Can I be a Christian and be cool?

[shekina]

Well can I. I mean, I am a Christian, I take the Gospels literally(i said the gospels, not leviticus and all that other Old Testament stuff). and I believe in salvation through grace, but can I still be cool? I think I can be. I have no problem with homosexuals as many of my other Christian peers do, the Landover Baptist website is on my favorites list, and I absolutely loooooooove Southpark. Is this a start for me?


Peace

p.s. This is just a question I felt like asking, it ain't gonna affect my self esteem any. Just wanted to see what ya'll thought

[Kenneth ken]

1. silly question

see your Johnny Cash appreciation thread. He was a Christian, and how many people coler than him can you name? Damn few, I'd bet.

fwiw - I'm not a Christian.

[shekina]

3. this is true

Cash was da man(damn, that's like the 15th time I've praised Cash tonight). He was cool, and he was a Christian. *sigh* Where have you gone Johnny, we need you more than ever(16th time)

[strategery blunder]

2. Meet your fellow DU Christian

right here. :hi::toast: O8) :bounce:

[LDS Jock]

26. Me too

but I don't post much.

[AspenRose]

50. Another one here

:hi: and I'm married to a Methodist P.K. even

Isn't Bill Moyers an ordained minister and Democrat?

[shekina]

54. Hiyo

But forget Bill Moyers, the best example of a cool, liberal Christian is Johnny Cash, hands down.

[strategery blunder]

55. I go to a Southern Baptist church

you would be surprised to know that the minister keeps politics out of sermons.

[Droopy]

4. Yes

Just as long as you leave your atheist bretheren alone with all that preaching stuff.

I can even tolerate a little witnessing. I had a Christian pray for me at school one time. I said I didn't mind and he prayed away, asked God to send me a sign. God hasn't yet, but I guess what I'm saying is I don't have a problem with people and their faith as long as they respect me in my non-belief.

[shekina]

8. will do

I don't try to convert anybody unless I get peace from God about it. I totally think all those Chick tracts are a joke and are more for entertainment value than witnessing.

[AspenRose]

51. Chick tracks...

are downright scary.

[Kool Kitty]

5. Why not?

Real Christians are cool. Jesus was cool.

[kissmeimcajun]

6. To give support

I'm Christian, actually Catholic, and I like to think I'm cool.

[Trajan]

7. More bait shek ??? ...

It's like a drug ...

[tishaLA]

40. That's what I thought too.

Kinda like that "Passion" question.

What a tool.

[shekina]

44. Have a nice day

God Bless You

[corporatewhore]

9. just as long as you dont listen to christian skater punk music about being

a virgin

[shekina]

10. bleh

I don't listen to "Christian" music. Gimme Korn anyday over that crap

[rucky]

11. Yes. First step is never to ask if you can be cool.

that's just not cool.

You dig?

[LoZoccolo]

12. You'll find this phenomenon on DU.

Basically, there'll be some athiests on one thread talking about people of faith, and then another thread where some religious people talk about how they don't feel welcome here, and with the exception of like a few more sympathetic people from the other side or like one person in strong disagreement, the two groups don't cross threads. I really don't understand why people push the envelope against the rules about religion here when we could all benefit from a sane discussion of the separation of church and state, and we could especially benefit if people of faith - even fundamentalists (which is a theological distinction and not a political one if you know what it means) - are made to feel like we don't have some sort of agenda to destroy them and we could send them back to their churches with the idea that they don't need to take over the government just to defend themselves. I don't think you should be made to feel like you have have to adopt an apologetic tone like the one in your message as long as you don't feel like you need to use government power to advance the number of followers of your faith.

[AspenRose]

52. Very well said LoZoccolo

[TreasonousBastard]

13. Of course...

Jesus was the coolest dude ever.

Just gotta stay away from some very uncool followers.

[Nomad559]

14. Cool Christians

There are lots of cool Christians, some of my best friends are cool Christians.

My favorite Christian comedian was Sam Kinison.

RIP Sam :yourock:

[Indiana_Dem]

15. Well I'm a born-again-in- a-charismatic-church-Christian DUer

yet I still believe in separation of church and state, pro-choice, pro GLBT rights, environmentalist, etc., so hopefully everything's cool!!! I just think with the brain God has given me and the Holy Spirit he gave me after I committed my heart! I believe the Christian Right is being deceived. I think it's very cool to emmulate the way Christ probably would be if He were around physically today in these times!

on edit: I no longer attend organized church however....can't find one near me that represents my progressive dispensational beliefs.

[PurityOfEssence]

19. That makes me happy

Like Woody Allen said in "Stardust Memories", upon halting someone who was asking a question starting with "As an atheist, how do you...": "To you, I'm an Atheist; to god, I'm the loyal opposition."

Don't forget to sway the flock to our side; in the end, politics are more important than religion.

[Room101]

16. A born- again Atheist speaks ......

If you’re cool your cool. The Super friends are my favorite super hero’s.

Buddha “ It is ok, everything is the way it is supposed to be”

Jesus “ oh shut up Buddha”

I love South Park!

[PurityOfEssence]

17. The less you care what people think of you, the cooler you'll be

Far too much human effort is spent on attempts to be revered or desired. Go out and do things, be a pleasant presence, and you'll be cool.

Looking for approval from those you designate as superior to you, whether a group or a supernatural being, is a road to endless disappointment.

Join the party; you don't have all the answers and nobody else does either. One thing I do know, though: caring too much about being cool will make one narcissistic, useless and tiresome.

[asteroid2003QQ47]

35. To those words of wisdom I would add---

By being fruitful, multiplying, filling the earth, subduing it, ruling over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky and over every animal that moves on the earth you seemingly make the choice to be permanently un-cool.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

18. Sure! Xtians are cool......Ive been inspire/comforted by Xtians

Read some Thomas Merton (hes' a Catholic, but cool)

Check out "The Sun" and esp. "Sojournors" magazine:

a link to Sojournorrs:
http://www.sojo.net/

[Az]

20. I see no reason you cannot be cool

Its really a question of whether you are able to see others as cool. Its kind of a give and take thing.

[uhhuh]

21. Some of us are very cool

Some are not.

But you better be cheerful about it, or God will get you!!!

Check this shit out:

www.repentnow.com

I don't think they're joking.Creepy!

[Az]

22. The things people do not joke about

are quite frightening indeed.

[scottcsmith]

23. We're all cool

I'm a cool Jew. We have cool Christians, cool non-Jews, and the rest. All cool.

[MichaelHarris]

24. Heck yeah. Alot of Christians here. Lots of cool ones everywhere just...

don't post any pictures of any Stigmata you may have. Those freak me right out. Just watched a History channel show about it and I dig God and all I'm just not sure I want him puttin holes in me.

[shekina]

43. watched the same program

and I doubt I'd get or want to get anything like that. Besides, it said it was mostly chicks who get i.

[REP]

25. If You Have To Ask...

[SoCalDem]

27. Of course you can..

I have friends whom I have known for 20 years, and I could not even tell you what religion they are.. It's not something that interests me.. Their faith is their business.. If there was more "following of one's faith...and waaaay less preaching of it", the world would be a sooper-dooper place..

Religion is a lot like underwear.. Most people "wear it" , but not everyone in the world needs to SEE it :evilgrin:

I have a lot of cool friends, and I know that some of them must go to church :)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

28. Hell yeah - um...maybe not the best phrasing, but - YES YOU CAN

I am a Catholic and I think I'm cool, but that remains to be proven. Johnny Cash is the best example!

[supernova]

29. Why would you think otherwise?

The secret to being cool is to not ask others' permission to be who you are. B-)

State your intentions/beliefs/experience directly and matter of factly without argument or apology, in the spirit of shared personal experience. Being secure in your beliefs means that you can talk about them without putting others down in the process.

[INTELBYTES]

30. Another Texas Christian here!!

Being "cool" may not necessarily be a benefit to us Christians. If we are trying to be "cool" it means we are trying to fit in with the world. We are in the world, but not of the world.

[SOteric]

31. Christians come in the same assortment as the rest of humanity.

Some are cool. Some are turkeys. Some are utter and unmittigated assholes.

You always have a substantial amount of choice in how you behave.

[TXlib]

39. You don't have to be a Christian to be an utter and unmitigated asshole.

Just look at me! :7

[Az]

32. Coolness comes from

being yourself and letting others be cool as well. That is all you need to be cool.

[Raenelle]

33. I'd say no. It's a choice you have to make. Cool? Or Christian?

But I just don't see anything about taking the Bible literally that's cool.

However, though I'm not Christian, I'm also very not cool, and never have been, so what do I know.

[UrbScotty]

34. I am.

People say I'm cool, anyway.

[Cuban_Liberal]

36. Yes, you can.

:)

[dawg]

37. I'm a Christian ...

Unfortunately, I am not cool. But I see no reason why you can't be cool.

[TXlib]

38. Absolutely.

The only thing that makes any religious person uncool to me is if they feel they have to force their religion or morality down somebody else's throat.

Doesn't sound to me like you are prone to that.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

41. No. The Evil Atheist Conspiracy that rules Earth forbids you to be cool.

Head to your nearest Moral Relativism Reeducation Camp. Hail Stalin!

[TXlib]

42. Feh.

Evil atheist here. I say "Feh" to that!

[Paragon]

45. Evanescence RAWKS!

Or not. :D

[shekina]

46. Yes they do

Evanescence rawks very much. And so does U2.

[Paragon]

47. I was being sarcastic

With Ben Moody gone, whatever Christian influence was in their music is now gone. Be interesting to see what Amy turns out herself -- because Evanescence's first CD had some half-way decent songwriting, but awful production.

[shekina]

53. We'll see

Ben just seemed really bitter about something all the time. And it will be very interesting to see what Amy does. And in case you didn't know, Ben was replaced by Terry Balsamo, formerly of the band Cold.

[ck4829]

48. Coolness just like so many things doesn't depend upon Religion...

But on the Individual. I know Christians and most are cool people, I also know plenty of Muslims and have even had a Muslim girlfriend before and most of them are cool people too.

[MAlibdem]

49. define cool

i don't know...