Your Thoughts About Christians and the Christian Faith

[Samantha Blythe]

Hi, I just joined We Make Zines a few days ago...I've been making zines for about 17 years. I am a Christian and wonder why more Christians don't use this medium. I am also kind of a square peg in a round hole in the Christian world for a lot of reasons, and I often wonder what non-Christians think about Christians/Christianity and why, and am considering making a zine about that. Would you share with me any stereotypes of/experiences with/thoughts about Christians themselves and/or the Christian faith in particular? I am not going to debate anyone, so don't worry about being negative...I am really just interested to know what kind of impression Christians/Christianity have/has on non-Christians, and zine writers are great at sharing their opinions ;-) Thanks!

[Kira Swales]

this is not a debate I am particularly willing to get into, however I do not like the idea that non christians know nothing about christianity - the majority of atheists I know have become atheists due to either growing up in a christian family and disagreeing with the beliefs, or having investigated the matter of religion quite seriously and making their own informed decisions based on the facts that they find. So saying that non-religious folks dont know anything about the religion they are denying is quite a large generalisation...

[tim scannell]

no it's not...
and you cannot say without a smile that

one 'investigates' seriously....Christ is not an investigation...
(and He is not a 3-part interview on PBS)

1John 3:16.... If you don't believe that
then you are not a Christian..., which is btw a
choice
(not a debate).



Kira Swales said:

this is not a debate I am particularly willing to get into, however I do not like the idea that non christians know nothing about christianity - the majority of atheists I know have become atheists due to either growing up in a christian family and disagreeing with the beliefs, or having investigated the matter of religion quite seriously and making their own informed decisions based on the facts that they find. So saying that non-religious folks dont know anything about the religion they are denying is quite a large generalisation...

[tim scannell]

yeah..., but a 'tenner' ain't much
:):)


Charlie

Charlie Darwin's not to blame
Noticing the world was game
For no-quarter fisticuffs
And one marvel - endless lust.

i like Charlie...VOYAGE is one o' my FAV bks.
my clerihew shows love + insight into what he
said...and means to this very day.

but...Charlie is not Christ...sorry

Emma Jane Falconer said:

Here he is.

[raequel aka systris]

*sniffing about* i smell troll! a crackpot flavored one at that...this could get interesting.

either way i give the ORIGINAL POSTER permission to use my words as part of her zine! oh and in case anyone is curious there are a few good Atheist communities on ning.com that are worth checking out! Atheist Nexus chief among them!
atheistnexus.ning.com

in fact...i'm gonna start a group here for atheist zinesters...if there isnt one already...

[Samantha Blythe]

Another question for you all...what do you think Christianity is? What do you have to do or believe to be a Christian?

Thanks again...I'm enjoying your responses and learning a lot.

[Samantha Blythe]

Adam said rightly that grammar, syntax, etc. are there to help us use language as a tool that actually facilitates communication, and the same has to be said for word meaning. That's why I am asking this second question. I wonder how often people (Christian and non) talk while having different definitions of a word, so they are actually speaking at cross-purposes? I once say a short film where people coming out of CHURCHES were asked what Christianity was, and almost all of them were wrong!

Samantha Blythe said:

Another question for you all...what do you think Christianity is? What do you have to do or believe to be a Christian?

Thanks again...I'm enjoying your responses and learning a lot.

[Dan 10things]

Samantha Blythe said:

Another question for you all...what do you think Christianity is? What do you have to do or believe to be a Christian?

A belief that Jesus Christ existed, was the son of God, God himself, and savior of humanity, and that the stories in the new testament are the sacred teachings of the life of Jesus that should be followed as the word of God.

Many of the other specifics have changed and evolved over centuries with newer edited versions of the bible and especially since the Protestant Reformation during the 16th Century, which caused an almost continual effect of different Christian sects splintering off of each other with different beliefs. The Bible and Christianity has been in a continual state of evolution for thousands of years even before the supposed birth of Christ.

[tim scannell]

it's already been stated sam...

'don't beat a dead horse'...:)

um, all the other folk are just blathering on about
being
dropped on their heads @ 5
or
having eerie xperiences @ summer camp
or
EVEN WORSE.........giving everybody
enervating
ASK ANDY...questions...(Google it)!

wizards of spinning cotton candy in their
- what one must laughing call -
'gray matter'
(but i'll just call it...puddin')
:)

Samantha Blythe said:

Adam said rightly that grammar, syntax, etc. are there to help us use language as a tool that actually facilitates communication, and the same has to be said for word meaning. That's why I am asking this second question. I wonder how often people (Christian and non) talk while having different definitions of a word, so they are actually speaking at cross-purposes? I once say a short film where people coming out of CHURCHES were asked what Christianity was, and almost all of them were wrong!

Samantha Blythe said:

Another question for you all...what do you think Christianity is? What do you have to do or believe to be a Christian?

Thanks again...I'm enjoying your responses and learning a lot.

[tim scannell]

OH, JEEZ.................DAN
HAND ME YR ENCYCLOPEDIA.
&
ONE HAD ALSO BEST DROP THE
-IAN SUFFIX

just hang round the guy...CHRIST
(and I know that's a
toughie).

it was tough for Christ, too. :)

Dan 10things said:

Samantha Blythe said:

Another question for you all...what do you think Christianity is? What do you have to do or believe to be a Christian?

A belief that Jesus Christ existed, was the son of God, God himself, and savior of humanity, and that the stories in the new testament are the sacred teachings of the life of Jesus that should be followed as the word of God.

Many of the other specifics have changed and evolved over centuries with newer edited versions of the bible and especially since the Protestant Reformation during the 16th Century, which caused an almost continual effect of different Christian sects splintering off of each other with different beliefs. The Bible and Christianity has been in a continual state of evolution for thousands of years even before the supposed birth of Christ.

[Samantha Blythe]

I don't think anyone is beating a dead horse at all. My first question was asking for general thoughts and the second was more specific, so I could see whether we all mean the same thing when we say Christian.

tim scannell said:

OH, JEEZ.................DAN HAND ME YR ENCYCLOPEDIA. &
ONE HAD ALSO BEST DROP THE
-IAN SUFFIX

just hang round the guy...CHRIST
(and I know that's a
toughie).

it was tough for Christ, too. :)

Dan 10things said:

Samantha Blythe said:

Another question for you all...what do you think Christianity is? What do you have to do or believe to be a Christian?

A belief that Jesus Christ existed, was the son of God, God himself, and savior of humanity, and that the stories in the new testament are the sacred teachings of the life of Jesus that should be followed as the word of God.

Many of the other specifics have changed and evolved over centuries with newer edited versions of the bible and especially since the Protestant Reformation during the 16th Century, which caused an almost continual effect of different Christian sects splintering off of each other with different beliefs. The Bible and Christianity has been in a continual state of evolution for thousands of years even before the supposed birth of Christ.

[Meaghan Schaible]

I am a Christian and I have thrown ideas around about writing about faith but as you have noticed, the subject is very political. I tried writing about sin and how God is still going to love you no matter what, but I didn't get very far. What I have noticed though by defending the Christian faith, is that people are often confused about scripture. Scripture is often taken out of centext and therefore people become confused. Often times feeling anger and hatred toward Christianity. I don't know, it's been tough.

Also, there is a miscoception (I feel) that Christians force their religion on everyone. Yes, there are some radicals out there that will shove it down your throat and annoy the heck out of you but not all Christians are that way. Here's an analogy:

The force feeders are almost like a water gun, drowning you with uncomprehedible information. Whereas you should just be handed a glass of water to take a sip from time to time. (if that makes any sense?) Lol.

Anyway, it's a very political subject that I have a hard time writing about.

[tim scannell]

sam...
cool...keep @ it...:)