The things that Christians say . . .

 


. . . and do they really believe that?

I knew Nathan (Nate) Currin when he was a child, back in the mid 1980's. His father was (is) a Christian evangelist / preacher. Nate's younger brother is a church pastor, and Nate is now an accomplished singer / song writer and a web designer.  


Nate likely would not remember me, since he was quite young when our families associated.  I moved away when he was likely 5-7 years old.

Going on two years ago I watched a video in which Nate was a member of a small informal panel of Christian believers (along with his preacher brother), and the title of the video was: Should a Christian Attend a Homosexual Wedding? If I remember correctly, Nate was the only one on the panel who did not object to a Christian attending a gay wedding, and he admitted that he had gay friends.  But near the end of the discussion, almost as if he was trying to redeem himself in the eyes of his fellow Christians, Nate said this: "Anything that unbelieving friends do outside of Christ is sin". 

In this first post on The Things that Christians Say, and do they really believe that, I want to address Nate's comment.  I sent Nate an email more than a year ago, after watching the video, in hopes of sparking a dialogue with him to see if his beliefs were really as fundamentalist as his comment makes him sound - to see if he really believed what he said, but as is usually the case, I never got a response.

Below is my email to him:

Dear Nathan,

I left a comment on youtube after watching the video but I suspect that Aaron had it deleted - I have found that Aaron, like most Christians, does not tolerate criticism or challenges to his beliefs.  I suspect you might likewise, ignore and delete this email, but you may surprise me.  Your views on the video seemed to be a tad less dogmatic, perhaps a tad progressive, tolerant . . . perhaps?  But then toward the end of the video you said this:  

"Anything that unbelieving friends do outside of Christ is sin".  

I'm sorry Nathan, but this was probably the most objectionable sentiment that was issued in this entire video (and it was loaded with objectionable sentiments).  I agree that your statement is biblical - for sure - when I was a bible believer (for 25 years), I believed the same, but my belief was just as objectionable.  And the hypocrisy that this belief creates across all levels of society should be evident to any thinking person.  
Consider this, based on your stated belief:
When a non believing surgeon saves the life of a Christian in the operating room, that is a sinful act.
When a non believing firefighter risks his or her life and runs into a burning home and rescues a child, that is a sinful act.
Nathan, you have earned your income over the past many years, no small portion of it off of the "sinful acts" of all those unbelievers who come to your concerts.  
When they drive to the venue and pay for their admittance to see you perform, they are sinning.  
When they applaud after each song you sing, they are sinning.  
When they buy your CD's and T-shirts, those acts are sins.
When they put money into your pocket, you are profiting off of their sinful acts.  

Nathan, It is beliefs like this that make me so glad that I got out of Christianity when I did.  I can no longer even imagine holding to this brand of orthodoxy.  It is truly frightening to me.

So, I have to ask, do you actually believe what you said?  Do you actually, still, subscribe to the religious dictates that you were raised to believe?  I don't get that impression by your songs - call me confused.

BTW - I'm not gay.

bob
~ ~ ~

I have no idea if Nate's views have changed over the past year.  He may no longer subscribe to what he said in that video.  I'll try to send this post to him, giving him an opportunity to respond.  If he does think differently now, I will update.

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