America Isn’t Growing Hostile Towards Christians, It’s Growing Hostile Towards Religious Bullies.

[VickySGV]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfundie/america-isnt-growing-hostile-towards-christians-its-growing-hostile-towards-religious-bullies/

The author of this article is one that I consider to be very level headed in his writings that I follow on another site.  This is a position that I myself hold, and have seen IRL.  I realize this may be an irritation to some people, or could also be the key to their understanding of current events in regard to the Christian religion which I am a member of even with my several other spiritual journey directions that I have posted on here.

Since I am a moderator here, I am often hesitant to post topics that I know can be hot button and I remind anyone reading this that this Forum is a Safe Haven.  Comments are welcome none-the-less.

[Jani]

I agree with the bulk of this article, and I wonder about the quote "In fact, some polls show that around 83% of Americans are Christians."  I believe most are Christian in name only.  We only have to look at the divorce rate and current levels of discrimination to name a few concerns.  It doesn't seem Christ like to me.   For some time now I've noted in discussion with friends that we appear to have our own versions of the Mid-Eastern "radical's" we seem to abhor.  I hope this turns around sometime soon, but I'm not optimistic.  

Jani

[Guest Clair Dufour]

Some sects consider themselves the only Christians to the exclusion of all others and they are most often the noisy ones. Some are also being used for political ends just like the Red Menace of the 50's. Of course now its the gays, trans* and aliens.

[VickySGV]

You are almost certainly right Jani, that the Christians described are not deeply practicing in regard to any specific denomination's doctrines or dogma.  The identity involved is hereditary or cultural without regard to actual practice on even a Regular attendance at Christmas or Easter services (both for many of them)   Some of the identity is going to be on process of elimination like "I am not Shamanic (I am)", "I am not "Other Abrahamic" religions, Buddhism and the like."  "I am not atheist (there must be a higher power) or agnostic, and therefore I am a Christian."  Check the box on the U.S. Census and move on!!

I for one will not dispute another person's election to name a religious leaning but I will look and see what some of their actual character traits are regardless of declaration of faith.  If they will be honest only with members of their religious peerage, then to me they are dishonest no matter what they mouth about their character.  I would like you to attend my church for the fellowship and enjoyment that spiritual contemplation can bring, but if it scares you or does not suit you, go and know you were accepted if only for a short time.  You were  not whisked away when I secretly (because if I had done it publicly you would have been offended) ask that all evil mischief leave us alone so YOU are not evil.  As I well knew.  

[gennee]

A good article. I believe that some are Christians in name only. Religious bullies like Franklin Graham give Christianity a bad rap. I also don't see the correlation that passing transgender protections right infringes on religious freedom. It's an outright lie. This is why, in my mind, Ted Cruz was a bigger threat to freedom than Trump because he holds similar views to Graham.

Nowhere in scripture does it say that disciplines are to "Christianize a nation". It says to preach the gospel, not beat anyone down with the bible. I can understand why some in the TGLBQI community are hostile to the bible, church, and religion as a whole. It's amazing when people came to America in the sixteen and seventeen hundreds one of the reasons was to be free of the religious and government tyranny of their respective country. Looking at the landscape now it seems that people like Franklin Graham and Ted Cruz want to return to that.