"Christian"

[Proud liberal 80]

When I surf Twitter and I read something where someone is being a Republican asshole, I click on their profile and they always list themselves as “Christian” or “follower of Christ”....but when you scroll their comments everything is hateful and evil

[KT2000]

1. A lot of people consider being

Christian makes them God - everything they do is holy, including hurting others.

[wnylib]

22. For some people, religion is an excuse

to elevate their worst natures "in the name of God." I've noticed that there are people like that in other religions, too, besides Christianity.

I've also noticed that many people think it is bigoted to make sweeping derogatory comments about Jews and Muslims, but ok to do it about Christianity. I wonder why the double standard, especially here on DU where bigotry toward anyone is supposedly not accepted.

People who would not accuse all Muslims of being terrorists just because some Muslim fanatics are, think nothing of accusing all Christians of being filled with hate, ignorance, misogyny, etc.

And yet, some of our greatest Democratic leaders have been and are devout Christians. Joseph Biden comes to mind, as well as Jimmy Carter and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

[SharonAnn]

27. If going to church makes you Christian, then standing in the garage makes you a car?

[LakeArenal]

2. They can spew all the hate so long as they "repent" five minutes before they die.

[Celerity]

3. white power baby jeebus followers are fucking dogshit

[TheBlackAdder]

44. Add: My mom married a 90yo man at 12 1/2, God raped her to get me. The old guy sexed her at 14 1/2.

.

They had more kids.

.

[stopbush]

4. Christianity is no bargain.

Anti-woman, anti-science, anti-reason. That’s what the Buy-bull and Jeebuz expound.

It’s time we examined Xianity for what it is when shorn of Enlightenment ideals that are imposed on the horror that is the Buy-bull in an attempt to make its hatreds palpable to our age.

[wnylib]

17. Sounds like the kind of comment

that you could find on a RW forum site, directed at Jews and Muslims instead of at Christians.

[GulfCoast66]

39. Hardly. I grew up evangelical. I'm now a free thinker.

DU has a much higher percentage of atheists and non believers than the general population.

Many of us despite all religious people that try to enforce their beliefs on others. Christian, Muslims, Jewish, Hindu etc. You get the picture. In this country it happens to be Christians that want to dictate how others live.

Now there is definitely ongoing tension here when Muslims are critiqued since they are seen as a minority group in the US. Many of us who detest their religious tenants do indeed have to walk on egg shells unlike when when we criticize Christian tenets. But no internet site is perfect.

Like most here the majority of my friends are Christian. But they believe in the Bible Jesus, not the Republican Jesus. I’m not friends with followers of republican Jesus.

I think it is all just silly superstition but what do I know.

BTW I am not an atheist. They believe there is no god. I can’t prove their is one anymore than I cannot prove there is not. This my freethinker self label.

Have a nice evening.

[wnylib]

40. You said that "Many of us despite (sic)

all religious people that try to enforce their beliefs on others." (I presume you meant "despise" and that "despite" was a typo.)

I don't despise people who try to enforce their beliefs on others, but I do strongly object to it and dislike people who persist. That applies to atheists and agnostics, too, who mock and verbally attack people for their beliefs. It comes across as trying to enforce their views on religious people, sometimes with the same fanatical zeal that evangelicals use.

I belong to a Protestant Christian denomination. I have no interest in forcing my beliefs on others. Neither do I have any interest in being "converted" to atheism or agnosticism by zealots who feel the need to attack religions. Usually anti religion zealots turn out to be adults who are still angry about the religion they were raised in and have not yet resolved their childhood religion issues. I have a great deal of respect for atheists and agnostics and their right to their views. I expect respect in return for my rights.

I am not an apologist for RW religion, either. I abhor what they do and say in the name of a religion that they claim but do not live up to. But I do not paint all Christians or all religion with the same brush.

I've been the gamut on religion myself. For a few years in my childhood, my family went to a church that was a narrow, literalist branch of a mainstream denomination. They switched to the main liberal branch and it felt to me like escaping a ghetto of the mind. There was social activism (without proselytizing) and a depth of sincerity at the new church. But as an adult, I could not literally believe the basic Trinity tenets. I took an agnostic view for many years. I had to sort what I was taught from what I thought and felt. In the end, I still do not accept religion on a literal basis. I take it metaphorically as an expression of spirituality, and a place for moral guidance, shared values, and living those values. It does not bother me in the least that other people have other spiritual paths - or none.

Religion bashing on DU puts Democrats in a bad light. Many Democrats of all races and ethnicities are religious, including our current President Elect. Many of our present and past great Democratic Party leaders are/have been religious. A lot of people read DU besides regular posters. Can we afford to turn them off and make them feel unwelcome? Especially now when we have such a crucial vote coming up in Georgia, a Bible Belt state?

There's plenty to criticize about the RW blend of religion and politics. But bashing all religions across the board is better suited to the atheist forum.

[summer_in_TX]

33. Hold up there.

Christianity came about before science was developed during the Age of Enlightenment. So anti-science? (No doubt some were later during the emergence of science, but change is hard.

While emerging from a patriarchal society, much of Jesus's actions show someone who elevated women's status. His male followers often seemed to be more influenced by the culture than by Jesus in how they perceived women in their culture. Christianity has some "followers" who seem more focused on the Old Testament than on Jesus's teaching.

I haven't found it anti-reason. My faith tradition evaluates on the basis of scripture, experience, tradition, and reason. We Methodists don't check check our brains at the door.

There are plenty of loud bible thumpers, but they don't seem to be trying to live up to what Jesus told them to do: love, feed, clothe, visit, welcome, share, tend, heal. They're all focused on the Old Testament, sin and judgment. They claim to be Christians but defame the character of Jesus.

[stopbush]

38. Jesus elevating women:

Matthew 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

Oh, so according to Jesus, the woman is the equal of a dog. Got it!

Of course, that was only after her totally ignored her, and then told her she wasn’t the right type of person for him to bother about.

[summer_in_TX]

42. Plenty to disagree with and dislike.

But also much to agree with and believe that if we do THAT, we'll have a better world.

I don't know why that disturbing story is in there, unless it is to show that he had preconceptions he had to overcome. I'm glad that her persistence got Jesus' attention and moved him to action to heal her daughter. It doesn't look great, but he moved to do the healing (loving) thing.

Remember other times and teaching though. He stopped the stoning of the woman caught in adultery and did not judge her. He included Mary in the group he was teaching. He asked for water from the woman rejected by the village for promiscuity and talked with her (accepting her). He told us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, tend the sick, welcome the stranger, do unto others as we would have others do unto us, and love our neighbor as ourselves. And who is our neighbor, he was asked? His answer was the story of the Levi and priest who walked by on the other side, and the Samaritan (a person of another ethnicity) who showed God's kindness and mercy to the man who'd been beaten unconscious. Clearly our neighbor isn't just those in our own tribe, race, nation, our neighbor is everyone. I once looked for all the bad, but found so much good.

[stopbush]

43. Yes, once the Caananite woman debased herself and groveled at the feet of the

megalomaniac, he deigned to help her daughter. What kind of monster from ANY age subjects a mother terrified for the life of her daughter to such an ordeal?

Now, I’m sure the author of that particular chapter in the life and times of the fictional Jesus thought the story reflected well on its subject. How, I certainly don’t know. But it’s telling.

And of course, beyond this example of Jesus telling the woman he came to help the Jews, not her, there’s his statements that no one comes to the heavenly father lest they confess the megalomaniac as their personal savior. So much for ecumenicalism. So much for exemplary human behavior being of any worth to Jesus or his god. Jesus says you’re going to burn in hellfire for eternity if you don’t confess him as savior. Even the OT didn’t consign the enemies of god to such a fate.

Such a loathsome figure. I’m always amazed at how he continues to be held up as an example of what’s good about humanity and religion.

[Walleye]

5. Love your neighbor as yourself? Must be a lot of self-loathing in their church

[Maraya1969]

24. My pastor brother and sil taught their children that they are born sinful and

the only salvation for them is Jesus.

I think that is a horrible thing to teach kids.

[Walleye]

25. No wonder there are so many screwed up adults

I grew up in the Methodist Church in the 50s and in Sunday school we sang “Jesus loves the little children of the world. Red and yellow black and white they are precious in his sight. “ Of course they didn’t always practice what they preach. But at least they taught it to us.

[Blue Owl]

6. Must be those Old Testament types

[LuvNewcastle]

7. The meaning of that word has become almost completely subjective.

Maybe it always was. I always thought that Christians are best when they show their faith in their actions rather than with their words. But the ones who say they're Christians the loudest show their faith in often opposite ways to the quiet ones. So which ones are the real Christians? I throw up my hands and say that the word "Christian" doesn't mean anything objectively.

[HariSeldon]

15. Good old St. Francis of Assisi

"Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words."

[TomSlick]

8. Calling yourself a Christian - or even thinking you are - does not make it so.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21 (NIV)

[Major Nikon]

19. No true Scotsman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman

[TomSlick]

30. The "No True Scotsman" fallacy is inapplicable.

Someone is or is not a Scot by birth irrespective of what they do. A person is or is not a Christian not by birth but by choice. If a Scot fails to live up to the standards of a "true Scotsman," they are nevertheless a Scot. The choice to be Christian carries with it the choice to strive to live up to Christ's teachings.

It is logical that Jesus is the best authority for what it means to be a Christian. Jesus was rather clear that not everyone who claims his name is a Christian. Jesus made it clear that those who do not follow, or at least try to follow, his teachings are not Christian.

Jesus told us how to know if someone is a Christian, "By their fruits you will recognize them." Matthew 7:20

[Major Nikon]

36. You keep throwing up your own standard of what it means to be a Christian

Matthew 7:20 was a warning against false prophets, not rank in file adherents.

Not only do most of those who call themselves Christian not share your standard, if you are using bible verses as proof of your assertion I can just as easily throw up the one Christians plaster all over everything as if it were some kind of slogan which states the only entrance exam is belief in Jesus.

As far as Jesus being the authority on the subject, you should know Jesus himself wasn't a Christian. He was a Jewish rabbi who made it quite clear he wasn't changing Mosaic law. Paul (who never so much as met Jesus), subsequently changed Mosaic law to allow rich Romans and Greeks to join the club because it brought in a shitton of more money to the cause without which Christianity wouldn't exist today. So whatever standard Jesus set was already being heavily modified from the first century onward.

Just like you have done, Christians are free to interpret scripture any way they like, and the hundreds of different denominations and/or variations of denominations stands as proof this is so. Each one is convinced the others aren't doing it right. The only thing consistent about Christianity is its inconsistency.

[Golden Raisin]

9. I refer to them as lower case christians.

They are so smug, opinionated and self-righteous in their assumption that THEIR religion and beliefs trumps (no pun intended) all others and provides them with some sort of elite precedence among citizens and other faiths. Just on a cursory review of the New Testament I suspect Christ, were he to return today, would be horrified and we'd be seeing a lot of tossing out of the Temple accompanied by lots of thunder, lightning and brimstone.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

13. Christian Exceptioalism

[DEbluedude]

14. I believe we'd be horrified because...

they would be tripping over each other to see who could be the first to crucify him.

[Mariana]

10. Christians don't behave any better than non-Christians, as a rule.

Especially when they have political power they can wield over others. History has shown us that very clearly indeed.

[Major Nikon]

23. Arguably worse

The belief they are going to the conveniently unverifiable paradise presents them with an instant feeling of superiority over others they deem not worthy. You can even see this among their fellow believers as they point fingers over others they think aren't doing it right.

[T Ruth Phairy]

11. Scowls

Likewise, when you encounter someone seriously miserable, there is a high likelihood they are a Christian.

Their 'blood and death-obsessed cult' makes living unbearable to them.

"...ye shall know them by their scowls..."

[Newest Reality]

12. McChristians also feel a NEED to be persecuted since the tradition suggests it.

[Marcuse]

16. Spin won't save.

[onecaliberal]

18. There is zero evidence to convict them of Christianity.

[Maraya1969]

20. Some of those "Christians" are the meanest people you will ever meet.

My SIL has 4 sisters and one of them is very obviously gay. And she is best friends for many years with another women who is obviously gay.
But when I mentioned it once, not thinking it was anything, my SIL got very mad and said that her sister believed that marriage was between ONE man and ONE woman and she is not gay and blah blah blah.

And this woman has posted the nastiest shit about Nancy Pelosi, Biden and any other Democrat. Then they say they are "followers of Christ"

Bullshit. Jesus Christ was a man of love and that was his greatest teaching.

The fact that these people grab onto a theology from 500 years ago from the rabid anti-Semite Martin Luther that only depends on a belief that Jesus is your savior and that's all you need says a lot about how much they are willing to actually be like Jesus taught people to be like.

[malchickiwick]

21. It's part of a tradition that goes back at least to Irenaeus, 2nd Century.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irenaeus

[bringthePaine]

26. ha take away their tax exemptions and see how much it actually means to them

[jalan48]

28. Magical thinking can make anyone what they want to be.

[DanieRains]

29. Republicans Are A Disease

And evil.....

[rockfordfile]

31. It's the same for that pos In-N-Out Burger. The owners maxed out to trump

boycott that pos company.

[Progressive Jones]

32. Pseudo-Christians. There are parts of this country where

a "Jesus Fish" decal on your car makes you "special". For politicians, waving the "Christian" flag gets votes.

[IsItJustMe]

34. You can say you are anything

Talk is cheap. Don't make it so.

[Caliman73]

35. Are you surprised?

Christianity consists of religious sects that have split up based on policy and belief since almost immediately after Christ died (if you even believe that he existed). The Early Church was split up between the regional synods with their bishops often battling each other at Councils, literally battling (like with weapons). The Eastern Church split from the Roman Catholic Church. The Protestant Churches (Lutheran & Anglican) split from the Roman Catholic Church, then started splitting off from each other to the point where there are several dozen main line Protestant Churches and thousands of offshoots and other non-denominational assemblies. Not to mention the Mormons and other churches like Jeohova's Witnesses that formed in the US that claim to be Christian but have been seen as "fringe".

The Bible, which has dozens of "editions" and revisions, and translations where some have certain books and others have different ones, all of which are claimed to be "the one true book", are easily interpreted to support whatever you want it to, like slavery, like war, like anti-abortion even though the only thing the Bible mentions about abortion is how to effectively give an abortion to your slave girl.

Point is, that "Christian" can mean anything people want it to mean and has been used to justify cruelty since its early foundations.

There certainly are people who are Christian, who follow certain tenets, like the Franciscan (St. Francis of Assisi) focus on social justice. There are people like the Quakers who were all about brotherhood and sisterhood (instrumental in the abolitionist movement). There are people out there who really try to be an ambassador for Christianity by trying to love their enemy and provide for "the least among us", but like I said, a lot of people use any and every religion to justify being an asshole.

[IsItJustMe]

45. Like anything else

there is good and bad in all of it.

[Bettie]

37. That is what being an "American Evangelical Christian" (right wing version) is these days

they don't follow their purported holy book. Heck, half of them don't even know what it actually says.

Their reward for giving until it hurts is that they get to feel good about hating people who aren't just like them.

The real joke is that the "churches" the flocks give their money to? All about their true god: The Almighty Dollar.

Are there exceptions? Preachers who aren't self-serving and horrible? Yes, but they are rare as hen's teeth as my grandmother used to say.

Hate is what keeps those flocks pacified; they don't have to think about anything but who they hate. Apparently, hating others is cathartic and that sense of moral superiority is the best drug there is.

The joke though, on all of them, is that their "Spiritual leaders" hold them in utter contempt.

***NOTE: I have had multiple very, very bad experiences with religious leaders/organizations. I truly believe that organized religion is the single most corrosive element in our society, based on my personal experiences and those of people I know.

[roamer65]

41. Fake Christians.

They only believe in a Republican Jesus.

[Silent3]

46. No need for the scare quotes

Being Christian doesn't mean you're a good person. Real Christians can be terrible people. As far as I'm concerned, people are good people in spite of their professed religion, not because of it.

[Proud liberal 80]

47. True

I guess my point is that they think by labeling themselves Christian that it makes them good people.