Is Christianity a cult?

[Further]

Well you will have to forgive me, I have been using the term Christian Philosophy because I am lazy and trying to shorten the typing. Well also not to be to confusing also I suppose. However, the right term is Judeo-Christian philosophy. As a nation we take much from both even as Christian accept much from Jewish teaching and history. Perhaps it is Abrahamism but I don't see that because that would then include Islam and if you read the Koran, you can not fail to see major differences in the teachings of that religion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judeo-Christian

Then there is this fellow and he seem to be a little tight, fails to accept what is, the moral system is the same, the Commandments are the same, the teachings of Tolerance are the same, err I choose to overlook the exceptions.

http://modernjewishvoice.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/is-judeo-christian-philosophy-a-farce-2/

It's an interesting situation. Our history is certainly built off of (I was going to write J C for Jude's Christian, but I think that JC is only more confusing) Ju-Ch underpinnings, and the majority of our populous is of that ilk, so in that regard you certainly could call the American Culture one driven by Ju-Ch philosophy. However, I have a couple problems with that.

First, from a purely emotional standpoint, I have fear of religion taking hold of our secular institutions. As an atheist certainly, but also and primarily a a Jew. Living in a society that is mostly dominated by another religion, and having story after story of my relatives passing from the Nazi regime, I understand that religion can be manipulated to cause great devastation.

Secondly, so many of the pillars of Ju-Ch thinking are absent in our society, and I think that's a positive thing. The first commandment of no other gods is not law, and in fact is specifically one of the reasons for separation. The secon commandment is no graven images, and that isn't part of law or even societal norms. And we could continue down this path with the sabbath or with taking the lords name in vain.

So what I'm saying is that yes there is a great amount of influence, but society is more than a saying on a coin. And our society is influenced by, but a not Judeo-Christian society.

 

[Further]

OP spends a lot of time thinking about something that he doesn't believe in.

I find it fascinating. Also, I don't get to discuss these issues with my friends often because most are not practicing Christians. You don't believe in Obama, but I see you post about him frequently.

 

[MarAzul]

I find it fascinating. Also, I don't get to discuss these issues with my friends often because most are not practicing Christians. You don't believe in Obama, but I see you post about him frequently.

Nothing good, heh? If you could hear me the other day after he intimated that parochial schools is like going back to days of slavery. Then the dude says the call to prayer is one of the most beautiful sounds on earth, from his days in a Muslem school in Indonesia.
Well I don't know what the bugger is but I wish he knew what a Natural Born Citizen is.

 

[magnifier661]

Marzy, great point about our country founded on Christianity. I believe that's how the country got so strong. God blessed those that praise him.

The moment the United States omits "in God we trust" or "one nation under God"; is when this country will turn to shit.

As the country becomes more atheist (agnostic is a type of thinking; atheism is the faith); the ramifications will be devastating.

 

[MarAzul]

Marzy, great point about our country founded on Christianity. I believe that's how the country got so strong. God blessed those that praise him.

The moment the United States omits "in God we trust" or "one nation under God"; is when this country will turn to shit.

As the country becomes more atheist (agnostic is a type of thinking; atheism is the faith); the ramifications will be devastating.

You can already see the results of the trend. We need all voices to be heard, now is not the time to lay back and hope for better days.

 

[magnifier661]

You can already see the results of the trend. We need all voices to be heard, now is not the time to lay back and hope for better days.

I just don't see it getting any better. I think our country is turning their backs on God and eventually we will look around and ask "what the hell happened?"

All good things on this planet come to an end...

 

[MarAzul]

Marzy, great point about our country founded on Christianity. I believe that's how the country got so strong. God blessed those that praise him.

The moment the United States omits "in God we trust" or "one nation under God"; is when this country will turn to shit.

As the country becomes more atheist (agnostic is a type of thinking; atheism is the faith); the ramifications will be devastating.

Actually Mags, I wish they had left the pledge of allegiance alone. Congress stuck the "under God in there in 1954. The purpose of the original
line in the pledge, one Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, was a pledge to the concept of the 48 states with individual difference
held together in one nation by the common Constitution. Adding god in there sort of confused people as to what you are pledging fealty.

Now we are losing the understanding of usefulness of the Constitution. Not by this change alone of course but now the pledge is sort of obscure to say the least.

 

[MarAzul]

I just don't see it getting any better. I think our country is turning their backs on God and eventually we will look around and ask "what the hell happened?"

All good things on this planet come to an end...

I think we might be very close to seeing where we are going with a great deal more clarity. Within a few years.

 

[chevyrunssometimes]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_philosophy

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/christiantheology-philosophy/

http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Philosophy-A-Christian-Perspective/dp/0801038189

*None of these establish a Christian philosophy per se, or that Christianity is a philosophy. Rather they are (in general) attempts at applying the rigors of philosophical inquiry to various problematic aspects of Christianity (the religion). So ... that's, like, three strikes, buddy. (kidding)

However, the term philosophy does have a very watered down meaning which essentially means 'one's general approach to something' as in: Question) What's your philosophy of life? Answer) Live and let live. In that respect, a Christian philosophy might be anything anyone uses that can be traced to Christianity, as in 'Love thy neighbor ... unless he's gay, but do not love his wife, etc.' But this isn't much different than saying that in our society, there are enough ideas that are understood as having come from the Tradition, and that as free thinkers we are free to adopt or discard them at will. But even with this understanding, it isn't clear that one (so called) Christian philosophy would be the same as another (so called) Christian philosophy. In philosophy, differences typically mean a lot ... so this latter formulation is problematic too.

*Note, I did not read "Introduction to philosophy a Christian Perspective" because 1) the title seems self explanatory and 2) the favorable reviews I read support the title. That is, it's an introduction to some aspects of Philosophy proper with special emphasis geared toward the special interest a Christian might have as a novice in the ways methods and projects of Philosophy as a discipline.

 

[chevyrunssometimes]

Regarding the notion that the United States is founded on Christianity and the related idea that the founding fathers were Christian, this page offers a lot of contradictory evidence: http://freethought.mbdojo.com/foundingfathers.html

I think it's an ugly page, but the information is serviceable.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Marzy, great point about our country founded on Christianity. I believe that's how the country got so strong. God blessed those that praise him.

The moment the United States omits "in God we trust" or "one nation under God"; is when this country will turn to shit.

As the country becomes more atheist (agnostic is a type of thinking; atheism is the faith); the ramifications will be devastating.

I've always thought that "in god we trust" was backwards. Instead it should be "God entrusted us". God entrusted us with the greatest nation on Earth. God entrusted us with natural resources to see that no one goes hungry, that no person needs be oppressed, that no wars for gain be fought. God entrusted us with so much yet we are horrible caretakers.

If there is a god it's not our praise he wants, it's how we respect and take care of the gifts he gave us.

/end rant.

 

[chevyrunssometimes]

What say you?

Clearly it WAS a cult (some prefer sect) of Judaism. But in serious religious study, the word cult rarely has the pejorative understanding indicated by so many of those responding to this thread. Maybe you would have done better to present the definition of cult from, say, a philosophy of religion source.

I seem to recall the Discovery Channel airing a documentary on this subject. Did you happen to see it?

 

[chevyrunssometimes]

If there is a god it's not our praise he wants, it's how we respect and take care of the gifts he gave us.

Soren Kierkegaard, Christian and philosopher expressed a similar understanding. The faithful in a desire to live a Christian life should seek in the very living of it, to become transparent to the truth that is Christ. One's transparency to this light (no, not the light one sees on acid), this truth, then was the real test (of one's credibility of one's claim to be a genuine Christian). Not likely to fly today, but during his time, there was actually a concern for authenticity. I am of course paraphrasing SK.

 

[ABM]

If there is a god it's not our praise he wants, it's how we respect and take care of the gifts he gave us.

They go hand-in-hand. To praise/glorify God includes being a good steward of all He has entrusted us with.

 

[Further]

They go hand-in-hand. To praise/glorify God includes being a good steward of all He has entrusted us with.

I really like this concept.

 

[magnifier661]

They go hand-in-hand. To praise/glorify God includes being a good steward of all He has entrusted us with.

I agree to a point; but I truly believe the communication with God is more important. Like a father speaks with his child. We need to have constant communication. We choose to follow God's laws, not because we have to; but because we love him and are grateful of his grace.

I would say I agree with sly in this regard. He gave us these blessings because he loves us; not because there are strings attached.

 

[ABM]

The Mars Hill Church is very cult like. They have churches in Seattle and Portland.

Awww...that media.

I attended Mars Hill for years. Trust me, it's no cult. For various reasons, I never joined the membership.....certainly not because the doctrine wasn't sound, though.

Shoot, read some of the epistles of Paul if you wanna see many, many examples of somebody holding the church accountable!

 

[Further]

The Mars Hill Church is very cult like. They have churches in Seattle and Portland.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/church-or-cult/Content?oid=12172001

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/...es_backlash_over_church_discipline_case_.html

http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/2012/01/mars-hill-altar-of-doctrine-and-occult.html

You just don't like that the leader makes fun of people who believe in a "Richard Simmons, hippie, queer Christ... a neutered and limp-wristed popular SkyPokerDog Fairy."