Non religious theists?

[Welsh cake]

In the months/years before I deconverted to deism, then Atheism, I confronted my religious teachers and when they failed to provide the answers sought (Problem of evil, How can God be good if he created Hell? Etc) I promptly quit church-going thereafter. I still held onto my cherished indoctrinated beliefs of God and Jesus. I would research the Bible desperate for answers to the logical contradictions within the scriptures, but not once did I pray then, or make an exhibition out of what I was doing.

If anyone asked, I'd say my former-self during that time was still a theist but hardly a 'religious theist', I practiced nothing in public and did everything in private.

[downbeatplumb]

Religion is belief in a god or gods and the activities that are connected with this belief, such as praying or worshipping in a building such as a church or temple so therefore religious can be used to describe things that are connected with religion or with one particular religion.

How is it then that since I've been on these forums I've come up against quite a lot of people who, whilst claiming that they believe in God, follow the teachings of Jesus and study the Bible also claim that they are not religious or have no religion?

Is it that they somehow want to distance themselves from the uneducated, church going masses and claim some sort of intellectual high ground or perhaps they just don't like the stereotype that religion conjures up.

Interesting thread.

I would say that the majority of people who claim to be a christian have never read the bible and only go to church for weddings, funerals and maybe christmas eve.
They live their lives without as if god wasnt there but still 'believe'. religious kinda.

But you are talking of the people who read the bible, discuss the bible, but find the current religions unsatifactory.

Are they Relgious YES in my opinion, even if they represent a cult of one person.

[Edwardo Piet]

If they would be religious without even the God belief, and then they ALSO believe in God and hence hold 'the God belief' then, indeed, if they claim they are nevertheless "not religious" and they are only theists... then that's just like me claiming to not be an atheist despite the fact I clearly am by definition because I don't believe in any deities.

EvF

[Purple Rabbit]

So they are religious nonetheless, I agree, albeit a non-institutional or non-denominational religiosity.

[starbucks]

Or maybe they just can't stand the politics in the church and thus choose not to be a part of it. But they can still believe in God, read the Bible, and enjoy the aspects of Christianity that does not have anything to do with the actual church and its congregation members.

[Purple Rabbit]

At the same time there exists such a thing as religious atheism. Just to boggle your minds.

[Autumnlicious]

My father is a rather private Christian. No church or public prayer, but with a strong but quiet faith. With it, he lives as he believes, even among hard times. Only type of theist I can see eye to eye with and coexist with, as opposed to merely exist near.

[Watson]

Or maybe they just can't stand the politics in the church and thus choose not to be a part of it. But they can still believe in God, read the Bible, and enjoy the aspects of Christianity that does not have anything to do with the actual church and its congregation members.

This. Very much, this. I also like what Syn said.

[Edwardo Piet]

It's completely irrelevant to whether they are religious by definition or not. You can't escape the dictionary no matter how unattractive you find the 'politics' of the matter.

If there is a person who deliberately goes around murdering people and yet claim they're not a murderer then tough cookies - even if no one but themselves knew they were murdering people.... this is all irrelevant to the obvious fact that they would by definition be a murderer.

So if you're religious by definition then you are, by definition. Doesn't matter whether you like the term or not - words mean things.

EvF

[fr0d0]

But I'm a member of a religion and the definition of 'religious' doesn't fit me. It doesn't fit Christianity.