Christian Freak: perspectives on God and diversity

A Cisgender White Male Christian Learns About Feminism

// August 11th, 2015 // No Comments » // Articles

I received a reply one day on Facebook where I had posted a comment in a discussion: “Well, you’re a cisgender white male, you wouldn’t understand!” Actually, I didn’t understand; I had no idea what a “cisgender” was. So I looked it up. Basically it means that I identify mentally and emotionally with the gender of my body, in contrast to those who feel personally that they do not, e.g. a male personality in a female body.

As a Christian I feel that it is my duty to love everyone, as I have made clear in the past. In some ways we can love unconditionally without prior thought, but in other ways I believe understanding leads to greater love. In this case, I felt like I may be perceived as the enemy for things I was born with (male, white, cis) and what I chose to believe about God. So, I asked my friends that consider themselves feminists this question:

Most of the things about myself I can’t really change; I was born like this. I did want to ask then, what feminists would like me to do personally. I know I can’t understand what it’s like to be other than how I am, but is there something I can do? Is there something you expect from people like me? What can I do to not be part of the problem? Is there room in your worldview for me? Where do I fit in? I don’t want to be the enemy just because of who I am.

Two of my friends, Rachel and Sonni, took me up on the offer. Their responses were well reasoned and kind. Here’s what I learned. (more…)

Indiana Law — Call for Christians to love

// April 1st, 2015 // No Comments » // Articles

I hear all the time about how Christians think we are being persecuted in America. First of all, this is insulting to those who are truly persecuted — from the early martyrs who were torn apart by lions to the modern day believers being tortured and beheaded by ISIS. Second, we are free to worship, pray, sing, and do just about anything in the United States. Certainly, there are politicians and others who dislike Christianity and even hate it; some of that is our own fault. We are called to love, first and foremost, and yet that is not what we are known for. We are known as those who scream and argue and try to force our beliefs on others through laws. Let us put away these things and truly love others and keep our faith that God himself will protect us and allow us to worship him in this free country that we live in. I call upon you to forget these things that cause strife and instead be a cause of love in the world. I call on you to bake cakes for people you disagree with. I call on you to serve atheists, and people of other sexual preferences, and those of other faiths with equal enthusiasm and above all, love.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.  This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. — I John 4:16-19

Petition for Reasonable Christianity

// February 21st, 2015 // No Comments » // Articles

Too long have we been misrepresented by those who scream the loudest. We are the everyday believers in Christ, not the extremists that have somehow been held up as our representatives. This is what we believe. If you agree with this, please go and sign this online petition I have created:

Sign the Reasonable Christian Petition

I am a reasonable Christian.

My knowledge is not perfect. Other people have had completely different lives and experiences than I have; I do not know what it is like to be anyone else but myself. I do not have perfect theology or knowledge of God. It is only through God’s grace that I know him at all. Love is superior to knowledge.

I prefer Democracy to Theocracy. I do not believe that other people living in my country should be forced to have Christian morals and values. I believe that people have a choice whether to believe in God or not.

I believe Jesus is the Son of God. This is what makes me who I am. Jesus came to bring salvation to the world, and he told us to love everyone. I confess this is true and cannot confess anything else. (more…)

Ken Ham preaches to choir, not atheists

// January 6th, 2015 // No Comments » // Articles

Recently, a group of atheists got together a consensus on what their “ten commandments” would be. I understand at least one reason for this — it shows that atheists don’t necessarily have no moral compass at all, as some people of faith accuse them of. As I read articles about this, I saw one pop up from Ken Ham.  I read his bio because I didn’t know who he was — apparently he is one of the founders of the Creation Museum.  I just want to say I love my brothers and sisters who believe in a literal seven day creation, even though I personally think that’s a bit too literal a view and that the earth is more than 6,000 years old.

What I don’t love is Christians slamming atheists. I know some of them can be pretty harsh — but a lot of them do have good points, and they are a great source of information for how the church in general is alienating people worldwide. Now, I don’t mean that people are turning away from the truth of the gospel because they reject it or can’t handle it, I’m talking about how a lot of Christians are jerks in many ways and that turns a lot of people away. This includes how we treat atheists. (more…)

A Christian Moderate: Neither Left nor Right

// December 29th, 2014 // No Comments » // Articles

Most of us know that the greatest commandment given by Jesus was to love God, and the second was to love one another. Unfortunately, when it comes to the Christian experience, this is often lost. We seem to spend so much time arguing over our differences and theology that could have been spent loving each other. In fact, some people have rationalized that correcting another’s theology is an ultimate expression of love — to which I would reply:

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? – James 2

Love people by meeting their true needs, which we only learn by humbly asking, not independently deciding.

The Middle Road

A problem I experience often is that my moderate theology is not satisfactory for my brothers and sisters on the far right or left. One might state that it is nearly impossible to satisfy people at the extremes and so be encouraged to abandon the effort entirely. The reality is that I wish to change the church, and to do so I believe I must learn to co-exist with others that have different Christian theology. (more…)

The Power of Accepting Yourself

// December 1st, 2014 // No Comments » // Articles

When reading the title of this article you might think, “Hey, that doesn’t sound like something that the Bible teaches.” Its true it’s not exactly something that is directly from the Bible. However, there is great strength in knowing who you are in relation to God, and accepting that fact.

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