(August 1, 2017 at 6:16 pm)Lek Wrote: Jesus was always "stirring the pot" wherever he went because he ran counter to the culture of the day.  If a person is really following Jesus, he is also going to cause a stir.  Being a dick isn't part of being a christian, but if one doesn't stand out in today's culture he's probably not much of a christian.

I don't think "turning the other cheek" in reference to violence was "stirring the pot".

In fact, I think modern christians who resort to violence rather than "turning the other cheek" are not christ-like at all.

I think it's difficult to compare America to the UK because of the size difference, America being 40 times bigger.

Maybe it's because there's a bigger sample size to pick from or because of real differences in genetics or culture but America does seem to have more extremes of things in general.

We have groups of homeless people living in the town center, they have streets of tents in some poor areas.  

We have some rough inner city areas, they have ghettos.

We have some places with expensive houses, they have more of it, billionaire mansions and so on.

Blackpool - Las Vegas.

Not that I'm saying American Christians are dicks either, but if there is a difference in religious culture I imagine it's something to do with an overall American culture and/or the sample size of the population of America.

(August 1, 2017 at 8:38 pm)paulpablo Wrote: I think it's difficult to compare America to the UK because of the size difference, America being 40 times bigger.

Maybe it's because there's a bigger sample size to pick from or because of real differences in genetics or culture but America does seem to have more extremes of things in general.

We have groups of homeless people living in the town center, they have streets of tents in some poor areas.  

We have some rough inner city areas, they have ghettos.

We have some places with expensive houses, they have more of it, billionaire mansions and so on.

Blackpool - Las Vegas.

Not that I'm saying American Christians are dicks either, but if there is a difference in religious culture I imagine it's something to do with an overall American culture and/or the sample size of the population of America.

I think it may be due to the type of early settlers. many of the first ones across to the US went to preserve their archaic views from the progressive what ever century they were fleeing and the thought and in some cases technology were frozen at the time they went.

Look at the Amish.

(August 1, 2017 at 6:19 pm)Lutrinae Wrote:

(August 1, 2017 at 6:16 pm)Lek Wrote: Jesus was always "stirring the pot" wherever he went because he ran counter to the culture of the day.  If a person is really following Jesus, he is also going to cause a stir.  Being a dick isn't part of being a christian, but if one doesn't stand out in today's culture he's probably not much of a christian.

I don't think "turning the other cheek" in reference to violence was "stirring the pot".

In fact, I think modern christians who resort to violence rather than "turning the other cheek" are not christ-like at all.

Except when they emulate his behavior when he was chasing money changers out of the temple. They really like getting hands-on when it comes to dealing with their perceived enemies.

(August 2, 2017 at 1:04 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote:

(August 1, 2017 at 8:38 pm)paulpablo Wrote: I think it's difficult to compare America to the UK because of the size difference, America being 40 times bigger.

Maybe it's because there's a bigger sample size to pick from or because of real differences in genetics or culture but America does seem to have more extremes of things in general.

We have groups of homeless people living in the town center, they have streets of tents in some poor areas.  

We have some rough inner city areas, they have ghettos.

We have some places with expensive houses, they have more of it, billionaire mansions and so on.

Blackpool - Las Vegas.

Not that I'm saying American Christians are dicks either, but if there is a difference in religious culture I imagine it's something to do with an overall American culture and/or the sample size of the population of America.

I think it may be due to the type of early settlers. many of the first ones across to the US went to preserve their archaic views from the progressive what ever century they were fleeing and the thought and in some cases technology were frozen at the time they went.

Look at the Amish.

There are no puritans left in the US.  Their beliefs petered out long, long ago...and there really wasn't much in the way of maintaining traditional beliefs in the history of american christendom..which, itself, wasn't a thing until living memory when they realized that divided they exerted less and less  -political- control.  Any confusion over american christianity vanishes when a person realizes that the uniquely american forms of christianity everyone wonders about are a -recent- vehicle for political affiliation, not so much a religious tradition that was formed from the long crucible of our history.

Traditional american christianity (whatever one means by that) is a non-issue at present. It just doesn't exist, if it ever did.

In any case, the early settlers weren't really coming here to flee progressivism (of a religious sort of otherwise) in their home countries - they were fleeing poverty..and while the poor may be remarkably faithful as a demographic, the substance of their faith is not now nor has it ever been highly regimented, formal, or traditional. It's been a clannish hodgepodge. In many respects it remains so in those same demographics. Tradition and uniformity of beliefs and regimental worship structures (both real and conceptual) is more pronounced as a tool of social stratum than of faithful deference. Meanwhile, at one point, the batshit christers (and others) were on the leading edge of technology. The amish, the quakers, the mormons...these people were all, in their own respects, early adopters. Particularly the quakewrs and the mormons - the amish did end up freezing themselves in..but, today, if you lived in an area full of them, you really couldn't tell that they had done so. Sure, they have buggys. They also have cars and electricity and attend public schools. Plenty of them work at toyota subs, here in my county. Great employees, lol.

"I am confused by American Christians"

As am I, dbp, as am I.

(July 28, 2017 at 10:56 am)downbeatplumb Wrote: Being British the Christians around me, though few, seem to be overall a rather harmless bunch, mostly good intentioned who keep themselves to themselves, help the needy and champion causes that actually benefit people generally.

This is the sort of Christian that I don't mind, I think they are wrong but they aren't much trouble.

Now this seems to be the opposite of American Christians who blaze around trying to be the biggest arseholes they can be. (they have to a certain extent spread this over here but only in tiny patches).

What gives?

Why is being a huge dick part of the Christian US agenda?

It isn't for most US Christians. Just seems that way to you because you hang out here where every article about bad Christian behavior gets posted.

Never been to Europe to know what it's like, but here in the US we have a very large variety of Christians, of all types. Ultra liberal Christians, ultra conservative Christians, Christians who are complete A-holes, Christians who are amazing people, Christians who try to shove their beliefs down your throat, Christians who live and let live... etc etc. You get the point. We come in all shapes and sizes over here. Of course, it's the extreme ones that you hear about because they're the ones making a scene.

(July 28, 2017 at 4:06 pm)Brian37 Wrote:

(July 28, 2017 at 3:51 pm)Drich Wrote:

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So where is the coverage of the thousands my home congregation has personally saved from vensualia? Where are the stories of the churches who have spent millions after the movie stars left Haiti? Can you name some of the embedded church groups who are helping to rebuild that nation?

You can name a single person out of the millions who give their lives to helping others...

Now name me a christian who hates fags. out of the maybe 100s that actively do hate gay people everyone of you can produce a name.

Why is that? if not for a one sided anti-church media?

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What makes you so narcissistic as to think sharing is a patent held by one sect?

I think I can explain it for them. They think they are the most noble, pure-of-heart souls on God's green earth. They must be. After all, haven't you ever heard that the meek shall inherit the earth? Well that is another thing that xtians excel at: being humble. From their meek-as-a-lamb perspective it is easy for them to see just how certain all they believe really is and to call out the evil which we do by turning away from the almighty. They cry so much for our loss of The Kingdom that they can be forgiven for declaring God's judgement for Him. I'm sure they only mean to frighten us into saving ourselves while we still can.[/sarcasm]

(August 3, 2017 at 3:28 pm)alpha male Wrote: It isn't for most US Christians. Just seems that way to you because you hang out here where every article about bad Christian behavior gets posted.

-and where every example of bad christian behavior finds an avatar...............