Christians are held to a higher standard.

[beam me up scottie]

I heard this statement yesterday on NPR.
It seems to be a popular opinion and I would like to know how many on DU agree.

[dogman]

1. Those who evangelize should be.

Talk the talk, walk the walk.

[Flabbergasted]

2. I'd say christians can be held to a lower standard

Compare Bush with Clinton. One Evangelical, one Traditional. Bush is given every benefit of the doubt for every sin he has committed which are so numerous to be mentioned in a single essay. Clinton on the other hand less proffesed of a christian was judged to be incredible immoral even today for far smaller sins.

[trotsky]

5. Well put.

Just what I was thinking, but far more effectively expressed.

[Appalachian_American]

7. Sort of continuing this observation...

I have an evangelical friend who believes if bush declares himself a Christian, then that's good enough for her. Clinton, however, is scoffed at and presumed to be a Christian for politics only.

[argyl]

8. Well put. This summer I went to Seattle to say my goodbyes to a lifelong

friend who was dying of lung cancer. His older sister,who I have always thought a lot of but hadn't seen in a number of years,was there.

She talked of her faith and I could see that it meant a lot to her and comforted her. I'm an agnostic but I can admire someone who combines faith with works and she devoted time to ministering to those in need,was not obsessed with,or even especially concerned with material goods.

I was moved enough to ask her what she thought of a man who professed to follow her faith but attacked a country using lies and deceit as justification and killed innocents as opposed to one who had consensual sex outside of marriage.I was disapointed to hear her say that Bill Clinton was a deeply corrupt and immoral man while having no opinion on the deceits and sins of George Bush.

I do know a number of liberal Baptists(no oxymoron,these good people have left the Southern Baptists and belong to the Baptist denomination) in this area who despise Bush for the despicable actions of this administration so Bush doesn't get a pass from all Christians.

I still find it awfully hard to reconcile this inability to see what an evil little SOB Bush is with so many people who do have good hearts.

[Wilms]

3. All will be forgiven if you accept...

...the Republican Party as your Saviour.

[ikojo]

4. Those who walk around saying "praise the lord" at every

chance and who say "Jesus this and Jesus that" put themselves out there to be judged. When they judge others and claim moral superiority because they worship Jesus then they set themselves up.

[xchrom]

6. christain exceptionalism is as smelly as

american exceptionalism.

and in this country they go hand in hand.

and i am a christian.

[beam me up scottie]

9. Would those that agree have a problem

if the statement instead read "White people are held to a higher standard." ?

[More Than A Feeling]

10. self-delete

[WoodrowFan]

11. not sure I understand the question

held to a higher standard by WHO? Personally I tend to distrust anyone who tells me that they hold themselves to a higher moral standard.

[beam me up scottie]

13. Some christians claim they are held to a higher moral standard

because they're christian.

In other words, they claim moral superiority to non-christians.

[WoodrowFan]

15. I'm too Calvinist....

We think EVERYBODY is corrupted by sin, and that nobody is rightious, believer or no.

[beam me up scottie]

16. Well, see?

THAT'S fair!

I agree with christians who believe that you should be judged by your deeds, not your label.

[Crunchy Frog]

12. I think that they should be, since they claim as their Lord and Savior

a man who laid out a very strong set of ethical precepts that go way beyond the conventional rules such as are contained in the Ten Commandments. The ethical precepts of the man they claim to follow involve giving everything that you have to help others, doing whatever you can for the less fortunate, forgiving unconditionally those who harm you, not being judgemental towards others for their weaknesses, not striving after your own gain, and not ostentatiously displaying your own religious committment, but rather, acting on it in the way you treat others.

I could never be a Christian myself because I wouldn't have what it takes to live my life as a Christian should, and I feel that it would be dishonest of me to call myself that which I was not.

In practice, I think it's clear that Christians are held to, and many of them hold themselves to, much lower standards then the rest of us. The RW Repuke Christians get a pass on everything since they are "forgiven" due to being Christian. They seem to feel that anything goes because they are already "forgiven". That's why * gets a pass on his boozing, and coke-snorting, and lying, and killing, and corruption, and helping the wealthy at the expense of the poor; even his filthy language and use of the middle finger get a pass. It's why Pat Robertson gets a pass for calling for political assissinations. It's why all of those ostentatiously religious RWers get a pass for all the child molestations and affairs and corruption scandals. As long as you go around talking about being "saved", people don't seem to give fuck how you actually behave.

The notion that they are held to a higher standard is one that is heavily promoted by the Republican propaganda outlets...er, I mean the "liberal" media like NPR. Like most of the stuff that they pedal, this notion has little to no basis in real life.

[beam me up scottie]

14. I don't believe any person is morally superior because of their religion.

Actually, I heard that quote in an interview in a piece NPR did about Ralph Reed.

They did a fairly decent job pointing out the inherent intolerance.

[MemphisTiger]

17. Held to a higher standard? By who?

If you mean by other people then yes, especially if you talk about being a Christian alot. However, I think God has the same standards for all of us.

[beam me up scottie]

18. By themselves.

Some seem to believe that their morals are superior to those of non-christians.

The morals of lowly non-christians just can't compare.

To me, that's no different than saying white people are held to a higher moral standard.

Religion has nothing to do with morality.

To me, it's just a label.

[MemphisTiger]

19. Some do believe that they are superior

I personally don't feel that way as a Christian. I don't agree with the ethics of some people christian and non-christian. I would say that christians do hold themselves to a higher standard, if for no other reason, we attend a weekly group therapy meeting for lack of a better term. There is the time in church where you're accountable. I would agree that morals of Christians are not necessarily better than that of nonbelievers by looking at the divorce stats for christians versus nonchristions. They are the same or higher slightly. Many are talking the talk but not walking the walk. Or could it be that nonchristians are simply cohabitating and when a split occurs there is no divorce needed so one less for the books?

[raccoon]

22. Yes, and if they're "saved" and you're not, they believe that

means they're superior to you.

[MemphisTiger]

23. "some" may believe that, but I certainly don't

I think they should be a Christian, but it's their choice not to be. I don't feel the need to push my beliefs on a group of people. Some don't feel the same as I do.

[toddaa]

20. Standard what?

Even within the Christian community, there are so many conflicting standards, it's hard to keep track of who the real Christians are and who are the heretics.

[FM Arouet666]

21. Standard what standard? We don't need no stinking standard. GOP

Chimp declares himself a reborn xtian and all is forgiven. Go to war on a lie, make up a reason latter, hold prisoners without trial, spy on U.S citizens, support torture, who the hell give a flying F%$#. He is a gentle man of gawd, we forgive his excesses. After all, a follower of jesus would never do us harm!

Fucking wake up America, just because someone says they believe in your gawd does not mean they truly believe. Ever THINK that someone might LIE about faith just to get elected. WOW, what a thought.

Christians are held to a much LOWER standard. You say 'I love Jesus, he died for my sins, I have a personal relationship with the lord" and BINGO you can be found in bed with a dead girl or a live boy and all is forgiven. A democrat, or GASP, an atheist found in similar circumstances will be crucified as a heathen, the origin of all that is wrong with society.

[MemphisTiger]

24. His fans may forgive him, but it's not the voters

forgiveness he needs. He'll get his eventually when he has to be judged by our maker. Nobody ever gets away with anything. However, sin is sin and no sin is worse than any other. If he honestly repents for his sins, he can be forgiven in the eyes of God. However, it's not as simple as just saying you're sorry because you want to get into heaven. You have to be honestly sorry for what you have done. We are all sinners. I pray for the man that he will repent for his sins before it's too late.

[Nikia]

25. We are judged by our own beliefs and moral standards

Some religions, such as Orthodox Judiasm, do prescribe higher standards for members than non members. Other religions have religious orders where members of the order are held to higher standards than non members. Individuals may have strong beliefs in which they condemn themselves and others, who hold the same beliefs, for certain activities but do not condemn those who don't have that belief.
Ultimately, we are judged by our own conscience. Personally, I think that we are all better off if Fundamentalist Christians hold themselves to higher standards. For example, if they think that it is a sin to get an abortion, they shouldn't get one, but they shouldn't prevent others from getting one.