Religion
Related: About this forumAn interesting article from John Pavlovits
A Funeral for My ChristianityIve been saying something like this for several years now, often to be met with fury by those who identify as Christians. In essence the current state is similar to the situation following the conference of Nicaea, what had been Christian is now heresy, and those of you who have considered yourselves Christian and liberal are now cast out. The Emperor Donald has declared the new orthodoxy, and You aint it.
Im not going to discuss actual doctrine, or the real Christ/Jesus, because in the common parlance those finer points dont signify. The media, center, right and far right universally use Christian as code for white nationalist. Even if that wasnt the intent that is what it has become.
Im sorry folks but youre not Christian anymore. The question is no longer, They cant define themselves as the one true Christians, because they didnt the rest of society did it with them. The question is can we truly have a separation of church and state when one party is the Christian party in a Christian nation, and if we do should those of us who are non-believers be forced to subsidize our own subjugation.
FM123
(10,126 posts)This part really stood out to me:
Today, reading my old friends words I realized that whatever this thing is that she and I used to share as a common thread has frayed beyond repair. Her Jesus and mine bear no resemblance to one another. I dont belong in this tribe anymore. I am the outlier now.
CrispyQ
(38,245 posts)Im not sure what all this angry, chest-thumping, bullying, dont tread on me thing that weve come to call Christianity is, but heres what I do know:
It isnt the Gospel.
It isnt Good News for the poor and marginalized.
It isnt the Prince of Peace.
It isnt the perfect love that casts out fear.
It isnt Jesus by any measure.
Its a toxic cocktail of power, control, fear, nationalism, and white privilegeand it looks much more like the bloated opulence of Rome than the early Church that resisted it.
People have said that the MAGA Evangelical movement has hijacked Jesus but I dont believe thats true. They have hijacked the word Christian. Jesus is of no use to them.
bucolic_frolic
(46,979 posts)ended with Emperor Constantine. So religions have risen and fallen before. Celts aren't numerous today, nor are Druids.
edhopper
(34,802 posts)very insightful.
ratchiweenie
(7,923 posts)Laurelin
(642 posts)Got born again in my damaged young teenage years. Got tossed out of my church and turned on by my friends in my early twenties because I asked too many questions.
I was lucky because I could go home to my roots and upbringinging in the evangelical Lutheran church. It was difficult though, even for me. It took a while before I could find my faith again.
I feel really sad for Pavlovitz and all the other Christians who are persecuted by people they thought were brothers and sisters, and barred from what they thought was their home. I hope they find peace in a new spiritual home, whether or not they call themselves Christian. For myself,
I still believe in the Jesus of the gospels.
I wish I could tell him it will all be fine once he has his time to grieve. It will be.
CrispyQ
(38,245 posts)& struggles that the rest of his family & a church that he attended for many years, have turned into the new type of Christian. You can almost tell what kind of Christian someone is by the political party they identify with. I grew up in a small town full of evangelical types & most of the kids I went to school with are republicans & post views I mostly disagree with. There's a lot of anger on that side, too. Going to a recent high school reunion was a big mistake. WTF was I thinking?
plimsoll
(1,690 posts)I think its good to acknowledge their grief, but I think we need to grow accustomed to this.
What he is saying though has a more malevolent outcome than just the lost community. The Christians hes alluding to dont recognize others as Christians, you may belong to a church and your church may have a significant history not only in the USA but world wide, but in their eyes you are something else. As other, they dont really consider that you have rights, or that you are not deserving of rights.
I feel sad for the people of what used to be called mainstream Christian denominations that havent realized that Christian doesnt mean what it used to.