Christian Atheists

[ChristineES]

I think about this a lot. A Christian is someone who follows Jesus' teachings, and atheists can do that, for the most part. Except one: Love The Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your spirit. Does this mean they are not truly Christians? I am not really prepared to answer this- for one thing, they might love the idea of God.

 

[Banner]

It's definitely rare relative to "mainstream" theistic version of Christianity. And many people who hold my view (including myself for the most part) do not identify themselves to others as "Christian" because of the confusion it causes resulting from the assumption by most that it necessarily requires theism. But the three authors I mentioned above are all very well known and widely read. And I've met and interacted with 20-30 people on this forum over the years who take this approach.

Oh, and my girlfriend. 8?)

Thanks, that's good news!

 

[doppelganger]

I think about this a lot. A Christian is someone who follows Jesus' teachings, and atheists can do that, for the most part. Except one: Love The Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your spirit. Does this mean they are not truly Christians? I am not really prepared to answer this- for one thing, they might love the idea of God.

As a pantheist, I don't have a problem with that one either, though I think about what it practically means in a very different way than any of the mainstream versions of Xtianity.

 

[bobhikes]

I can identify with you bobhikes. I too, have thought about going to church with my children but I'm just very nervous about indoctrination. I know we all have been...and do it...but I struggle with the principle of supporting something that I don't...hmm...that I don't believe is true. It's tough because I want my children to understand and be knowledgeable about what 99.9% of the people around them believe...

I never was worried about indoctrination because I grew up in the system, but I did have an incident with my older son in which I had to get involved. I explained some of my beliefs to assure him and had my parents do the same. My parents are still catholics but both are more liberal.

Now with both my boys I ask what they are taught and give them other religious views.

 

[Banner]

I never was worried about indoctrination because I grew up in the system, but I did have an incident with my older son in which I had to get involved. I explained some of my beliefs to assure him and had my parents do the same. My parents are still catholics but both are more liberal.

Now with both my boys I ask what they are taught and give them other religious views.

I'm not sure I know what you mean "in the system". But I probably am just paranoid, overprotective mom lol.

 

[Me Myself]

I think about this a lot. A Christian is someone who follows Jesus' teachings, and atheists can do that, for the most part. Except one: Love The Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your spirit. Does this mean they are not truly Christians? I am not really prepared to answer this- for one thing, they might love the idea of God.

I´ve always taught it in this way:

If God=Love and you love love, then you love God.

If you love to find a peaceful(Peace=God) loving (love=god) solution to the problems of people and you most either favor what people expect from you and what is really good for them and you choose the latter, then you are choosing God, if you choose thinking on the most peaceful and loving solution even if you won´t be liked for it.

That´s my view at least.

 

[ForeverFaithful]

If you can have non-theist Jews why not non-theist Christians

 

[bobhikes]

I'm not sure I know what you mean "in the system". But I probably am just paranoid, overprotective mom lol.

In the system, 16 years of catholic studies, Alter Boy for 3 years, Catholic school for 2 years.

 

[Banner]

In the system, 16 years of catholic studies, Alter Boy for 3 years, Catholic school for 2 years.

Well that's what I thought you meant, which is why I was surprised that you weren't worried about indoctrination. I was in the Baptist "system" for over 20 years, and that what has me a little worried about it.

 

[Banner]

If you can have non-theist Jews why not non-theist Christians

I've thought the same FF. But I guess it will just take a little while to catch on

 

[SageTree]

It would certainly make him an Anglican.

You can discover God in worship and the litany, with out understanding or believing anything about faith or Dogma. Anglicans have always known this, even if they sometimes keep quiet about it.

:clap:

Quakers are Christian, yet there are Non-Theistic ones.

I wish 'Non-theism' was seem as 'do not want/care to participate in the dichotomy of A/Theist... My 'Theism' might be 'Atheistic' sounding to some.... my 'Atheism' definitely has 'Theism' though...

I just want to be... and for me that is 'Non-Theism'= just being with your experience and not being wrapped up in discussions about labels as a tool for meaning making.

 

[Me Myself]

Every word is a label as a tool of meaning making SageTree.

Just saying

 

[SageTree]

I consider myself an agnostic Christian, and the way I view Christianity and its core philosophical teaching and myths, agnosticism appears - to me - to be a more natural fit than theism.

Thomas Altizer, John Shelby Spong and arguably Paul Tillich (among others) are writers that could be deacriclbed as non-theistic Christians. And I'd recommend any of their works to understand how non-theistic Christianity can work.

Thanks for your thoughts... from what I've read of Tillich I've been amazed and have seen many previous thoughts in his writings. Spong is another great as well.

It's been mentioned, but looking into 'Non-theist' Friends is worth a peak also.

 

[SageTree]

Every word is a label as a tool of meaning making SageTree.

Just saying

Don't be shy... you are exactly right.... which is why ALL conversations should be taken with a grain of salt that we're just using a relative means to an ultimate understanding.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I am very curious as to how someone could be an Atheist and a Christian. The core doctrines are opposite of each other - The Father god sending the Son god to die on the cross for the sins of humans, while the Holy Ghost god fills the believers, versus a believe that there is no god - and it would seem that it would be like trying to say the light is on while simultaneously being turned off. From the BBC site it would seem they are Atheist who have acknowledged the benefits of the community-setting that a church can provide, and are in it for humanistic and community reasons. But I would think there is more to it than that of what the BBC link provided, and I must know more.

 

[Me Myself]

Don't be shy... you are exactly right.... which is why ALL conversations should be taken with a grain of salt that we're just using a relative means to an ultimate understanding.

Only a grain?

Who´s being shy now?

I say we bring Lot´s wife :drool:

 

[SageTree]

LOL..... haven't had a grain of coffee yet!.... took me a second to LoLz at that one

I think labels are a place were a little more sodium in our diets wouldn't kill us

 

[LeftishBritInPA]

I'm a Christian and Agnostic.

What is a Christian? Who's a Christian? If you break it up, you have Christ, meaning the person of Jesus, and +ian, meaning a follower. Therefore, a Christian is merely someone who follows the example of Jesus in life. You don't need to believe in God to follow Jesus, because Jesus taught a lot of secular things too (e.g. "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's," "Judge not, lest ye be judged") In fact you could argue that Jesus came to abolish organized religion and make everyone equal.

That said, there are a ton of atheists who qualify as being much more Christian than those who call themselves Christian.

 

[Richard Kastner]

By certain definitions. Not by mine. I think there's a lot more subtlety to that for some people. Such that it has no supernatural or superstitious element at all and functions purely on a psychological and philosophical level.

Well, if you defined the sky as something polkadot that you walked on would that make the sky something polkadot that is walked on? Of coarse not. The Webster definition of "christian" is a : one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Here are a couple of those teachings.
Jn.3
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jn.14
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

If You don't believe that He is the only way to the Father then you are not a Christian.

I consider myself an agnostic Christian, and the way I view Christianity and its core philosophical teaching and myths, agnosticism appears - to me - to be a more natural fit than theism.

I don't understand your statement here. Agnosticism is an ambivalence towards the existence of God. Christianity, however requires a belief in Jesus as the Son of God and acceptance of His sacrifice for our sins. The two views are mutually exclusive.

As a pantheist, I don't have a problem with that one either, though I think about what it practically means in a very different way than any of the mainstream versions of Xtianity.

Now you say that you are a panthiest which is the view that God is in everything, another erroneous view, but a theistic view which you say you are not. I'm thinking that you don't know what you do or don't believe. Maybe this is the time to think about giving your heart to Jesus.

 

[doppelganger]

Maybe this is the time to think about giving your heart to Jesus.

Teehee. Thanks, Richard, but I'm awake to the mystery of Christ in me.

The Jesus(TM) doesn't appeal to me, though I admit there was a time in my youth when it did. You're welcome to it though.