"Liberal Christian" is an oxymoron!

[monta]

I think it suits some Christian ministers to make their congregations believe you can't be socially liberal and a Christian, forcing them to choose between damnation and their own more moderate beliefs, peer pressure is powerful enough on its' own without adding hellfire into the mix.

 

[ChristineES]

I think it suits some Christian ministers to make their congregations believe you can't be socially liberal and a Christian, forcing them to choose between damnation and their own more moderate beliefs, peer pressure is powerful enough on its' own without adding hellfire into the mix.

Where did you get that? I have been to many Church services with many different preachers and I would say virtually none of them said such a thing.

 

[monta]

Hi ,ChristineEA,can I just ask first , what you meant by virtually none of them mean, none or almost none?

 

[ChristineES]

Hi ,ChristineEA,can I just ask first , what you meant by virtually none of them mean, none or almost none?

almost none. There may have been 1, but I don't think I would have stayed with a Church that said so.

 

[monta]

I did say some, and I in no way meant to tar everyone with the same brush, you may avoid the ones that are instigating this kind of intollerence, but that doesn't mean they are not out there.

Isn't your state quite liberal, and you still have come across this at least once? I am not on the site long enough to post links to the numerous incidents of Christian leaders urging their congregations to boycott gays, muslims, hindus and many other groups, but the stories aren't hard to find.

http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=965

 

[ChristineES]

Isn't your state quite liberal, and you still have come across this at least once? I am not on the site long enough to post links to the numerous incidents of Christian leaders urging their congregations to boycott gays, muslims, hindus and many other groups, but the stories aren't hard to find.

I don't consider myself liberal or conservative. I don't believe that politics and religion mix. I go by Jesus' words. Jesus spoke of mercy and love and not being judgmental, either to your brother or to your neighbors (a neighbor in this sense would be anyone who is not a theist, btw. )

 

[Kathryn]

Christine, I agree with the concept that politics and religion don't mix well. As a Christian, it's hard for me to find any sort of political group that fits my moral values. For instance, I am pro-life. Being pro life for me includes being against the death penalty, as it is applied under our current judicial system (though there may be instances in which the death penalty is justified). And though I am fiscally conservative, I do believe there are social programs that are definitely needed, if we are going to call ourselves a compassionate nation. As for war, I believe it's a necessary evil sometimes - but I just wish our "leaders" would level with us as to the real reasons for combat, instead of making us search and speculate. Though I do think with most wars, there are MANY reasons and they can vary by person or group, with most of the reasons for or against any war having some validity.

That's why I consider myself a political independent. To be honest, I don't see how ANY politician - from school board level on up - can really do their job and adhere to a solid value system at the same time. Seems like hypocricy and selling out are prerequisites for the job.

 

[sojourner]

"Liberal Christianity" may be an oxymoron in the sense that there are many liberal Christians (like the late Robert Funk and the contemporary Spong) who see their faith as a supersessionist imperial castle of truth which all cultures must accept as truth, thus destroying the possibility of the Other. It may also be an oxymoron in the sense that many liberal Christians (like Robert Funk and John Spong) attempt to de-religiousify Christianity and offer only a very Buddhist (without the hard work) airy-fairy hippy living in the first century as an historical Jesus. Yes, these are areas of interest about some expressions of "liberal Christianity", however they are not the only expressions of contemporary scholarly Christianity. Also, these are also two areas in which contemporary fundamentalist Christians also fall under suspision. I have never heard of a fundamentalist Protestant who does not see their faith as the only possible way of being human or any contemporary fundamentalist Protestant Christian who does not see more liturgical, ritualistic, traditional (historical) expressions of faith as superfluous at best or demonic at worst. So some forms of "liberal Christianity" and all(?) forms of fundamentalist Christian expressions of faith are oxymoronic.

Surely Xy is more than the religion that propagates it. I usually trade in cars on newer, more efficient and comfortable models. But that doesn't mean that I'm not a driver.
Funk and Spong are only oxymoronic in the sense that they want to shed old models that no longer work, or that they believe actually work against the spiritual paradigm in question. Sort of like Jesus did. One doesn't put new wine into old wineskins...

 

[gnomon]

Jesus Christ.

Started walking around the countryside preaching, healing the sick, rejected monetary ambitions, denounced the pharisees, denounced the established religious organization of his time, wasn't white, didn't believe in national boundaries, glorified the poor and meek, admonished people to not be violent and took the death penalty for himself to save the eternal souls of everyone including the thief next to him on the cross.

What's the modern, PC depiction of a Christian conservative.

Someone who is patriotic and barely accepts legal immigrants while denouncing illegal immigrants as scum of the Earth no matter their struggle, usually attends ethnic exclusive religious ceremonies, believes that the institution of government should be an extension of their religious beliefs so what's good for them is good for everyone else, loves money (just look at the new prophets of financial success such as Osteen) and the biggest kicker is that while they believe the government should be used to uphold their traditions apparently providing health care to those who cannot afford it is not one of them.

I would say that liberal christian is an oxymoron by certain definitions.

 

[Kathryn]

Religion and politics overlap because government is based on moral values. Law is based on moral values. Most people derive their moral values largely from their religion - or at the least from their upbringing - and I can hardly think of an upbringing that wasn't at least influenced by religion.

Religion shouldn't be a negative concept.

From what I see, it's not the values of most mainstream religions that are skewered - it's the MISUSE, MISAPPLICATION, AND MISTRANSLATION of religious concepts that is at fault.

Human nature is selfish - and selfishness is at the root of just about every wrong that we can perpetrate on another human being. It's also human nature to try to justify our own actions - and the more people we can drag along in our endeavors, the more we feel our actions are justified.

 

[Smoke]

Just like "military intelligence", "Liberal Christian" is an oxymoron!

Others:

Creation Science
Bible Truth
Christian Charity
Compassionate Conservative

 

[J Bryson]

Others:

Creation Science
Bible Truth
Christian Charity
Compassionate Conservative

Admit it, Rick: You walked right into that one.

 

[Apex]

Others:

Creation Science
Bible Truth
Christian Charity
Compassionate Conservative

Add Humble Atheist to the list as well.

 

[gnomon]

I think it's more important to note that liberal christian is not an oxymoron.

 

[Smoke]

Add Humble Atheist to the list as well.

Oh, so sorry, Man Who Knows The Mind Of God. I forgot how strongly you desire humility -- in others, if not in yourself.

 

[Kathryn]

More oxymorons:

Public servant
Grand Imperial Wizard
Ethical politician
Equal Opportunity Employer
Enlightened Liberal
Enlightened Conservative
Progressive Democrat
Progressive Republican
Affirmative Action
Positive Losses
Common Stock as an asset
Negative Revenue
Liberal Thinktank
Political Action
Act naturally
Resident alien
Government organization
Temporary tax increase
Soft Rock
Alone together
British fashion
Peace force

 

[Smoke]

I think it's more important to note that liberal christian is not an oxymoron.

Maybe, but who wants yet another 500-post demonstration of the No True Scotsman fallacy?

 

[Sonic247]

Liberal kind of goes back and forth as far as connotation goes. Just look a t Isaiah 32:5 (kjv)

 

[Magic Man]

Religion and politics overlap because government is based on moral values. Law is based on moral values.

No, it's not. It's based on how to run a successful community. If we let people go around killing others, it would be a big hinderance to the entire community. It has nothing to do with the morality of it. That's why things like same-sex marriage should be allowed because the government shouldn't be setting laws according to anyone's morality.

And judging by your next post, I'm not quite sure you have a full grasp on what an oxymoron is. Several of your examples simply can't fit the definition. Others just don't.

 

[Magic Man]

Add Humble Atheist to the list as well.

Add non-self-righteous LDS to that list as well. See? I can do this, too!