As an atheist, how would you describe the average Christian?

Answer 1

The ones I know are nice... it's the fundies that are creepy and odd...

Answer 2

The average Christian just does what they have been taught since childhood. Personally, when someone tells me their a Christian, I keep an eye on them. So many people who claim a religious belief think that they are better than everyone else, in my opinion. I was preached to everyday while growing up and I just hear the same old things over and over from other so called Christians. I know only a very few people who live their life like I would think a Christian should. I wish people on this earth could at least try to keep an open mind. So called religious people don't seem to realize that they only know what they have been taught. I would hope that there is more to life than just living and dying. It seems a waste to me that we live our life just to end up in oblivion at the end. Unfortunately, if there is a God, he or she is keeping quiet.

Answer 3

I would describe the average christian as happy, friendly, only speak out against things that really matter and bother them, mindfull of others and doesn't judge people. Oh, wait darn I was talking about qualities that are found in above average christians, I don't really run into many average ones(except on yahoo) only the above.

Answer 4

Well, Christians, like any other group are not monolithic with regards to anything. They have quite divergent interpretations of scripture, they disagree on the relevance of tradition and institutions in living a Christian life, and they all differ markedly with respect to their views on morality and ethics.

Though it is difficult, and many times wrong to make generalizations, if I had to, my assessment of the typical or average Christian is that he, in his heart of hearts, does not believe what he professes, but just likes to fool himself and others into thinking he does. I say this because; at the heart of Christian theology are radical propositions, which if the average Christian followed to the letter, would transform the world into a completely different place. The fact that the world has not been radically changed due to the 2 billion plus Christians in this world underscores the fact that even they don’t really take their religion all that seriously, but instead merely use it as a tool that gives them comfort. To these many average Christians, the religion provides them a form of socially accepted escapism, and a sense of identity and camaraderie.

If average Christians were to really abide by the Gospel message, most of them could not lead lives of material comfort, because the Gospel message admonishes them to give to the needy and to the poor to the point that very little, if anything, is left for oneself. The Gospels also enjoin Christians that spreading the Gospel, even if it that effort endangers life and limb, is the paramount duty for Christians, and one should be preoccupied with this effort at the expense of any personal goals.

The fact that a casual observation reveals that only a fraction of Christians abide by this extremism, and you hardly ever see the ministers of mainline congregations exhort their flock to behave in accordance to the radicalism prescribed in the Bible, to me is absolute proof that the most Christians – being average Christians – don’t, at their core, take the Christian message as seriously as they profess.

So in short, average Christians are outwardly and inwardly deceptive with regards to their fidelity towards the Gospels. They don’t endure the sacrifices necessary to demonstrate sincere belief. One more succinct generalized characterization of them is that most average Christians are ignorant about the origins of their faith and formulation of their holy texts. Of course this ignorance is born out of the above mentioned lack of true zeal for their faith in the first place.

Answer 5

I'd describe them just as I'd describe anyone else in this world. Just a normal person, with different beliefs. I've been best friends with this girl since I was in 3rd grade, and she's a Christian, and really proud of her religion. It's never come between us. She has her beliefs, I have mine. We talk about it a lot. I ask her a lot of questions about it. She explains how Jesus and everything actuallly came to be, just because I never knew. It's interesting. In a way, I almost believe there MIGHT be a God, but I don't believe in all the stories that have been told about how he came to be, which brings me back to atheism.

Answer 6

The average mainstream Christian is impossible to generalize. They are your average Joe. They're just regular people.

Answer 7

Lives simply, basic good person, focused on family and community, reasonably honest. Basically, the opposite of the average R&S "Christian".

Answer 8

Local average? (not an american)

Pretty much like me, maybe a little less familiar with the christian faith. Oh, and they pay like...1.3% (I think) church tax... and will go to church about once a year (most likely christmas).

Answer 9

I'm agnostic but, I really don't care what the Christians think. It is fun to make those door to door religion sales people freak out though hehe.

Answer 10

Silly

Answer 11

Most of them are just Joe Doakes. There is a fringe element in every crowd.