- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Interesting article My Take: Why I support Anne Rice but am still a Christian
By: Brian McLaren, a pastor and speaker, is author of “A New Kind of Christianity.”
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/02/my-take-why-i-support-anne-rice-but-am-still-a-christian/ “She has concluded that she will never truly belong to the “quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group” known as Christians unless she becomes “anti-gay … anti-feminist … anti-artificial birth control … anti-Democrat … anti-secular humanism … anti-science … anti-life.”That cost of membership simply isn’t worth it. So she’s opting out.”
Anne explains that, “My faith in Christ is central to my life.” She is still “an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God.” “But,” she says, “following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become.”
And so, she concludes, “In the name of Christ… I quit Christianity and being Christian
Yeah, once again, one sided rubbish. The official LDS line is like this, but the simple fact is many LDS aren’t. This one isn’t.
When were churches anti-science? I know many that are not.
Anti-Democrat? Has she ever heard of the Christian left? Or even the Christian socialist movement? My problem with the Democrat party in the USA is that it’s too
right wing!!! There are churches run by lesbians, even ones that pray to God as a female.
So to tar them all with the same brush is rubbish.
It was a very nice and balanced blog article. Thanks for linking it. I say good for her! When someone is anti-something, they are opposed to their individual view of ___________ (fill in the blank). An atheist is most often someone who is opposed to their former expectations, assumptions and view of God. So … Anne Rice leaving declaring that she is leaving Christianity is a statement on her no longer believing the specifics of her very personal experience of what she thought was the definition of “Christianity.” Her anti declaration isn’t the absolute and universal definition of what Christians are. In fact, she said she still believes in Jesus Christ and her conversion experience. She just no longer believes in the specific expressions of that in other people she was associating with as “Christians.” I see it more as an abandonment of her associations than the religion of Christianity. This somewhat reminds me of the latest survey in the Pew Forum that showed an increase in people who consider themselves spiritual but unaffiliated. I can see how one could believe in Christ but is finished with organized religion and the group think that comes with it (even though you can still individuate amongst your community.) It is much like my view on politics. I like people and some individual candidates I know, but you wont get me to join their political party. I agree with Brian, it’s mostly about her discarding her old personal ideas – which can be a healthy activity as long as respect is given to others where due, and as long as one absolutist notion isn’t simply traded for the flipside absolutist notion. Quote:I can see how one could believe in Christ but is finished with organized religion
Hmm… I don’t know how much I buy all of the complaints about organized religion. Yes, we know there have been problems, but people supposedly leave it, and end up following a kind of organized set up of one kind or another, afterwards. A bit like how all the New Agers think that they’ve made up their minds independently, yet seem to have a surprisingly coherent belief system. Or how people who claim to be anarchistic in one form or another invariably end up wearing some kind of uniform e.g. punks.
What I am trying to say is that it is amazing how many people think that they’ve thought of something by themselves, when the thinking has in fact been done for them.
humanist wrote:“She has concluded that she will never truly belong to the “quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group” known as Christians unless she becomes “anti-gay … anti-feminist … anti-artificial birth control … anti-Democrat … anti-secular humanism … anti-science … anti-life.”…she says, “following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become.”…And so, she concludes, “In the name of Christ… I quit Christianity and being Christian
Maybe stereotypes and dramatic overreactions are good for selling books but I’m not so sure that they are quite as worthwhile when dealing with people in the real world. Christianity is not the same thing as the Catholic Church, Southern Baptist Convention, etc. much less does it have that much to do with the bad behavior of some of the most obnoxious followers of some of these organized religions. Christianity is simply belief in Christ and his teachings.
I can’t imagine much good coming out of a few malcontents throwing a hissy fit about other people’s beliefs. Why not just say that you don’t agree with some of the ideas that many Christians, Mormons, etc. are preaching rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater and basically condemning all Christians based on guilt by association? You can play that game with any philosophy and find some bad examples to use as an excuse to try to condemn everyone that believes one thing or another.
Well said, DA.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.