Jump to content
Goodbye Jesus

To Be Christian Is To Refuse To Enjoy Life


SBeeland

Recommended Posts

It mostly boils down to IMO, tailoring Xtian faith to fit with what they want. The more liberal ones find a verse claiming that so and so is OK, becuase they just don't want that particular imposition on thier lives. The stricter the sect, the more likely they are taking thier faith seriously, again, just in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites



Keeping this site online isn't free, so we need your support! Make a one-time donation or choose one of the recurrent patron options by clicking here.



  • Replies 53
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Sofia

    10

  • Amethyst

    6

  • Vixentrox

    6

  • SBeeland

    6

It mostly boils down to IMO, tailoring Xtian faith to fit with what they want. The more liberal ones find a verse claiming that so and so is OK, becuase they just don't want that particular imposition on thier lives. The stricter the sect, the more likely they are taking thier faith seriously, again, just in my opinion.

 

In my experience, the liberal ones don't even care so much about justifying it with verses. They cherry-pick what they want to believe in. Don't want to believe in a god who sends people to hell for drinking occassionally? Okay, then they don't. But they will then turn around and believe in a god who sends people to hell for being gay.

 

:ugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sofi, could you please tell me how I could have possibly misread the issues of how a Christian must behave as a person who thought sincerely that she was one of gods holy people? If I read it wrong literally, could you perhaps tell me how I need to read it the right way? To me, that was truth at the time and it confused the heck out of me that my fellow Christians would watch crap and be comfortable in doing so and even say that they weren't sinning. I sincerely would like to know.

 

No, Serenity, you didn't mis-read those verses. If you want my honest answer, as a Christian, here is what I think. Somebody that is stronger in the faith will see a certain movie as completely inappropriate while another will feel that it is okay. Perhaps both are right. Yesterday I watched The Constant Gardner (an awesome movie, by the way) but a couple of weeks ago my son wanted me to watch 40 Year Old Virgin with him. I turned it off after 5 minutes because I wasn't comfortable with the content.

 

I know some families that won't let their kids watch Disney cartoon movies because they are too mystical. To me that's a bit over the top but it's their decision.

 

Oops!......I'm going to be late for work. I'll finish this tonight.

 

Sofi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It mostly boils down to IMO, tailoring Xtian faith to fit with what they want. The more liberal ones find a verse claiming that so and so is OK, becuase they just don't want that particular imposition on thier lives. The stricter the sect, the more likely they are taking thier faith seriously, again, just in my opinion.

 

Yeah, there's no real road map that helps xtians interpret the bible. It all boils down to their own experiences, their own temperment, and their own desires. I noticed this even as a xtian when I was trying to sift through and come to grips with the doctrinal wars amongst different denominations. This is true even among denominations that are fairly closely related. Essentially every single christian creates their own version of christianity. Because the bible is so unclear, so contradictory, and so metaphorical this is not surprising.

 

You can create any doctrine you want and back it up convincingly with scripture. Those who disagree with pull the context card, but that's a dangerous route to take to as it goes both ways.

 

Just ask the Armenian-minded Nazarenes, who believe salvation can be lost to analyze the eternal security-driven Baptist's interpretations of Timothy. This is a minor example of what can be amplified 1000s of times across various sects and denoms.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sofia...Disney too mystical? Your supposed to be executing witches arn't you? For many hundreds of years thats what the fucking Xtian church did and they had the bible verses, nay, commandments from god himself to do it. Shouldn't you go kill some witches too? Or, you just bury that part under the rug? Pick and choose pick and choose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sofi, could you please tell me how I could have possibly misread the issues of how a Christian must behave as a person who thought sincerely that she was one of gods holy people? If I read it wrong literally, could you perhaps tell me how I need to read it the right way? To me, that was truth at the time and it confused the heck out of me that my fellow Christians would watch crap and be comfortable in doing so and even say that they weren't sinning. I sincerely would like to know.

 

No, Serenity, you didn't mis-read those verses. If you want my honest answer, as a Christian, here is what I think. Somebody that is stronger in the faith will see a certain movie as completely inappropriate while another will feel that it is okay.

 

Sofia, I just want you to realize how loaded with superiority ranking this phrase is. Weather it's is your intention or not, this comes across as christian vs. "better" christian.......

 

 

Perhaps both are right.

 

.....regardless of this CYA "don't want to openly offend anyone" sentence.

 

I was ALWAYS pissed by the christian vs "better" christian thing that goes on in the church. It pissed me off because in MY Bible, it said we had no place to judge.......so who was qualified to uplift one person as being a "better" christian, and feel qualified to cast stones at the person who was "just" a christian.

 

I'm just pointing it out, because it's another quality of christianity that makes it hard to just enjoy life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well you might be surprised to find out which camp I would place myself in and I have also never claimed to have all the answers. Everyday I hope to understand a little more than I did the day before. It's at that point when I decide if something I am doing is right (for me) or not.

 

I don't point fingers at anyone. I have my own struggles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm just saying there are huge aspects of christianity that feel more like the pecking order than spirituality.

 

Some of my friends are gay. I had them when I was still technically a christian, and my christian peers openly judged me for keeping such company. And while I knew in my heart, they had no right whatsoever to judge, it still hurt.

 

It's like being in a car accident where you had the right of way and some tick-brain slams into your car. Yeah. You had the right of way and the accident wasn't your fault.....but does that make your car any less smashed up? Or instantly heal whiplash injuries?

 

My christian peers were wrong, according to their own professed faith. But did that take the sting out of their judgement? Or alleviate my confusion about where these people got off thinking they had any right to speak to me in such a way? Or try to select who my friends were, while at the same time being such crummy friends to me?

 

And how do you think my non-christian friends were in comparison? Do you think they thought less of me for going to church....or were they just happy to be my friend?

 

I'd have to say, if I learned anything about people by their fruits, then religious people are barren compared to the warmth, affection, and friendship I've experienced with non-religious people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think they are barren, it's just that they suppress their emotions out of fear (at least, in my experience).

 

But yeah, in college I had friends who were Pagan, Atheist, Agnostic, and gay. I also had Christian friends who were non-fundy, because I was a non-fundy Christian at the time. The Christian friends who were non-fundy didn't look down on me because we shared many of the same friends. However, I felt like I couldn't talk about my friends with my parents or anyone else back home, because of the judgemental behavior everyone seemed to have at my old church.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WR~

 

Though parts of this feels like and “all or nothing” opinion, I do understand what you are saying because I've experience this myself. I currently have friends who are gay and I don’t allow anyone to get in the way of that. This is their choice, their decision.

 

I often feel that I am lumped into a category as legalistic and judgmental because I am a Christian. I don’t believe that I have ever put a condemning message across here but correct me if I have.

 

The next thing I’ve been accused of is compromising my beliefs to please everyone. I have also not compromised my beliefs. I screw up now and then just like anyone else but it’s MY screw-up to deal with and not because yesterday I believed something is right and today it is wrong.

 

I don’t know......call me soft if you want and tell me I don’t follow what the Bible says......but I disagree. The primary message is to love God and to love people.

 

That is the fruit I’m suppose to bare.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How do you know for sure that it's a choice? The gay friends I've had said it was not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don’t know......call me soft if you want and tell me I don’t follow what the Bible says......but I disagree. The primary message is to love God and to love people.

 

That is the fruit I’m suppose to bare.

 

I'm not saying that Sofia. When it comes to Christians hanging in our forum, you keep both poise and courtesy and I respect you for it.

 

In my original response to you, I was really just trying to point out the big problem with common language and phrasings used by christians.

 

You simply happened to use one. I'm referring to the "somebody that is stronger in the faith" phrase.

 

I know YOU did not mean anything at all by it......but the language itself describes a judgement or ranking of faith.

 

I just wanted you to be aware of those common christian phrasings, and how they can really sound to someone who takes a literal interpretation of language. This area is where much questioning begins....especially when someone compares the bible inspired phrases coming out one side of the christian mouth, to the petty backbiting crap spilling out the other side (no....I don't think this describes you.....I'm referring to real life examples I've experienced).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hhmmm...I understand what you are saying. The phrase does come across as arrogant but what if what I really meant is just the opposite?

 

A Christian can be legalistic and judgmental and then through a better understanding of their faith, realize that being that way is exactly what Jesus spoke against.

 

Either way............I agree that it can sound arrogant and more often than not is used to place one person higher on the Christian food chain than the next.

 

I’ll be gone for a while dealing with some business, so everyone take care.

 

Sofi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not one jot or iota.....

 

*shrugs* Again, can find parts of the bible where Jesus message still includes the OT laws and expects them to be follwed incuding the ones that MODERN Xtians find horribly distateful but earlier Xtians had no problem living by.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks for the replies. Just letting people know I'm still here and will probably post a lot because this is the first site of its kind I've ever found. I know I posted this half a month ago but work is hard and I can barely stay up long enough to use the internet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was like that myself, for awhile. Being a basic Xian who believes and goes to church, etc, doesn't prevent one from enjoying life one bit. However, when one gets serious about following the Babble and the fundies who thump it, you really can't enjoy life. It's all about denying ourselves of this and that because it's sinful to indulge or glory in anything except "the cross of Christ". You can't whack off to a porno, you can't sleep in on Sunday, you can't just live and let live and not make a big deal out of what your neighbor believes in - and you can't forget the OT laws, since it is pretty clear that the Jesus of the NT wants us to keep right on following them.

 

Xianity is about self-denial because it is taught in that cult that earthly pleasures are sinful. They (somehow) lead us away from God and since we were created for God and not this earth, we should avoid whatever does not lead us closer to God. It is what makes Xianity so naturally distasteful to most folks, especially because no reading of the Babble will reveal anything but that, a doomsday cult of extreme self-denial. Folks just want to enjoy their time on earth, and the Jesus most people are raised with lets them do that.

 

Problem is, the real deal (according to the Scripchahs) is not about that at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe it was Jaded who originally posted one of my favorite quotes on the ExC forums.

 

"Christianity: the haunting fear that someone, somewhere is having a good time." :wicked:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe it was Jaded who originally posted one of my favorite quotes on the ExC forums.

 

"Christianity: the huanting fear that someone, somewhere is having a good time." :wicked:

Of course, when Jaded quoted it, he didn't misspell anything. :mellow:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the replies. Just letting people know I'm still here and will probably post a lot because this is the first site of its kind I've ever found. I know I posted this half a month ago but work is hard and I can barely stay up long enough to use the internet.

 

Sbee, I'm really glad you're still around. I think you started a meaningful and provocative topic (as the various posts attest to), so hang out here as often as you can, and keep throwing out these ideas that bring out the cantankerous spirit which abides in these parts.

 

Fwee and Sonny-wood, I :wub: you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hehe, thanks Mom.

 

...I don't suppose you have a hunk of cheese I can throw at the mouse to keep it busy for a while? :poke:

 

:HaHa:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Fwee! :kiss:my :moon: !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hehe, thanks Mom.

 

...I don't suppose you have a hunk of cheese I can throw at the mouse to keep it busy for a while? :poke:

 

:HaHa:

I might consider contributing to the locker room antics of you two boys if prices of dairy products weren't at an all-time high. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Fwee! :kiss:my :moon: !

HA! I just told Fwee here today to :kiss: my :moon: too! He's got a lot of ass kissin' to do!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Folks just want to enjoy their time on earth, and the Jesus most people are raised with lets them do that. Problem is, the real deal (according to the Scripchahs) is not about that at all.

 

Hi Wolfheart. That's exactly what I meant to say at first. Your everyday christian acts like the OT laws were just suggestions, and by not following them and not repenting, they're not really living as christians. So the way I see it, why don't those people just take that last step and ditch christianity? They don't follow it anyway! (But they will follow their own brand of it) I seriously think less than 1% of christians actually follow every last one of their own God's laws.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Folks just want to enjoy their time on earth, and the Jesus most people are raised with lets them do that. Problem is, the real deal (according to the Scripchahs) is not about that at all.

 

Hi Wolfheart. That's exactly what I meant to say at first. Your everyday christian acts like the OT laws were just suggestions, and by not following them and not repenting, they're not really living as christians. So the way I see it, why don't those people just take that last step and ditch christianity? They don't follow it anyway! (But they will follow their own brand of it) I seriously think less than 1% of christians actually follow every last one of their own God's laws.

 

Well, to be fair, it's really impossible to follow every last one of the rules laid out in the bible. There are just too many contradictions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.