Meghan Mitsumi
(?)Community Member
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- Posted: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 17:18:28 +0000
The Chaplain posted this a while back, but I believe it bears a re-posting:
What do you all make of this? Ananel uses the term 'unorthodox Christian,' and I rather like that particular descriptor.
However, many others believe that it is not specific enough.
Gendou
If you believe the Bible to be the Inspired Word of God . . . what does that make you? Particularly if you don't subscribe to many of the 'traditional' beliefs of your faith?
For example, I believe the canonical, 66 book Bible is the inspired, literal, uncontradictory Word of God. This, normally, would identify me as a conservative Protestant, possibly even a Fundamentalist.
However, I do not believe that homosexual orientation or behavior is a sin. Nor do I believe that evolution is contradictory to what is written in the scriptures. I also consider my study and practice of Zen to be an integral part of my faith.
In the process of studying my faith, I study other faiths and beliefs as well, in an attempt to better understand why I believe what I believe. I believe that only by understanding where others stand can we know for certain where we stand.
I believe that what I believe is absolutely true, but I also understand it to be a matter of faith and not something that can be explained rationally or logically. However, I do take exception to those who patronize or insult me because I believe, particularly those who feel that I am somehow 'compromised' intellectually or rationally because of my faith. I value my intellect, my logic, my scholarly outlook - and to have someone attempt to marginalize that because I also happen to believe in God is insulting in the extreme.
Similarly, I also consider it an insult when people group all Christians together as fundies - it's particularly insulting when they mock those who hold the belief in the Bible as the Word of God. It's a slap in the face to be told that because one believes a certain way, they are no better than the Reverend Phelps or Pat Robertson.
As I've mentioned elsewhere, it's clear that the term 'fundamentalism' has been hijacked in an attempt to marginalize certain Christian beliefs. However, with that term gone, what term is there to describe me?
'Fundamentalist,' clearly, is out.
Just plain 'Christian' doesn't really work - that covers everyone from the Reverend Phelps to Desmond Tutu.
I've used 'Biblical Foundationalist' in the past, as well as 'Zen Christian' - however, both terms tend to raise more questions than they answer, and the point of such a term is to define oneself in a simple manner.
This is a question that has plagued me for as long as I've been a member of Gaia - and even longer, to be perfectly honest.
It's not a question I expect to be answered on this forum, all things considered. But I thought it might provide an opening for discussion of what Christianity is today, and perhaps even help any other 'disenfranchised' Christians on Gaia know that they aren't exactly alone out there.
For example, I believe the canonical, 66 book Bible is the inspired, literal, uncontradictory Word of God. This, normally, would identify me as a conservative Protestant, possibly even a Fundamentalist.
However, I do not believe that homosexual orientation or behavior is a sin. Nor do I believe that evolution is contradictory to what is written in the scriptures. I also consider my study and practice of Zen to be an integral part of my faith.
In the process of studying my faith, I study other faiths and beliefs as well, in an attempt to better understand why I believe what I believe. I believe that only by understanding where others stand can we know for certain where we stand.
I believe that what I believe is absolutely true, but I also understand it to be a matter of faith and not something that can be explained rationally or logically. However, I do take exception to those who patronize or insult me because I believe, particularly those who feel that I am somehow 'compromised' intellectually or rationally because of my faith. I value my intellect, my logic, my scholarly outlook - and to have someone attempt to marginalize that because I also happen to believe in God is insulting in the extreme.
Similarly, I also consider it an insult when people group all Christians together as fundies - it's particularly insulting when they mock those who hold the belief in the Bible as the Word of God. It's a slap in the face to be told that because one believes a certain way, they are no better than the Reverend Phelps or Pat Robertson.
As I've mentioned elsewhere, it's clear that the term 'fundamentalism' has been hijacked in an attempt to marginalize certain Christian beliefs. However, with that term gone, what term is there to describe me?
'Fundamentalist,' clearly, is out.
Just plain 'Christian' doesn't really work - that covers everyone from the Reverend Phelps to Desmond Tutu.
I've used 'Biblical Foundationalist' in the past, as well as 'Zen Christian' - however, both terms tend to raise more questions than they answer, and the point of such a term is to define oneself in a simple manner.
This is a question that has plagued me for as long as I've been a member of Gaia - and even longer, to be perfectly honest.
It's not a question I expect to be answered on this forum, all things considered. But I thought it might provide an opening for discussion of what Christianity is today, and perhaps even help any other 'disenfranchised' Christians on Gaia know that they aren't exactly alone out there.
What do you all make of this? Ananel uses the term 'unorthodox Christian,' and I rather like that particular descriptor.
However, many others believe that it is not specific enough.
