Are moderate Christians actually Deist?

Question

It seems many new Christians, especially in America, Claim to be moderate. They try to respect other people’s beliefs, accept most scientific theories, and reject many of the more cruel parts of the bible. At what point does a Christian stray far enough away from the original beliefs and simply become Deist.

Ok, so if they are not Deists and not Christians what are they? New age Spiritualists?

@Rob
That’s true. If you believe people will burn in hell then it really would be your moral responsibility to actively convert as many people as possible.

Answer 1

They dont - they still believe in a personal god, heaven and hell, that god sees whats going on around us that prayers are listened to etc... its very different from deism where god started the universe off like flicking a domino and then letting it all run by itself.

Answer 2

It's definitely true that a "Christian" is only "moderate" insofar as he has strayed from religion. I appreciate the fact that modern "Unity" type churches have tried to be inclusive and compassionate, but this represents a definite break from tradition. It's as if an organization were to call itself "Nazi," yet insist that it's not antisemitic!

Go back to the books upon which the religion is founded. The "Jesus" of the gospels, composite though he may be, is hardly a forgiving type of person. There are essentially two types of people in the world, believers and non-believers, and the Kingdom of Heaven is for the one, and the place of eternal fire for the other, and there's no room for discussion! "Moderation" is not a consequence of these teachings! Some people attempt to paint Jesus as a fun-loving hippie communist ball of sunshine, but a catholic exegesis of the gospels as they stand totally annihilates this idea. Meanwhile there is abundant NT precedent for all the preachers of hellfire and damnation through the centuries. Face it: dogmatic religion is intolerant by definition. It's "Us vs. Them," and the line in the sand extends across the whole surface of the earth.

Read "Letter to a Christian Nation," in which religious "moderates" are - quite correctly - described as political "enablers" of rabid fundies, lending an air of respectability to the bedrock insanities of religion.

P.S. I see that somebody has actually tried to claim that "moderate" Christianity was the Christianity of the Church fathers. Ever read Augustine? Tertullian? Irenaeus? Justin? Of course not, because otherwise you would not have the audacity of ignorance that would compel you to make such an unbelievably ridiculous statement. Meanwhile I HAVE bothered to educate myself, so try again. There was never a worse case of morbid sexual neurosis projected onto the entire universe than we find in Augustine, and if that's what you call a "moderate" view, I'd hate to know your definition of "fundamentalism."

P.P.S. - "If you believe people will burn in hell then it really would be your moral responsibility to actively convert as many people as possible." Well, true. You might also arrive at the idea that it's your "moral responsibility" to fly planes into buildings. "Death is preferable to life in a world among unbelievers" - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Answer 3

As soon as they start declaring Jesus was just a man and not the son of God.

I was a moderate christian and the main part of the religion as I was taught was that it was neccessary to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Your Lord and Saviour and to believe that he died on the cross in your place.

However the bible says

Also to love the Lord your God above all others
This passage is from the message (my only bible copy i didn't bin) it is written in modern converstional english as the original new testament would have been written

Somewhere around Mathew 22:31-46 as there are no specific verses in this copy, page 66 for those with the message.

One of their religious scholars (pharisees) spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: "Teacher, which command in God's Law is the most important?"

Jesus said " 'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first in any list. But there is a second to set alonside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in Gods Law and the prophets hangs from them"
and to love you neighbour.

So that would appear to be what 'make' a christian

All other views - God began evolution, God Created everything out of thin nothingness, God started the big bang, the theory of Gravity is true ect ect is personal to you (but I was a VERY moderate christian who was often shouted down!)

For an example of a different kind of christianity look at the Friends (Quakers). They have an interesting higher being phlosophy and were once fundementalist in their approach. However there is debate especially in conservative circals as to whether friends are truly Christian.

Answer 4

I dont think a moderate christian is effective...if you are genuinely conserned of peoples salvation then you would not just take someones beliefs that doesnt line up with what God says...you should always show them the truth...never say oh ok well thats what you believe and let them go...that to me shows you dont reallly care about them...

Answer 5

That is not straying away from the original beliefs - those are the original beliefs. Go read up on the early Church Fathers.

And none of that has anything whatsoever to do with Deism.

Answer 6

When they believe that God no longer takes an active part in His creation.

Answer 7

You bring up a valid argument.