#evangelical

[adayinjune]

I'm looking for more Christian blogs to follow, so if you post Christian content, please engage with this post!

[whatareyoureallyafraidof]

[longreads]

Creation of Woman: Evangelical and Transgender in the Bible Belt

"I opened his underwear drawer to put the laundry away and noticed a flash of color and lace toward the bottom. My stomach jolted." 

In our latest feature, Lane Scott Jones navigates gender identity against the backdrop of the Deep South.

Read it here. 

[actiwitch]

Hot take, apparently, but genuinely harassing or insulting anyone's religion is not ok.

Criticizing religious institutions, proselytizing, extremism, or horrible behaviors/beliefs done in the name of a religion? YES! Totally. That should be criticized.

Unpromptedly popping up on random posts by religious folks to say anything along the lines of "god isn't real", "the pagan gods are fake", "there is only one true religion", "[any religious group] are stupid/dangerous/barbaric" -- NO.

It's rude. It's unnecessary. And sometimes, especially in the case of minorities or oppressed groups, it's outright hateful. Theres nothing helpful, funny, or cool about randomly insulting one of the most personal aspects of a persons life. Unless it's invited or warranted, stfu.

[liberalsarecool]

Not drag. Not trans. Nope.

Religious white cis male. 🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯

[thejewitches]

Let’s build strong interfaith solidarity by refraining from appropriating Jewish rituals.

Here are a few more ‘arguments’ that we didn’t include, but feel we should head off… “But Judaism is the root of Christianity”. We are a living, breathing people and our traditions have continued to live and thrive despite Christian oppression. These traditions came after Jesus and are not for the taking. “But Jesus was the Passover Lamb!” That’s a Christian tradition and has nothing to do with us. There are many beautiful Christian traditions. Go celebrate them. Enjoy them. No need to take ours.

Make sure to share and if you see someone having a Christian seder, educate them!

[campgender]

So the revenge part is things like this, and things like — actually, like, having conversations with evangelicals, and not being polite, like, not playing by the rules of politeness.

Because I think a lot of us, when we deconstruct, we have this sense of, “this is just for me, I’m doing this and I’m not telling you what to do.” And I know I felt a weight for a long time of like, “I don’t wanna be — I don’t wanna ruin anyone else’s faith, I don’t wanna be responsible for that, I just don’t wanna do it.”

And now, in its simplest form, to be revengelical is to be like, “No, I do actually wanna ruin your faith. I do, actually. I’m fine with being partially responsible for your deconstruction. Because I think, like — once the fear of hell is gone, like, that just changes the game. That just changes your whole, like, outlook on things…

No, I know how you think. I speak your language. You don’t speak mine, you don’t understand where I’m at, but I know the tricks of the trade. We know how to trip these people up. We know where all the plot holes are. But, like, out of politeness, we don’t point them out. But I’m like, what am I afraid of? Like, I don’t believe in hell. So I can’t be sending you to hell — so why would I not disrupt this?

Because we think, like, “oh, that’s so rude” — no, the rude thing is that we were all just living our lives, and then at some point somebody came along and said, “Hey, you’re wicked. You are depraved. And you need a savior.” And you’re like, “I’m eight. What did I do?!” Like, that’s, that’s the mean thing! There’s nothing meaner than evangelicalism. But then we feel like, “It would be so mean to take that away from them.”

Janice Lagata’s Revengelicalism

as discussed on the Hello Deconstructionists podcast

[dclanisms]

losing my religion

[angelx1992]

[dg3zero]

[thepersonalwords]

I will design myself a reputation, in which prospects can place their trust, and customers return to and recommend.

Chris Murray, The Extremely Successful Salesman's Club

[whatareyoureallyafraidof]

[gramarobin]

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

"Deep within the heart of every evangelist lies the wreck of a car salesman." -- H.L. Mencken

Example:

[proclaimtheword]

(Photo credit from another site. I redacted a name often accused against the pope because I don’t like throwing that word around and I don’t believe in using it against other people, no matter how much I disagree with them.)

It has been more than a week since this happened and the pope said this before a congregation on an official trip to Singapore. I’m appalled that catholic tumblr is utterly silent on this, but not surprised. They really only get up to defend their church against protestants, and then even happily side with unbelievers. I hate fighting with other Christians, of all people, and many times avoid it and just move on. But THIS. Come on. COME ON. I thought we at least agreed Jesus is the only way to salvation! How could you not say something? At least don’t be blind to false teaching!

A catholic, of course, tried to defend it, who actually said the pope is not infallible—but I corrected him on that one (I grew up catholic you’re not fooling me, and yes I have been catechized enough)—then came back to say it only applies ex cathedra: meaning, only when he is ‘in office’ with “full authority.”

I said my pastor then has more integrity. He’s not perfect, but at least he says the same thing whether he is on the pulpit or not. He preaches the same gospel whether at church or in a grocery store. And I never have to make up new doctrine to make him or his job infallible, or exalt him more than necessary to a level higher than a church leader or teacher (I am looking at the saint and blessed pope).

Jesus says, I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No comes to the Father except through Me.

How clear can that be? I’ve said this before, No wonder Muslims love Catholics (I constantly refer to Islam on this blog because I live in Middle East; this is also where I converted, and I had never known what it was actually like to be Christian until I lived here). If the world had a favorite type of Christian, it might be the Catholics. And if the world had a least favorite type of Christian, I am sure it’s evangelicals. I mean, even other Christians hate us.

Today I went to church. Have I mentioned we don’t actually have a proper church building? We rent a small villa in a far-side residential area with over 50 people at a service (Praise the Lord! Even in a cramped area and with a tight budget, God still fills our house). We don’t have a name or sign plastered outside identifying as a church. We’re scared because it’s not actually legal to run an evangelical church in this country. But there are Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox churches at least one of each in my city. As I’ve said before, evangelism is illegal, but they will openly convert you to Islam. (I don’t blame them, it’s their country, we’re just here as immigrants and treated accordingly. We don’t try to change laws or culture, and we try our best to live according to the rules. As long as we keep to ourselves and treat it nothing more than a closed gathering, we’ll be fine).

Trust me, I missed being Catholic - because I was just happy and carefree. I didn’t know much of the world or the Word. Ignorance is bliss. But my life changed as soon as I became Christian - when I professed that faith, took it seriously, and preached the gospel boldly. Now I understand the Bible even more intimately - anytime it speaks of persecution, insult, and suffering, I can relate to it. When Jesus says ‘love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you,’ it has more weight.

I don’t know where I am going with this post other than it’s a rant and a writing of personal experience. My journey as a Christian is both a blessing and a curse - in the same way the apostles have written about it. But narrow is the way that leads to life. I know persecution is part of Christian life, and I shall rejoice in it.

Repent! I say this to myself more times in a day than I address it to others. I am a sinner. Always will be. But by the grace of God and blood of Jesus on the cross I shall be justified.

Jesus is the Way. There is no other way.