Christian Atheism

[lesliedellow]

I don't understand why atheists would use the word 'God' if they don't believe in a 'being' called God.

It seems unnecessarily vague and magical. Why not simply talk about highest values?

Because they like the trappings of Christianity, without subscribing to its substance. If they were honest about it, they would be existentialists, but that would require a bigger intellectual and emotional upheaval than they are prepared to contemplate.

 

[Chris B]

@Pragmatix, Why not just have a cultural atheism so that there is no need for some cultural religion?

In the UK I think essentially because the social framework especially away from urban areas has been divided up by the "parish" structure. Everyone knew where their local centre was, the church sometimes being added to by the local pub and cricket club, or village shop cum post-office.
What has sustained that, to my sure knowledge in a few examples, is people who attend for the community, the socail life and interaction *as their primary desire and requirement*.
They will tend to speak and act as believing Christians as this appears to be "the rules of the club" to which they want to belong.
At the last church (evangelical, bible believing) I attended regularly, of those I could approach on this sensitive subject, about a third admitted that their priority was the social fellowship and sense of community, sense of belonging, and they behaved in a manner to preserve this important factor, irrespective of actual theological belief.
I understood the thinking but could not adopt it. When I eased to believe I had to leave, though it did cost me my social life and circle of friends.

 

[Chris B]

Because they like the trappings of Christianity, without subscribing to its substance. If they were honest about it, they would be existentialists, but that would require a bigger intellectual and emotional upheaval than they are prepared to contemplate.

Some of the trappings of Christianity anyway.
Tradition, ritual and ceremony can be reassuring things to many, just for those things themselves, detached from any particular content, A *sense* of solidity, and of community.
And I agree that, in my experience, that is rarely analysed to any depth.
"Saying things that you don't believe" sits right out on the periphery of bothersome things, compared to the priority needs being filled, principally a stable social setting. Congregations which come to life after the service, over coffee, may be a pointer to this happening, but it's far from a certain guide.

 

[devolved]

How would that be much different from a weekly TED conference focusing on morality, for example? Why would you call that Christian?

 

[Willis Gravning]

I think it is not unreasonable. I knew at least one atheist who was a philosophical Christian, meaning he followed the teaching and morals of Jesus while not holding a belief in a supernatural God. I would guess Thomas Jefferson was of this mind when he published the Jefferson Bible.

 

[Chris B]

How would that be much different from a weekly TED conference focusing on morality, for example? Why would you call that Christian?

I wouldn't, but some manage to. Where does Universal Unitarianism lose any substantive connection with Christianity?
I've read Don Cupitt*, and I'm not sure there is anything left of Christianity in his thinking, except perhaps
"...not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some..." What is left, and this isn't unique to Cupitt, is the importance of community. One thing recommended to facilitate this is the leaving of important terms as vague and undefined as possible, so that people with very diverse, even contradictory, beliefs can meet in seeming agreement using the same liturgy, the same key words: faith, god, spirit, peace etc. even though examination of the words (don't go there!) would show up that each individual was loading the terms with their own individual meanings.
An illusion of harmony is being promoted at the expense of real communication and reaching for agreement and understanding.



*I'd suggest "The long-legged fly" as the most revealing or illuminating text.

 

[FireDragon76]

I believe some things about God are non-realist, but other ways are not. For instance, when I read a Psalm talking about God riding around on a burning chariot or having hands or arms, I take it as poetic expressions meant to evoke the same feelings as if I imagined God to have hands, arms, or ride around the sky. So in many ways, I can understand where this impulse comes from. The fundamental error here is assuming that a "poetic" description of reality is inferior to a scientific one. This in fact is an incredibly totalitarian narrative of reality and quite dogmatic, so its astounding people who value free thought would pride themselves on embracing it.

 

[Nihilist Virus]

If they actually follow the words of Jesus, or at least make a genuine attempt to do so, without cherry picking the things that are easy to follow (taking communion, wow, how hard is that?) and doing everything they can to justify ignoring the harder parts (Luke 12:22-33 anyone?), then maybe they're closer to being Christian than anyone here.

 

[Paradoxum]

I'm a Christian atheist (cultural Christian/non-realistic Christian). Having the church there, just down the road, with services ready to attend is convenient.

What does it mean t be a cultural Christian?

Why go to church instead of being in, or starting, a humanist group?

The identity of being a Christian is convenient. These "new 'non-religious' ways to community and meaning" simply don't exist.

I don't know where you are, but there are humanist groups, and secular Sunday groups in the UK, and are growing.

We have to make the best of what's available. The culture is the main thing with religion imo - the orthopraxy - the behavioural instruction and tradition and ritual. The "existential beliefs" - ie, the invisible bit which doesn't actually do anything, is the secondary or even unnecessary part of religion IMO. To abandon cultural Christianity simply because one does not believe in a supernatural intelligence or miracles would be akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

For me Christianity was the religious faith of theism.

I also think Christianity is harmful, so I wouldn't want to support such an organisation.

I'm not sure what cultural Christianity means. If I want a group I'll join a humanist one.