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 ...

Because, it appears, religion in America, and Around the World (with the advent of the mass media world we are in), have decided to go the political route. That is, the way they gain ground and members is putting down the others. This is really nothing new, but I think the media frenzy we have these days, makes it more intense and nonstop.

Religions often put down other faiths to prop up their own perspective. I have experienced that personally with the various church's on military posts.

This is Frustrating, as in America, we have a core value of religious freedom, which we espouse, but we don't really live that...

as long as you dont try to force your god and your religion on me or any other american citizen...I have no problem...God does not belong in the congress...he doesnot belong in our laws...

you want "in god we trust" on our money? sure...I have no issue with that.

wanna say "so help me god"...so, I have no problem with that, either...

wanna tell women they are bad and committing murder when they have an abortion because your "god" says so...I now have an issue

wanna deny services to people of different sexes, religions, genders and races because "god made adam and eve, not adam and steve" then...we have a problem...

so, in essence...keep your god to your self...and Ill keep my heathenistic, atheism to myself...deal?

It's human nature. I was an atheist for a long time exactly because of this sort of behavior from Christians. Then I realized people are messy and usually don't quite make it to where they should be.

I think it's worth noting as well that there is a difference between Atheists and Anti-theists. Dawkins is an asshole, no matter how you look at it. Neil Degrasse Tyson is not.

I cannot figure it out. Normally, when a person is comfortable and confident in their own position, and happy to be who they are, they can discuss their own position and contrarian positions without emotion, condescension, or antagonism. When I see the threads become antagonistic, especially in RP, I think it's self-defeating and unprofessional.

Every moderately sized group of people inevitably includes d*****bags

I think it is because (and this is not limited to discussions of faith) we have become so polarized that many seem to think the constitution guarantees freedom from hearing anything that might offend them.

And in some cases it may be because some Christians have tried to persuade them to believe exactly like them.

The door goes both ways on this one. I personally have never told anyone to give up God, but multiple times in my life I have been told by complete strangers I am going to hell.