Christianity as a philosophy not as a theology bogged down

[morrow]

I’m a self proclaimed skeptic and agnostic. I believe only in the tangible.

I know for every action there must be a reaction.

That said I recognize and practice Christianity as a philosophy, not as a theology bogged down in dogma of an outdated unaware primitive nomad people.

I see the bible as a collection of allegory writings and the wisdom is locked within.
Too many times I have seen a passage used out of context of the story it is written, just to support the speakers point of view.

The misuse of the power of this collection of allegories has been used to suppress and enslave people in fear for thousands of years.

So the Christians amongst us would clearly say I’m not a Christian, do the agnostic and atheist feel the same?

[Divine Insight]

So the Christians amongst us would clearly say I’m not a Christian, do the agnostic and atheist feel the same?

People often have different and quite strange ways of defining what it means to be a "Christian". Some claim that to follow the moral teachings of Jesus is sufficient to lay claim to that title. I personally disagree with this.

From my perspective, to claim to be a "Christian" automatically implies a belief that Jesus was "The Christ" in the sense described by the New Testament.

In other words, a beliefs that Jesus was the only begotten demigod Son of God born of a virgin mortal woman, and that he rose from the dead, etc.

To me, that's what it means to believe in the Christian "Christ".

Therefore to claim to be a "Christian" implies that you believe in "The Christ" as portrayed in the New Testament Gossips.

As far as the Bible being a collection of moral stories to model my life after, I personally feel that there are better myths and doctrines for that. I actually disagree with many of the principles that are taught in the Biblical stories. I feel that some of them actually teach what I considered to be immoral values and behavior.

If I were going to turn to a religious paradigm for moral values I'd look into Buddhism. Which, of course, I have already done.

In Buddhism you get all the high moral standards without the contradicting immoral ones. So it's more clear and easier to follow I think.

[morrow]

As far as the Bible being a collection of moral stories to model my life after, I personally feel that there are better myths and doctrines for that. I actually disagree with many of the principles that are taught in the Biblical stories. I feel that some of them actually teach what I considered to be immoral values and behavior.

While I agree with your assessment of Christianity, I’m coming at it from more of a western thought pattern, as opposed to an eastern.

That said, I have a great deal of respect of Buddhism and its teachings.

[ttruscott]

YOU may be bogged down - the theology is alive and vibrant.

Peace, Ted

[Nilloc James]

Im skeptical of any claim that a particular book/collection is uniquely moral or supirior to others. There is some morality in the bible, but there is some morallity in dr seus as well. I think the bible is one text amongst many (with no intrinisic supriority) and for that reason dont profess as a practitioner of "philisophical christainity". If I say I practice christainity in that sense you could also say I am a dr seusist, a batmanist and a dickensist because I find moral messages in those (among others) just like I can find morals in the bible.