"I'm a Christian but I don't believe in religion."

[Minimalist]

I believed I knew god for who he was, and believed that he was pure love,

Really, M/L?

2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

I bet you missed that part!

[Mystical]

I could be wrong, but I've always thought the "not a religion, but a personal relationship with Jesus" nonsense was invented so they could try to get around the First Amendment's Establishment clause. They think (wrongly) that if they call their religion not a religion, then it's OK to force it into government.

I don't think they're that crafty maybe the lawyer politician types, but for most I think it has to do with the utter distaste of formal religion. Thank the Catholics, for that. Oh and televangelists. Plus if you're your own religion you get to disown the whackadoos who do stuff in gods name, deny the crap you can't explain in the Bible, feel all right that you dont go to church, fail to pay that god tax called tithe, all while still claiming god and your fellow dupees in the same breath.

[Topcat]

Fun fact: I've heard no less a religious figure than Jack Chick claim this.



I've heard this from other people, but under no circumstances did any of them actually define religion. Although, given that they usually define "relationship with Christ" as being in opposition to "religion," I should probably mention that, when I took world religion courses, they defined religion as "one's relationship with one's understanding of the divine."

Let's look at the Biblical definition of religion and relationship. The example given of religion by Jesus is following a set of rules that become a prison in themselves.
relationship is exampled by using the term brother or sister. We all understand that relationship. There is a freedom in that relationship. So if you are free why do you need to go to church. Anyone of you going to your families homes and visiting your brothers and sisters? Do you talk to your family?
If you refused to talk to or visit your family would you be able to say that you had a real relationship with them? Just think about that.

[Anomalocaris]

"I'm a Christian and I have a relationship with Christ but I don't believe in religion."

That's similar to saying "I am illegitimate but I am not a bastard." It's an attempt to both be an idiot, and not be thought of as an idiot.

---

I don't think they're that crafty maybe the lawyer politician types, but for most I think it has to do with the utter distaste of formal religion.

It's not craftiness, it's wish thinking. They like to indulge in all the fundamental idiocy of a religion, but wish they could avoid the negative connotation the word religion has acquired as a result of human progress.

[Ravenshire]

She's an atheist, she's just doing the movements

That sounds... er...

Never mind.

---

Why the fuck is it that the first thing every newbie does is necro-post?!?

I hate getting pulled in to these threads.

[Cato]

"I'm a Christian and I have a relationship with Christ but I don't believe in religion."

That's similar to saying "I am illegitimate but I am not a bastard." It's an attempt to both be an idiot, and not be thought of as an idiot.

Does your different answer mean you aren't satisfied with the six kudos you received for your original answer over two months ago? Fucking hell.

[Anomalocaris]

That's similar to saying "I am illegitimate but I am not a bastard." It's an attempt to both be an idiot, and not be thought of as an idiot.

Does your different answer mean you aren't satisfied with the six kudos you received for your original answer over two months ago? Fucking hell.

I forgot.

[ShaMan]

Thanks everyone!

[Mystical]

Fun fact: I've heard no less a religious figure than Jack Chick claim this.



I've heard this from other people, but under no circumstances did any of them actually define religion. Although, given that they usually define "relationship with Christ" as being in opposition to "religion," I should probably mention that, when I took world religion courses, they defined religion as "one's relationship with one's understanding of the divine."

Let's look at the Biblical definition of religion and relationship. The example given of religion by Jesus is following a set of rules that become a prison in themselves.
relationship is exampled by using the term brother or sister. We all understand that relationship. There is a freedom in that relationship. So if you are free why do you need to go to church. Anyone of you going to your families homes and visiting your brothers and sisters? Do you talk to your family?
If you refused to talk to or visit your family would you be able to say that you had a real relationship with them? Just think about that.

First of all,




Secondly, why are we thinking about that?

[Polaris]

"I'm a Christian and I have a relationship with Christ but I don't believe in religion."

This is a direct quote from one of the RA's in my residential college today.
I think by religion she's talking about the rules and regulations of religion, yet she follows those rules ie. goes to church every Sunday, says Grace before every meal etc.
I'm just wanting a bit of help deciphering what motive would be behind this oxymoronic statement, and maybe a bit of insight into why someone would believe this?

Thanks everyone!
T

It's a common saying among new age Christians. Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship with God.