another part of it is that they can't and/or don't want to visualize/understand the reality of their wanting infinite growth on a finite planet.

1

To be the victim like freaking always since their great book teaches them they are the victims and everyone else are the bad guys.

2

It reminds me of the Goebbels philosophy. Goebbels who was Adolph Hitler’s propagandist believed if you just kept repeating the same thing often enough, even lies, then people would believe it. It was how the nazis got the German people to believe that what Hitler was doing was for their good and for the Fatherland. That is what the christian right are doing, they have said so often that they are oppressed that they are actually beginning to believe it themselves. They have to be challenged to show evidence of discrimination because of course they cant, in fact quite the reverse is true as they wield a disproportionate amount of power and influence in the USA compared to their numbers.

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The underdog syndrome.

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Oppressors feel oppressed when they can't control and manipulate others. This is also common among Narcissists and Borderlines.

2

It is part of the Christian lexicon. From your earliest age in Christian churches you hear about how Christian were maligned and fed to the lions etc. etc. While it is of course not true in today's America, they just believe it to be so, so it must be so.

AND...don't forget that they get heavenly brownie points for being oppressed! Jesus promised them they'd be maligned for his sake. They love, love, LOVE martyrdom!

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They are oppressed because their book told them they would be oppressed. Then the preacher talks about that number forever.

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It's their favorite hobby. They love feeling oppressed. We are oppressing them right now, by not letting them force their beliefs on us!

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They feel oppressed because they have been told to feel oppressed. A number of their prejudices, which were common in our culture, is being removed from society. Homosexuals can now be open and marry. Pot is becoming legal in many states (if not eventually nation wide.) Muslims are becoming more common. Add to this, the fact that the Republicans figured out, during the Bush era, that catering to their fears can get politicians elected. They are also loosing ground in the culture in general. Once, they could easily impose their values on others, but bit by bit they are loosing that power. It's not that they are oppressed, but they no long have the power to oppress others with their values.

Republican pandering to the conservative Christian fears began much earlier than Bush. Remember Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority in the Reagan era?

3

Simple, short answer?

Because society is growing beyond them and lessening their ability to oppress others.

2

It's not that Christians are oppressed, it's that terrible, face-palm inducing, holiday churchgoing, bible cherry picking, narrow minded, ass hats like the lady you described are; and rightly so.

They're also oppressed by other Christians who'd most likely shorten my list to either misguided, or embarrassing. People like the lady you described are the ones that whenever they're speaking; one can feel the reverberation of the collective sighs in the room.

As Dylan Moran put it. "It's not that Americans are stupid, it's just that American stupid people sound more stupid than any other kind of stupid person."

3

Much like the nonexistent war on xmas, these are tactics used by the religious right/cults. They indoctrinate with the "them against us" dogma. Very effective with Republicons. Seriously, I do not understand how ANY atheist can support Drumpf.

I agree with you 100%. Drumpf is the worst. It's all about him and we are the victims. If the media had any balls they would stop posting eve3ry damned thing that he tweets. Then I could have my life back.

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I live in a small farming town in SE Pa, so I have contact with a lot of Mennonites. Despite their religiousNess, they are unbelievably cruel to their animals, as are the Amish. Also, within a 1 mile radius there are 10 churches. Talk about in the thick of it! ?

2

Christians are fearful people who are afraid they will go somewhere that doesn't exist as told to them by the very rich pastors, so they do what they are told. In that way they are taken advantage of and have some feelings of oppression because there is no way out. Does that make sense?

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As one who is from PA as well, I could assure anyone that the religious folks in my state are not oppressed.

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I think it's because they think everybody should believe the way they do and maybe that's the way they can control and act like the victim

2

Started with Reagan, evangelicals started taking over the party and changing the narrative. The new rule is it's never your fault. Its high taxes, the government, the atheists, another religion or just simply liberals. All of them were supposed to be millionaires by now.

Well said, Reagan caused more problems than people realize. He was the first governor to close down mental institutions in California, thereby creating the huge homeless issue we have now.

@Nontradstudent yeah, but he lowered the budget....

5

Because they have been told by their "shepherds.", "You are under attack. Send me enough money to buy a jet plane."

JacarC Level 8 June 23, 2018
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Ignorance! Stupid people have a real problem accepting where they are in life becuase of their own decisions, so they blame someone else, like minorities and people who have more than they do.Trump figured out how to tap into that.

4

They get affirmation from their group. A feeling of persecution is a thread that runs through all of christendom from its very beginning and modern day christians feel a need to attach themselves to that thread. I am struck, and often privately offended, that every mealtime they "bless" their food with the assumption that a god gave it to them. There seems to be no regard for the millions of people in the world that die from starvation and the very idea that they have food because god thinks they deserve it directly implies that those who die of starvation do not deserve it.

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Entitlement.

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Christianity is founded on self persecution how could they behave any other way?

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