Contextualization

[RedDragon94]

This thread is primarily for atheists but anyone can join in.

You know, I hear atheists all the time saying that the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible. Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough.

Is contextualization in religions a good thing or a bad thing?

If it's a bad thing then you're saying that Abrahamic religions should be more ancient in their approach to things.

If it's a good thing how come you're not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim?

The only reason why the Bible is silent is because you want it to be. Also, there are mainline Christians that uber-contextualize, what's wrong with them? Religion has legitimacy.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

This thread is primarily for atheists but anyone can join in.

You know, I hear atheists all the time saying that the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible. Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough.

Is contextualization in religions a good thing or a bad thing?

If it's a bad thing then you're saying that Abrahamic religions should be more ancient in their approach to things.

If it's a good thing how come you're not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim?

The only reason why the Bible is silent is because you want it to be. Also, there are mainline Christians that uber-contextualize, what's wrong with them? Religion has legitimacy.

To tell you honestly, I don't even know what contextualization is even after looking at the definition in the dictionary.

I left Christianity for a simple reason. God, an disembodied entity, does not exist. Jesus is not god nor is he perfect to be god. That's from bible reading and participation in the Church.

The Bible does not teach me anything I can apply to my life. The language is pure obedience and hierarchy oriented; and, my morals disagree and conflict with that type of relationship. Even with my parents, they didn't have that type of relationship with me. It wasn't servitude nor punishment to death spiritual or literal or otherwise.

I don't follow Judaism for the same reasons excluding the Jesus part. I don't follow Islam because god does not exist.

You'd have to explain more about contextualization. I'm pretty simple.

 

[Skwim]

This thread is primarily for atheists but anyone can join in.

You know, I hear atheists all the time saying that the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible. Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough.

Is contextualization in religions a good thing or a bad thing?

If it's a bad thing then you're saying that Abrahamic religions should be more ancient in their approach to things.

If it's a good thing how come you're not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim?

The only reason why the Bible is silent is because you want it to be. Also, there are mainline Christians that uber-contextualize, what's wrong with them? Religion has legitimacy.

As alluded to by Carlita, the term "contextualization" has different meanings depending on the context. Exactly what do you mean by "contextualized" and "contextualization" when you say:

"Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough." ?​

and

"Is contextualization in religions a good thing or a bad thing" ?​

In any case I have never heard any atheists ever say the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible OR that Christianity isn't contextualized enough. More often than not they will say they aren't Christians because they're not convinced god exists. AND, even if they were convinced a god exists, the god of Christianity is too far fetched to even begin to considering.

.

.​

 

[Deathbydefault]

This thread is primarily for atheists but anyone can join in.

You know, I hear atheists all the time saying that the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible. Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough.

Is contextualization in religions a good thing or a bad thing?

If it's a bad thing then you're saying that Abrahamic religions should be more ancient in their approach to things.

If it's a good thing how come you're not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim?

The only reason why the Bible is silent is because you want it to be. Also, there are mainline Christians that uber-contextualize, what's wrong with them? Religion has legitimacy.

I don't understand what you mean by contextualization, but I can answer your second question.
One of the many reasons I am not one of those religions is because they are all over the place.

Am I supposed to find the interpretation that I agree with or the one that seems to be true?
If I'm just going about with what I like to believe in, I don't need the religion.
If I'm to go by what is likely to be true... Well, I don't agree with it and will always subconsciously reject it.

I don't feel like mindlessly following along with something.
I also don't feel like becoming a follower in something I morally and logically repudiate.

 

[icehorse]

You know, I hear atheists all the time saying that the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible. Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough.

It seems to me that most healthy adults have a good moral compass that arises largely independently of religion. So then contextualization is the act of figuring out how to square religious teachings with what you already knew coming in. Why not simply acknowledge that religion isn't the source of moral knowledge?

 

[RedDragon94]

It seems to me that most healthy adults have a good moral compass that arises largely independently of religion. So then contextualization is the act of figuring out how to square religious teachings with what you already knew coming in. Why not simply acknowledge that religion isn't the source of moral knowledge?

It's not that religion is the source of morality, it's that God gave all humans their moral compass and people go against it. God and religion are not synonymous.

 

[RedDragon94]

Alright let me define contextualization. Contextualization is the interpreting of Scripture for the modern day audience.

For instance, some say that Christianity is not contextualized enough (as in the conservative evangelical stance on homosexuality).
Others say Christianity is too contextualized (such as the liberal stance on homosexuality).

Am I supposed to find the interpretation that I agree with or the one that seems to be true?
If I'm just going about with what I like to believe in, I don't need the religion.

The issue is not preference, the issue is truth. Just go to a church that teaches the truth. We've got 40,000 different takes on it. You're bound to find something that you can say is authentic.

 

[RedDragon94]

As alluded to by Carlita, the term "contextualization" has different meanings depending on the context. Exactly what do you mean by "contextualized" and "contextualization" when you say:

"Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough." ?​

and

"Is contextualization in religions a good thing or a bad thing" ?​

In any case I have never heard any atheists ever say the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible OR that Christianity isn't contextualized enough. More often than not they will say they aren't Christians because they're not convinced god exists. AND, even if they were convinced a god exists, the god of Christianity is too far fetched to even begin to considering.

.

.​

To tell you honestly, I don't even know what contextualization is even after looking at the definition in the dictionary.

I left Christianity for a simple reason. God, an disembodied entity, does not exist. Jesus is not god nor is he perfect to be god. That's from bible reading and participation in the Church.

The Bible does not teach me anything I can apply to my life. The language is pure obedience and hierarchy oriented; and, my morals disagree and conflict with that type of relationship. Even with my parents, they didn't have that type of relationship with me. It wasn't servitude nor punishment to death spiritual or literal or otherwise.

I don't follow Judaism for the same reasons excluding the Jesus part. I don't follow Islam because god does not exist.

You'd have to explain more about contextualization. I'm pretty simple.

Above this post is my definition.

 

[icehorse]

It's not that religion is the source of morality, it's that God gave all humans their moral compass and people go against it. God and religion are not synonymous.

Remember, you started this thread aimed primarily at atheists, so...

Since I don't believe in god, I cannot agree with your claim. IMO religion is man made, and so is god. So we have moral guidance created by people from centuries and millenniums ago, and we know a LOT more about morality now than those people did then. For example, the people who created Abrahamic scripture thought that slavery was morally acceptable.

 

[RedDragon94]

Remember, you started this thread aimed primarily at atheists, so...

Since I don't believe in god, I cannot agree with your claim. IMO religion is man made, and so is god. So we have moral guidance created by people from centuries and millenniums ago, and we know a LOT more about morality now than those people did then. For example, the people who created Abrahamic scripture thought that slavery was morally acceptable.

Did morality arise naturally?

 

[icehorse]

Did morality arise naturally?

Given that I don't believe in god, I have to say that everything arose "naturally", but of course we might have to define exactly what we mean by that. But I guess it's safe to say that IMO, EVERYTHING arose without the help of god.

But this seems like a tangent... ?

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

This thread is primarily for atheists but anyone can join in.

You know, I hear atheists all the time saying that the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible. Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough.

I've never heard this as the reason someone is atheist. Sure, they may make a point now and then about how Christians aren't following a lot of the historical doctrine and "divine word" set forth in The Bible themselves, but that's not a reason they aren't Christian themselves... that's more to get the Christian they are debating with to realize: "Hey - maybe YOU aren't even Christian either, ever think about that one?", because they aren't fully following scriptures that they, themselves laud. It's a sort of hypocrisy, and an idiocy, if I am being honest.

It's not as if I would suddenly become Christian if all Christians started following all of the Bible's directives. That's actually a funny thought.

 

[Deathbydefault]

The issue is not preference, the issue is truth. Just go to a church that teaches the truth. We've got 40,000 different takes on it. You're bound to find something that you can say is authentic.

The only authentic thing is the original text interpreted the way it was preached back when it was created.
If that still exists today, it's hidden away in all those denominations.

Either way, these religions aren't for me.

 

[HonestJoe]

You know, I hear atheists all the time saying that the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible. Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough.

You do? All the time? The reason I'm not Christian is because I don't believe in any gods. It's the reason I'm not Jewish or Muslim too.

It wouldn't matter what teachings might come from any theistic religion, I'm never going to become a member because of that fairly fundamental point. That doesn't mean there aren't some religious teachings (not all that originate from those religions) I think are positive and that I happen to follow in parallel or that there aren't plenty of religious teachings (or practical interpretations of them) I think are bad or even actively harmful and that I speak out against where appropriate.

There seems to be a major disconnect between your question to atheists and the consequences you associate with given answers.

 

[Milton Platt]

This thread is primarily for atheists but anyone can join in.

You know, I hear atheists all the time saying that the reason they aren't Christians is because Christians don't live out all the teachings of the Bible. Others say that Christianity isn't contextualized enough.

Is contextualization in religions a good thing or a bad thing?

If it's a bad thing then you're saying that Abrahamic religions should be more ancient in their approach to things.

If it's a good thing how come you're not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim?

The only reason why the Bible is silent is because you want it to be. Also, there are mainline Christians that uber-contextualize, what's wrong with them? Religion has legitimacy.

Words, whether written or spoken always have a context that they are within. That is why the quote mining we all do (yeah, me too), can distort or even completely change the meaning of what was said.