I am a secular Christian and here is what it means.

Page 1 of 3 [ 42 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next

Joker
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,593
Location: North Carolina The Tar Heel State :)

03 Apr 2012, 10:15 pm

A secular christian is a christian is one who believes that the united states is a secular nation where anyone can live regardless of their faith choices and firmly upholds the constitution.

They believe that Jesus was the son of God, but they are the opposite of the spectrum when compared to fundamentalists and extreme conservative christians. They tend to believe in equal rights and don't judge meaning they actually follow the Bible.

My critique of them, I get this. These are the best Christians, in my opinion, because their beliefs do not interfere with scientific advancements, and they believe in the a secular nation and are anti theocracy. For our founding fathers were all too aware that religion mixed with government meant persecution and a lack of rights for others. They tend to be the most liberal Christians, this includes giving everyone the same rights as human beings, gays, atheists, muslims, etc.



Last edited by Joker on 04 Apr 2012, 12:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

auntblabby
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 113,756
Location: the island of defective toy santas

03 Apr 2012, 10:17 pm

too bad there aren't more of such enlightened and fair-minded folk.



snapcap
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,328

03 Apr 2012, 10:18 pm

Joker wrote:
A secular christian is a christian is one who believes that the united states is a secular nation where anyone can live regardless of their faith choices and firmly upholds the constitution.

They believe that Jesus was the son of God, but they are the opposite of the spectrum when compared to fundamentalists and extreme conservative christians. They tend to believe in equal rights and don't judge meaning they actually follow the Bible.

My critique of them, I get this. These are the best Christians, in my opinion, because their beliefs do not interfere with scientific advancements, and they believe in the a secular nation and are anti theocracy. For our founding fathers were all too aware that religion mixed with government meant persecution and a lack of rights for others. They tend to be the most liberal Christians, this includes giving everyone the same rights as human beings, gays, atheists, muslims, etc.


That's not what a secular christian is, this is what it is

Web Page Name

EDIT: 8)


_________________
*some atheist walks outside and picks up stick*

some atheist to stick: "You're like me!"


Joker
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,593
Location: North Carolina The Tar Heel State :)

03 Apr 2012, 10:20 pm

snapcap wrote:
Joker wrote:
A secular christian is a christian is one who believes that the united states is a secular nation where anyone can live regardless of their faith choices and firmly upholds the constitution.

They believe that Jesus was the son of God, but they are the opposite of the spectrum when compared to fundamentalists and extreme conservative christians. They tend to believe in equal rights and don't judge meaning they actually follow the Bible.

My critique of them, I get this. These are the best Christians, in my opinion, because their beliefs do not interfere with scientific advancements, and they believe in the a secular nation and are anti theocracy. For our founding fathers were all too aware that religion mixed with government meant persecution and a lack of rights for others. They tend to be the most liberal Christians, this includes giving everyone the same rights as human beings, gays, atheists, muslims, etc.


That's not what a secular christian is, this is what it is

Web Page Name

I am afriad you are wrong good sir.

EDIT: 8)



Alexender
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Jan 2012
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,194
Location: wrongplanet

03 Apr 2012, 10:21 pm

snapcap wrote:
Joker wrote:
A secular christian is a christian is one who believes that the united states is a secular nation where anyone can live regardless of their faith choices and firmly upholds the constitution.

They believe that Jesus was the son of God, but they are the opposite of the spectrum when compared to fundamentalists and extreme conservative christians. They tend to believe in equal rights and don't judge meaning they actually follow the Bible.

My critique of them, I get this. These are the best Christians, in my opinion, because their beliefs do not interfere with scientific advancements, and they believe in the a secular nation and are anti theocracy. For our founding fathers were all too aware that religion mixed with government meant persecution and a lack of rights for others. They tend to be the most liberal Christians, this includes giving everyone the same rights as human beings, gays, atheists, muslims, etc.


That's not what a secular christian is, this is what it is

Web Page Name

EDIT: 8)


Awesome, just awesome. How?


_________________
www.wrongplanet.net


Joker
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,593
Location: North Carolina The Tar Heel State :)

03 Apr 2012, 10:23 pm

auntblabby wrote:
too bad there aren't more of such enlightened and fair-minded folk.


Indeed we secualr christians in the world are a small group you will find very few of us because we dont always let our faith be the thing that helps us make tough choices and decisions that's why we are secular.



webcam
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 8 Feb 2012
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Posts: 427

03 Apr 2012, 11:40 pm

So you'd kill 185k people if god told you to do it? Would you nuke sodom and gamora too? Jesus' daddy was Joseph or Panthera depending on who it was that got marry preggers. God didn't do it.



Vigilans
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Jun 2008
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 12,181
Location: Montreal

03 Apr 2012, 11:43 pm

"seucalr Christian"? Is that some kind of code for "SoCal Christian"? or "Soul Caliber Christian"?


_________________
Opportunities multiply as they are seized. -Sun Tzu
Nature creates few men brave, industry and training makes many -Machiavelli
You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do


Joker
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,593
Location: North Carolina The Tar Heel State :)

03 Apr 2012, 11:47 pm

Vigilans wrote:
"seucalr Christian"? Is that some kind of code for "SoCal Christian"? or "Soul Caliber Christian"?


No it really means I don't base all of my thinking and beliefs on the bible or my religion all the time I don't let it influence my way of thinking about other stuff also we are very small to as a secular christian community it really means is that I am not a fundie cause I cant stand them nothing about me is conservative notice how I like men hmm btw I bet your cute wouldnt mine seeing what ya look like either :wink:

I am for gay marriage birth control abortion everything that is labeled unchristian and I don't believe in converting people to my faith either.



Vigilans
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Jun 2008
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 12,181
Location: Montreal

03 Apr 2012, 11:49 pm

Nothing conservative about liking men? :lol: ;)

my pic is not available


_________________
Opportunities multiply as they are seized. -Sun Tzu
Nature creates few men brave, industry and training makes many -Machiavelli
You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do


Joker
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,593
Location: North Carolina The Tar Heel State :)

03 Apr 2012, 11:52 pm

Vigilans wrote:
Nothing conservative about liking men? :lol: ;)

my pic is not available


Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it should be :wink:



enrico_dandolo
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Nov 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Posts: 866

03 Apr 2012, 11:52 pm

I don't like using the word "secular" this way. Technically, the word can be applied to everyone without monastic vows, a fortiori non-clergy.



Joker
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,593
Location: North Carolina The Tar Heel State :)

03 Apr 2012, 11:56 pm

enrico_dandolo wrote:
I don't like using the word "secular" this way. Technically, the word can be applied to everyone without monastic vows, a fortiori non-clergy.


I apply it this way because I am SECULAER about my Faith that's the way anyone with a religion should be.



1000Knives
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jul 2011
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,036
Location: CT, USA

04 Apr 2012, 12:47 am

Joker wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
too bad there aren't more of such enlightened and fair-minded folk.


Indeed we secualr christians in the world are a small group you will find very few of us because we dont always let our faith be the thing that helps us make tough choices and decisions that's why we are secular.


Well, what does your faith do then? Isn't that what it's there for, to be a moral guide to make tough decisions?

Anyway, as far as being a secular Christian, I guess by your definition I am, as I do believe in religious freedom, and it being a good thing. My priest and I were just having this conversation today (I originally asked why Justinian was a saint) and basically, before the 14th Amendment, states would, say, disallow Catholics from voting and stuff like that. So in my case, because we're like one of the smallest minorities of Christians in USA (Orthodox), we could even be legally sanctioned if there was what a lot of Protestants dream of, ie, the grand Protestant Theocracy.

That said, there's a weird weird dichotomy going on in Christendom. It seems people are divided into two camps. One of "We'll say sin is OK, afterall if we said something was bad, that'd be judgemental." And the other, is, basically to be a judgemental as*hole to everyone, constantly call people sinners, etc, ala Westboro Baptist. People very much forget about "Love the sinner, hate the sin." Jesus many times hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes, and the Jewish teachers of the Law judged him negatively for this. But at the same time, Jesus in Revelation says "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Things are still wrong if they're wrong, sin is sin.

I guess overall, as a Christian, your outlook in such matters should be this way:
Matthew 7:3-5

Quote:
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.


Quote:
1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.
* Note how St. Paul considers himself the worst sinner, even though, he's, you know...St. Paul. Should say something there.

Quote:
Matthew 9:13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."


Basically, my big problem with being a "secular Christian" is it's very much like, if you do genuinely believe Christianity to be true, it should very much be what guides your life, not the culture and viewpoints around you. So in being a "secular Christian" it really to me cheapens Christianity.

Oh well, sorry if I was a bit harsh, but yeah. Plus I'm kinda rambly, as usual.



Joker
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,593
Location: North Carolina The Tar Heel State :)

04 Apr 2012, 1:01 am

I do not view it as harsh at all sure my faith guides me in my religious life but not in regards to political or soical views.



enrico_dandolo
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Nov 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Posts: 866

04 Apr 2012, 1:02 am

It is still not the right word, I think. What you describe would better fit reasonableness than secularity. The sense of "secular" to which you seem to refer is that applied to, say, a society, or to describe a societal or cultural process of secularization. However, I think applying it to an individual would be confusing, since "secular" is already used this way in opposition to "regular", as in "secular clergy" (priests, bishops, etc.) and "regular clergy" (members of religious orders, monks, etc.).

But then, maybe it makes sense anyway. I don't know.