[open]Practice what you preach?

[glo1]

Hi all

"The greatest cause of Atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and deny him with their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

I came across this quote by DC Talk today, which really stuck with me. Any comments?

glo

 

[Tinker Grey]

I always liked that quote.

 

[glo1]

Do you think it's true?

 

[Athene]

Yes I do.

 

[B®ent]

Do you think it's true?

It is true, and there are two reasons for it. Firstly, the majority of professing Christians are not true Christians. Secondly, the majority of true Christians are not strong Christians. However, as a believer in perseverance of the Saints, I do believe nearly all true Christians will die strong Christians. Jesus does not begin a work which He does not intend to finish.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

I remember that from years ago when I first started to follow Christ. It really struck me then. I'd say there is still truth to it but I think there is also a general misconception on what christian behavior looks like.

 

[Loki]

As a sort of atheist, I don't find that to be true. That's the reason people become disillusioned with Christianity, but as for atheism, it often has more to do with inability to see any reason for a "why" in the world than "those people are hypocrites."

 

[Adammi]

I agree with the sentiment behind that quote. Christians who aren't "little Christs" do the Church more harm than anything else known to humans.

However, what it means to be a Christian is a question with various answers. A conservative Christian would say that conserving religious tradition, teaching, and practice is the key to being like Christ, while I would say the exact opposite.

Pat Robertson would agree with the above quote because he believes that liberal Christianity leads people to Atheism and John Shelby Spong would agree with that statement because he believes that conservative Christianity makes people reject Christianity altogether.

When you think about it, this is a very vague quote because I'm sure that every Christian agrees with it regardless of what end of the left-right spectrum he or she is on.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Well, as Upon_This_Rock said, I agree with the sentiment.

But, I really don't think that that is the cause of atheism -- maybe a confirming factor, but not the cause.

I rather suspect that a pursuit of truth coupled with poor answers from so-called experts are more of cause than anything else.

But, I agree with the sentiment.

 

[seebs]

I think it is only partially true. In practice, the proximate causes are poor witness and bad apologetics, and a tendency to not really confront the underlying questions. Most Christians I know don't really have any clue what atheists believe (and vice versa).

That said, if Christians consistently practiced unconditional love and forgiveness, did their best at whatever jobs they held, and so on, I don't think there'd be any doubt in most peoples' minds that there was something to our beliefs and practices. As is, it's impossible to tell.

 

[cfFosterANGEL26]

I think its part true,
I know I have been hurt by more """christians""" then other people.

 

[DarkProphet]

As a non-Christian I would say that is not the reason I'm a non-Christian but that is a BIG reason why I have problems with Christianity.

 

[Tenebrae]

Hi all



I came across this quote by DC Talk today, which really stuck with me. Any comments?

glo

That wasnt from my sig perchance? NM if it was

The church and its inhabitants, have dulled the awesome message of grace IMO, ask a non believer what comes to mind when you mention christian and you'd get a whole raft of answers from homophobs, gay haters, pro lifers, morals police, well I could go on. But you get the picture.

The church is more known for protesting the passing of civil unions, than it is known for going out and feeding the hungry. Words are cheap, and these people who are going out and making a song and dance about this that and the next thing, fail to realise that the world looks at them, and sees that what they preach does not equate with how they live out their life.

with all this debarcle lately about pro choice versus pro life. I wouldnt be of the pro life persuasion, if someone was to pay me a huge amount of money. I have been actively involved three times with pregnant women not aborting their babies, and either keeping the child, or given the child up for adoption.

(and for the record, this is not an example so ya all can look at me and go 'well isnt she swell', its to emphasis the point that IMH experience, being pro choice has far more impact in terms of stopping abortion than being pro life.


It drives me to distraction, there are a couple of really vocal churches in New Zealand, who are protesting about this, protesting about that, whinging that the government are a pack of social enginering naughty people. But when it actually comes to pratically making a difference these churches are no where to be seen.

 

[glo1]

Wow. I go away for 24 hours, and this thread has taken off ... thank you for all your thoughts and comments!

That wasnt from my sig perchance? NM if it was

I hadn't noticed it on your sig, wizeone ... never scrolled down far enough for that.
I came across it on one of DC Talk's songs on YouTube.

glo

 

[FLANDIDLYANDERS]

Atheists are often Atheists because it makes sense to be.

Christians are sometimes Christians because we are told to be, it's comfortable, it's emotionally satisfying, we are lazy and pin responsibility for issues on the church or leaders....

In the days before it had that C-word label, would any of us have chosen it?

 

[B®ent]

I have a question for those who agree with the quote (for the record, I agree with it). Do you believe you are beyond it, that you are better? That is the impression I receive from one comment in particular...

 

[Adammi]

I have a question for those who agree with the quote (for the record, I agree with it). Do you believe you are beyond it, that you are better? That is the impression I receive from one comment in particular...

Very good question. That's the problem I see with this quote. It is often used as a means of pointing the finger at others instead of being a point of reflection to change our own lives.

 

[B®ent]

Very good question. That's the problem I see with this quote. It is often used as a means of pointing the finger at others instead of being a point of reflection to change our own lives.

Precisely.

I didn't see a problem with the quote itself, per se, but rather how some Christians react to it. They may not think the fundamentalist churches doing great things, but that is obviously because they have never been to a fundamentalist church. Just about every fundamentalist church I've been to (and heard of), including my own church, is very active in missionary work abroad, including building orphanages, schools, churches, etc.

As you said, stop pointing the finger at one group of Christians and examine our own lives. That is the point of the statement, I believe.

 

[Tenebrae]

I have a question for those who agree with the quote (for the record, I agree with it). Do you believe you are beyond it, that you are better? That is the impression I receive from one comment in particular...

Heck no..... Unlike many, I'm not delusional enough to think that I do have it all together or come remotely close to having it all together

Its just when people tell me that my point of view, is nonsense, or rubbish, I do like when possible giving an example of why its not...Its probably a bit on the fleshly side, axctually its probably alot on the fleshly side. However I get fed up to the back teeth, or fundamentalists, who like to tell me my viewpoint is nonsense, when its allowed me to be in many different places where God is moving in peoples life.

I can not find words enough to express the utter sense of privilege and amazingness, that even thoughI am so totally not having it altogether, God will and does continue to use me to make a difference in the lives of the people he puts across my path

 

[JulySheMustFly]

I have a question for those who agree with the quote (for the record, I agree with it). Do you believe you are beyond it, that you are better? That is the impression I receive from one comment in particular...

No certainly not.