TSR Christian Society (X-SOC) Episode IV: A New Hope

Good advice as always- thanks very much for the suggestions/addresses

If it's any consolation, the whole "uni is best time of your life thing" is massively overhyped...esp during freshers. I hated freshers, and it was only really in second term of uni and then more so in second year when things got better

It is some consolation... it usually takes me a few weeks to come out my shell properly with new people, yet I don't think many people have that patience.

Not unless you have a weird kink which involves taking a woman back and her reading Bible Verses and singing at you while you stand there awkwardly

Is that what Christians do just sing hymns and read bible verses?

#chastity4lyf

Hahaha that's quite a good way of putting it!

The level of pettiness some of the CU had though was truly ridiculous to the point where it stopped being amusing and was just absolutely ridiculous. Example: When it came to appointing new CU reps (basically 'leaders') for the college for next year it was basically civil war. Of course the simple thing to have done would be just to have a fair vote to decide, but for some reason the previous CU reps got to make the choice. This meant that perhaps one of the most unpopular people in college ended up as one of the reps because they were chums with the previous reps. Sensible eh?

Or how about the huge drama/controversy about whether or not a girl could be allowed to give the main reading at the annual CU chapel service for the rest of college. Nowhere else would people come out with lines such as 'this is too radical' or 'we don't want to RUIN the opportunity to preach to the rest of college by letting a girl do it'.

I still don't think they understand why I ran away and never returned

Never, ever spell it "lyf" again. If you do I shall rain down some truly Biblical punishments upon you.

Greetings from Boston, USA

I've just checked - you're safe. Technically you've travelled slightly southwards so you're not in the north

Oho, so you have a problem with people in the north do you?

Greetings from Boston, USA

Ooh what are you up to? I was in Boston for about ten weeks this Summer

I've just checked - you're safe. Technically you've travelled slightly southwards so you're not in the north

Anyway, I still feel myself drawn to Christianity a lot. I'm just having problems finding out what it means to be a Christian as an adult, now I've seen the not so good side of it.

Now you've had my life story, hello

I saw this thread on the main page and thought I'd say hello. I'm kind of a Christian. I was really religious when I was younger, not in a Bible bashing way or fearing God and Hell and all that jazz..I just had a quiet kind of belief that brought me a lot of peace. I loved all kinds of Bible literature and spiritual poetry and symbols and I saw myself being that way forever, then life happened and I kind of lost my faith a little (I hope it's okay to talk about this in here, even though you say no theological debate?). I basically came into contact with a lot of very conservative Christians, and preachers and Christian friends who started campaigns against gay marriage/gay relationships and it rubbed me up the wrong way. Because I'd heard the Bible being used against real life human beings it began to feel tainted for me, and I struggled (I still struggle if I'm honest) to see it as the faith and message that I'd grown to love.

Anyway, I still feel myself drawn to Christianity a lot. I'm just having problems finding out what it means to be a Christian as an adult, now I've seen the not so good side of it.

Now you've had my life story, hello

Hello and welcome to X Soc! I am so glad you found us and were willing to post your story I'm Shan, resident badly-behaved Catholic ( :jebus: )

The "no debate" clause is aimed at atheists who would like to debate with us. We have atheists brothers and sisters in this thread who post and contribute to the positive nature of the Society and we love them dearly. Then there are atheists who just want to ask questions rather than contribute to the Soc. To them, we ask that they do not post in here, but post in the 'Ask a Christian' thread. So no need for you to worry about the "no debate" clause. Occasionally between ourselves we might discuss things like gay marriage but we don't get hot-headed about it, and just agree to disagree

I'm sorry you've come across conservative Christians who have failed to understand the true message of the Bible, which is one of love. I think we must all have come across at least one in our time. Please don't let them shake your faith (easier said than done I know). The ultimate message of the Bible, as I say, is one of love - a love that is eternal and for everyone. It is all-encompassing and self-sacrificing. It is agape

Holla e hine e! Welcome to XSoc

If you want, give Soren Kierkegaard a read or Peter Rollins, they were who I read which led me back to Christianity :3 Though Kierkegaard is easier if you read summaries of him, his actual works are enigmas wrapped in alleogry and one massive angsty headache.

Thank you for the welcome and recommendations I'm always looking for theological/philosophical texts to read, so I'll take a look.

Both of them are actually good if you take a look on iTunes :3 Rollins has some good interviews and on iTunesU there's loads of lectures about Kierkegaard on there if you're feeling nerdy.

Oh and Rollins has the sexiest Irish accent

Now you've had my life story, hello

Thanks hun

agape was one of my favourite words for a while when I first learnt it (and then I think I forgot about it). But that's the message I always took from the Bible/Christianity, so I hope I can get that feeling back if I work on it. And I'm always up for a debate on the issues, as long as no one's preaching hate from a pulpit

Also, we've spoken before (back when I had a different username..or we might have spoken once under this one too, I'm not sure..)

Now you've had my life story, hello

I saw this thread on the main page and thought I'd say hello. I'm kind of a Christian. I was really religious when I was younger, not in a Bible bashing way or fearing God and Hell and all that jazz..I just had a quiet kind of belief that brought me a lot of peace. I loved all kinds of Bible literature and spiritual poetry and symbols and I saw myself being that way forever, then life happened and I kind of lost my faith a little (I hope it's okay to talk about this in here, even though you say no theological debate?). I basically came into contact with a lot of very conservative Christians, and preachers and Christian friends who started campaigns against gay marriage/gay relationships and it rubbed me up the wrong way. Because I'd heard the Bible being used against real life human beings it began to feel tainted for me, and I struggled (I still struggle if I'm honest) to see it as the faith and message that I'd grown to love.

Anyway, I still feel myself drawn to Christianity a lot. I'm just having problems finding out what it means to be a Christian as an adult, now I've seen the not so good side of it.

Now you've had my life story, hello