[awediot]

Originally Posted by kara speltz

First of all, I have to very much disagree with your statement that "Christians just say "yeah, I am...", as though they all know exactly what is being asked and do not have to initially think about the answer..."

"Are you a Christian? Please speak up." Should not be loaded question... It is a very simple one that of course anticipates the "define what you mean by Christian" response... I actually wanted to see how people would define their views of Christianity... Most Christians I know would give a simple, maybe refined "yes", and then them self elaborate a bit on what that meant to them

I was born and baptised into the Roman Catholic Church, long, long before I came out as a lesbian. I do not believe you can generalize the way you did about Christians. We're all very different, depending on our upbringing and our specific "brand" of Christianity. What gives you the right to "define a Christian"?

Someone said depends on my definition, and so I told them what it was, expecting it to be taken as my own personal opinion on the matter, not an official, from on high revelation.

My definition was:

"Typically a Christians believes in the one of a kind divine nature of Jesus Christ, that His death was the sacrifice we can accept as the price owed for our sins, making Him "The Savior", that He rose from the grave, ascending to His Father's (God's) side, and that He will return as Lord over the new Earth."

Is that radically different from the basic understanding of what defines us a Christians? ...of course their are differences and variations on the theme, but "Jesus was a good guy" we both know doesn't cut it.

That sounds like what Falwell and his ilk do. And why think from a perspective of "we/they"? By your very definition you've excluded Mel White, our founder, who defines himself as a follower of a Jewish carpenter, and has a very hard time with calling himself a Christian. Why the need to exclude? Doesn't the world have enough exclusion already?

I'm interested in who calls them self a Christian around here because we will have certain things in common and share a perspective... By all means critique my definition, but please don't presume to know my motives or goals... I have a difficult time being associated with "Christians" to. I can explain why in a sentence or two... If people are divided and "excluded" on theological lines, talking about it is the adult, edifying thing to do. It isn't exclusionary, it is just discussion.

I've been part of Soulforce from the beginning, and we've always striven to be a multi-faith organization. It was predominantly Christian, but never solely Christian. I'm always grateful to my non-Christian friends for teaching me to be more inclusive in my thinking. Now thanks to them, I end my prayers with, "we pray this in your many names."

I'm an out lesbian at my parish and I preach, so I'm still Catholic because I've found a really welcoming community. If I hadn't, who knows..... While I am still a follower of that Jewish carpenter, there is much within the Christian churches that I find abhorent and do not support.

It is this ecumenical vision I am curious about... Is pantheism the driving philosophy and "religion" governing this site and SoulForce's actions? ~As a Christian, that is an incompatible and false belief I not only cannot support, but am called upon to oppose... Just because I have issues with many Christians and what passes for the Church these days, does not mean I have those same ones with God. I understand why we were warned away from false teachings, and know that the all inclusive, Universalist philosophy is okay as a social club or dinner party, but as a motivator for changing the world, it was clearly and blatently described as in opposition to the one true God... It's pretty much Bible 101.

At 72, I've come to understand that there is no black, no white, but various greys that reflect the diversity of the world.

Kara

Absurd... Are you advocating moral relativism?