If a Christian is offended...

[DebinMelbourne]

Until I was kindly offered a lift home from GAC2012 by the lovely Riddlemethis, I was contemplating a train ride home whilst wearing my atheist shirt (Jesus fish on a Weber).I forget the best thing to say if by chance a Christian says they are offended by your shirt/badge/book, etc. I would not have been in the mood for a debate, nor did I want to be particularly churlish.
I'm pretty sure there is a standard reply, but my brain cells are on hold for a while.
Any ideas?

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

I guess it would depend on what it says on the shirt. If it is just a fish with "DARWIN" written in it, and they get offended, then I'd be telling them "well don't get one then" - simple.

Similar response to people who have problems with gay marriage and abortions.

[I_FH]

Bah. Christians are easy enough to deal with. Say something anti Muslim and you'll be front page news with a fatwa on your arse.

[stevebrooks]

Originally Posted by DebinMelbourne

I'm pretty sure there is a standard reply, but my brain cells are on hold for a while.
Any ideas?

The first thing you have to remember is that offended is the default position for a christian, and what I mean by that is this, its an offense to do anything that the good book says is a sin, ie: work on Sunday, not go to church etc etc. It used to be that not going to church on a Sunday in some areas in Australia could lose you your job because it was an offense against god. Its only when enough people started going to work on a Sunday that it lost its stigma as being offensive to christians, so basically everything they don't like is offensive, so you can't not offend them in some way. Most of the the things they say to be offensive aren't actually offensive in our meaning, its offensive to their god, therefore as non-believers in a free country we don't have to abide by their sense of offense.

Now the correct response is, "I'm sorry you find my shirt offensive." It has the correct tone, its not an apology, because you aren't apologising, its not an excuse, you are sorry for them that they find something as innocuous as a t-shirt offensive.

[BlueDevil]

I wear atheist T shirts and windcheaters on an occasional basis and have never had any negative comments. In fact quite the opposite! A number of times I have had people say things like "love your T shirt" or "where did you get it from", or give the thumbs up sign.

There are places I wouldn't wear obvious atheist apparel though eg suburbs with a high muslim population, or overseas countries that are highly religious (Indonesia, Philippines for example). I just see this as a sensible precaution.

[Logic]

I like "no one has the right to go through life unoffended"


i sent this from my iPad

[ClayMonk]

You could say "JESUS, it's just a shirt"

[JesusisLord]

Originally Posted by BlueDevil

I wear atheist T shirts and windcheaters on an occasional basis and have never had any negative comments. In fact quite the opposite! A number of times I have had people say things like "love your T shirt" or "where did you get it from", or give the thumbs up sign.

There are places I wouldn't wear obvious atheist apparel though eg suburbs with a high muslim population, or overseas countries that are highly religious (Indonesia, Philippines for example). I just see this as a sensible precaution.

I would not be offended at all

[Goldenmane]

If a Christian is offended
Think but this, and all is mended
That they have just slumbered here
Whilst their visions did appear
And their weak and idle theme
No more yielding but a dream
Gentiles we, do reprehend
But if we pardon, they may mend
And, as I am an honest fuck
If we don't rely on luck
But relay the science song
We may make amends, ere long
Else this fuck a liar call
So, goodnight unto you all
Take my hands, or other appends
And maybe we'll all end as friends.

(apologies to the Bard, and everyone else who read that)

[BlueDevil]

A religious person should be no more offended by a display of atheism than an atheist is by a display of religious symbols. We are confronted every day by people wearing crucifixes, hijabs, yarmulke, and also objects such as church spires, crosses outside churches, religious signs etc. I am not offended by this, even though I don't like it.