Christian atheist?

[Twig pentagram]

I don't understand how someone can call themself a christian atheist. The Abrahamic god is one of the central figures of christianity. How can one not believe in this god and consider themself to be christian?

 

[Willamena]

Atheism isn't just about 'not believing,' it can also be about knowing precisely what it is you are not believing in.

 

[Orbital]

When I first saw this, I thought it would be someone who follows the teachings of Jesus but does not believe the christian god.

According to wiki this is right.

Apparantly there are also christian atheists who believe that god has died... but then why would they put the term 'atheists' in their label...?

The definitions keep getting messier.

 

[gnomon]

I don't understand how someone can call themself a christian atheist. The Abrahamic god is one of the central figures of christianity. How can one not believe in this god and consider themself to be christian?

Obviously not a Trinitarian.

Or maybe they are. In this new postmodern world of language I could say blue trouser feather ban as Cindy apple pie eat not brown and some fool will be shaking their head as if it made all the sense in the world.

 

[Tathagata]

I don't understand how someone can call themself a christian atheist.

It is a contradiction in terms. A Christian is someone who subscribes to the doctrines of Christianity, such doctrines include the belief in God.

Perhaps, there are those that say they are followers of Christ's teachings and don't believe in God, but that wouldn't make sense because Christ's teachings include God.

The only way a person could be an Atheist and a Christ-follower is if they strictly followed only the ethical teachings of Christ and nothing else.

However, it would be difficult to call such a person a "Christian" if that person largely discards the majority of Christian doctrine, save for a few ethical teachings of Christ.

 

[MoonWater]

That's the basic idea from what I understand tathagata. That Christian atheists follow the ethics and philosophy of christ but don't really believe in all the theological aspects. It's basically like seeing christ as a good role model on how to live life like other Christians do, but believing in any sort of divinity. It may in the strictest sense be a contradiction but that doesn't mean it automatically makes no sense or that it can't accurately describe a person's beliefs.

 

[gnomon]

It's a complete failing of understanding the term Christian. Too many people think it just means following the teachings of Jesus. It's about following the teachings of Christ.

Yeshua's name wasn't Christ. To fit Yeshua into Christ you have to accept the divinity. Reject the divinity and you reject the messiah aspect. Reject the messiah and you don't have a Christ. You have Yeshua who recycled some wisdom teachings.

And who knows where the H came from.

edit: But there's still the one caveat. And that's the anything goes bit. All one really has to do is say "Jesus is neat" and people will call you a Christian. We must never forget that stupidity knows no bounds.

 

[dallas1125]

Really, its not possible. A christian is someone who believes in Jesus Christ for salvation. If you dont, then your not a christian.

 

[Twig pentagram]

Really, its not possible. A christian is someone who believes in Jesus Christ for salvation. If you dont, then your not a christian.

I would have to agree with you on this one.

 

[That one dude...]

Oxymoron?

 

[Gloone]

I don't understand how someone can call themself a christian atheist. The Abrahamic god is one of the central figures of christianity. How can one not believe in this god and consider themself to be christian?

[FONT=&quot]The word Christian is probably the most liberal translation for a religion that you will ever come across in this lifetime.
If someone were to say they are an atheist Christian (this is just based on my understanding of it) then they believe Jesus took the place of God on the cross and God was killed by all of humanity for their selfish inability to persevere but found ways to do it without the help or aid of god or Jesus. That in essence is how god is rejected but it isn’t done in an imaginary or fictitious realm because it actually happen and took place in real life (at least that is what I believe). I could actually consider myself an atheist Christian if I wanted to. I do find the concept of being a regular atheist hard to grasp because I have a strong belief in god, good, evil, satan, gods, a good understanding of mythology and other religions altogether. At least the ones I have taken the time to study and try to understand.

[/FONT]

 

[Twilight Hue]

I don't understand how someone can call themself a christian atheist. The Abrahamic god is one of the central figures of christianity. How can one not believe in this god and consider themself to be christian?

Agree. I don't see exactly how in light that Christianity is said to be a complete religion in itself with no tolerance allowed whatsoever towards the intermixing of other theistic or non-theistic views. By definition from a classical Christian perspective, a hybrid belief is impossible. That said, a number of people are obviously looking at alternates because Christianity itself is apparantly lacking, thus nessissating a supplemental path for a number of people.

Look at what there is already. Christo-Judaism, Christo-Zen, Christo-paganism, Christo-wicca......the list goes on and on. Why not add Christo-atheism to the list?

 

[ellenjanuary]

All of you - are wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong...

Actually, I don't subscribe to that belief. I'm an American! If I say I am a neurosurgeon, then, by golly; I'm a neurosurgeon! Which is shorthand for saying all this "true" crap (true atheist, true Christian, true falsehood) is crap. Except for in my case, of course; for I am truly absurd.

But what is the atheistic argument? I don't believe in your god. What is being baptized in the Holy Spirit? Asked and answered, accepting divinity. What kind of divinity? Monotheism. Therefore, every Christian/Holy Spirit interface should be unique, no? And every Christian an atheist... or, at least, a "weak" atheist.

Weak atheist... I mean, what? My lack of belief is stronger than your lack of belief? And had the nerve... the audacity... to tell me, I was not agnostic, I was a weak atheist! How absurd is that!

 

[Archer]

I don't understand how someone can call themself a christian atheist. The Abrahamic god is one of the central figures of christianity. How can one not believe in this god and consider themself to be christian?

The Churches are full of them. I would bet there are more of them than Christians that actually believe in God. They are in a social club kind of like the Moose Lodge or something. They go for the fellowship and then feel all good about themselves because they put a buck in the tray and said they accept Jesus and now they can go to a Heaven they know nothing about and live with a Savior that they do not know. Funny thing is He will say "Depart from Me".

 

[PennyKay]

I don't understand how someone can call themself a christian atheist. The Abrahamic god is one of the central figures of christianity. How can one not believe in this god and consider themself to be christian?

Sounds like an oxymoron to me. I'm sure I was taught in school that a christian is somebody who believes in the christian bible (including God), and an atheist is somebody who does not believe in a God...I don't believe you can be both.

Just people trying to get the best of both worlds I guess...

 

[St Giordano Bruno]

Although on the surface it sounds as oxymoronic as a divine atheist, I think the term "humanist" could imply much that same thing. Why not describe themselves as being a humanist and be done with it?

 

[Archer]

Although on the surface it sounds as oxymoronic as a divine atheist, I think the term "humanist" could imply much that same thing. Why not describe themselves as being a humanist and be done with it?

But then they could not be Christians and talk about that happy place they will never see They would also not be able to take advantage of the huge secular Christian network and the opportunities it provides.

 

[fantome profane]

There are of course many Jewish Atheists. Could the term Christian Atheist be used in a similar fashion?

 

[Archer]

There are of course many Jewish Atheists. Could the term Christian Atheist be used in a similar fashion?

So almost like claiming a religion as an ethnicity? Makes sense in this day of lost heritage.

Let me see I am Caucasian/American Indian mix. Because the Indian was on my grand fathers side I have no tribal birthright. I am also German, British. Parts of my family have been in America for Milena and every ancestor I know of in the last 150years or so has been Christian. So I have a Christian heritage. Hey I don't believe in any God so I am an atheist with a Christian Heritage An Atheist Christian.

I am not an atheist BTW I was just simulating a chain of thought.

Frubs Profane

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

It is a contradiction in terms. A Christian is someone who subscribes to the doctrines of Christianity, such doctrines include the belief in God.

Do they necessarily?

Ask any ten random Christians what "the doctrines of Christianity" are and you'll probably get eleven different answers.

Perhaps, there are those that say they are followers of Christ's teachings and don't believe in God, but that wouldn't make sense because Christ's teachings include God.

How do you know? Unless you're saying that Biblical literalism is a required tenet of Christianity (which would need a pretty good argument on your part), I don't see how an atheist interpretation of Jesus' teachings is really that different in approach from other interpretations: take this, leave out that, interpret the other in terms of what you think the overall message is, etc.

Also, an atheist can include God... just as long as it's "God the metaphor", "God the laws of the natural universe", "God the collective ideals of humanity", "God the standard of perfection", or some other non-literal perspective on God.

The only way a person could be an Atheist and a Christ-follower is if they strictly followed only the ethical teachings of Christ and nothing else.

However, it would be difficult to call such a person a "Christian" if that person largely discards the majority of Christian doctrine, save for a few ethical teachings of Christ.

I can imagine the exact same argument being made by a Catholic against Protestantism ("without apostolic succession, the magisterium, and the sacraments, how can it be Christianity? They're throwing out the majority of Christian doctrine!"). Why does it work in your case but not in theirs?