Tezia Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 This is the best possible title I could come up with. Allow me to explain. I have this friend who claims she is "not religious" every time I tell her I'm not religious. Yet it is clear she can still be considered a Christian. She's a huge Jesus freak, goes to church, meets with her church friends in little groups, prays and reads the bible. Each time I hear her claim to be religious, I am thinking "bullish*t" in the back of my mind. Her claim is vaguely reminiscent of the thing of trying to seem cool? Perhaps Christians and the other religious folk realize that religion is not cool and try to fit in the crowd by not claiming a religion. Yet this is fraudulent of her to claim she isn't religious when she tries to claim to be "not religious". I personally feel that this is a bit of an insult to people who cannot be classified as religious. I don't do anything spiritual nor attend any religious meetings of any sort. People who aren't religious would normally be atheists or agnostics in my opinion, and her claim is akin to an atheist/agnostic doing all the Christian things but not actually believing in them. She is nice, but I feel she is also a bit delusional, maybe even misguided on what it means to not be religious. Why would she say this when the opposite is true? Have any of you guys met these types of people? I also forgot to add I get she's also trying to proseltyze me and also hangs around friends that do the same thing too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Ah, she thinks what she does is a relationship instead of religion. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tezia Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 Yes exactly. Now that you mention she always says that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 I also forgot to add I get she's also trying to proseltyze me and also hangs around friends that do the same thing too. "I can have a personal relationship with Jesus? Ok, then I will speak directly with Jesus. Thanks. No, I dont need to read the bible, nor go to church nor talk to anyone including you about this one-on-one relationship with Jesus. It is personal between me and him only. Thank you. No, none of my relationship with Jesus is or will be any of your business. It's just between me and him. Thank you. Bye now. Me and him got things to talk about." Ha. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pratt Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 must be from scott wesley brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tezia Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 Lol. Yeah I will definitely look at the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cianna200 Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 People who believe in a supreme being, have an authority figure (like Jesus Christ) and adhere to a set of beliefs while following the set of commands is religious. Maybe your friend is sticking to the arrogant belief that Christianity is not a religion, but a spiritual relationship with god. While it may be a "relationship", it still is a religion. Religions like Buddhism and Hinduism are more spiritual than religious, but still they have rules, making them religions. A person must believe in the sacredness of life, set out for self discovery or find it, yet not adhere to a set of rules accept the following of their own heart to be spiritual and not religious. I met no religious person who claimed their religion was not a real religion, I only heard of people like this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToHellWithMe Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 >Her claim is vaguely reminiscent of the thing of trying to seem cool? ^here you pretty much already have an answer Maybe she's just happily immune. Maybe she can enjoy the community, play along with the bullshit but not get affected by it. Thus, she can easily say that she isn't religious. It's a relationship to a slightly silly community. Maybe you are one of the persons she thinks she can reveal this to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idontevenknow99 Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Her claim is vaguely reminiscent of the thing of trying to seem cool? Perhaps Christians and the other religious folk realize that religion is not cool and try to fit in the crowd by not claiming a religion. This, but also it comes from "othering" the more structural, organized Christians that spiritual (i.e. holy spirit "slaying", speaking in tongues, spiritual healing, etc) Christians don't want to associate with. Because of course, being in a meditative daze, or speaking gibberish is evidence that your relationship with the Christian god is more real. So, you wouldn't necessarily see this type of behavior in a conservative Catholic church, for example. That's what they mean when they say they're not religious. It is arrogant. What would your friend's beliefs be without the original doctrine of sin, or the salvation through acceptance of Jesus dying on the cross? These are all the basic criteria that go into the religion of Christianity. She can't not be religious if she believes in the Christian religion. She has rules that she lives by, correct? What about pre-marital sex? Abortion? Cussing? As someone stated before, these beliefs must have rules, therefore making it a religion. I've been there, and later on I've had this argument with a Christian friend of mine. I could be projecting here because of my personal experience, but I don't think she's really interested in getting to know you, let alone respecting that you are not Christian. Hopefully you can continue being friends. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tezia Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 Lol that's what I've been thinking all along. Also, I did use to go to a church like the one described in the post above this one. Many people in that church also proclaimed not to be religious and funny enough, their pastor said that religion is one of the worst things invented. He also made some claim that Christianity is not about a religion, yet obviously you were encouraged to fast, pray, read the bible among other things. Smh. But, Christianity, no matter how liberal may be, is meaningless lol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShackledNoMore Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Here is your friend's warped logic: She excludes following the One True GodTM from her definition of religion. She defines religion as following false or non-existent gods, or heretical notions hand fed to people by the Devil. She likely even lumps in others as "religious" who claim to be followers of Jesus, but whose beliefs are sufficiently different from hers, or whose "hearts" are not so true as hers. It is the height of arrogance. Her claim of being not religious is bullshit. Ironically, since her god is imaginary, she is religious by her own definition! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 If you pray to your invisible friend, you're religious. Tell her to read a book once in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted July 13, 2014 Super Moderator Share Posted July 13, 2014 Hmm... Which is worse, a person who acts like a christian but says they're not; or a person who says they are a christian but doesn't act like one? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llwellyn Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 She IS religious, she just defines religion as "other religions beside my own." It is typical of christians, because they think their way is "not religious" since they have faitf in "grace", instead of "works". Whatever the fuck that means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 That is fabulous! I'm am stealing this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShackledNoMore Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Hmm... Which is worse, a person who acts like a christian but says they're not; or a person who says they are a christian but doesn't act like one? I think the deal is that they just don't think about it and don't really give a shit. They don't care if something is correct or not, they just want to be in a state of bliss. Amazing, isn't it? You'd think if xianity along with all its implications were true, a person would want to know it. I guess that's why we're ex-christians and they're not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthmama514 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 This describes my family to a T. They claim they are.not religious they are part of a faith. Yet they never miss a service spout of xtian crap all the time and follow all the prescribed rules of christianity. *eyeroll* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deidre Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 This might sound harsh, but I tend to shy away from people who don't affirm what they believe. To say one isn't religious, but then in action...go about everything that is religious...is not a genuine person. Perhaps, she is confused. Perhaps not. But, it's just hard for me to be friends anymore with people who talk out of both sides of their mouth. You're either a believer, or not. Religous or not. Just my pov. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tezia Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 Oh no she is a definite Jesus freak. She always sounds super passionate every time she talks about Jesus or god. I like how y'all are tearing her up lol. I am too nice so I haven't told her she IS religious. And going back to what Redneck said. Either sounds bad, bit the pretending to be Christian is even worse. That is one main thing that drew me away. If no one will take it serious, then why should I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deidre Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 If someone isn't serious about their religion, then it doesn't enter into the discussion. If someone keeps talking about their "relationship" with Jesus, they take it seriously. I don't take the tooth fairy seriously, so I don't it bring it up in daily conversation. Lol Nah, sounds more like a person who if she is around other Jesus "freaks," she is on fire for da lawd, but if she is around atheists...suddenly, she's not "religious." I don't trust people who can't be honest with themselves let alone anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Some Christians don't realize that believers of many faiths claim to have personal relationships with their deities. Mystics talk of having unions with other gods much like Christians talk of union with Christ. Ordinary believers say their gods help them, answer their prayers, give them signs, love them, etc. Of course this person is religious-- she is just trying to assert that her faith is the real one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flutters Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 In my experience with people who say this ( and to my shame, when I used to say this myself ), it's a convenient slogan to elevate yourself as having a more true, genuine, closer, authentic connection with Jesus. I agree with the poster who calls it arrogance, because really, it is. It purposely differentiates one type of practicing beleiver from another. I think this morphed in the christian world as a way to fight back against those who accuse their faith of being nothing more than rituals and practices. How do they argue their own bible? James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. I usually take it to mean "I'm not like people who aren't like me. I totally get Jesus, and he gets me. So even though I still feel like I have to do everything the bible says, I don't really think I have to, I'm convinced I want to, so it's totally different. That's why I have a relationship and not rules." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 "I am not religious. I just have a personal relationship with an imaginary friend. I go to meetings with others who also have an imaginary friend and we all worship the imaginary being, and sing to him/it." This defines modern liberal Xtianity prett well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moanareina Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Yep, I my family and all the people around me never have been religious. Being called religious was one of the worst insults you could put on someone... As long as you are deeply indoctrinated and brainwashed you really think you are not religious. You are following God, you have a personal relationship with Jesus...you where saved by grace. How could that be religion? Religion was following rules in order to earn heaven...and in Christianity heaven is not to be earned...it is a free gift...that comes with a whole lot of burdens but of course no one mentions that... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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