Well, they’ve been running around telling themselves they’re being persecuted an awful lot. Despite having supreme court justices, despite holding the presidency, despite the fact that they’ve taken over several states and broadcast their message 24/7 on tv and radio. yeh- they’ve got it tough.

…So I understand why they [the serious Christians] feel embattled…
Also, Coughlin makes some interesting points about Jesus.

So let me get this straight – we can take something like 80 million people and say that? Let’s try a thought experiment:
“Groundless claims of persecution by black people are an essential component of who these people are and how they operate.”
“Groundless claims of persecution by Arabs are an essential component of who these people are and how they operate.”
“Groundless claims of persecution by women are an essential component of who these people are and how they operate. ”
It’s this widespread double standard that helps cause these feelings among Christians, not some conspiratorial tactic.

Also J, where are you getting the figure of 80 million? Is that the number of Xtians in the States? I don’t think so. Not from the figures I found on the CIA world factbook website. As of 2002, 52% identified as Prostentant, 24% as Catholic, and 2% Mormon. Even with your distinction between “serious” Xtians and nominal ones, that is a way more than 80 million people who believe in the Christian doctrine.

We take it for granted that only ‘actual’ oppressed minorities have the right to experience feelings of marginalization. Throughout history, majorities have been oppresses and marginalized as well.
The subjective experience of being seen as ‘not counting’ or ‘irrelevant’ can fuel strong feelings of resentment. Folks who aren’t white men, or who aren’t sincere Christians, have done a good job of constructing an environment that sustains those feelings. To counter those legitimate feelings with sarcastic derision sort of proves the whole point.
I wish my pals on the left had the ability to recognize that behind the intolerant facade is a search for meaning and right behavior in this world, in the face of serious obstacles. I’m all the way with Lerner in seeking dialogue over how best to advance ‘the kingdom’ on earth as it is in heaven. Jews and progressives need not be oppositional; we can be collaborative as well. Both are needed.

mikey d.-
Maybe you read my comment (#3 above) too quickly. What we often see in the media and pop culture (and on Jewschool) goes far beyond criticism. I didn’t say I was crying for them, but they have a point.
As to the 80 million, that was a very rough estimate based on the number of Evangelicals (for which there are stats) plus other serious Protestants and Catholics (no real stats because of the complicated definition of “serious”). If I did more research, I’d probably revise that number. Also note that I wouldn’t say that belief in Christian doctrine is enough to make someone a serious Christian. If it was, we’d probably have to include the likes of Britney Spears.
My head is spinning from being in agreement with Jew Guevara. JG, would you mind not putting the word “Jew” next to the name of a bloodthirsty mass murderer?

david-
Well, OK. But as for
“I was, on the other hand, referring to those specific Christians who spend their time fomenting communal hatred of “liberals, atheists, and the politically correct.”
– I don’t think they’re any worse, on average, than the people they oppose. There’s some genuine, high-level argumentation; some passable lower-level argumentation; mockery and rhetoric; tasteless and unfair attacks; outright smears and, yes, sometimes there is “fomenting communal hatred”. But liberals and the politically correct do the same (and recently it looks like the atheists are joining in); Leftists, I think, are, on average, even worse.
“But I think we damn well do need to be “oppositional,” and virulently so, when, as indicated, such groups think that taking potshots at our community and beliefs is standard operating procedure. ”
I feel the same way. And in my case (conservative politics, largely traditionalist, proud Jew and pro-American), those taking potshots at my community and beliefs are today more often the Left than the Christians (though I’m not shy about opposing Christians when necessary – did you hear about the mainline churches divesting from Israel?)

“Arabs and Muslims and black and gays and Jews and Christians and Catholics and Hindus and everyone is persecuted at one point or another.”
Let’s not confuse “is” with “ought”.
“conservative Christianity is in no danger of extinction”
True, but people can justly get upset about lesser threats than extinction.

Personal experience here…
I remember being in the room with the student leaders of a certain struggle on campus. The students had gone on strike, and the leaders were discussing strategy for the next day. In the room were 7 people, including two white men. The others were foreign grad students and US racial minorities. It was agreed that: all efforts by Jews and gays to assume leadership would be repelled, because they have no business pretending to be oppressed as well, and thereby seeking leadership in a popular struggle.
This was nearly 15 years ago. But I’ll never forget that moment. It was a window to a shade of deep cynicism inside what looked from the outside to be ‘progressive.’
What does it mean for white, Christian America to have witnessed that cynicism, that mockery, that arrogance and Machiavellian power politics? It means that they quite willingly go to war with an enemy that seeks to exclude them.
When ‘progressive’ become so tribal and race/identity based that Jews are exluded (and gays) by name, kal vahomer that ‘regular’ folks, like the majority on my campus that was white and christian, will take on some defensive attitudes. In my student union, white male straight Christians were marginalized, repeatedly, with pride and vigor. I look back with a certain amount of shame; I wanted to be one of the marginalizers, until I found out that my ‘comrades’ saw me as the enemy as well.
In this country, no matter how powerful you are, someone, somewhere, still can oppress you in specific circumstances.

It doesn’t really matter (to me) how much of their perceived “victimization” is real or imaginary – they LOVE to play the victim card. I think they also love the drama, the reduction of the complexities and ambiguities of contemporary life (which they can’t handle) to a cosmic struggle between good and evil. Watch the performance of any televangelist; it’s pure theater.
Demonizing the Left and portraying themselves as victims helps to reinforce their group mentality and allows them to feel part of a collective greater than themselves. Many of you are in college or have graduated recently; you’ve taken some psych courses and can explain it more thoroughly and articulately – but you recognize the phenomenon. It’s mammalian politics.
Last spring, they held a conference, The War on Christians and Values Voters, and most of their spokespeople were there. I hear they’re gearing up to have one this coming year as well. They have to keep the myth alive; it’s vitally important to their sense of collective identity.
I really don’t care that some white conservative Christian guy got his feelings hurt by those bullies over on the Left – as mikey d. said above, “boo fucking hoo”. They can console themselves with their lurid fantasies about what God will do to us in the afterlife.
And, for the record, and for those of you who haven’t heard of him – Brad Stine, the conservative Christian comedian (God help us) who is mentioned in the article, is an incendiary asshole who likes to throw a lit match into a room of powder kegs and walk away. He’s a good example of the type of split personality exhibited by many of them –when he’s on NPR, he comes across as a reasonable, likable guy who just happens to veer toward the Right. When he’s among them, it’s a different tune –Liberals are no damn good, we’re destroying America and we’re all going to hell. Can’t stand him.