Maybe I don't want to be a Christian any more

[Katzpur]

The older -- and wiser -- I get, and the more I hang out on RF, the more convinced I am that I don't really care whether I'm known as a Christian or not. As a matter of fact, more and more all the time, I'm starting to want to distance myself from people who call themselves "Christians." I'm beginning to understand why non-Christians are so turned off by Christians and by the doctrines they profess. It has taken me a long time to admit this. No one who truly believes in Jesus Christ and worships Him as his Savior and Redeemer wants to be told that He isn't a Christian. That's why we Latter-day Saints get so defensive when we're accused of not being Christians. If we say, "You're wrong. We are Christians," we are forced to defend ourselves against slanderous remarks. If we say, "You're right. We're not Christians," it's as if we have denied everything we stand for.

But who are we really denying it to? I don't need to fall into a man-made category of some kind in order for Jesus Christ to recognize me as His follower. I am just about ready to simply back off and stop trying to be accepted into the club. I don't want to be thought of as a Christian when most of the people who call themselves Christians are so unpleasant and judgmental. I don't want to be associated with them in any way. I'm a Latter-day Saint. I'm a Mormon. I love my Savior with all my heart and believe that when I stand before Him, He will welcome me with open arms, along with my brothers and sisters of all religious (and non-religious) persuasions. Don't even bother referring to me as a Christian (real or fake) any more because I want nothing to do with the Christianity I see all around me.

 

[lunamoth]

:clap:clap:clap

I agree. Defending the 'title' Christian is not worthwhile.

Being a Christian is (and you are one of the best).

 

[Phasmid]

As zenzero says, "Religion: It's just a label".

 

[doppelganger]

Yeah, you were always fighting an unwinnable battle with people who insist that every aspect of your belief and practice must be in accord with theirs or you're in the outsider group. I gave up satisfying anyone's definition of "christianity" or "christian" a long time ago. Welcome to the Heretics Club, Katzpur. We have ice cream socials (so long as you don't mind sacrificing a goat every now and then).

 

[Katzpur]

Yeah, you were always fighting an unwinnable battle with people who insist that every aspect of your belief and practice must be in accord with theirs or you're in the outsider group. I gave up satisfying anyone's definition of "christianity" or "christian" a long time ago. Welcome to the Heretics Club, Katzpur. We have ice cream socials (so long as you don't mind sacrificing a goat every now and then).

Mmmm! I love ice cream! Could I double-check with you before each social just so that I don't get in on one of the goat sacrificing ones?

 

[doppelganger]

I'd love to say yes, but sacrificing goats is a necessary part of being in the Heretic's Club. You wouldn't want to be an apostate heretic, would you?

 

[mickiel]

Don't even bother referring to me as a Christian (real or fake) any more because I want nothing to do with the Christianity I see all around me.

I certainly agree with you, I want nothing to do with the " Title" either. The " Christians" of Jesus time do not ressemble those who have usurped the title now. The doctrines are far different, in fact, I believe those Christians back then were Universalist, I really suspect this more and more.

You know, I think the modernday christians, are really desendants of the Pharisee, they are just Modernday Pharisees.

Peace.

 

[MoonWater]

it would certainly seem so, which makes it ironic as pharisees are the ones jesus spoke most vehemently against.

 

[challupa]

Katzpur I do understand why you say that. I made the same decision many years ago, but that doesn't mean that in my heart I cannot uphold all that is good about all religions and non religions. I don't like labels because I found them to be dividing and exclusive. I wanted to be able to see the good in everyone and didn't want to follow a teaching that excluded people and made it a "us against them" mentality. You have such a beautiful way about you. I respect you and enjoy reading your posts.

 

[mickiel]

it would certainly seem so, which makes it ironic as pharisees are the ones jesus spoke most vehemently against.

Yes, he just didnot like their doctrines. And this is why I do not like christianity, their doctrines, not the people themselves, many of whom are good people. Their doctrines are so full of damnation and seperating people from their true destiny. For example in Matt. 23:13-15, Jesus confronted them and called them hypocrites because their doctrines " Shut off the Kingdom of Heaven from people." What he meant was they were teaching " Limited Atonement", that only certain people could enter heaven, mainly themselves. This was the birth of " Religious Cliques" or groups of people who believe that " They are the chosen ones", special and annointed, and if you were not in their group, of course you were doomed.

Its kind of funny to me, because Jesus was so mad at them, he said in vs. 15, that they made others " Twice the sons of hell as they themselves were", meaning they taught this weird hell damnation.

Peace.

 

[sojourner]

Yeah, you were always fighting an unwinnable battle with people who insist that every aspect of your belief and practice must be in accord with theirs or you're in the outsider group. I gave up satisfying anyone's definition of "christianity" or "christian" a long time ago. Welcome to the Heretics Club, Katzpur. We have ice cream socials (so long as you don't mind sacrificing a goat every now and then).

There's also the D.A.M.*. Church (Disgruntled Anglicans Making Nice. Comes in real handy when informing everyone that the D.A.M.*. bishop is going to visit, or the D.A.M.*. toilet is broken again.)

Not only do we have ice cream socials, we have those D.A.M.*. ice cream socials...and none of those D.A.M.*. animal sacrifices that make your hair smell like a bad tailgate party at the D.A.M.*. football game.
Join us.
Be one of us...

 

[ChristineES]

Just as long as you know yourself as a Christian, a follower of Jesus (or Y'shua) and God sees you as a Christian, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

 

[themadhair]

With the possible exception of Buddhist, is their any religion/non-religion that doesn’t generate an immediate negative connotation in a large audience?

 

[McBell]

With the possible exception of Buddhist, is their any religion/non-religion that doesn’t generate an immediate negative connotation in a large audience?

Depends entirely upon the audience.

 

[ChristineES]

I am not sure why, but too many folks want to be special. If they are in a denomination, they want to be "the one that is right". Even atheists fall into the trap of wanting to always be right. The problem with it is this: exclusion.
Katzpur and other LDS members are constantly told they are not truly Christians- which is a shame since she and the others are really very nice, kind people- and I believe that Jesus wants us to be kind, nice people. If they are such a good example, then I don't understand why people say things like that. It is mean.

 

[challupa]

I am not sure why, but too many folks want to be special. If they are in a denomination, they want to be "the one that is right". Even atheists fall into the trap of wanting to always be right. The problem with it is this: exclusion.
Katzpur and other LDS members are constantly told they are not truly Christians- which is a shame since she and the others are really very nice, kind people- and I believe that Jesus wants us to be kind, nice people. If they are such a good example, then I don't understand why people say things like that. It is mean.

Which is really why I don't like labels. I don't have to defend myself because I'm not anything in particular. I can therefore concentrate on just being nice

Kidding aside, I think it's a shame when a group of people who believe in the same saviour cannot recognize each other to be Christian regardless of denomination.

 

[Apex]

Actually, I am no where near as annoyed with constantly being told I am not a Christian as I am annoyed with constantly being told I am "delusional" for being religious. I stopped caring if other people considered me a Christian or not a while ago.

 

[McBell]

I am not sure why, but too many folks want to be special. If they are in a denomination, they want to be "the one that is right". Even atheists fall into the trap of wanting to always be right. The problem with it is this: exclusion.
Katzpur and other LDS members are constantly told they are not truly Christians- which is a shame since she and the others are really very nice, kind people- and I believe that Jesus wants us to be kind, nice people. If they are such a good example, then I don't understand why people say things like that. It is mean.

Seems to me that far to many people cling to the idea that what they believe is true until it is proven wrong.
That they do not have to prove their beliefs true, others have to prove their beliefs wrong.

Now since these people tend to ALSO have the attitude that anything different from their own views is automatically wrong...

Now add that religious beliefs cannot be proven either way... ... ...

 

[invisible chzbrgr]

Frubals for the beautiful expression of your thoughts, katzpur.


P.S. I usually try to take people at their word, that they are what they say they are

 

[ChristineES]

Actually, I am no where near as annoyed with constantly being told I am not a Christian as I am annoyed with constantly being told I am "delusional" for being religious. I stopped caring if other people considered me a Christian or not a while ago.

That is annoying, isn't it? But all those threads I don't usually respond in. And when I do look through them, most of the people participating are atheists, anyway.
If they want to think of us as delusional, that is their prerogative. But I am still a bit annoyed, as I said.