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 N~ 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 subreddit’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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We let Satan into our lives because Eve (not we) ate from the fruit of the forbidden tree? Inheritance of punishments is one of the many reprehensible staples of Abrahamic religions.
Well, we actually let satan in through Judaism. In which he is more of an accuser/prosecuter. Hence you yourself can be said to be satan for accusing blame.
The genesis myth isn't literal.
The garden of eve is innocence or naïveté. Kids have what we as adults would conceive as a literal heaven. Sure, chores and whatnot, but you get to play and have some form of freedom. Actual freedom built on the backs of your parents, the keepers of your prison.
As you age, you learn and become disullusioned. You eat from the fruit of knowledge. It becomes a curse as you truly awaken from the lies you were told. However, if you are able to supersede your ego bruising. You will find the power that knowledge can also wield, and liberate you.
This is why most people leave christianity. Sometimes people can return and see the value. Fascist pig insult comes in clutch and we must be thankful for that gift at least.
(There is also the heavy sexual undertones with a 'snake,' for some reason folks forget people use metaphors - especially when talking to kids about series topics.)
I am aware of the 'knowledge destroys innocence' claim of christianity. I do not subscribe to it, whether it's knowledge in general or sexual 'knowledge'.
You take a major split from most christians when you say this knowledge will be the one that liberates (what exactly does liberate mean for you?) you. Christ's sacrifice also need to be re-contextualized.
For them salvation (sometimes called liberation) is achieved through acceptance of christ explicitly (an oath of fealty) as well as trying to return to innocence (especially sexual innocence). A core part is that you cannot succeed in returning to innocence since you are mortal thus you need christ to forgive your sins.
Some believe you will be actively eternally punished if you fail to do so, others that will simply miss out on afterlife. Both are incredibly harsh and disproportionate punishments for even murderers let alone people who just are sexually promiscuous and not sorry, or perhaps simply do not believe in God.
Unfortunately most people don't leave christianity, ironically you seem to have gone quite afar yourself. Your beliefs seem to be a bit less hateful and harmful, though I can't be sure how honest you arr or if you are just engaging in apologia.
Knowledge destroys naïveté. Innocence is not lost until you do act. I mean the broadest term of knowledge, sexuality just applies as usually this is how dominion is expressed. Why the Jewish faith banned sodomy, domination and humiliation of egyptian culture back then. Same threat woman fall under often times.
Knowledge affords you the ability to act. Say your mind is a void and knowledge fills it, hence you can begin to warp the world to your desires via that knowledge. It liberates you by affording you control, to an extent. Beyond this, it also allows you to know how to circumvent dangers too. Information is powerful, it can free you from the clutches of those who have power over you.
Christ sacrificed himself by speaking out, he didn't save anyone. The point is that you can save yourself with his message. Act now before you cannot act. Live before you cannot live. Hell is the domain that Christ lived in, Helia. Hence, hell is just living in your material realm.
Heaven however is much more, it is the ascension of people. Not by god but by people. Be kind to people, be their champion, and they too shall hold you up to the heavens. When you go, your absence will be felt and they will carry a fragment of your soul with them. (Soul being their intent, will, etc.) Grieving gives us something, not just loss. Combine this with your self ascension into imagination through the use of child-like wonder, you will enjoy simple pleasures. Losing necessity for depravity.
In short, karma. You do bad, you feel bad, you see bad, and you project bad. Your fixation on bad will then drive you mad, why honesty and repenting is important. To free the soul and grow. You do good, you feel good, you see good, and you project good. Hence, good standing creates a positive sense all around you.
Same logic aplies to the 'evil eye' curse. You as the observer can see good or bad. Our envy and own emotions can contort what is before us. See a man succeed and you feel jealousy, even though nothing was taken from you. You can hyperfixate and cause actual harm, to them or to yourself. (ignoring things you should actually focus on usually) Others can do the same.
I follow the rule of; if you see the buddha on the side of the road - kill him. Fixating on the buddha does you no benefit when you are on your own journey to become like him. All it can do is halt your journey as you fixate. If buddha is the 'deity' of buddhism, I apply it everywhere.
Ground a god and make them mortal, only then can you learn from them. What can a god teach you when they cannot understand mortality?