Liberal Christian vs. Conservative Christian

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is there a difference?
which one do you identify yourself with?

ok, so the reason i ask is the fact that when i was little, i went to a methodist church. i think it's rather liberal. we did a lot of community service and really stressed doing great things in the world to help others, kinda like the mother theresa type. There;s a lot of celebration and people are happy and joyous.

but in college, i fellowship with a group of southern baptists. they are definitely stricter in rules: no hanging out with the opposite sex, etc. they stresses relationship and don't really do much for the community. They also stress sin a lot, so the mood (i think ) is usually kinda dark.

so...should i?
1) stay with this fellowship...after all, same God?
2) try a different fellowship, find one who are similar to me in belief and habit

thanks a lot! this has been on my mind a lot. if you want any details about stuff, i will be happy to share with you, just send me a pm or something, thanks!

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I'm no expert but if I were you I would look for a different fellowship.

It may be the same God but clearly the groups express their devotion in different ways.

Muslims and Jews have the same God as Methodists and Baptists. Would you leave your church to join their Mosque or Temple?

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werthn,

For an example of the contrast between the two, see this post.

http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1720683#1720683

Your observation that the conservative mood is rather dark IMO hits the nail directly on the head.

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Which doctrine touches you personnally? If you relate better to the message of the liberal Christians (Methodist, Congregationalist, UCC, etc) then you should devote your energies to one of those groups. If you prefer the message of the conservative then stay with them. I grew up in a liberal Christian environment and would have a very difficult time putting my faith in the hands of conservatives.

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Liberal.

I could be wrong, but I think people just instituted a whole big bunch of stuff that I don't think Christ would approve of. Christ taught us how to live in the spirit--and people came along "improving" on what He'd done. People need ritual and ways to set themselves above others in order to feel ok about themselves.

They wrecked Christianity, IMO.

I know things were very punitive in the OT-- and I know Craven has pointed out before, that Jesus said He hadn't come to change or replace the Law,...but He did.

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Lash,

Why do you think the way you do? I'm just curious why conservative christians think poorly of liberal christians...after all, it seems that it's the liberal christians who are trying to make a difference in the world through community service and civil movements, etc.

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I became acquainted with what Jesus had to say, as recorded in the Bible. I found Him to be brilliant and impossibly perfect in His approach to life.

I mean, I could read Trump's biography or Gordon Gecko's and there are plenty of people who admire that approach--and that goal...

But, the simple messages Jesus communicated haven't been met or improved on, IMO. To me.

So, when institutions came along, and added crap to His perfection--and avoided responsibility to just do the basic stuff Jesus focused on--they ruined a good movement. They perverted the living legacy. Of course, where there are people, there are perverted legacies, I guess.

I think churches hurt Christianity more than help it. Of course, I'm a bad as they are--because I should be in a church, calling people on their crap and asking them to call me on mine--and serving and teaching--like I did years ago. But they sort of sucked me dry. It is distasteful to me.

I think the way I do --because experiences have shown me the church of today is more of an insult to Christ than a representation.

Why do you ask?

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hm, what you typed seemed very theoretical.

Lash wrote:

I became acquainted with what Jesus had to say, as recorded in the Bible. I found Him to be brilliant and impossibly perfect in His approach to life.

Does this mean that you follow Jesus's ways? How do you chose to follow Jesus? For me, I know what Jesus has to say to. I think he is brilliant as well. There's no conflict between what you and I are saying.

Lash wrote:

I mean, I could read Trump's biography or Gordon Gecko's and there are plenty of people who admire that approach--and that goal...

But, the simple messages Jesus communicated haven't been met or improved on, IMO. To me.

Sure, yea, I know we can't really grow just by reading Trump's biography, we have to do more than imitating someone else's life. But they way your sentence is phrased, it sounds like you speak of him in distaste or rather bitterly. Like you don't approve of him. Do you not disprove of him because he is rich and have money and therefore he is sinful.

I would like to hear more about your reasonings if you care to explain them. Very Happy

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werthn wrote:

hm, what you typed seemed very theoretical.

Lash wrote:
I became acquainted with what Jesus had to say, as recorded in the Bible. I found Him to be brilliant and impossibly perfect in His approach to life.

Does this mean that you follow Jesus's ways? How do you chose to follow Jesus? For me, I know what Jesus has to say to. I think he is brilliant as well. There's no conflict between what you and I are saying.

Quote:
I no longer follow the things most Christians follow. I practice the aspects of Christianity that are of value to me, minus the ones that prove to be difficult to me. Thankfully, the ones I consider important come very easily. My history with Christ is long. It has been intense, joyful, empty, fulfilling, intimate, infuriating...

Lash wrote:
I mean, I could read Trump's biography or Gordon Gecko's and there are plenty of people who admire that approach--and that goal...

But, the simple messages Jesus communicated haven't been met or improved on, IMO. To me.

Sure, yea, I know we can't really grow just by reading Trump's biography, we have to do more than imitating someone else's life. But they way your sentence is phrased, it sounds like you speak of him in distaste or rather bitterly. Like you don't approve of him. Do you not disprove of him because he is rich and have money and therefore he is sinful.

Quote:
I don't approve of him because he has far too much money to inflict that hair on the viewing public. But, I think you get my reference to Gordon Gecko. When you hurt people to get stuff, I don't like you.

I would like to hear more about your reasonings if you care to explain them.

Quote:
I would be quite happy to answer any question you ask.

Quid pro quo.

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Lash, we seem to have the same outlook on Jesus and the impact of the church. There was much to hear in the message, too bad it got so screwed up by the egomaniacs.

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Very happy to hear I have a compadre in Christendom, J_B. Maybe we can expound soon.

My family thinks I'm a heretic, but now, I see I'm in good company.

<smiles at J_B.>

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damn money changers - over with those tables

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<smiles at husker>

I shouldn't fool myself into thinking I'm better than they are--I guess their weaknesses are the ones I have little tolerance for--and mine, they have little tolerance for.

I'm harder on judgemental Christians than I am on crackheads--and there's something fundamentally unfair about that.

Or, maybe not.

You know the parable about the shephard leaving the flock of 99 to find the one lost...? Instead of exulting in the 99 who were where they were supposed to be, he stopped everything to look for, and restore, the one that had wandered away...?

I used to think that was horribly unfair. I guess I understand it much better now.

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Lash, you can add one to your good company. I'd like to say I'm surprised by your views, but truthfully, I'm not.

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<smiles at Freeduck>

That felt like a compliment.... <LOL>

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:wink: It was.

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I feel unfortunately that the 'church" has followed modern cultures way with capitalism and greed - lack of faith or failure and been part of the undoing, but then of course man is the fallen one.

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I can agree with that, in part, husk.

I haven't studied extensively, but the "church's" behavior in the Dark Ages, and the practices that provoked Martin Luther, are what I reference.

And, it seems to have gotten worse.

Still, church members are the ones that come out of the woodwork with money and meals and cards and visits when you need them.

I just wish their most important goal was staying true to Jesus's philosophy, instead of building cathedrals and metroworship centers.

But, you're right. People.

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Lash wrote:

I just wish their most important goal was staying true to Jesus's philosophy, instead of building cathedrals and metroworship centers.

I'd add to that, trying to completely understand Jesus's philosophy. What I see is a sort of marketing or branding of Jesus's name while actually living according to the old testament -- almost opposite to what he said to do. Also, the obsession with evangelism takes away from actual the message. My thoughts -- if the light is shining, others will see it. There's no need to bang on their door and blind them with it.

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Interesting discussion. I was raised in a family with fanatical christian grandparents. They did more to turn me away from religion then bring me towards it. I've always said that christianity has a great messgae and it is to bad that the religious part gets in the way of that.

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Liberal Christian vs. Conservative Christian

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