@DavidBond
Good point
@freemo

@DavidBond True to a point, you certainly do have more control over your choice of religion. But religion, like culture, is something you are born into. The vast majority of people will adopt the culture and religion they are born into. Yes they can change, at least in theory, but in practice no one ever will. How much of this is their own fault and how much of it is just brain washing (to use a negative term) that was instilled at a young age and therefore largely out of their control.

@freemo People should be free to criticize bad ideas. "Religion" is just a word for a bundle of ideas.

@DavidBond the original point was regarding hate, not critique. The problem with your argument is that these religious and racial groups are usually vaguely defined. No one full of hate will stop to conduct genetic tests or thorough discussions of individuals beliefs, before causing harm. They will just pick someone who "looks" like they belong to the rival group and hate on them.

Someone who has never went to church, read the bible, or even heard about god, can be deemed "christian" just because they were born and raised among "christians".
Two people who both call themselves "muslim" can have completely different worldviews.
From that angle religion and race are equally invalid reasons for hatred.

This kind of hatred towards nebulous groups is disseminated for no other reason than for the leaders to point at anyone they wish, call them a word, and their indoctrinated vassals to attack with no questions asked, and for the whole thing to look more or less justified to bystanders.

@freemo

@namark

Well said. I think I'd be accepting of any sincere and compassionate claim about race too, critique or otherwise, if it was considerate. Just as I might about religion. But as you say, when it is hateful thats where it crosses the line for me and is no longer acceptable.

@DavidBond

@selea Feel free to elaborate, im sure others would be interested to hear your unique perspective.;

@freemo

Well, being immune to criticism is something every cult wants, because then their destructive ideas is not challenged (this applies to religion too).

I grew up in a family cult (think jehovas witnesses) where extensive control and manipulation common. I often think about what would happend to me if I have not been exposed to other ideas (that includes being riddiculed in public), I would propably still be stuck in religion.

@freemo

But I am VERY grateful that I was riddiculed, my ideas was exposed and I was "attacked" with citicism. Because of that I started to question myself and what I stood for.

Well, I lost my family in the process (being the oldest of 7 kids), but me, my wife and kids got so much more - freedom.

It is impossible to tell the the story here on mastodon, considering that I am not a native english speaker or writer.