Why when you mention spirituality does everyone assume you're a Christian?

Question

I guess part of the problem is that most of the people here that talk about spirituality are Christians, but just to set the record straight I AM NOT A CHRISTIAN!

I don't like Christianity. I think it is more about justifying a social order than spirituality.

It is a common teaching in many religions that you must figure things out for yourself. I don't take what others write in books as automatic truth no matter who they claim they are.

Answer 1

I am part of "everyone" and I do not assume that someone mentioning spirituality is Christian. I enjoy discussions on spiritual topics and I myself am not Christian.


Blessings )O(

Answer 2

First of all, I would like to start off by saying that I *am* a Christian. Then I would like to make an earnest request: that you do *not* generalize Christians as you just did.

I am a Catholic Christian -- in terms of interpretation of the Bible, this means that I don't take it as a literal, historical document. So when you say that Christians "take what others write in books as automatic truth," you've just incorrectly generalized all Christian denominations. I do not accept the Bible as a completely true source, because I see far too many contradictions, as many atheists continue to point out! In two areas of the Bible, Judas' death is mentioned -- one source claims that it was in old age, while the other claims it was suicidal. The Catholic church can only correctly interpret this by acknowledging that yes, Judas did die, but we cannot know how.

The Catholic church teaches that the Bible was written by human beings who were inspired by God and His workings -- this means that He did not dictate what went into the Bible, and it therefore corrupts some of the "facts" written down. For example, way back in the book of Genesis, where the writers speak of Noah, they claim that the world was flooded, and that two animals of all kinds were ushered onto a boat for 40 days and nights. But the Catholic church sees this as an allegorical story -- the point is not that this is a factual representation of what went on with Noah, but that it reveals what people thought of God back then (angry, fearsome, yet merciful), and why Jesus' arrival in the New Testament would be so impacting upon Jews (Jesus' new message to the Jews was that God was actually a personal and loving God, highly contradictory to how most people perceived Him).

Like you said, "It is a common teaching in many religions that you must figure things out for yourself." And this I agree in. With the Catholic church, it is a part of your spiritual growth to question and challenge your own faith, because it would be wrong to sit still and just accept everything thrown at you. I learned early on that God existed and that I should pray to Him, but for years and years I doubted that He really could exist. Through personal searching, I came to agree with the church that I had been raised in -- but only through a very long process of working my way in a logical fashion through everything that I had experienced in life.

A goal that is shared by all Catholic Christians is to listen to what our church has to say, and then dig deep enough into the situation to see if I too come to the same conclusion. Only then will I accept what my church has to say -- after all, through much studying of my own church history, I know that Catholicism has had terrible run-ins with corruption amongst the clergy. I can only trust my personal faith -- if that happens to correspond with what the Catholic church teaches, then great! That is the religion that I will stick by until the day when I reach a disagreement in a very fundamental belief.

(Note: I admittedly do have disagreements with some Catholic traditions, though. I think that gays should be allowed to express themselves as God intended, I think that priests should be allowed to marry, and I think that women should be able to be priests. There are more.)

Answer 3

You're right, its a common assumption which is often the wrong assumption. You're also right about the social club aspect of it, people like to be part of a group. Its funny when they defend their beliefs by saying its their personal belief, they feel it inside, they "know" god is real because they can "experience his love" and crap like that, then turn around and chastize others for not being in the same religion as them. Funny, but in a sad sickening sorta way.

Answer 4

No, I don't assume that just because you mention the word spiritual that you are in any way associated with a particular religion (Christianity, etc). I for one am also Not a Chrisitan...I am a Unitarian Universalist and I'm proud of my misguided faith in HUMANITY. You may want to check us out...The Uncommon Denomination at WWW.UUA.ORG to get some info. PEACE!

Answer 5

I think it's because the majority of the world is christian so they automatically assume that you are. Also, christians are so stuck-up, when they hear anything about religion, they automatically think you're talking about them.

Answer 6

The gospel is hid to those who are lost for Satan, the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them (2 Cor.4:3-4 below).

To the Jews, preaching Christ crucified is a stumblingblock and to the Greeks (Gentiles) foolishness, but to them which are CALLED (the church of God -1 Cor.10:32 below) Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God (1 Cor.1:23-24 below).


2 Cor.4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2 Cor.4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

1 Cor.1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

1 Cor.1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

1 Cor.10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:



Pat (ndbpsa ©)

Answer 7

i think of i ought to describe the non secular element with out going into the non secular element. I definitely have a pagan buddy that i attempted this exercising with: We in basic terms spoke of our faiths, and what they do for us. It became out that the words we used to describe our faith have been in basic terms approximately precisely the comparable, different than he replaced God with Hecate. i assumed it exchange into exceedingly neat.

Answer 8

Seeking truth? Try here.

http://www.yahweh.com/booklets/Prayers/prayers.htm

Prove it for yourself.