to think that Cultural Christianity is not a baffling concept?

[GooseberryRoolz]

I keep reading and hearing apparent bafflement about this.

It's NOT baffling is it?

I'm guessing it either means "we're atheists who give things up for Lent" or "massive racists" or "atheists who want in on the whole Quiverful modern patriarch thing.

Sheesh ail that's quite a toxic 'reimagining'.

I'm scared of trying to define big, complicated things by myself Worra, especially on AIBU. But wikipedia must have a nice sensible page?

I probably should have said at the start that this is partly inspired by the 'bacon in a HXB' thread.

blimey what a lot of fuss and nonsense and smugness OP

You could have just said what Leelu66 rather than making yourself feel oh so superior for the next few posts

Yes I assumed it was bleeding obvious too, but apparently not.

For the sake of those who are genuinely in doubt, it means (IMO) people who may "do" Lent, Easter eggs, Nativity plays, Christmas cards or even (in my case) Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings, or get married in a church, but do not actually believe that Jesus Christ was/is the son of an omnipotent deity sent to redeem us from our sins.

However I suspect that similar phrases are also used by massive racists, so this may be the cause of some confusion.

Definitely a term I'm familiar with, along with the concept. Maybe other people have a different term for it.

People who aren't Christian/who aren't even religious, but probably grew up in a somewhat-Christian environment, perhaps going to church, or to a church school; had older relatives who probably did go to church; some exposure to celebrating Christmas and Easter for religious reasons, even if it's morphed into just the secular traditions now. Not actively belonging to any other religion that would provide new traditions or somehow go against the commonly celebrated ones, etc. Know various Sunday school songs/school hymns, give presents at Christmas and Easter eggs at Easter, like hot cross buns, are familiar with some Bible stories perhaps, like things like carol concerts and nativity plays and advent calendars, just have some more alliance to those than to traditions from other religions, because they're more familiar with them, they celebrated them as children, they have relatives/ancestors who celebrated them, they're just generally very prevalent in society.

why would you be baffled by other not knowing what the hell you are on about? why would you be asking "nicely" but inferring everyone else is an idiot not to have heard about the latest buzz word on religion?

I think it's pretty obvious. I associate it with anyone who isn't religious but comes from a broadly Christian background, celebrates Easter and Christmas, may or may not be christened, probably puts down 'Christian' on the census form in the absence of anything else, and will often be married in a church.

Seems straight forward. Or is it something else? I didn't google it.

Cultural Christians are people who don't believe in God but still want to call themselves Christians. Everyone's at it one way and another aren't they? Big butch men calling themselves women, white women calling themselves black - there are no limits really and with that in mind I now declare myself Miss Fucking World for every year since it's inception, Mrs Mensa Genius of the universe, Bill Gates's wallet, The Duchess of Fucking Everything and an all round Damned Good Egg (if that's alright with the easily offended amongst us?).

But it's not religious, it's cultural. That's rather the point.

So traditions, sayings, music, names, food etc (as well as high days and holidays, feasts and festivals) come from the religious tradition of your forefathers.

I find it bizarre that people are sneered at for maintaining some cultural traditions after shedding religious belief.

I find it even stranger that Cultural Christianity seems to get it in the neck most.

Am I making more sense now?

Yes, Tabsicle, pretty much.

Who is the Duchess of Arbroath, anyway?

Damned fine question. If you ever do find out could you PM me and I'll give her her blasted hat back!

Well you are making sense now but you seem rather cross and upity about some new fangled put together words.

What's the 'latest buzzword' nonsense? Two of you have said that now.

It's not recent, It's not a buzzword

(And it's not something I often say myself, I'm just making an observation.)

His Holiness Pope Dawkins the first (Peace be upon him) is on record as describing himself as a Cultural Christian.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7136682.stm

So it must be true.

I'm not cross vintage, I'm bemused and reflective, but thanks for worrying about me

Where do you keep reading and hearing the apparent bafflement though?

Just about every single person I know celebrates Christmas and Easter, yet the vast majority are not Christian.

I'm an athiest and have no wish to be called a christian. Why on earth would I? Who gives a damn?

Oh bloody hell, I wish Dawkins would take a vow of silence. He taints everything.

So if you haven't heard it much why on earth are you getting your knickers in a twist when others don't know anything about what its "supposed" to mean then?

It's popped up on a few threads recently.

Is it really people who don't believe in God but still want to call themselves Christians?

I think it's more wedding and funeral in a church, Easter eggs, carol services at Christmas, combined with "Christian" values such as monogamous relationships, being fundamentally good to people around you, that sort of thing.

Dave Cameron was another one who tried to hijack the idea witha speech a 'Christian country' few months ago.

But regardless of the lunatic fringe (left, right and plain peculiar) it is still a THING.

I share your bafflement. Even if someone hasn't had the phrase defined for them, it's relatively easy to guess what it means. Most Europeans are Christian. Not all have faith or practise their religion, but they do celebrate Christmas and Easter as they are cultural Christians.

Jesus, don't piss all over the OP for using a phrase you're not familiar with.

Can't tell you how many acronyms and jargon and slang and inside jokes and zeitgeist phrases I've had to look up before understanding a post. Perhaps OP could have elaborated, but how was OP to know the first few comments would be from people who had no idea? We all speak from our own knowledge.

For the record, I had not heard the phrase 'Cultural Christianity' before, but thoroughly understand 'Cultural/Secular Jew' and 'Cultural Hinduism'

What a shite bunch of responses to a thread. Use a search engine, for a start. Be curious. Damn.

Bemused and reflective ok then. Maybe you could have worded your opening line better then.

I thought it was like cultural muslims. They like the history, art, culture and poetry of islam but dont actually practice the religion itself