De-Conversion from Christian Culture Only?

[Lilly of the Valley]

the OP is not talking about morality. he's talking about the culture of modern Christian church. dont' put words in his mouth or well...fingers.

Yes, and avoiding all christian things and doing worldly things instead isn't good spiritually if you intend to stay and live christian.

 

[Im_A]

Yes, and avoiding all christian things and doing worldly things instead isn't good spiritually if you intend to stay and live christian.

so the Christian subculture is the way to go?

Christian only music, when Christians want to go on about seperation of non-Christian things, but yet they sound just like every other secular bands?

Christian culturized products?

youth groups is a neccessity when you have a body of believers...a family?

church? what is church? some say it is the physical establishment, others say it is where two or more gather in His name. that can be done anywhere at any given time. the sabbath isn't sunday anyways...even my pay week is not on the Christian calendar, let alone some view of the Sabbath and i have heard arguments revolving with the book of Hebrews mentioning the eternal sabbath.

i dont' see the OP, saying He wants to stop being a Christian in his life and actions, but it seems the OP is frustrated with some of modern cliched issues of the religious culture. i dont' blame him. as long as he keeps on living like Christ to the best of His ability, what can you, me or anyone really say? the frustration will go away in time, maybe he will find a new church to go, or a Bible study to go to. it's up to God there. but dont' assume the worst in the OP, just cause he posts a thread such as that.

 

[Cleany]

So now you're shifting from "practice and association" to surroundings?
How very vague... and not at all an argument I've made.
Also, this does nothing to support your claim that "belief alone is meaningless"

woah calm down man!

im just trying to say that belief is influenced by stuff, who you talk to, what you do, your life. thats all im saying

 

[Harpuia]

so the Christian subculture is the way to go?

Christian only music, when Christians want to go on about seperation of non-Christian things, but yet they sound just like every other secular bands?

Christian culturized products?

youth groups is a neccessity when you have a body of believers...a family?

church? what is church? some say it is the physical establishment, others say it is where two or more gather in His name. that can be done anywhere at any given time. the sabbath isn't sunday anyways...even my pay week is not on the Christian calendar, let alone some view of the Sabbath and i have heard arguments revolving with the book of Hebrews mentioning the eternal sabbath.

i dont' see the OP, saying He wants to stop being a Christian in his life and actions, but it seems the OP is frustrated with some of modern cliched issues of the religious culture. i dont' blame him. as long as he keeps on living like Christ to the best of His ability, what can you, me or anyone really say? the frustration will go away in time, maybe he will find a new church to go, or a Bible study to go to. it's up to God there. but dont' assume the worst in the OP, just cause he posts a thread such as that.

Finally, I was giving up thinking that nobody knew what I was talking about.

Yes, I was talking about the Christian "subculture"... more like a clique, in general. I've been a victim of many a thing by them, just because I'm different from the typical preppy outgoing Christian. Because of that, I've been socially rejected from almost every youth group I've went to.

Because I listened to soft rock, and not Christian music.

Because I don't play sports.

Because I am an engineering major in college, and not the majority (business/hotel administration majors).

The list goes on and on. Even dating Christians I'm worse off than non-Christians. I've dated Christians who've told me to go f myself before I even started talking to them, just for giggles. Most Christian girls show no interest in me at all because they believe that God doesn't want me to be with them, then they turn around, date womanizers, and think that's what God wants them to be. Either their God is different from my God, or they're being screwed up.

Then there's the Christian college fellowship groups here, who have treated me like an outsider. You usually see the Christian groups hang out together. Usually, it's like, there's them, and there's me individually. I'm in a whole other world than them. But with non-Christians, they tend to be nicer to me.

So after 10 years of trying, trying, and trying, I've decided to deconvert off the Christian subculture, and only the subculture. I was just asking if there was another term for it instead of deconvert.

 

[Im_A]

Finally, I was giving up thinking that nobody knew what I was talking about.

Yes, I was talking about the Christian "subculture"... more like a clique, in general. I've been a victim of many a thing by them, just because I'm different from the typical preppy outgoing Christian. Because of that, I've been socially rejected from almost every youth group I've went to.

Because I listened to soft rock, and not Christian music.

Because I don't play sports.

Because I am an engineering major in college, and not the majority (business/hotel administration majors).

The list goes on and on. Even dating Christians I'm worse off than non-Christians. I've dated Christians who've told me to go f myself before I even started talking to them, just for giggles. Most Christian girls show no interest in me at all because they believe that God doesn't want me to be with them, then they turn around, date womanizers, and think that's what God wants them to be. Either their God is different from my God, or they're being screwed up.

Then there's the Christian college fellowship groups here, who have treated me like an outsider. You usually see the Christian groups hang out together. Usually, it's like, there's them, and there's me individually. I'm in a whole other world than them. But with non-Christians, they tend to be nicer to me.

So after 10 years of trying, trying, and trying, I've decided to deconvert off the Christian subculture, and only the subculture. I was just asking if there was another term for it instead of deconvert.

hey i think many of us know how you feel.

my highschool life was similiar to this. i played sports until my freshman year of highschool. i had to work and school sports was junk and i stopped being involved with prayer circle, prayer at the flagpole, FCA, cause i got tired of waking up early every morning and FCA was a joke. it was good for those who fit in, and it had its purpose and it wasn't all bad, but for the rest, it was a joke.

in the Christian subculture, yea i was hip into all that CCM stuff. all that stuff of Christian monopolization of Christian t-shirts, wwjd bracelts (when the answer to that question is so easy anyways. don't understand why wearing a cloth bracelet would help with enlightenment.) and i used to only listen to Christian music all the time, worrying about "sinning" if i dared listened to secular music. and then for a time, i got fed up with the Christian dating scene. basing love on theological propositions. all i saw was Christian woman not taking responsibility for their action, which in turned, i did the same thing to others.

plus i was a hard rocker too haha. still am, lol. and needless to say, to find Christians who liked the same music as me, was a bit like finding a needle in the haystack. i listen to both Christian and non-Christian music...mainly metal and heavy/hard rock.

i still felt it as i got older because i see nothing wrong with tattooing and the adult religious groups i still felt that "weirdness" with, plus i'm a smoker(cigarettes btw), so that goes far...funny how highschool nonsense doesn't stop after commencment.

the outcome?

well i listen to both secular and Christian music.

the closest thing to a Christian t-shirt i have is Bob Marley (even though i wish i could find the same t-shirt of POD, that had Jesus in dreadlocks.)

i went through a time of dating non-Christian women, only to find the same thing, and to find myself making the same stupid choices as i did with Christian women. and now? i'm engaged to a Christian...the last thing i thought would happen to be honest. the best Christian woman i have ever met in my life. she's beautiful, she's what i need in this area of life to put it simply.

working out my salvation, and living life and working at a factory...the last place i thought i'd be at. i thought i'd be in ministry through music in highschool. tried both, and well, the outcome shows a lot of truth

just keep the faith man to the best of your ability. things do come together, and aren't so bad over time. i know this. there's a bigger world out there in Christianity, than the ones we are used to, or shown.

God Bless you! <><

btw, i don't even know if deconvert fits. cause your still a Christian

 

[Harpuia]

hey i think many of us know how you feel.

my highschool life was similiar to this. i played sports until my freshman year of highschool. i had to work and school sports was junk and i stopped being involved with prayer circle, prayer at the flagpole, FCA, cause i got tired of waking up early every morning and FCA was a joke. it was good for those who fit in, and it had its purpose and it wasn't all bad, but for the rest, it was a joke.

in the Christian subculture, yea i was hip into all that CCM stuff. all that stuff of Christian monopolization of Christian t-shirts, wwjd bracelts (when the answer to that question is so easy anyways. don't understand why wearing a cloth bracelet would help with enlightenment.) and i used to only listen to Christian music all the time, worrying about "sinning" if i dared listened to secular music. and then for a time, i got fed up with the Christian dating scene. basing love on theological propositions. all i saw was Christian woman not taking responsibility for their action, which in turned, i did the same thing to others.

plus i was a hard rocker too haha. still am, lol. and needless to say, to find Christians who liked the same music as me, was a bit like finding a needle in the haystack. i listen to both Christian and non-Christian music...mainly metal and heavy/hard rock.

i still felt it as i got older because i see nothing wrong with tattooing and the adult religious groups i still felt that "weirdness" with, plus i'm a smoker(cigarettes btw), so that goes far...funny how highschool nonsense doesn't stop after commencment.

the outcome?

well i listen to both secular and Christian music.

the closest thing to a Christian t-shirt i have is Bob Marley (even though i wish i could find the same t-shirt of POD, that had Jesus in dreadlocks.)

i went through a time of dating non-Christian women, only to find the same thing, and to find myself making the same stupid choices as i did with Christian women. and now? i'm engaged to a Christian...the last thing i thought would happen to be honest. the best Christian woman i have ever met in my life. she's beautiful, she's what i need in this area of life to put it simply.

working out my salvation, and living life and working at a factory...the last place i thought i'd be at. i thought i'd be in ministry through music in highschool. tried both, and well, the outcome shows a lot of truth

just keep the faith man to the best of your ability. things do come together, and aren't so bad over time. i know this. there's a bigger world out there in Christianity, than the ones we are used to, or shown.

God Bless you! <><

btw, i don't even know if deconvert fits. cause your still a Christian

See, I'm dating a Deist right now. And she's been nicer to me than any Christian girl ever has. She doesn't care that I'm an ex-nay of the church or what not.

And yeah, sometimes I feel like I'm the only one around here who doesn't follow the stereotypical Christian. And what makes it worse is the Christian fellowship college group around here comes and asks me if I'm still believing in Jesus.

It doesn't matter if I am or not. It just seems kind of a slap in the face. They abandon me, ignore me, leave me out in a figurative desert to rot and die... and they STILL expect me to be like them?!? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?

I know many Christians here on this board think that I am crazy. But let me tell you something, the most un-Christian singer I probably know of, Marilyn Manson, was once a devout Christian too.

Until Christians like those I mentioned turned him into what he is today.

 

[Im_A]

See, I'm dating a Deist right now. And she's been nicer to me than any Christian girl ever has. She doesn't care that I'm an ex-nay of the church or what not.

And yeah, sometimes I feel like I'm the only one around here who doesn't follow the stereotypical Christian. And what makes it worse is the Christian fellowship college group around here comes and asks me if I'm still believing in Jesus.

It doesn't matter if I am or not. It just seems kind of a slap in the face. They abandon me, ignore me, leave me out in a figurative desert to rot and die... and they STILL expect me to be like them?!? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?

I know many Christians here on this board think that I am crazy. But let me tell you something, the most un-Christian singer I probably know of, Marilyn Manson, was once a devout Christian too.

Until Christians like those I mentioned turned him into what he is today.

i agree it is ridiculous how a lot of the cliched' modern Christiany things/groups can be.

i'm sorry to hear you going through this. i hope things keep getting better for you and your faith!

i must get ready for a long night of work. take care and God Bless, i'll check the thread back in the morning

speaking of philosophy, there's a quote of Sartre's that i love.

Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.
It is up to you to give [life] a meaning.
--Jean-Paul Sartre

now while i do believe in God, i find this quote awesome and very freeing. seems like a lot of those Christiany sub-groups prove that to be true at times. but i think logically it must be noted that not all Christians are like the ridiculousness that we witness a lot

God Bless!

 

[Moros]

What that means is you're still a Christian at heart on the inside, but on the outside, you don't want to have anything to do with the people in your faith. Anyone have a better name for this?

"Christian atheist" is a fairly common and popular term to describe this phenomenon in the West. The proper name is oxymoron, though. I just call 'em fence-sitters.

 

[Im_A]

"Christian atheist" is a fairly common and popular term to describe this phenomenon in the West. The proper name is oxymoron, though. I just call 'em fence-sitters.

it may be a popular term, but it seems like an idiotic term as well. "Christian atheist" would have to entail a Christian who believes Christ is the manifestation of the non-existing being...unless we want to get all metaphysical and try to define existance differently, it's an idiotic oxymoron.

and might i add, with the sheer population of Christians, it is probably legit to assume that there are Christians who don't go with the whole modern evangelical Christianity subculture barrage, but still live as Christians to the best of their ability.

i have to admit, "Christian atheist" is about the dumbest term i have ever heard...even worse than a compassionate Republican (ok that's just a bad j/k ) (i'm not aiming this at you, so please don't take it personally )