Unfundamentalist

Above All, Love

Faith in the Fog: Surviving as a Skeptical Christian

by Emma Higgs in Christian Issues

How do I trust God when I’m no longer convinced he even exists?

How do I stop myself from being swallowed whole by the fear and despair that can come from seriously rethinking my beliefs?

How do I pray when it seems like there’s probably no-one listening?

Can my faith survive this?

If you have ever asked questions like these, I hope you know that you are not alone.

If your doubts become so overwhelming that you wonder if you are losing your faith altogether, then you are in good company.

Having serious doubts about the faith that has been a (possibly the) central part of your life can be unsettling, confusing, and scary.

I don’t know many things for sure these days, but I am fairly certain that it’s possible to have an authentic, healthy, and soul-nourishing faith while also being a skeptic. I continue to wrestle with these questions almost daily, but I no longer fear that I am losing my faith. I actually think these questions are a valuable part of my faith.

One of the biggest shifts in my thinking has been the realization that faith is not supposed to be about having strong beliefs.

It’s still a widespread assumption that being a Christian is mostly about what you believe. Of course, how you choose to live is important — there are very few Christians who would deny that. But it seems to me that what matters most to the majority… [Read more…] about Faith in the Fog: Surviving as a Skeptical Christian

The Racist God of America

by Sheri Faye Rosendahl in Christian Issues

I remember the first time I realized that the god of the majority of American Christianity was basically racist. Someone dear to me was trying to make a case for Christian Zionism and, as I stood in a dim-lit hallway listening intensely, I felt this sort of “what the fuck, are you actually being serious right now?” type of confusion.

With no hesitation and I’m sure no chill, I responded with a couple of blunt, but serious questions: “Are you telling me that God cares for one group of people more than others based on their bloodline? Well how pure does one’s blood have to be at this point to be part of this group of chosen ones? Wow, so what you’re telling me is that God is prejudiced based on factors completely out of our control?”

By the end of the conversation and after my fiery disposition had wound down, I had come to a new conclusion, which I calmly expressed, “If the Christian god is essentially racist, then I have no interest in your god.” It wasn’t a declaration of atheism, but a declaration against the idea that God could be a bigot.

At the time, I was deeply lacking in my understanding of the way of Jesus. For all I knew, he was a raging bigot. Eventually, I had a major paradigm shift as I discovered that the Jesus of the red letters was vastly different than what I saw in American Christianity. This Jesus wasn’t a religion, this Jesus is love. They were wrong, as was I.

With our lovely regime change last November, it’s hard to deny the… [Read more…] about The Racist God of America

God Made Adam, Eve, and Steve

by Matthew Distefano in LGBT

“Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible.  It undermines God’s created order where He made Adam and Eve, a man and a woman, to carry out his command to fill and subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28). Homosexuality cannot fulfill that mandate.”
— Matt Slick[1]
“Homosexuality is a result of the rejection of God (Rom 1:21–25). Gay marriage is the institutionalization of the rejection of God . . . The Bible teaches how Christians should respond to gay marriage. Don’t condone it; no matter how much we may love our friends and want to see them happy, real love is bringing them to a saving relationship with Jesus, not encouraging a sinful lifestyle.”
— Got Questions Ministries[2]

For the good part of thirty years, I held to the belief that homosexuality was a sin in the eyes of God. I was handed this view from my parents and the evangelical church at an age I cannot remember, and they had it handed to them from people and places of which I could only speculate. In all likelihood, they would tell you that their view came directly from the Bible, but I have since learned that really means their interpretation of the Bible.

After all, every single one of us, from the conservative pre-millennial dispensationalist to the liberal Anabaptist, has a hermeneutic. That is to say, everyone has a lens that they view the Bible through, whether they admit it or not. I’ll even take that one step further. Everyone has a lens that they view… [Read more…] about God Made Adam, Eve, and Steve

Post-Pentecost, Hope of Love Remains!

by Agnes Hanying in Christian Spirituality

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Acts 2:1-4
Each new day not only brings us new objects of anxiety, but also new objects of interest and “new mercies.” This Pentecost is a special one, like all other Pentecosts, like all days. At times, it seems easier to flagellate ourselves over failures to read the signs of the times (e.g., from being shocked by Brexit to again being shocked by Trump’s election) and become depressed, insular. In light of the United States’ pragmatic pullout from the Paris Agreement and other world-staged dramas, we’re somewhat refreshingly reminded, in sickness and in health, of the simple, amorphous breath that first creates the poetry of life, the same breath that gifts humanity speech and different tongues.

A force so great that it has been with us through every May 4 (I’m lame), yet invisible to the naked eye unless it’s blown into subzero air. Breath is part of what enables voice, expressions of human agency, and spiritual authority. This precious miracle of voice flows from its ventilatory enabler, which also happens to play a major part… [Read more…] about Post-Pentecost, Hope of Love Remains!

An Open Letter to Christians Who Are Against Homosexuality, From a Homosexual Christian

by Katie Breckenridge in LGBT

Christians claim to be full of love. Christians claim to not be judgmental. But so many Christians have absolutely no idea how wrong and hurtful they are. They live in blissful ignorance, believing they are so holy that they could never hurt another person and that their way of thinking is absolutely correct.

This letter isn’t aiming to change anyone’s mind. Most Christians are set in their ways and will never admit that their interpretation of the Bible might be wrong. This letter is simply trying to let Christians know how hurtful and damaging their ignorance can be, even when they think they are being accepting and loving.

Of course, many Christians don’t think like this. Many Christians don’t believe that homosexuality is a sin and they understand that the Bible was relevant to the context of the time, when homosexuality was not understood like it is today. Homosexuality back then was (generally) a lustful act. Today, however, we know that homosexuality is a real, loving commitment that two people have with each other. Furthermore, Jesus never mentioned homosexuality, not even once. If being homosexual is such a perverted and sinful thing, surely Jesus would have commented on it, like he did about divorce.

1 John 4:8 says “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Read that again. God is love. The fact that two people of the same sex can experience true and pure love for each other is proof that their love is real and God breathed. If their… [Read more…] about An Open Letter to Christians Who Are Against Homosexuality, From a Homosexual Christian

I Miss You Too, But…

by Alex Camire in Christian Issues

I miss my former church. I do. And I don’t think I was prepared for that feeling because of the certainty I had in my decision to leave.

This is an odd thing to admit because in doing so I feel like I am opening myself up to the arguments and passionate persuasions of people who tell me that they miss me in, I sense, an attempt to get me to come back. This then puts me in the complicated position of not knowing if or how to respond or explain to people why I felt I had to leave.

Do I break out into a random theological debate?

Or perhaps talk about my criticisms of the policies and protocols that enabled our legalistic culture?

Do I talk about the larger American, Christian church’s marriage to harmful, politically conservative rhetoric and the damage that does to racial and sexual minorities as well as the impoverished?

No. This doesn’t seem like the right thing to do at that moment for me. I stand there, and I say, “I miss you too.”

That’s all I feel I can muster at the moment because I don’t believe it’s my role to push over someone’s neatly organized filing cabinet of ideas about God, faith, Christianity, and the role of the Church. So I say, “I miss you too,” awkwardly, uncomfortably — that’s all I can say. But, it is true, I do miss you.

And, I’ll take responsibility for changing the status quo. There’s a reason we don’t see each other as much anymore. It’s because our relationship was grounded on our collective proximity to a fixed point (church)… [Read more…] about I Miss You Too, But…

The Real Face of the Persecuted

by Darryl Ward in Christian Issues

Reflections on 1 Peter 3:13-22.

Two and a half years ago, Florida charity worker Arnold Abbott made world headlines when he was arrested. His crime? Feeding the homeless.

Arnold, who was ninety at the time, had been helping prepare hundreds of meals every week since 1990. In 1991, he founded the Maureen A. Abbott Love Thy Neighbor Fund, whose name was a tribute to his late wife, and which sought to continue the work they had done together. Love Thy Neighbor is based on two core principles: “We are our brother’s keeper,” and “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” And it is open to people of all religions, beliefs, and races, who wish to help those who are worse off than themselves.[1]

Love Thy Neighbor carried on with its good work of helping the homeless without drawing any international attention, until the City of Fort Lauderdale passed an ordinance severely restricting their activities. Feeding the homeless had to take place at least 500 feet away from residential properties, and food sites were restricted to one per city block. These restrictions were motivated by residents and businesses, who were concerned about homeless people being attracted to their neighborhoods (and presumably thereby lowering the tone of them).[2]

But Love Thy Neighbor was not going let this stop them. And on November 4, 2014, Arnold, along with two ministers from the Sanctuary Church, were arrested while they were distributing food to the… [Read more…] about The Real Face of the Persecuted

A Lesson on Divine Grief

by DeWayne R. Stallworth in Christian Spirituality

He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
–Luke 22:39-46
The text presents Jesus as a vulnerable man. To be sure, Jesus displayed great power through many miraculous acts. He had given sight to the blind, fed the destitute, and even walked on water; however, on the eve of his engagement with the cross, Jesus kneels and prays: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but your will be done (v42).” Additionally, “In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (v44).”

The reader then discovers that while Jesus is dealing with his own anguish, the disciples have fallen asleep due to the amount of grief they are experiencing. In essence, Jesus wanted to feel attached to human sources of… [Read more…] about A Lesson on Divine Grief

For the Literal Love of Christ, Stop Making Jesus White

by Lindsay Mustafa Davis in Christian Issues

I was browsing Buzzfeed the other day when I ran across an article about the Mary Magdalene film starring Rooney Mara (as Mary) and Joaquin Phoenix (as Jesus).

At first, I thought it was great that a film about Mary Magdalene would be coming to theaters soon, especially because of the issues many in the Church might have with her story being portrayed well on screen (read: not as a prostitute).

Then I saw the casting and I got frustrated that, once again, two white actors are portraying religious and historical figures of color.

I quickly went to IMBD to check out the rest of the cast and discovered that black, Israeli, and Algerian actors will be playing Jesus’ disciples.

Which is better than having them all be white, too, I suppose.

This being said, Hollywood is not off the hook. The fact that, in most biblical films, Jesus is cast as a white man while the people of color are relegated to the supporting cast is a symptom of the American white savior complex.

The simplest way to define the white savior as an entertainment trope is a white character rescuing people of color from their plight. While many well-meaning people defend these characters as benign and even admirable (perhaps saying that they learn a lesson about themselves and “those people” and become “better” in the end), they are actually harmful.

The danger of the white savior mentality is that it enables the savior to look down on the ones they try to “save.” It allows the savior to say, “You are only… [Read more…] about For the Literal Love of Christ, Stop Making Jesus White

Theology and Sports

by Matthew Distefano in Christian Spirituality

Maybe I’m a masochist, at least when it comes to sports. You see, my favorite franchises are the Boston Red Sox, Tottenham Hotspur, and the San Jose Sharks. Many here in the States are aware of Boston’s history. Until recently, things became so tumultuous that it was even said they were under a curse: the curse of the Bambino. And, after “the Boston Massacre,” Bucky “Fucking” Dent, Aaron “Bleeping” Boone, and the infamous Buckner incident, I can see why. Tottenham, then, is sort of like the Red Sox of English soccer/football, but minus the recent success. And the San Jose Sharks, well, they have ripped my heart out of my chest more than any ex-girlfriend ever attempted. It’s been over a quarter-century and they still have the same number of Stanley Cup trophies that they started with. In the word of Donald Trump, “Bad!”

Yet, there is a silver lining to my self-inflicted pain. When the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, all of the horror that accompanied their 86-year drought vanished in an instant. Well, okay, not really. Nevertheless, as I can vividly recall, it was breathtaking–bigger and grander than any other sport-related event I had ever experienced, and it did help heal many of the scars of the past. When Keith Foulke fielded the two-out grounder and flipped to Doug Mientkiewicz for the final out of the Series, tears welled up in my eyes and I let out a broken scream: “Yeah baby!” Sure, I had not endured decades of agony like some of the old-timers—I… [Read more…] about Theology and Sports