Those of us who grew up in "majority christian" cultures end up having features of that religion baked in to our cultural conventions. We call our spring holiday "Easter" since that is the tradition handed down from way back when the church was the government. Even if I am not religious, I still say "Easter". We can give a guided tour of the various celebrations back to ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology and maybe even paleolithic traditions if the anthropologists are to be believed. Including that set of stories about a teacher who got nailed to a tree for suggesting that we might try to get along with each other.
I end up being a "Cultural Christian" just because all the holidays my family celebrates descend from that tradition.
Similar things could be said for cultural Muslim, Hindu, Shinto, and probably many other religious traditions that once ruled nations. All of these descending from some "olden days" when there was no significant distinction between government and religious practice.
I am glad to see that by and large we are migrating away from those bronze age, sometimes violent traditions and slowly embracing more pluralistic and inclusive beliefs, laws and moral habits. Still the old traditions and those who cling to them work hard to resist this progress. We must not let that resistance stop us. Even those who resist have embraced more of this progress than they seem willing to admit.
Let me take this occasion to offer my secular humanist prayer: Let us all learn to get along a little better. Let us give a little more. Let us make a bit more room for those we don't understand and listen just a little better to those we disagree with. Let our actions be informed by the best of our traditions. Let us all learn to be a little kinder. Let us treat everyone as if they are our beloved and valued sibling and children. If the scientists are to be believed then we don't have much time to make the world a better place for. Let us do what we can to ensure that we leave our world better in all ways for those who come after us.
peace.
Comments
I'll make no bones about it.
I'm a Christian. When it comes to my faith, I'll not pull any punches. I've made the choice to make the God, my God. I firmly believe in those "old traditions". Having made that choice and believing as I do, I'm obligated to live my life by those standards. On that I will not be moved.
That said, I am also a realist. I realize that not everyone has made that choice and not everyone shares my belief and faith. As such they are not bound by the rules or confined to those standards. It will serve no purpose for me to jump up on a soap box and demand that they make such a choice or live by those standards.
I must be content with them living only according to the standards and laws brought forth by the legislature and city councils. I only ask of them that they too be content with my choice to live biblically.
Though you claim to be only a "Cultural Christian," I can still say to you with all sincerity, "God bless you."
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
Thank you for the blessing
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. And your blessing. It means something special to me that you took the time to comment and share.
I have a friend who calls himself a Christian atheist. I have no idea what that means. I was confirmed in the Lutheran church at thirteen and took first communion after a pretty long summer of catechism classes. One of the key elements of that was the apostle's creed and the belief in our savior Jesus Christ. God the father and the holy spirit. That part was pretty simple. I hear all the different, ridiculous and contradictory things that people who identify as Christian claim. Over time I've lost track of what it means to identify as a Christian. I have a pretty strong idea about what Jesus would do yet I see so few doing it.
As a confirmed member of the Lutheran church I had this short list of things that I professed to believe. Of course none of those things was a position on civil rights (lets have more if it please) or the correct punishment for wearing blended fabrics (that's a silly bronze age rule to benefit shepherds). Much less any of the other pressing issues of today like the role of LGBTXetra people in sports or behind what door can we relieve ourselves. I guess it would be terrible if we made things better for everyone.
We have always been at the mercy of kings, pharisees, legislatures and councils. At lest now they don't always claim divine right. At least now we can pretend to have some say in the process. Let's do what we can to make the best of it.
peace
Your friend
Crash
Lost track -- Warning: Looks like I'm winding up for sermon ;o)
Many, dare I say most, Christians have lost track of what it means to be a Christian.
I think it's mostly just being lazy. What they seem to want from their religion is a list of do's and don'ts. Something they can tick off the boxes and say, "Yup, I'm good." That's just plain legalism. Not to mention way wide of the mark of what being a Christian is all about. What's more, it's just plain wrong.
For nearly 1500 years, the Jews had that (over 700, I'm told) and failed miserably at keeping them. Jesus' ministry was one of reconciliation. The Jews (as a group) were so far off the mark they might as well have been Gentiles. That's not to say that there weren't many who manage to please God. But the religious leaders of the time seemed to have the same attitude as our congress today. Laws are for the masses, leaders live by a different code. But I digress.
Jesus came to reconcile mankind to God. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Matt 5:17 NIV. The law being fulfilled by his sacrifice, he established a relationship between mankind and God.
There is the crux of the situation. Being a Christian isn't about following rules, it's about a relationship with Christ (God incarnate). Christianity isn't a religion, it's a relationship. This is where the lazy part comes in. Relationships require work. (I know because I have been married to the same woman for 53, nearly 54 years. We have good marriage because we survived the bad years. It took nearly a decade [and a relationship with Christ] to put it back together) The relationship with God only begins with accepting Jesus' sacrifice and praying the prayer that confirms that.
Paul admonished the Philippians to, "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling". That suggests to me that just saying, "I accept the sacrifice and want to live my life for Christ," doesn't make it a done deal. A person needs to work on their relationship with Christ (God) for it to be real. That requires time spent pursuing the teachings and time spent in communication (prayer) with God. Prayer is just that communication, two way communication; that is, taking time to listen to God's answer.
That's the part where the majority of those calling themselves Christians miss the mark (by the way that's what to word we translate as sin means... to miss the mark).
As for those obscure prohibitions in Deuteronomy 22; I have a large list to offer to those who would pick and choose which ones apply, to me not them. I start by offering come by their house with my ladder and go up on the roof to put together a material list for the parapet around edge, and while I'm there I might as well help them got through their closet and toss all cotton/polyester blend clothes.
OK, sermon over.
Once again, God bless you, and thank you for receiving what I said in the spirit I meant it to have.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann