Culture of Christians?

High Fidelity

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It depends what you mean by culture. Do you mean worldly?

In which case, there's a lot to expect and a lot of it is negative.

Biblical teaching and expectation can be usurped by trend, societal expectation and selfishness.

That's not to say it's easy to adhere to Biblical expectation, it isn't, that's why we sin, but I think there's more of an acceptance for that in circles where the main attitude is about what you want to do, not what you should do.
 
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KitKatMatt

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Unfortunately, most of my experiences have been negative so that's what I sort of expect.

The most common is "I'm going to fix you to the specification of my beliefs even though you didn't ask for me to do so". I know I've mentioned the story on here before, but once I was in a Christian bookstore looking for a current events book on homosexuality and I asked the person at the front where it could be located.

Cue the sudden "intervention" by the owner because he is "concerned with my interests" and I was really weirded out and kind of frozen to the spot and he tried to lead me in prayer and then tried to convince me of the authenticity of the virgin birth even though I never even said anything at all. He never let me talk and just kept going on and on. It lasted around forty minutes or so before I managed to get away (I was a very shy and quiet person and this was extremely difficult for me).

I just wanted a stupid book so I could write a review. I never went back there again. This has not been the only time something like that has happened, just the most intense of those events. Random people have come up to me in grocery stores based on really weird stuff and have tried to argue their position on Christian beliefs and why it's right. Including one time when I went to buy food and didn't happen to have any animal protein items in my basket when I was checking out (since I didn't need anything).

They just needed to make me realize that God has given us dominion over animals and we can eat them. Saying I was not a vegetarian did not sway them.
 
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High Fidelity

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Unfortunately, most of my experiences have been negative so that's what I sort of expect.

The most common is "I'm going to fix you to the specification of my beliefs even though you didn't ask for me to do so". I know I've mentioned the story on here before, but once I was in a Christian bookstore looking for a current events book on homosexuality and I asked the person at the front where it could be located.

Cue the sudden "intervention" by the owner because he is "concerned with my interests" and I was really weirded out and kind of frozen to the spot and he tried to lead me in prayer and then tried to convince me of the authenticity of the virgin birth even though I never even said anything at all. He never let me talk and just kept going on and on. It lasted around forty minutes or so before I managed to get away (I was a very shy and quiet person and this was extremely difficult for me).

I just wanted a stupid book so I could write a review. I never went back there again. This has not been the only time something like that has happened, just the most intense of those events. Random people have come up to me in grocery stores based on really weird stuff and have tried to argue their position on Christian beliefs and why it's right. Including one time when I went to buy food and didn't happen to have any animal protein items in my basket when I was checking out (since I didn't need anything).

They just needed to make me realize that God has given us dominion over animals and we can eat them. Saying I was not a vegetarian did not sway them.

I think it's quite common that people assume making disciples means going on the offensive like that.

I think in time I'd have no problem preaching, but I think the most effective method of reaching someone spiritually is by just being there, being approachable and taking a more relaxed approach.
 
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KitKatMatt

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I think it's quite common that people assume making disciples means going on the offensive like that.

I think in time I'd have no problem preaching, but I think the most effective method of reaching someone spiritually is by just being there, being approachable and taking a more relaxed approach.

I also think being there is the best way to do things.

I grew up as a Christian and have gone and come back and gone again from Christianity, but I still flinch a lot in the real world when I know someone is a Christian because of my past experiences. I don't think that's a good thing for me to do, but it's hard to get over some things.
 
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High Fidelity

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I also think being there is the best way to do things.

I grew up as a Christian and have gone and come back and gone again from Christianity, but I still flinch a lot in the real world when I know someone is a Christian because of my past experiences. I don't think that's a good thing for me to do, but it's hard to get over some things.

It isn't a good thing to do, no, but at the same time it's impossible to ignore past experiences entirely.

I suppose it's like forgiveness. Forgiveness is one thing, forgetting is another. I think a friend forgives and a fool forgets.

Those experiences will always stay with you but I think with any unpleasant experience, we can decide the prominence in our lives we allow it to have to a varying extent.

Some of the absolute worst people I know are professing Christians. Some of the worst people in the world, according to some on CF, are Muslims and yet I've seen more Christ-like Muslims(that is caring, compassionate, forgiving, helping the needy, caring about their neighbour and community etc) than you'd expect, so I think it's important to take personal encounters on a case-by-case basis and, for lack of a better term, by their fruits you shall know them.

Easier said than done, but I think it's one of the things in life worth making a conscious decision to do even if it isn't particularly pleasant at first. You might be surprised by the friends you make or the experiences that present themselves.
 
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High Fidelity

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I understand and agree with you greatly.

I've met a lot of great people since I joined CF, which has helped me in many ways in regards to this.

Just avoid American Politics and the Catholic's own political section :D
 
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Cearbhall

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What do you expect from your average Christian of culture? (positive or negative)

For example, I've come to learn that they never apologize for anything.
I can't really think of any traits that I associate with Christians as a whole. All kinds of people are Christians. I usually don't know someone's religion unless it comes up in conversation for some reason. But the people who I do know are Christians are a diverse group in terms of personality, culture, etc.
 
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dayhiker

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I do enjoy being with most Christians that I meet. Sometimes I meet self-righteous Christians that really bug me. If we are on nutural ground, as not in their church, I try to think of a scripture that will mess with their theology a little. My way of having some fun with them!
 
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SnowyMacie

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Random people have come up to me in grocery stores based on really weird stuff and have tried to argue their position on Christian beliefs and why it's right. Including one time when I went to buy food and didn't happen to have any animal protein items in my basket when I was checking out (since I didn't need anything).

They just needed to make me realize that God has given us dominion over animals and we can eat them. Saying I was not a vegetarian did not sway them.


Something similar happened to me last April. I was grocery shopping, and picked up a six pack and was heading onto the dairy section. This guy out of nowhere hands me a track, saying he's the preacher at some church in town (I don't remember the name), and that I should come by to hear the gospel on Easter. I then explained, "No thanks, I go to Highland." He then asks me if I've found Jesus or just go to church, and after a brief conversation he eventually realizes he's evangelizing to a Christian. He still wanted me to keep the track, and walked away. I guess he could not wrap his mind around the fact that some Christians drink alcohol.

I've had positive and negative experiences. From my experience, the negative ones tend to be from people more outspoken about their beliefs. I've talked about the cult-ministy on here a lot. Here's a quick review: http://www.christianforums.com/threads/red-flags-can-i-do-anything.7614307/, they have seemed to swing away from some of that a bit, but it's still off. If your are telling about yourself and talk more about God than yourself, I'm probably going to be very uncomfortable around you. Due to being in that ministry, and then the "Fundie" school for two years where I suffered pretty constant spiritual abuse, I'm incredibly wary around certain types.
 
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High Fidelity

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Something similar happened to me last April. I was grocery shopping, and picked up a six pack and was heading onto the dairy section. This guy out of nowhere hands me a track, saying he's the preacher at some church in town (I don't remember the name), and that I should come by to hear the gospel on Easter. I then explained, "No thanks, I go to Highland." He then asks me if I've found Jesus or just go to church, and after a brief conversation he eventually realizes he's evangelizing to a Christian. He still wanted me to keep the track, and walked away. I guess he could not wrap his mind around the fact that some Christians drink alcohol.

I've had positive and negative experiences. From my experience, the negative ones tend to be from people more outspoken about their beliefs. I've talked about the cult-ministy on here a lot. Here's a quick review: http://www.christianforums.com/threads/red-flags-can-i-do-anything.7614307/, they have seemed to swing away from some of that a bit, but it's still off. If your are telling about yourself and talk more about God than yourself, I'm probably going to be very uncomfortable around you. Due to being in that ministry, and then the "Fundie" school for two years where I suffered pretty constant spiritual abuse, I'm incredibly wary around certain types.

A lot of the staunch Independent Baptists I've found can't differentiate between drinking and drunkenness. One is a sin, one isn't.
 
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SnowyMacie

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A lot of the staunch Independent Baptists I've found can't differentiate between drinking and drunkenness. One is a sin, one isn't.

The ironic thing is that pretty much every substance, outside of water, has a chemical effect on your brain. I'm not saying this as an excuse to get drunk, it's ironic to me people are against alcohol because it "influences you", but not morally opposed to caffeine or glucose. Even eating releases pleasure hormones, ever wonder why people make similar noises during sex while eating something really good? It's the same chemicals, not nearly at the same level, but it does.
 
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High Fidelity

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The ironic thing is that pretty much every substance, outside of water, has a chemical effect on your brain.

Indeed but I think the emphasis with regards to alcohol is drunkenness, not drinking in and of itself.

A lot of people can't differentiate having a beer and getting so drunk you wake up duct-taped to a road sign in nothing but a tiara and a tutu.
 
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Tess

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A lot of people can't differentiate having a beer and getting so drunk you wake up duct-taped to a road sign in nothing but a tiara and a tutu.

I don't disagree, but I think lots of people would say that if we shouldn't get drunk then why 'test' it by drinking at all?

For instance, a lot of people say that you shouldn't kiss before marriage because it leads to other things. With your argument you could say that it's okay to go into a shop, put something in your pocket and hand around by the doors; if you don't leave the shop you're not stealing! ;)
 
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High Fidelity

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I don't disagree, but I think lots of people would say that if we shouldn't get drunk then why 'test' it by drinking at all?

For instance, a lot of people say that you shouldn't kiss before marriage because it leads to other things. With your argument you could say that it's okay to go into a shop, put something in your pocket and hand around by the doors; if you don't leave the shop you're not stealing! ;)

I think it comes down to the matter of self-control and identifying your limits. I've been drunk before and I always know well before I am drunk that I am approaching it, so a person can know their limits.

As for the stealing, wellllllll, technically you aren't stealing at that point because the legal definition is to take with the intent to permanently deprive, but that's just me being picky :D
 
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SnowyMacie

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There's also a big difference between being drunk and being a drunk. I know a lot of people that when they think of being drunk, they think of wild parties with lots of sex, illegal drugs, the stereotypical Hollywood "college party". Every college party, even at secular universities, I went to was people hanging out with alcohol, there'd be a beer pong table or two (depending on the number of people), and music. It was not a rave in a house. I'm sure those parties exist somewhere, but I don't think it's the norm. On occasion, we'd got out all out and throw a "paint party" or something like that, but it was the same idea, just with people who look like they just did a color run. There's a very big false dichotomy, and I'll admit I had it to until I went to college parties, that it's either widely irresponsible and out of control, or overly tame.

This brings up another point, the other day I saw a post on Reddit about how being pressured into drugs and such in high school is not nearly as common or extreme as they make it out be in those drug education programs, like DARE, in elementary school.
 
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Cearbhall

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Cue the sudden "intervention" by the owner because he is "concerned with my interests" and I was really weirded out and kind of frozen to the spot and he tried to lead me in prayer and then tried to convince me of the authenticity of the virgin birth even though I never even said anything at all. He never let me talk and just kept going on and on. It lasted around forty minutes or so before I managed to get away (I was a very shy and quiet person and this was extremely difficult for me).
Including one time when I went to buy food and didn't happen to have any animal protein items in my basket when I was checking out (since I didn't need anything).

They just needed to make me realize that God has given us dominion over animals and we can eat them. Saying I was not a vegetarian did not sway them.
My goodness, people do this? What area do you live in, if you don't mind me asking? I can't imagine this happening where I am.

I'm not sure what I'd do. I suppose I would treat them the same way I would if someone started to harass me in another way, just to shock them into understanding the inappropriateness of what they were doing. (But obviously this would be difficult for someone with anxiety, and I'm not saying you should have done any differently.)
 
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