Are Christians the “New Bad Guys” in Popular Culture?

In decades past, atheists were the “bad guys” in film, TV, and fiction. Today, as Western societies become more irreligious, some Christians claim the tables have turned—depicted as zealots, bigots, or villains in popular culture.

Is this backlash real? Analyses of film and TV suggest that Christian characters, especially evangelicals, are increasingly cast as the foil: close-minded, controlling, sometimes outright dangerous. Some hail this as overdue critique; others see it as lazy stereotyping.

The result? A more polarized discourse. Nonbelievers, once seeking tolerance, now risk mirroring the dogma they once critiqued. Genuine religious persecution is rare in the West—but negative depictions matter for social cohesion.

The editorial challenge: to build a society where neither faith nor skepticism is caricatured and where thoughtful disagreement is not only possible but celebrated.