I was on the Open Christian reddit board this afternoon and came across this post titled "(Where) do liberal Christians fit in Western society?"by somebody named Innsmouth_Shadow:
But here is my experience as a liberal Christian who's in his mid-40s. My faith has been repeatedly mocked by other Christians because I don't profess a traditional viewpoint, because I'm gay, and because my progressive faith and politics actually line up with each other.
I have never had a secular liberal shun me because of my faith. I have never had a secular liberal mock me because of my faith. I've certainly not been pushed to the side because of my faith. And nobody from the secular liberal sphere has ever questioned my faith and insisted that I'm actually a conservative Christian.
I have attended Pride events as a leader from my progressive Christian church and nobody has ever batted an eye. We haven't been challenged for being there. We haven't been accused of being religious nuts. Same with anti-war protests, or other protests, where we have joined a particular movement as representatives from our church.
Ultimately, I think it comes down to respect. You, as a progressive or liberal Christian, respect others and don't belittle them for their own faith journeys and they will usually reciprocate.
Safe to say, not many people like us. Conservatives largely view us as heretics that shouldn't even be considered Christians at all, because we don't agree on social issues, or question traditional beliefs on hell.I don't know Innsmouth_Shadow's personal experiences. So I won't dispute them.
But secular liberals aren't an ounce more accepting - sure they will gladly take your vote on social issues, but any focus or proclamation of faith in Jesus Christ gets you mocked and shunned, at best just ignored and pushed to the sideline. They will sometimes try to insist that you are part of the Christian majority because they don't like feeling they are going after a minority, but the truth is liberal Christians fit nowhere in the public spheres of Western societies.
Sometimes it feels like were part of two spheres, neither one of which wants us all. And anytime we try to say we are own group, we are accused of being one or the other (you're a liberal! You're a religious nut!)
At least that's been my experience in various Western societies.
But here is my experience as a liberal Christian who's in his mid-40s. My faith has been repeatedly mocked by other Christians because I don't profess a traditional viewpoint, because I'm gay, and because my progressive faith and politics actually line up with each other.
I have never had a secular liberal shun me because of my faith. I have never had a secular liberal mock me because of my faith. I've certainly not been pushed to the side because of my faith. And nobody from the secular liberal sphere has ever questioned my faith and insisted that I'm actually a conservative Christian.
I have attended Pride events as a leader from my progressive Christian church and nobody has ever batted an eye. We haven't been challenged for being there. We haven't been accused of being religious nuts. Same with anti-war protests, or other protests, where we have joined a particular movement as representatives from our church.
Ultimately, I think it comes down to respect. You, as a progressive or liberal Christian, respect others and don't belittle them for their own faith journeys and they will usually reciprocate.