Why Are You A Christian?

What does it do for you? What purpose does it serve for you?

 

Self supporting delusions is my guess.

 

lol, Bud...you are batting 100 as far as i am concerned....

The only purpose it ever served me to entertain such thoughts is to find comfort in knowing that anything that has ever suffered here, through no fault of their own, can have a chance elsewhere....and usually I am thinking about someone else or animals or something. It would be nice to truly believe that all life never dies.

 

We don't need Christianity for an everlasting commitment to existence. Christians don't believe that anything other than humans have a spirit that goes on. Death is a transformative. Just going from one spirit world to the next...as there are more than there is time.

 

Yes, i know...i realized the question was mainly about Christianity after I posted...I meant I like to entertain thoughts of an after life...not linked to any religion ever though....

 

Cool. After life doesn't likely have religion or the whole thing would fall apart. Maybe sometimes the entire thing does fall apart. We don't know.

I think religion is securing it's entire destruction. They build to much up on bullshit that's hard to succeed at.

 

I used to be one, because I was brought up to think that the only alternative was to be a terrible person. For a long time, I wasn't exposed to other options. Then I started reading parts of the Bible that are never brought up in church, and realized, this isn't a flawless book!

Now I know good people from all kinds of different backgrounds and belief systems and lifestyles.

 

I'm a Christian because: (1) a moment of clarity while reading Genesis gave me a view of human existence rooted in the teachings and example of Jesus; (2) Christianity best expresses my ideals of unconditional love for all humans, including society's outcasts; and (3) the idea of God provides me with a plausible explanation of the ordered complexity of the universe. I don't see these values as incompatible with other world religions.

 

Samantha, I'm going to send you a pm telling you why I'm a Christian because I will quickly admit I'm not interested in expressing my feelings/thoughts/reasons on this most serious subject only to have people rip apart and make fun of what I will say.

AND it isn't because I can't or won't take up for myself...it is because I don't want this thread hijacked by people that (I'm certain) will take the opportunity to discount and disavow everything I believe...because it has been done in the past with much hilarity and fun - on their part.

 

I sympathize with your attitude. It's a shame, but probably you're right. Even though not Christian myself, I think it's a sad reflection that it's not possible to have an open or sensible discussion about Christianity on the forums without the negative consequences you mention.

Personally, I've pretty much given up on trying to express my own views about spirituality on here.

Probably I'll be attacked for saying even that.

 

If what you believe is so delicate and removed from argument, reason, and evidence that it needs sheltering from the light of public discourse . . . well, I think you're cradling an illusion. It's an illusion you've decided to dedicate your life to, or to structure your life around, or to view your existence through, and yet it causes emotional pain when someone points out flaws in it? Wouldn't you want to make sure there's no flaws? Wouldn't you want to abandon any worldview which is so precariously balanced over the abyss of nonsense?

Hopefully my post is not seen as a person attack but rather an open and sensible contribution to the discussion.

 

^ Since this is the Christian forum, a Christian might respond perhaps by quoting JC 'cast not thy pearls before swine'.

I hope you don't take that as a personal attack either. However, I do agree with the truth thus expressed.

 

Like Mr. Writer, I don't understand the need to hide. If someone attacks a concept or idea, that's to be expected on a public forum. If it's a personal attack, that post is subject to being deleted, especially if it's reported. I say, let the ideas stand or fall on their own.

 

To be honest, I have no idea how you concluded that from her post.
Personally, I feel the same way she does. Not because what I believe needs sheltering, but because I am really sick and tired of people attacking or mocking a religion, and religious people (usually Chistianity). And let's face it, that's what people here mostly do.
It just gets really old, and it is not a very comfortable/friendly environment.
That's why I usually just ignore all the religion talk, it just doesn't lead anywhere.

 

Also, the OP didn't fully define Christian as it is being used in this context. I have friends who are social Christians, in order to receive the social and cultural benefits of being involved with a church. They don't give a fuck about theology. Some would say that they qualify as Christians, others would not.

 

There are certain aspects I miss about being a Christian - the social aspect isn't one of them. I always felt very alienated in church. I'm not a traditionalist, I have a hard time connecting with traditionalists. And the thing the church does where they try to be "cool" and non traditional and connect with the youth was always kinda dumb to me.


But I miss the more personal aspects of it. I miss praying and always carrying around a friend with me. I miss the comfort of it. I always enjoyed reading Christ's teachings of love and non judgement and still carry that around with me and try to live my life by that - I guess in that sense I'm still a Christian, I just don't really believe anything in the bible except the philosophy of Christ.

I guess this question wasn't really directed towards me as a non Christian but thought I would offer my perspective as a former christian.

Also just wanted to add - I can respect both mr. writer and Lynn's point of view but mr. writer did kind of prove Lynn's point here

 

I only was christian because I was raised as one. Although I don't reject everything by far, I do disagree with certain (central) aspects of christianity and simply don't see the point or find it right to call myself one.
I understand why others are christian though and find it a pity and disgrace how many supposedly openminded people get lost in their ignorant convictions about christians and christianity (usually based on stereotypes or one particular kind of christian)...

Can't blame ya...

 

It's not a question of hiding - at least for me it isn't. A couple of points - first I'm not Christian so I don't really have anything to hide as far as that goes. On the other hand, I'm interested in various spiritual beliefs including Christianity, and I suppose that for a non Christian I know a fair bit about it, as least as far as the history goes, as well as a smattering of mainly RC mysticism.
It's true that many, even most Christians are Christian because they were born into a Christian background. But I'm interested to hear from people who have made a conscious choice to accept Christianity. It also seems to me though that given the level of criticism that gets thrown on here, it's no surprise if people don't want to open up about things that obviously mean a lot to them, simply so that some clown can score a few ego points in their own eyes for jumping in to trash it.
As as British person, it's hard for me to relate to the vehemence of some attacks, as in this country, Christianity is no big deal any more, and doesn't have the connotations it has over there in the US. I do understand to some extent how it must be annoying to have it constantly shoved down your throat by questionable people who are clearly using it as political football in one way or another.

Now for me. I say I'm into yoga, and leave it at that for a number of reasons. Firstly, most people think yoga = hatha yoga (physical postures etc), or even if they have some fuller knowledge don't really have much of a handle on what it's all about.
If I drop the names of teachers I respect, it won't do any good, and I'm not prepared to put in the effort of lengthy explanations which would be necessary, and I feel that also it would be likely to be counter-productive. I'm not even sure I'm really competent to make such explanations. Just a few lines would be wholly inadequate. Also to proselytize or evangelize is no part of it for me.If I gave the names of texts on the subject, it's not likely that anyone on the strength of that is going to sit down and study them. As far as it goes, I think people either get drawn to such a path, in which case they would take the trouble to inform themselves as much as possible, or they don't. My intervention is neither desirable or necessary.

And I don't think a thread about people's motives for embracing Christianity would be the appropriate place for any such discussion anyway.

 

Spiritual beliefs...those things so deep inside there aren't words to describe it, those deepest down feelings in one's soul - aren't ultimately decided nor chosen from a book or a collation of facts...not for me anyway.

I believe in what I see and feel...in what I have seen and felt. I don't understand how anyone can seriously think they "choose" to believe, or not, or in what...via a book. There are books that can guide and answer questions, but the beliefs you are willing to risk your heart and soul in won't be decided after you've finally reached enough scientific conclusions nor read enough books imo. Books aren't ever going to give the full answer one is seeking on this particular, specific subject.


There are way too many eloquent writers expressing both sides...and then there are those of us that make our own interpretations that often coincide with certain protestant "denominations" but I haven't found one yet that coincides with what all I think. I'm not saying there isn't a church out there for me...I just haven't found it.

That is far as I'll go with that.

Samantha, I'm getting that pm sent.

 

After trying several different ways to deal with such responses, my current policy is to just skim over them, not reading them in detail, not responding at all. My spiritual values and interests were not selected to please other people or earn their approval, so their reactions are of no importance to me. I've pragmatically blended together all kinds of Eastern philosophical concepts that seem useful to me, at this point in my life. Several people have explained to me in great detail why my approach is not valid. I don't care. I have better things to do than debate it endlessly.

I find it refreshing to be at a place where you don't have to pretend to be a Christian to avoid mistreatment by almost everyone. Such places do exist in real life in the South, but they're rare. HF is quite radical, by Southern US standards.