Christian Atheism

[Faeden]

Hi

I was watching TV the other day, and there was a program about belief, and both atheists and religious people where on there talking about there beliefs.

On it where some people that claimed to be Christian Atheists. They went on to explain a little about what they believed. They said that they where Christians in the sense that they believed that 2000 years ago there was a man named Jesus Christ that had a brilliant mind, and vision of world peace, and that they worshipped Jesus as just another human being, not the what they called the "Fairy tale" belief in Jesus. They said that there Christian atheism was about spreading Jesus’ words of wisdom and message of peace around the world and nothing else, they where not concerned with a god, most believed there was no god at all, but focused souly on Jesus’ good teachings, not to help others find salvation, but to spread peace around the world.

I had never heard about Christian atheism before until that program, but it seems they have quite a following. Has anyone else heard of this before? Or even know anyone that is involved in it?. I do not know how old it is, or if it only exists here in the UK, but what are your views on this?

All the best

Faeden

Edited August 16, 2005 by Faeden

[hyperactive]

never heard of it, but it sounds quite a bit like theravada buddhism (in the teacher was a wise man, not a god).

[EmpressV]

Are you sure they were worshipping him?

[Faeden]

Are you sure they were worshipping him?

794185[/snapback]

That’s what they said yes.

[Ashley-Star*Child]

Well wow, they just miss the entire point don't they. But, each to their own...

[SilverRain Queen]

There is a religion for everyone that wants to live in a box.

[Gwyny]

Even the word christian atheisim is an oxy-moron...

[+Sherapy]

never heard of it, but it sounds quite a bit like theravada buddhism (in the teacher was a wise man, not a god).

792160[/snapback]

Hyper,

Whats Theravada Buddism????

[Faeden]

Here is a link to more about Christain Atheism

Christian Atheism

[101]

Wow that is different. I guess you can value Jesus Teachings and not think he was God. That is okay. Jesus still has good teachings.

[hyperactive]

never heard of it, but it sounds quite a bit like theravada buddhism (in the teacher was a wise man, not a god).

792160[/snapback]

Hyper,

Whats Theravada Buddism????

796928[/snapback]

here is a summary from beliefnet (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/80/story_8042_1.html):

Belief in Deity

The concept of a supreme Creator God is rejected or at least considered irrelevant to Theravada Buddhism. Buddha, "the Awakened One," is revered above all--not as "God" but as supreme sage, model of a fully enlightened person.

• Incarnations

Buddha was a human, a fully enlightened spiritual teacher and inspiration. As there is no belief in or relevant God, there are no incarnations of God worshipped.

• Origin of Universe and Life

Buddhists consider it the job of scientists to explain origins of the universe and life. There is no contradiction with scientific discovery, however many maintain that the world creates and recreates itself millions of times every fraction of a second.

• After Death

There is no transmigration of individual souls, but through the law of karma, one's wholesome or unwholesome intentions become imprinted in the mind. Negative mental states persist through continual rebirth until one's intentions become wholesome. Once fully enlightened, one is liberated from rebirths, reaching a state of absolute selflessness resulting in ultimate bliss called Nirvana--the "Deathless State." One becomes Buddha (or one with Buddha). Some Buddhists, especially modern Western, don't emphasize or believe in literal rebirth.

• Why Evil?

People have free will to commit wrongs or rights. Evil doings may result when egoism, cravings, attachments, and ignorance are expressed as greed, hatred, and violence, which, if unmitigated, is perpetuated through rebirth.

• Salvation

Enlightenment is an individual journey to Nirvana (complete bliss)--liberation from suffering and cycles of rebirth--acheived by following the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path. To eliminate karma, which causes rebirth, one must extinguish the belief in a separate self that give rise to cravings, desires, and attachments. The path to enlightenment includes loving-kindness and compassion, moral conduct, charity, wisdom, and meditation.

• Undeserved Suffering

Unenlightened life is suffering, and the cessation of this suffering is the primary goal of Buddhism--to reach Nirvana, to end cycles of rebirth. Suffering is a result of past-life greed, hatred, and ignorance, which return as suffering (karma), while compassion toward others who suffer reduces the effects of karma.

• Contemporary Issues

Abortion is considered murder, and all violent acts cause horrific karmic consequence. Homosexuality in itself is not specifically condemned by scripture, but opinions vary, especially among various Buddhist cultures--e.g., Buddhists in the United States are generally very accepting, while some Asian Buddhists are generally strongly opposed to homosexuality. It is believed that divorce wouldn't occur if one follows Buddhist precepts, but a couple is not condemned if they separate due to vast personal differences. In Theravada countries, gender roles are generally traditional (e.g. woman as child caretakers and men as providers), but less rigid as contemporary demands are made on women (e.g. working women).