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Fun Emails

One of the reasons I put up an email contact form on my blog instead of just my email address was that I hoped to reduce spam. I had hoped that the form would not deter interesting Christians from emailing me, and so far, I don't believe it has. I thought I might use this thread to share some of these emails.

I just got one today that said,

"I just want to start out by saying that I used to be religious, but now I'm a Christian..
Your views on these issues are well thought out and presented well. I just want to say that I appreciate your 'flexibility' and sensitivity to both sides of the aisle."

What do you make of the first sentence? I have encountered variations on this theme again and again in comments and email from Christians, and I'm not sure what they're getting at? Do they not understand that Christianity is a religion, or am I missing something?

Tags: Christianity, blog, email

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Eddie on December 26, 2009 at 3:10pm

Yeah I have seen and heard this type of comment. I think they are trying to make it seem like christianity isn't a theist belief but a personnel relationship. It is also something that could be seen as a way to get away from the negative view many have of religion. It is another attempt to redefine what their beliefs are.

Permalink Reply by vjack on January 2, 2010 at 5:52am

I'm guessing you are right about the whole "personal relationship" thing. Man, that drives me crazy. Talk about a one-sided relationship!

Permalink Reply by Don on December 26, 2009 at 3:39pm

One interpretation is that he or she sees "religious" as meaning "spiritual" but uncommitted to a specific religion. Now he took the dive and became a Christian.

Permalink Reply by Glenn Sogge on December 26, 2009 at 3:48pm

To extend Juilana's theory, I know several people who are basically religious but have big problems with churches. That's kind of the religious version of "Humanity I love, it's people I can't stand."

Permalink Reply by TinaFCD on December 26, 2009 at 8:01pm

Maybe they meant...."I just want to start out by saying that I didn't used to be religious, but now I'm a Christian..

Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on December 27, 2009 at 12:46pm

I hear that a lot, often in a really defensive tone. "Oh I'm not religious at all. I don't go to a regular church and I'm totally against organized religion. I just follow Jesus of my own accord and go to this not-so-religious multi-denominational church.

In my view, it's a lot like saying, "Oh I don't believe in Nazism or the Third Reich or any of their contemporary offshoots. I just worship the ground Hitler walks on."

"I have nothing at all against black people. I just could never bring myself to date one."

"I have nothing against gays. I just don't think they should have the same rights as normal people."

These are people who deep down really do question religion, or at least want to appear smart enough to be doing so, but a little deeper than that they still cling to their religion for whatever reasons.

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