OpenChristian
(Formerly Lemm.ee)
This is a community for progressive Christians and friends to discuss our faith, support each other, and share inspiration for our spiritual journeys.
We seek God's message of Peace, Love, and Grace through following the Spirit of Christ.
OpenChristian Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenChristian/s/K3NwAgNj2a
OpenChristian Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/KwyUcXv
LGBT Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/e8HXnzV
Wiki: https://reddit.com/r/OpenChristian/w/index
FAQ: [https://reddit.com/r/OpenChristian/w/faq]
[Lemmy mirror of FAQ] https://lemmy.world/post/32102984
Online Resources: https://reddit.com/r/OpenChristian/w/onlineresources
Community Rules
- No bigotry or oppressive rhetoric.
All misogyny, racism, antisemitism, LGBTQ+phobia, etc. will result in removal and a permanent ban. This includes commenting that LGBTQ¢+ love or relationships are sinful. Be aware that using “Pharisee” as a negative slur is considered anti-Semitic.
1b. Side B folks are welcome, but follow Rule 1. If you are a Side B Christian, please respect Rule 1 above, but know that you belong here and we want you to participate.
- Do not promote oppressive/harmful ideology.
This includes all attempts to promote or normalise hate, shame, or fear within Christianity (e.g. purity culture, scaremongering against gender-transitioning, “complementarianism’”, or “demonic” attacks).
- No sectarianism.
Legitimate criticism of other Christians/Faiths is allowed but refrain from prejudice against entire denominations/groups, and against other religions (e.g. Islamophobia).
- No disparaging Christianity
This is primarily a supportive space for anyone who identifies as Christian. While everyone is welcome to participate we ask that no one disparages Christianity.
- Be respectful and polite.
No personal attacks or accusations, harassment, misrepresentation of others, or insults. This also includes forcing debate, gatekeeping, and denying the validity of another's faith.
- Don't be a Troll, or a Jerk.
Don't concern Troll, play Devil's Advocate, or pretend to be confused when you really just want to start a debate. This Rule will be interpreted at the moderators’ discretion.
- No spamming or proselytizing
Don't post here if you're mass posting to other Communities. Don't post here for self-promotion unless it's particularly relevant to this subreddit. This is not your soapbox, and we are not here for you to preach at us. If you want to promote your media please ask permission from the mods.
- Be sensitive about linking to triggering content.
Because we want this space to be as safe as possible, we discourage posting images or links to oppressive rhetoric from others. However, we do understand that venting is important sometimes. If you must post something potentially triggering, mark it nsfw or use spoiler tags, and censor any identifying information.
- Discussion of the ongoing israeli-Palestinian conflict is temporarily prohibited.
This topic has proven to be too divisive to discuss without consistently violating this Community’s rules. In order to maintain peace and to continue supporting one another, content regarding the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict is not permitted at this time.
Notice:
OpenChristian is inclusive, open and welcoming of all. We are LGBTQ+ affirming, but we welcome any who have chosen celibacy, as long as you respect Rule 1.
Do not post or comment about how you believe homosexuality is a sin.
We have heard this a thousand times, and you have nothing new to contribute to the conversation.
If you do this, you will be banned.
Please note that as a progressive Christian community, we are explicitly followers of Christ, as well as LGBTQ+ affirming and egalitarian.
Friends are very welcome to participate, no matter what you believe.
But this is not the place for questioning or debating these positions.
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Lol not at your beliefs, but that last sentence caused me a chuckle because I talked to a guy at work last night, whom before-which I'd never met. Honestly dude sounded drunk AF, but he was a flat earther trying to explain how he only understands things he can see in front of him. Like the earth is flat because the pond by his house looks flat. But then he said that earth is "probably" real. I kinda felt like a dick because I kept laughing at everything he said. He was a nice guy, just... Profoundly stupid. It was like I was having a conversation with someone out of time. Yes, earth definitely exists, even if you subscribe to the idea of projection on the walls of a black hole. Or a simulation, even if we are a simulation, as far as we're concerned, earth exists and is fact. Again, I don't mean to compare your beliefs with his, but I am just interested how you left a religion of one God, and went on to believe in many gods.
I think I was like, 7 or 8 when I started reading the Bible, mostly as a way to convince myself it was real. I was like 6 or so when I started questioning my "faith". I definitely remember believing in Santa longer than I believed in God. So I started reading the Bible to try to push myself back in, but by the time I finished it, I was more convinced than ever that it was bullshit. It took me almost to my 10th birthday to finish that fucking thing. By then I had zero doubt in my mind that it was all make-believe. Sure, some cities and people were probably real. But to me it was like saying the ninja turtles were at the battle of Gettysburg. If this sounds offensive to you, I'm sorry, I truly don't mean it to be.
There are enough rationalists online that I don't even assert that me thinking is definitive proof of my existence lest discount Descartes attempt to argue with my predominantly empirical approach to material reality.
But religion is for non material reality and I find it helpful so I picked one that spoke to me and whose deeper truths helped me. Worst case scenario I'm pissing off a god I wasn't going to believe in anyways. I was a cringy atheist for a while when I left Christianity. And I moved into my beliefs with the aforementioned psychedelics and through slowly adopting parts that helped without being too disagreable. Saying a little prayer when I'm stressed helps though. Keeping the year wheel and celebrating the solstices and equinoxes and the midpoints and meditating on the seasons helps ground me to time. Telling the earth how beautiful her forests and frosts are helps me appreciate the world around me. My polytheism is a lot closer to the Hindu style of divided pantheism.
Just as I'm sure the Christians here feel, religion is like any other moral and social structure. It should be helping you live a happier and better life and making you a better person. If it's doing that it's good. But any belief can be a cudgel in the right hands.
Hey, no judgement here. If it helps you and makes you a better person, cool. I just saw it all as magic.
And yeah if a Christian actually believes in the teachings of Jesus, more power to em. But so so many pick and choose what they want to believe in from it and most prefer to ignore what they don't like that the whole thing gives me a bad taste in my mouth.
And that Includes other religions. Muhammad was a child molester, Buddha specifically said he shouldn't be a god or idol but they worshipped as such anyway.