Please do not get me wrong, I do not feel I am ';better'; and I do not feel that others should have to live to my standards, in fact quite the opposite. I believe people should live by their own as long as they are not harming others and tend to be quite liberal in my beliefs, but often make myself the exception.
Example: I think people should be able to have sex with whoever they want, but I waited until I was engaged and have still only had sex with my husband. Another example: I do not mind abortion, and in fact even see how it benefits society, but I would never do it. Only if raped would I have a difficult time making that decision. And yet another: I believe children are best raised in a two parent home in a loving committed relationship and divorce should only be considered if there is abuse or infidelity. But if this is two men or women, I do not mind. If a single parent feels they can do it all, I do not mind.
So here is my problem, I find very few people to relate to. My own personal beliefs match those of Christianity, of which I am and feel close to. But few in the church are see these views as just ';personal'; and rather direct them toward society. Is there such a thing as liberal Christianity.How do you deal with feeling as though you have higher morals than others?
Liberal Christianity exists, and there are many Christians who are ok with abortion, pre-marital sex, and divorce. None of these are immoral in and of themselves.How do you deal with feeling as though you have higher morals than others?
Your entire first paragraph is a riddle of contradictions.
Get the Christianity out of the equation....
You have a set standard for you and another for others which is fine.
So you are indeed a liberal! Doesn't it feel good to do your own thing and let others do theirs?
Again, get the Christianity out of the equation and things will be much clearer for you.
You made a very good point! To answer your q: I deal with feeling that way by thinking about it and discussing it with my hubby, friends, family and on the internet (Yahoo and forums). You will find many people to relate to among agnostics and atheists. But that does mean you need to feel weird about being a christian. That is indeed your personal choice.
--Edit:
OOPS I meant: does NOT mean you need to feel weird about being a christian... Freudian slip-up?! :S
i would have to say that you are my favorite type of christian. you keep your personal religion, personal. i thank you so much for not feeling the need to push your beliefs on others. if i could give you a hug through the internet, i would.
I would enjoy life more if I felt that way. But to have higher morals also entails acceptance and non-judgmental ways so I wouldn't feel too prideful about it just content.
I ask for prayers for me. I try not to act or pretend to others of myself, I try to be just who I am. God Bless Me!
GOD BLESS YOU! AMEN! SHALOM!
One of the problems with treating others as equals is that they are likely to do the same to you.
Have you tried the Universalist Church? They are as liberal as it gets.
You give me hope lady.
Yes, there is such a thing as a Liberal Christian.
Well... you should get out more.
Mrs , you are not alone in this. I follow the bible..it is the book of life by which I believe to be the truth. I am still pure, never been with a man and believe in a women to be with only one. Yes there are christians, who believe in premarital sex, believe in divorce and remarriage which is adultery,,, but jesus said no. I do not judge - but it bothers me, when I see this going on without a conscience. Sometimes the straight path is the lonely path, but somehow -- there is great joy. And, no there is no such thing as liberal chrisianity... we either love god or the world.
John 12:25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life
James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God..
I have to add that it was shocking to me when I first found some christians to live by mans law, or the values in the world and not gods law, but against it - even those active in the church.. I felt a deep lonliness/sadness in terms of finding fellowship. That is when I learned the comfort I get is from gods word, and in finding special people in my life who support that word.
I don't think so. First of all anyway you look at it abortion is murder. What if Mary had gotten rid of Jesus? Having sex with different people is fornication, and the bible says it is wrong. Stick with your higher morals cause you have probably heard the gut feeling is always right. Society as a whole is immoral and that is what is wrong with this world now. Remember in the bible God let or destroyed the wicked. The most notorious being Sodom and Gomorrah..If you do agree with the christians study up on the word and remember it is the truth . Think how it seamed like a lot less crime when the old timers had higher standards than what we have today....the world was a lot simpler and better place i always hear them say they wish it was like it use to be.You don't have to hound people about what they do wrong but there blood will be on your hands if you see it is wrong and agree with it and don't tell them.
As a non-Christian, I just want to commend you for your attitude and views. I believe that that is what Jesus would have wanted. Being a kind and tolerant person breeds admiration and respect.
Forcing views on others breeds resentment and anger.
If more Christians could act Christian, like you, the world would be much better off and people would have *so much* more respect for Christianity.
As for a church, it's probably individual. My little sister goes to a open and liberal Baptist church but I've heard of Baptist churches being the complete opposite too. You might just have to sit in on a bunch or 'interview' a minister or two to get one that fits you and your husband.
From what I can tell, you'd do okay as a Christian in the Libertarian party. The idea of being a libertarian is that we ought basically to be free to do as we please, except where it directly hurts another. I'm sure there are Christians within that party...you might see how they deal with it.
From a religious point of view, it's a bit stickier. I mean, do you just ignore the bits of the Bible that say otherwise? Of course, most Christians do that anyway to some degree--Peter was quite a chauvinist, but most ignore the bit where he says ';God is the head of man, but man is the head of woman.'; Given that, how can people complain when you choose to ignore other parts?
From my own point of view, I don't see any holy book as having a monopoly on Truth. Take from it what seems useful, and leave the rest, knowing that the real Truth is beyond our ability to comprehend.
No Jesus would not force us, that is why we have free agency.
My daughter chose to have a baby (she was 20 years old), and when this relationship was just starting (I was feeling like she was having sex) I begged her not to go see her boyfriend, even in tears I begged her, but she just said ';see you in the morning';... I gave her free agency to go, I didn't force her by locking her up in her room, and she has a beautiful baby girl who is 1/2 Nicaraguan.. Her boyfriend is a wonderful man and very good to her, they live together now, and I just hope they will choose to get married soon.
2 Timothy 3 :1-5But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up [with pride], lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.
The scripture aptly describes society as we see it in our times. Yet as christians we do not have to adopt the popular views of men- we are instructed here by the apostle Paul to turn away from these. Furthermore we should base our morals on what is taught in scripture.
2Timothy 3:16, 17
All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.
I think you should adhere to your christian beliefs. The rest of this world is passing away and so is its desires.
1 John 2:15-17
Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; 16 because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. 17 Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.
Think about it. Would you like to be among those described at the beginning of 2 Timothy 3 or striving to be like the one described in verse 17, a man/woman of God equipped for every good work.
Jesus did not force His believe on others, He had meals with them as normal people and treated them as normal people. He did value them for their good points, not their bad, and made them feel wanted. Which is probably why they looked up to him and followed him.
Your morals are quite high, and there is nothing wrong with your opinion. Just be confident in yourself and what you believe in. You sound like a very decent person in this world where most people are struggling to make their own minds up.
I for one share your view on life, so you don't have to worry about no one to relate to.
Don't drop your morals, values or standards to someone else's level just because they say so. It would be pointless having them in the first place if you had to do that.
i stumble with some of those issues also. i feel like there is a road i should stay on but it is not paved so unless i get off in the really tall grass or totally lost i tend to believe i am on track but at the same time it doesn't feel that way. i am convinced there is not a one size fits all morality or culture or even laws. i tend to believe there are many of us out there. i hope so anyway. tmm
there are many many people in your position
you might be adhering to a truer and more accurate christianity than what is spewed from so many pulpits.
you seem to understand how to do simple christian things like apply christ's command to love others as you love yourself and love god above all else to issues (such as gay unions and abortion seekers)
a good scholarly bible studies course (like from a state university where they can't by law do any indoctrinating) might really help you out.
bible studies and philosophy of religion is how i became a christian (i was previously atheist or agnostic or whatever, i was a seeker)
Jesus would never never force anyone to do anything. That's why we have free will.
I have pretty high morals too and tend to forget that others should have the choice to live their lives differently...not better, not worse, just differently. I was faced with a situation a few weeks ago and I had a hard time trying to understand why the situation would have happened. The fact is, I have different boundaries than some. Does that make me better? No. It just makes me different. Would I change being who I am to fit into someone else's world? No. I'm ok with me being me and everyone else being who they are.
I am only concerned with my morals and conscience. If I can wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and knowing who am, like who I see, I will be alright. I am not on earth to judge. That is not my purpose. The Lord has me here for another purpose. It could be to raise my children as productive citizens in this world or to be a comfort to or help a friend who needs me. It could be so I can prove that I am not all ';talk'; and can walk the walk when the opportunity presents itself. I don't know but i believe in all Jesus taught. '; What would Jesus do?'; has become a test for me the latter part of this year but I will not allow His teachings to fall by the wayside if I am given the opportunity to do what He would do. I started looking at the last three years as a test. And if I faulted everyone for their choices, I would fail. I will not fail.
After not being in the church for years and knowing I believed in God yet still living as a sinner I found a church where I felt no hypocrisy or judgment and started my life to become Born Again.
In my personal journey I do not feel that my morals are ';better than anyone else's';. In fact, I feel more humility for everything or act I do and am watchful more so of myself and my own actions than anyone else.
I realize there are people with low morals out there in this world and maybe because I was once one of them as I have since learned, I am just not trying to judge anyone and only trying to better my own life as I am the only person I can change. I pray for the ones who have not yet found God or have turned their backs on Him.
I guess in a way I must be a ';liberal Christian'; as I do think that people that are gay are born that way and the Bible is true in all it states but that I am not the judge nor jury of anyone but my beliefs are that of knowing it is wrong in God's eyes and believing that maybe just as people are born of sin that is just another one that some struggle with just like some struggle with anger, some addiction, some being painfully shy, some may be even abusive, etc. Are we not all born of sin as it states in the Bible.
I believe so and in saying that I also know I will never be perfect, I will never be able to repay Christ for dying on the cross for my sins, I can only commit my life and surrender my life to Christ and in doing so asking God to guide me for His purpose; not my own.
I'm no better than anyone. Jesus hung out with the sinners; not the saints.
But really, if you had a relationship with Jesus Christ, wouldn't you know that it's not what YOU decide as moral, but what He says?
Jesus is the Lord of lord and King of kings; not you.
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