- Jun 30, 2017
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I used to be a Christian and a lot of the way I live today as an atheist is predicated on the valuable things I find in Christianity: hope, charity, peacefulness, even a form of "grace"! etc.
And I admit that I often fall far afield of my ideals (especially when debating a contentious topic) but I've seen many Christians on CF who act in a manner I would find offensive in the most hardened atheist. It troubles me because I have almost exclusively Christian friends, whom I love and respect. Recently I even helped cover costs for some missionary work by a couple of my Christian friends.
The reason I ask this is because here's what I've seen:
Christians who live in fear of their neighbors and feel they need guns (so much for the exhortation to "put up again thy sword into his place" and those who live by the sword, etc.)
Christians who love and support Donald Trump, yet Trump is the epitome of a worshipper of Mammon. He literally lived in a golden palace and he relishes and values only money.
Recently I've tangled with a couple of Christians who were pretty vicious in their debate tactics and said things I found horrible or offensive. When I called them out on it they never back down. Even if they were only misinterpretted they never admit that someone could take their words in a negative way. There have been MANY times on CF when I've feared that my words were taken in a bad way and I apologized even if I knew my intent was NOT what they interpretted.
And finally one poster who clearly feels they are with Christ used a statement against me that seemed to be crafted specifically to be as hurtful as humanly possible. And while I may have deserved to be thus hurt, it was strange that a Christian whose piety is probably normally beyond reproach would debase themselves to that point of such amazing viciousness.
It actually looked like one of the darkest things I could imagine saying to someone and that darkness would give me pause.
I am not of any illusions that any Christian feels themselves to be "perfect" (in fact it is one of the things I like about Christianity, an acceptance of our own imperfections), but it seems to me that for many on CF Christianity doesn't provide a bulwark against any of the darkest impulses we all have from time to time.
I am curious how Christians deal with what must be silent guilt. I know I often feel quite guilty for the badness I spread and I am hopeful that I can avoid it. But it seems to me that those who pretend to a deeper knowledge of Christ's peace and love seem to go to that dark well as much as the worst among us.
And I admit that I often fall far afield of my ideals (especially when debating a contentious topic) but I've seen many Christians on CF who act in a manner I would find offensive in the most hardened atheist. It troubles me because I have almost exclusively Christian friends, whom I love and respect. Recently I even helped cover costs for some missionary work by a couple of my Christian friends.
The reason I ask this is because here's what I've seen:
Christians who live in fear of their neighbors and feel they need guns (so much for the exhortation to "put up again thy sword into his place" and those who live by the sword, etc.)
Christians who love and support Donald Trump, yet Trump is the epitome of a worshipper of Mammon. He literally lived in a golden palace and he relishes and values only money.
Recently I've tangled with a couple of Christians who were pretty vicious in their debate tactics and said things I found horrible or offensive. When I called them out on it they never back down. Even if they were only misinterpretted they never admit that someone could take their words in a negative way. There have been MANY times on CF when I've feared that my words were taken in a bad way and I apologized even if I knew my intent was NOT what they interpretted.
And finally one poster who clearly feels they are with Christ used a statement against me that seemed to be crafted specifically to be as hurtful as humanly possible. And while I may have deserved to be thus hurt, it was strange that a Christian whose piety is probably normally beyond reproach would debase themselves to that point of such amazing viciousness.
It actually looked like one of the darkest things I could imagine saying to someone and that darkness would give me pause.
I am not of any illusions that any Christian feels themselves to be "perfect" (in fact it is one of the things I like about Christianity, an acceptance of our own imperfections), but it seems to me that for many on CF Christianity doesn't provide a bulwark against any of the darkest impulses we all have from time to time.
I am curious how Christians deal with what must be silent guilt. I know I often feel quite guilty for the badness I spread and I am hopeful that I can avoid it. But it seems to me that those who pretend to a deeper knowledge of Christ's peace and love seem to go to that dark well as much as the worst among us.