What do you think about coining a new term for more reasonable members of the church?

Question

If you are a christian and you DON'T believe these things:

-The Bible is 100% literal truth
-All non-christians, regardless of what kind of people they are, are going to hell
-Every other ideology/belief is wrong

Then you should call yourselves something else besides Christians, like Neo-Christians or something like that. I gotta believe that many of you would not want to be associated with some of the close-minded nutcases that you have seen on this site and the community. I also think that Christianity as a whole needs some reform from the more liberal minded in the church, and seperating yourself from the larger group may be the needed wake-up call.

The fact is a world-view that does not allow for the beliefs of others will detract from ever achieving a peaceful world and an ideology that preaches about love thy neighbor should be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Answer 1

To be more accurate: To hold the views you listed is not Christian.

Christians can and do accept the believes of others as valid. We do not believe for the most part that the Bible is to be taken literally, or that all who do not believe as we do go to hell.

There are many paths to the gates of heaven. Following Christ is the one that is right for Christians.

Peace be with you,
Michael

Answer 2

I would be one of the people to fit into this new group. However, I don't know if it would make things better to branch off into yet more sects of Christianity. There are already so many. What would that look like to the world? I'm not sure. I'm not neccessarily disagreeing with you. It does sound like a good idea, but you'd also have to think of the problems that might arise from branching off yet again. I am a United Methodist, and I think it is a pretty reasonable church. At least mine is. I guess we all just need to do some church-shopping and find the one that fits our beliefs the best and live the best example of Christ that we can.

If you are just talking about starting a group, not a new denomination, I would be all for that.

Answer 3

LOL, neo-christians sounds like neo-nazis :)
Anyway, let's talk about the people who is not like that: that is open minded, that love others whether they think like they or they not, etc. Those are Christians. And if you correctly remember, the Pope JP2 was like that. Jesus thought us to accept people for what they are, not for their past, or for what they believe, the same did the Pope, visiting and being friends with other religious leaders.
Take a look at this page:
http://jesus-is-lord.com/
There is anything really Christian you see in there? I don't think so. It's about "hate everyone who don't think like we do". How can you tell that's the word of Jesus? It is not, as is not right either to rule your life completely as it's told by a book who is more than 2000 old.
The world has changed a lot, and the Church should do it, to, whatsoever, Vatican is doing it slowly. The people like those who run the website above are separated from Vatican (they think Pope is the devil) are not Christians, nor I think that nutcase Pat Robertson should. He tried to get Church a place in government to force people to do and believe what he thinks is right: that's too much medieval and we are evolved from that.

Answer 4

As a Christian who thinks that the Bible is not 100% literal truth, that a person has to live a good and moral life (not necessarily be Christian) to avoid hell, and that other beliefs and ideologies can have some merit, I still have no problem calling myself a Christian, even though other Christians may not share my exact beliefs.

Trying to come up with a new name or sub-group only works to divide us. Maybe we should all accept that we are Brothers and Sisters in Christ, turn the other cheek, and show love to our fellow human beings.

Answer 5

Thank you for raising this issue. I agree completely with your last statement: "The fact is a world-view that does not allow for the beliefs of others will detract from ever achieving a peaceful world and an ideology that preaches about love thy neighbor should be part of the solution, not part of the problem."

I, too, struggle with terminology. The term "neo-Christian" is problematic in that it is not those of us described by your three points that are new on the scene, but rather evangelical fundamentalism is the more recent development in church history as a phenomenon of American right wing culture. Christianity in other parts of the world does not necessarily have the same "flavour" as the American brand of fundamentalism.

"Liberal" Christianity is the term usually applied to us, but it also tend to be problematic in that it leads people to pre-judge and make assumptions that we do not have beliefs and traditions that we hold as dear as they do.

This is not meant to be a sweeping disparagement of conservative Christians, as I do know many who are not as visible and vocal as those on YA --and who do practice tolerance, openness, and a liberal spirit.

The issues you raise remind me of atheist philosopher Slavoj Zizek who writes that Christianity holds within it key beliefs and ideals that are unparalleled in other religion, if we could only learn ways to employ these principles without hatred. For example, he upholds the Christian model of forgiveness as exemplary. He calls for Christianity to be "rescued from the fundamentalists" and restored to a belief system that can be respected and used practically.

How this might come about I cannot say, but perhaps if we keep raising the issue and discussing it, some insights will follow.

Thank you again for your post!!

Answer 6

I'm a Christian. First off, you called some of the non-believers " closed-mined nutcases." What do you think you've just fueled? Second, Jesus said " I came into the world, not to condemn the world, but that through me the world might be saved." John 3:17
So Jesus spent a lot of time with people who didn't believe in Him with the hope that they someday would. It's our job to tell people about GOD, His love, and His plan for us. You have to leave it up to GOD's Spirit to move around and within the people. That's what's going to change their hearts. Yes, you do sometimes have to seperate yourself from people or groups if that's going to keep down confussion. Their will never be world peace under the current conditions. First, Christians and non-Christians can co-exist in the physical world but not the spiritual. It's the spirit of a man that ultimately drives his actions. As long as the spirit of GOD and satan are warring, there won't be peace. It's not until once and for all that GOD gets rid of satan that there will be peace. Second, satan and his kingdom are like a dying king with many selfish sons fighting each other for power. They can't stand each other either.

Answer 7

Wow, read some of the answers posted...people are so rude!! I'm with you though...I consider myself Christian b/c I believe in God and that Jesus is His son, but I am also open minded, think that good people don't suffer for eternity if they aren't Christian and I don't think the Bible is 100% literally true (almost lost a friend over this one...oh and since when were Catholics not Christian??? b/c apparently we're something else).

I think terminology can be useful to distinguish b/w groups of people who are different.

It's not about being a "convenient Christian" if you believe that a child won't burn in hell for eternity if it never was baptized or recieved communion. I am truly sorry and prayerful for the people who believe God to be such a wrathful and cruel entity.


Gah I keep reading what people post and it's best just to ignore them b/c they're hopeless cases. Won't it be funny when they finally meet the maker and He let's them know that they aren't supposed to be the judgemental jerks that they are? That judgement is up to Him for to decide and that it's wrong to be mean to people and think of them as being unworthy b/c they have different beliefs?? I find that THIS IS REASONABLE to belive; that ultimately God holds all the cards. We can pray all we want; tell people that they're damned to hell all we want - but in the end it's not up to us. So everyone can just stop their b.s name calling: reasonableness isn't "Buffet Christianity" - it's about realizing that there is no absolute truth in this lifetime!! I know that's scary - but anything is possible. We might not even exist. No matter how much you BELIEVE you will not know until you are DEAD. And even if you ARE right, and the Bible IS literally true who gave you all the license to judge and be jerks???

Answer 8

We are no longer shepherds, we are a society of people capable of understanding things on a more scientific level. Faith is the only thing that remains constant. The answers to the whole picture will not be learned here in this body, but possibly in the spiritual realm, where hopefully our ability to comprehend what we don't understand will not be limited by human constraints.

Answer 9

I think that reasonable christians that are following the faith as the way it was intended should take away the term christians from the idiots who use it as a license to hurt. They need the new term, not us.

Answer 10

I'm all in, great idea
I believe the bible is 100% true
I believe unless your born again, you will not go to heaven\
I believe there is one truth and one God
and if you don't believe these things your not a Christian anyway.
Please call yourselves something else.