The "tolerant" versions of Christianity are, in my opinion, abominations and misinterpreted variants of scripture. Revelations 3:16 says "So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth." The Biblical god doesn't like fence riders.
One of my favorite quotes of Sam Harris: "religious moderation is the product of secular knowledge and spiritual ignorance." I would much rather have a conversation or debate with people who believe in all the miracles, brimstone and fire, Adam and Eve, Noah's ark,and literal interpretations. Moderates are holding on to the vestiges of their beliefs by categorizing themselves as "Christians" and giving strength to the fundamentalists who are still trying to pass anti-abortion laws, stop same sex unions, and basically control what people do with themselves and other consenting in the privacy of their own homes.
The Bible is fairly clear in its message of supposed morality. People who go to a "Christian" church and still retain their own beliefs about things are, in my opinion, not Christians. I find it increasingly funny that many church-goers (and here I mean Christian churches) readily admit to a belief in god, but when the name Jesus is mentioned they start to squirm and get a little uncomfortable. Christians, after all, worship the Christ, and he is Jesus, son of god, savior of mankind.
So if people attend a Christian church and don't believe in it ALL, hook, line and sinker, you are lukewarm, subject to god's eternal punishment, and can't readily call yourself a Christian. This going to church to listen to a sermon, feel good listening to some supposedly inspiring "praise and worship" while waving your hands in the air, get a good message on morals, then go home and continue to pick and choose what you believe in the Bible is simply unacceptable by Biblical standards. You would by definition, be a Theist, not a Christian.
One of my favorite quotes of Sam Harris: "religious moderation is the product of secular knowledge and spiritual ignorance." I would much rather have a conversation or debate with people who believe in all the miracles, brimstone and fire, Adam and Eve, Noah's ark,and literal interpretations. Moderates are holding on to the vestiges of their beliefs by categorizing themselves as "Christians" and giving strength to the fundamentalists who are still trying to pass anti-abortion laws, stop same sex unions, and basically control what people do with themselves and other consenting in the privacy of their own homes.
The Bible is fairly clear in its message of supposed morality. People who go to a "Christian" church and still retain their own beliefs about things are, in my opinion, not Christians. I find it increasingly funny that many church-goers (and here I mean Christian churches) readily admit to a belief in god, but when the name Jesus is mentioned they start to squirm and get a little uncomfortable. Christians, after all, worship the Christ, and he is Jesus, son of god, savior of mankind.
So if people attend a Christian church and don't believe in it ALL, hook, line and sinker, you are lukewarm, subject to god's eternal punishment, and can't readily call yourself a Christian. This going to church to listen to a sermon, feel good listening to some supposedly inspiring "praise and worship" while waving your hands in the air, get a good message on morals, then go home and continue to pick and choose what you believe in the Bible is simply unacceptable by Biblical standards. You would by definition, be a Theist, not a Christian.
