"I'm not religious, I'm a Christian"

I've heard this a few times now. What does it mean? Am I missing something, or are these people missing something?!

[Momo]

:huh:

[peggyfromwastate]

Maybe they think that Christian is more than religious? People can be "religious" about working out, or protecting the environment, or whatever. So "religious" doesn't imply Christian, but if you are Christian I would think that you were religious, and that your religion was Christianity...

:huh:

I am guessing it to mean that they are not caught up in all of the church politics. One can still be a Christian without being Baptist, Presbyterian, etc. or even attending church. Stereotypically, "religious" people tend to focus on the trivial details.

:huh:
A way of saying I'm Christian but don't identify with the "religious right"?

:huh: Maybe they mean they're not church-goers but still Christian. That's my guess.

As was said above, I think they're disparaging organized religion ... they're saying they're better than those associated with organized religion .. or that esoteric vs. exoteric (just not in those words). I won't turn this in to a debate thread about what I think that might tell me about their other ideas....

The reason this is said is because of the belief that in Christianity you pull away from doctrinal traditions from becoming the focus of a person's beliefs system .

Note: this was the pull away, the first century Christian church had, from Judaism. If you read the Bible in the history in that first century, and the things that Jesus said himself this is quite evident. For instance Jesus went to the Pharisees many times and confronted them about their absolute devotion to traditions and absolute corrupt heart towards God.

The phrase derives from the idea that in Christianity it's not about living the perfect life or in church dogma, but living in God's grace and in a relationship with Him, not one about working to a higher level or doing good works to be accepted in His Grace. Also something that Jesus emphasised in His teachings. Honestly it's a blanket phrase many Christians use to show the difference they feel they have in Christianity from many differant religons. So it's not meant to be offensive, but if you looked at many (not all) religons it's about working to your placement in nirvana or to get in a god's good graces, or working for stature placement in heaven. Christians use this as a blanket phrase to say they feel like Christianity is differant than this and a quick way to explain that.

Does this make sense? It sounds odd but does have historical backing in the Bible, but does sound like unexplained clique when a person just leaves the statement to stand alone.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: "I'm not religious, I'm a Christian"

I've heard this a few times now. What does it mean? Am I missing something, or are these people missing something?!

I've run into this comment quite a few times in my in-laws' world. My in-laws are nondenominational evangelical Christians--some might characterize them derogatorily as "Bible beaters" or dismissively as "born-agains", but they really are educated, thoughtful people. We differ enormously on many points of theology and dogma, but knowing them has opened up a whole world to me--a type of Christianity with which I wasn't previously familiar and which, frankly, a lot of people who don't really know much about blow off kind of judgmentally or make into a joke. but, to any degree, this is my take on what the above-reference phrase probably means:

Evangelical born-again Christians like my in-laws tend to flinch when someone calls them "religious." To them, being "religious" is not a good thing. It means that you are focused not on Christ but on yourself and what you are doing to "look like a good Christian." It does not connote for them ideas of faithfulness and devotion. Rather, they tend to see being "merely religious" as lacking faith and really only doing the outward signs associated with one's faith (Christmas Catholics, Easter Baptists, etc.). The idea is that if you're a Christian, you are not bound-up in a bunch of rules and routine ("religion"), but are instead experiencing freedom in salvation.

Honestly, I get what they are saying--the point is that Christianity isn't about rules but about a relationship (the one with God). At to that degree, they are correct. However, they tend to use that idea to judge how other denominations experiencing that relationship with God. For example, they find the use of the rosary to be an affront and they do not like liturgical services (to them, that is about the rote, unthinking practice of "religion," not Christian freedom).

Needless to say, they aren't big fans of my church (Episcopal).

Anyhow, not sure if this 100% made sense, but I tried...

[poky]

Re: "I'm not religious, I'm a Christian"

For example, they find the use of the rosary to be an affront and they do not like liturgical services (to them, that is about the rote, unthinking practice of "religion," not Christian freedom).

If I'm reading that correctly, I find it fascinating in light of the discussion in another thread that was started by the 11-year-old article talking about how the "stricter" religions are gaining members when the more "liberal" ones are losing them... but I'm having trouble coming up with how it really would fit in, since my experience with liturgy is pretty minimal. Do they go to church? Does it have traditions?

[MissCrabette]

:huh: Maybe they mean they're not church-goers but still Christian. That's my guess.

This would be my guess too.

Except wouldn't they have said, BUT I'm a Christian? I think Abigail hit the nail on the head (and did it much more charitably than I would have).

Thank you, it makes a little more sense to me now. The people who said this were, from my point of view, the EXTREMELY religious, church-going, bible-is-the-literal-word-of-God kind of people. I'm going to have to re-read the longer posts here a few more times before I can wrap my beenie-brain around this concept a little better.

Why do belief systems have to get so complex? Seriously, shouldn't the idea of God be more simple than all this?! That people on the most remote island of the world, unable to read, should be able to discover God or whatever common truths are out there by simply living their lives. That to me would be the true God.

Why do belief systems have to get so complex? Seriously, shouldn't the idea of God be more simple than all this?! That people on the most remote island of the world, unable to read, should be able to discover God or whatever common truths are out there by simply living their lives. That to me would be the true God.

To me this is Christianity. It is understood on a basic level. Of course there is more to it than just believing in God, but to God that is the basis and the most important:

Matthew 18:3
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

To me while there is more to Christianity than just believing, I believe it's the heart, one bent to serving and doing as God wants from us is what God is looking for. And that is why I believe Jesus called the Pharisees venimous vipers - and called them out on their works w/out a heart to service God.

This is the definition of Christianity IMO

[Rapunzel]

:huh:

I agree that this is a confusing phrase to me: "I'm not religious I'm Christian."


When I think of the word "religious" I think of someone who lives their beliefs - doesn't just give themselves a label (such as Christian). Religious connotates someone who puts their values into action and isn't just giving lipservice.

In that manner the above statement is extremely confusing to me as I read it to mean: I call myself a Christian but I don't necessarily live that way or actively uphold that lifestyle.