Response to Lonestarblue (Reply #3)Mon Dec 31, 2018, 10:21 AM
MikeIsInProcess (5 posts)
31. Not a Christian nation?
Let’s not pretend that Christianity has meaningful standards. It was ambiguous enough to be compatible with 1930s Germany, an overwhelmingly Christian (and educated and culturally literate) nation. It was ambiguous enough to be compatible with the Confederacy, and was compatible enough with the THREE major denominations that split over slavery and formed Southern conferences (one of which still exists today). It was ambiguous enough to be compatible with Martin Luther and his horrific statements on Jews (and on reason itself, by the way). The KKK and other groups still feel that Christianity is perfectly compatible. There’s a reason they burn *crosses*.
There was Christianity in abundance on both sides of the Mason Dixon line. The ambiguous religion was apparently helpless to resolve our great dispute regarding that peculiar institution, and in the end the problem was eliminated (as minimally as possible) by superior firepower, with many Christians not forgiving such outrage even to this day. The institution was formerly killed, the underlying prejudices remained.
(And to be clear, on the issue of slavery I wouldn’t say that the Bible was particularly ambiguous: it speaks in strong affirmation of the institution, a point that Confederates thundered from their pulpits about as often as there were listeners gathered.)
It seems to be some form of idealism that there are meaningful standards involved here.
Christianity is as Christianity does.
I’m happy to argue that this is not a Christian nation, but racism isn’t the reasoning I’d use.
Just because someone claims to be a Christian does not mean that they are one. It's kind of like you DUmmies claiming to be geniuses.
The Bible addresses that here:
[Mat 7:21-23 KJV] 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
If you're really curious about the "meaningful standards" of Christianity you can open up the Bible, but the Apostle Paul gave a good lesson in what Christianity is all about right here:
[1Co 13:1-13 NLT] 1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 13 Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.
