Passive Christianity - Can it exist?

[fccool]

Now, it's been a long way for me to the point where I am right now, but I think the major part of my skepticism actually originated from what I would call "passive Christianity".

One of the distinguishing attributes of belief is action based on that belief. I can't say that I believe that I am a bodybuilder if I don't spend even 10 minutes in a gym. My belief is merely a claim to which is non-existent.

Not too long ago I've started questioning as to why in our culture Christians simply resort to pulpit preaching. The last person who sincerely attempted to share their faith with me happened quite a bit ago. Which lead me to several probable speculations, with major ones being:

1) They really don't care and apathetic about people around them

2) They are too afraid about being perceived as "loony".

2) They subconsciously don't really believe, and that's why they are uncomfortable sharing their belief.

I came to believe as a result of what I call active Christianity. These people not only believed, but their belief really did great good to their community and their immediate environment.

Much of the Christianity that I've observed since then has been extremely passive and self-serving. If we are talking about the Christian pioneers, these people would be beaten to half-death before they would give up "spreading the good news". If they failed, they came back. They did not resist. They did not scowl or hate their "enemies". They were active pacifists, which pushed the Christian faith to spread like a wildfire.

Observing Christianity today, I can't help but think that it's rather strong on changes via politics, and rather soft on active persuasion. It practically withdrawn from the culture into the "church hole" from which it calls out "Hey, come to us, and hear what our trained professional who we pay money to speak on our behalf has to say".

If the command is:

Quote:

Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Do you guys believe it, or is it merely an optional principle?

So, if you believe it, do you do it every single day to every possible person that needs to hear it? If this message is soooo important. Where are those Christian TV advertising during the Superbowl proclaiming the importance of this message? Where is the evangelistic effort toward the occult, the Satanists, the pagans, the New Age, the majik practitioners?

Is the couple of mission trip people is the best you can do? Do your neighbors even know you as Christians, because you have nagged them about this message so much that they know it by heart?

Do you really believe?

I've asked myself these questions, and I found out that I don't really believe.

Do you? Can passive Christianity exist? If you claim to have the saving message and don't share it with others... what are the moral implications when it comes to your own salvation?

[Gail]

You've been thinking, I can tell!

[BibleOnly]

The trouble is that Christianity is the 'religion of the land'. I see a lot of people whose lives are obviously unGodly, talking about God's help when they have trouble, etc. That's just a faith in the tradition of your fathers, and it does muddy the waters, I find when I tell people I am a Christian, I also have to define what that means, because most people have ideas from their past experiences, that are just not true. Jesus said the lukewarm would be spewed out of His mouth. So, no, there's no room for a passive Christianity that doesn't inform how you live, or make you want to talk to others.

I remember years ago sitting on a train and a stranger sat down and started to talk. It seemed odd, but I was happy to be friendly. When they got to their stop, they pushed a pamphlet in to my hand and literally ran. They were part of a traditional church. I could see that it took a lot of effort for them to try even that, I think that if your Christianity is not a natural expression of who you are, but something you force yourself to put on because you feel obliged, then that doesn't work. For example, I am OK with churches door knocking, but I think far more people are saved through knowing someone who shows their Christianity in how they live day to day, than through people who come to your door with their 'Christian' face on.

[Gail]

[fccool]

Quote:

The trouble is that Christianity is the 'religion of the land'. I see a lot of people whose lives are obviously unGodly, talking about God's help when they have trouble, etc. That's just a faith in the tradition of your fathers, and it does muddy the waters, I find when I tell people I am a Christian, I also have to define what that means, because most people have ideas from their past experiences, that are just not true. Jesus said the lukewarm would be spewed out of His mouth. So, no, there's no room for a passive Christianity that doesn't inform how you live, or make you want to talk to others.

I appreciate this response, although I suspected that it would be a common one.

This actually begs the question on what we would define as evangelical Christians, from those who are "lifestyle" ones. You've mentioned the traditional Christianity being a matter of cultural habit, rather than some sort of reasonable practice. You know the type... Christmass, thanksgiving, the prayer, the Prayer/Flag/Country/Troops chauvinism, and etc...

The question is rather why Churches don't do a better job at expanding on these priorities? If the priority is indeed to spread the most important message in the world... how do churches and Christian individuals go about spreading such message? Do they really want to put the money where their mouth is so to speak.

For example, recently we've had the Harold Campling crowd... say what you want, but these people BELIEVED, with all capital letters. They've sold what they had, and bought huge billboards all across America. Whether true or not, they believed their message and the importance of it, and they got it out. They were on TV, they were on Radio, they were everywhere... not just Christian TV that only Christians watch either

Looking at Adventism for comparison, what amounts to "evangelism" in our church is inviting people to prophecy seminars once a year. That's the huge "evangelistic effort". And people who come are the ones who already go to different churches.

There's no "guts" behind the belief as Camping Crowd demonstrated... and these guys were dead wrong. Adventists claim to be right, they claim to have direct revelation from God's prophet. The best they can do is self-serving 3ABN?

I don't know about you, but it sort of makes me think that if the message is of life-or-death importance, there would be more effort to spread from the hardcore believers than spent on criticism of the contemporary culture?

Quote:

I remember years ago sitting on a train and a stranger sat down and started to talk. It seemed odd, but I was happy to be friendly. When they got to their stop, they pushed a pamphlet in to my hand and literally ran.

Whether they were afraid or not, that at least indicates some degree of courage and belief. For the most part, the Christians that I know ... their faith is their biggest secret.

Quote:

I think that if your Christianity is not a natural expression of who you are, but something you force yourself to put on because you feel obliged, then that doesn't work. For example, I am OK with churches door knocking, but I think far more people are saved through knowing someone who shows their Christianity in how they live day to day, than through people who come to your door with their 'Christian' face on.

And here's the big question. What is that Christian face? What does it look like? How does it differ from a genuine and moral (i.e. killing, stealing is wrong, we should help and forgive each other) people who don't believe?

[BibleOnly]

This actually begs the question on what we would define as evangelical Christians, from those who are "lifestyle" ones. You've mentioned the traditional Christianity being a matter of cultural habit, rather than some sort of reasonable practice. You know the type... Christmass, thanksgiving, the prayer, the Prayer/Flag/Country/Troops chauvinism, and etc...

The question is rather why Churches don't do a better job at expanding on these priorities? If the priority is indeed to spread the most important message in the world... how do churches and Christian individuals go about spreading such message? Do they really want to put the money where their mouth is so to speak.