Christian Atheist - Is that possible?

[Being]

I don't want to debate anything, but I would like some perspectives from Christians, or even former Christians who have had a deep and devout faith in Christ. Is it possible to be(come) a Christian Atheist? I have read that Frank Schaeffer considers himself an atheist but still prays/talks to Jesus. Or some days he believes in a personal God, and other days he doesn't. Here's a link to an article about him. It gives a summary of his life and the development of his views. I don't necessarily want to discuss Schaeffer so much as the concept of Christian Atheism and what that might mean, and how it might be expressed. Below is the URL of the article's web site, and the final paragraph of the article.

Frank Schaeffer, the Atheist Who Believes in God - The Daily Beast

On the other hand, he has retained an attribute reminiscent of the other ex-fundies. He hardly spares any codified religion from his angry denunciations, including Orthodoxy. He mostly portrays them as retrograde and dogmatic. “Maybe we need a new category other than theism, atheism or agnosticism that takes paradox and unknowing into account,” he writes. It’s naive and arrogant to think the great spiritual traditions haven’t taken these into account for centuries. Prayer and belief don’t preclude unknowing. For all his newfound comfort with uncertainty, Schaeffer has yet to embrace the equally great virtue of solidarity. Like those other defectors, he’s still trying to blaze a new path.

 

[psychoslice]

I was a Christian for about 16 years, I am no longer a Christian because now I see the Christ as our own inner Consciousness. The whole story of Jesus to me is our own story, Jesus made the Christ within personal so that the people of that time could have some idea of what he was teaching. Those who were not ready to hear the truth were the ones who were taken in by the stories and the so called miracles, that were nothing but metaphors.

We ourselves are the Christ, we are One with the Source or the father if you prefer that title. When one is mature in spirit they are no longer who they were, for now they live in Christ, for they are the Christ.

I don't see why you have to call yourself a Christian if you don't fully believe in what Christians believe, after all its only a label. I prefer to call myself a Mystic, because there is no real label for a Mystic, he or she is beyond all labels.

 

[Nietzsche]

This reminds me somewhat of Thomas Jefferson's and Frederick the Great's religious views. Namely, that Jesus is an excellent role-model but that the entire Old Testament, & every bit of the New Testament that involves miracles & the supernatural are worthless.

 

[ChristineES]

You can certainly follow Jesus' commands even if you are an atheist, most of them: Love your neighbors, love your enemies, feed the hungry and clothe the naked, take care of the widows and orphans, show mercy, don't condemn others, and on and on. There is one command, however, that Jesus has: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength (Jesus got it from the Torah), so whether one can be a Christian/Disciple of Jesus/Yeshua and not believe in God would put in a damper on whether you can call yourself a Christian or not. But I am not the final authority on any on this.

 

[psychoslice]

This reminds me somewhat of Thomas Jefferson's and Frederick the Great's religious views. Namely, that Jesus is an excellent role-model but that the entire Old Testament, & every bit of the New Testament that involves miracles & the supernatural are worthless.

Yes I would agree with that, but still there is some pearls of wisdom throughout the gospel, as there is also wisdom in any scriptures, even the news paper sometimes has wisdom within its pages if you look carefully.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Any relation to Francis A. Schaeffer who wrote How Should We Then Live...?

 

[George-ananda]

I would not call it Christianity.....It's a new invention too different to use the same term...

 

[Brickjectivity]

Any relation to Francis A. Schaeffer who wrote How Should We Then Live...?

Yes. Francis is the dad. Frank is the son.

 

[Nietzsche]

and clothe the naked

But what if they're really hot? Can we make an exception then?

 

[Nietzsche]

Yes. Francis is the dad. Frank is the son.

Is there a ghost somewhere in there too?

 

[Brickjectivity]

I don't want to debate anything, but I would like some perspectives from Christians, or even former Christians who have had a deep and devout faith in Christ. Is it possible to be(come) a Christian Atheist?

The nature of people is to have doubts about everything. I don't know anyone who never doubts, and the nature of Christianity is to not ask who is doubting and who is convinced. Your brain doesn't have an 'On-off' switch. Brains have a complicated stream of thoughts, some doubting and some stubbornly believing. There is no continual state for the mind to be in but rather a constant transition from one state to another. Therefore the Christian Atheist is very real.

 

[gsa]

No. But you can be culturally Christian. Most atheists from Christian backgrounds still celebrate Christmas, for example. Many even celebrate Easter. Just without any religious observance or significance.

For me, atheism required leaving Christianity behind. I can't see the point of worshipping something you don't believe in.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I don't see what worship has to do with it.

 

[Ingledsva]

You can certainly follow Jesus' commands even if you are an atheist, most of them: Love your neighbors, love your enemies, feed the hungry and clothe the naked, take care of the widows and orphans, show mercy, don't condemn others, and on and on. There is one command, however, that Jesus has: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength (Jesus got it from the Torah), so whether one can be a Christian/Disciple of Jesus/Yeshua and not believe in God would put in a damper on whether you can call yourself a Christian or not. But I am not the final authority on any on this.

But if one considers himself - that something we are calling God/or Jesus, - then to love yourself with all your heart and soul, and treat all others as if they were "god," and thus treat others as you wish to be treated, becomes very interesting.

*

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I don't want to debate anything, but I would like some perspectives from Christians, or even former Christians who have had a deep and devout faith in Christ. Is it possible to be(come) a Christian Atheist? I have read that Frank Schaeffer considers himself an atheist but still prays/talks to Jesus. Or some days he believes in a personal God, and other days he doesn't.

I hate to say this, but it depends on how you define an atheist. I take a pretty literal definition that an atheist does not believe in any deities hence the a before the theist.

I am still a Christian by Christian sacraments I've taken three years ago; and, I don't follow Christ now. However, I do believe spirits of those passed live on. So, Jesus would be living on earth in the area with where He was raised, lived, and crucified. I talk with my grandmothers who are deceased and try to talk more to my ancestors; so, yes, I can talk with Jesus as well.

The gentlemen in the article may not believe Jesus is God; not all Christians do. If that is so, then by all means, he can as an atheist. Spirits exist regardless our faith or belief.

If he does believe Jesus is God, then there is a conflict. It depends on how he defines God. Most Christians define God as a being separate from themselves (because of sin) and actually interacts with creation--displays emotions and such. An atheist does not believe in deities (using the literal definition of the word); so, how could he or she believe in and talk to Christ (If He were God) given He doesn't believe in God. He'd be talking to Himself or the Spirit of Christ not God.

I sometimes I to the Church and pray. A lot of my passed relatives are Christian and I pay my respects. I actually do pray to Jesus because I do believe He is alive in Spirit. I disagree that He is God (because I don't believe in God as a Being); and, I still talk to Christ with respect that He deserves.

Anyone can pray to anyone regardless if they are atheist, Buddhist, christian. Considering yourself (in general) an atheist, to me, means you do not believe in deities exist; therefore, praying to God (or Christ as God) would mean the two don't mesh.

If anyone wants to call themselves a Christian Atheist, the closest I can see that is if they do not believe Christ as God and they pray to Christ to know Him in spirit. You can learn a lot from Christ without being a Christian. To be a Christian you must believe Jesus Christ saved you from your sins. You must believe He has a Father--in Spirit/being. The whole Bible is about a person's salvation. Jesus' whole purpose of coming to earth, if you like, was doing the will of His Father.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I suppose one could reval and enjoy the flavor Christianity brings to the table even if it has no bearing for an atheist. Aspects like the passion play and the stories can provide sufficient inspiration in it's own right.

I'm still enamored with Jesus Christ Superstar and during those moments it's easy to become "Christian"again if even for a
little bit and enjoy what it offers as a religion without the hangups of belief.

 

[Dionysus]

Christian atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert M. Price is an example of an atheist Christian who doesn't even believe that Jesus literally existed. Some leaders in progressive and emerging Christianity do not believe in an afterlife or a literal anthropomorphic deity involved in the affairs of men. Christianity has existed in a multitude of contradicting schools of thought since the first century. Why not let a few atheists have their Christianity?

 

[jtartar]

I don't want to debate anything, but I would like some perspectives from Christians, or even former Christians who have had a deep and devout faith in Christ. Is it possible to be(come) a Christian Atheist? I have read that Frank Schaeffer considers himself an atheist but still prays/talks to Jesus. Or some days he believes in a personal God, and other days he doesn't. Here's a link to an article about him. It gives a summary of his life and the development of his views. I don't necessarily want to discuss Schaeffer so much as the concept of Christian Atheism and what that might mean, and how it might be expressed. Below is the URL of the article's web site, and the final paragraph of the article.

Frank Schaeffer, the Atheist Who Believes in God - The Daily Beast

Being,
It is not possible to be an atheist and a Christian, at the same time. This goes contrary to all scripture!!!
In the first place the greatest commandment says we must love God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, Matt 22:34-40. Any person you love you want o know better. The Bible tells us that it means our everlasting life to take in knowledge of the only true God, John 17:3. To know God we must study His book and obey His commandments.
This is not something for which there is a choice, for we have the warning written about the consequences of disobeying the One who has the right to tell us the proper way to live, 2Thes 1:6-9, Isa 48:17-19, Ps 32:8,9, Deut 10:12,13. It is not possible to obey God's commands and be an atheist, Ps 1:1-5.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Being,
It is not possible to be an atheist and a Christian, at the same time. This goes contrary to all scripture!!!
In the first place the greatest commandment says we must love God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, Matt 22:34-40. Any person you love you want o know better. The Bible tells us that it means our everlasting life to take in knowledge of the only true God, John 17:3. To know God we must study His book and obey His commandments.
This is not something for which there is a choice, for we have the warning written about the consequences of disobeying the One who has the right to tell us the proper way to live, 2Thes 1:6-9, Isa 48:17-19, Ps 32:8,9, Deut 10:12,13. It is not possible to obey God's commands and be an atheist, Ps 1:1-5.

You really are just framing things in a certain way rather than purely deriving your points from all scripture. (Jer 17:9-10) "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

See? The heart is deceitful 'Above all things'. So who is to say who is the atheist and who isn't? What about Christians who doubt? What about the thief on the cross? What about faithfulness vs. beliefs? What about the fact that knowledge merely puffs up but love builds up? Now who is the atheist and who is the theist at the end of the day?

 

[Bunyip]

I would guess that many, if not most Christians today are atheist. There are many, many clergy who are atheist.