Why do some people feel the need to be openly antagonistic to Christians?

Because a great deal of time Christians are Just as aggressive and antagonistic of their faith. Case in point. There has been a discussion about some bases restricting what religious services are supported and which are not. Christians immediately are defending the notion. Primarily because as the majority they are not in harm of it affecting them and because they are the majority in the service a great many things are geared towards Christian practices (ceremonies, choice worship times, training endexed to accommodate Christian services only etc.) However as soon as anything threatens Christianity, oh boy. Watch out. There is immediately an outpouring of righteous indignation and the trampling of Christian freedoms and how Christians are constantly persecuted etc etc etc. I am a Christian and even I can see it. Case in point two: a SGM who walked into a training environment with a God hates fags t shirt and how the Christian Right advocates the killing of homosexuals. When delicately informed (respectfully pulled aside and quietly discussed) that he should in fact remove the shirt and the reg on proselytizing and EO was shown to him, he immediately became openly hostile and loud and combative. Yes. It's his right to believe that his Christianity is anti gay. It's a Christians right to spread the word. HOWEVER it is not their right to do so in uniform, force others to listen or take part, or feel intimidated or uncomfortable in order for Christians to practice their constitutional freedoms. Remember that our freedoms end when they infringe upon the freedoms of others and vice versa. So you ask the question why are people so antagonistic of Christians and I would say it's because of just how vocal, adamant, hostile and defensive Christians become when faced with people who don't share their faith and won't just roll over and allow it to take place. I have seen leadership, who are devout, absolutely black ball and fail to support soldiers who do not share the leaderships religious beliefs or practice other varying beliefs. I am reminded of this disparity every time I have a Muslim or jewish or Buddhist student that I am required to mandatorily force to attend a graduation ceremony where we practice Christian rites and prayers, even saying "in christs name..." During prayers (or listing in the program invocation and benediction, inherently Christian rites), and I bring it up to the powers that be that we should either make it optional to attend or remove that part from the ceremony and it starts a huge argument. So yes. As a Christian, I would say that it's more a conditioned response based on the expected and reinforced behaviors of the Christians we so often deal with. Now. NOT ALL Christians are like this. In fact Id say the majority are not, but the ones who are not seem to be the ones we most often deal with.

Oh boy ... here we go again ...