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Fluffy: lacking in meaning or substance; superficial
I’ve already exceeded the 200-post limit that I generally impose on myself at forums such as this, but it did occur to me how many posters are failing to grasp this central truth:
All of what I’m calling the fluffy spiritualties – including fluffy “Christianity,” of course – are premised upon us all being more kind and loving as God would like us to be. On being “good followers of Jesus,” as fluffy “Christians” would say.
But this is not what Christianity is premised upon. Christianity is premised upon us acknowledging that we are incapable – utterly incapable – of being the way that God would like us to be. For the individual, a conversion to Christianity must begin with an acknowledgment that he or she is incapable of being genuinely kind and loving.
Christianity is not premised upon acting in a certain way, in trying to be more kind and loving. It is premised upon a supernatural transformation of one’s human nature through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. To be indwelt by the Holy Spirit is what it means to be born again (or born “from above”).
This indwelling does not begin merely by asking "Hey, Holy Spirit, help me out here." It does not begin until you acknowledge your fallen nature and your inability to rise above it through your own efforts – the very antithesis of fluffy spiritualties, which are premised upon the “essential goodness” or even “innate divinity” of humans.
As Transponder astutely pointed out, fluffy spiritualties are little more than secular humanism in religious garb. When this disguised secular humanism calls itself “Christianity,” we have the ultimate irony.
Reality is on the side of Christianity, which is one of the principal reasons I’m a Christian. Notions of essential goodness and innate divinity are obvious delusions. History bears this out. The present age bears this out. Forums such as this bear it out. Fluffy spirituality, like other utopian schemes that inevitably collapse, will accomplish nothing because it cannot escape fallen human nature.
Much of what calls itself Christianity is as corrupted by human nature as is the rest of society. In the ultimate verse that the fluffies don’t want to hear, Jesus warned: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NASB).
But there are many Christians who have found the narrow way, who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and who are being transformed. If someone wants to persist in the delusion of fluffy spirituality, there is nothing I can do about it - but the results will be predictable, and they won't be pretty.
Adherents of fluffy spirituality will respond, “Well, we simply disagree with you about human nature.” Of course you do, I understand this – but you are disagreeing not just with me but with the OT, the NT and Jesus as well, which is why it is problematical if you call yourselves “Christians.” More to the point, you are disagreeing with history and reality, which is pretty much the definition of delusional. I don’t say “Go read the Bible.” I say, “Look at yourself and the world around you – and then tell me about the essential goodness of human nature.”
Fluffy: lacking in meaning or substance; superficial
I’ve already exceeded the 200-post limit that I generally impose on myself at forums such as this, but it did occur to me how many posters are failing to grasp this central truth:
All of what I’m calling the fluffy spiritualties – including fluffy “Christianity,” of course – are premised upon us all being more kind and loving as God would like us to be. On being “good followers of Jesus,” as fluffy “Christians” would say.
But this is not what Christianity is premised upon. Christianity is premised upon us acknowledging that we are incapable – utterly incapable – of being the way that God would like us to be. For the individual, a conversion to Christianity must begin with an acknowledgment that he or she is incapable of being genuinely kind and loving.
Christianity is not premised upon acting in a certain way, in trying to be more kind and loving. It is premised upon a supernatural transformation of one’s human nature through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. To be indwelt by the Holy Spirit is what it means to be born again (or born “from above”).
This indwelling does not begin merely by asking "Hey, Holy Spirit, help me out here." It does not begin until you acknowledge your fallen nature and your inability to rise above it through your own efforts – the very antithesis of fluffy spiritualties, which are premised upon the “essential goodness” or even “innate divinity” of humans.
As Transponder astutely pointed out, fluffy spiritualties are little more than secular humanism in religious garb. When this disguised secular humanism calls itself “Christianity,” we have the ultimate irony.
Reality is on the side of Christianity, which is one of the principal reasons I’m a Christian. Notions of essential goodness and innate divinity are obvious delusions. History bears this out. The present age bears this out. Forums such as this bear it out. Fluffy spirituality, like other utopian schemes that inevitably collapse, will accomplish nothing because it cannot escape fallen human nature.
Much of what calls itself Christianity is as corrupted by human nature as is the rest of society. In the ultimate verse that the fluffies don’t want to hear, Jesus warned: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NASB).
But there are many Christians who have found the narrow way, who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and who are being transformed. If someone wants to persist in the delusion of fluffy spirituality, there is nothing I can do about it - but the results will be predictable, and they won't be pretty.
Adherents of fluffy spirituality will respond, “Well, we simply disagree with you about human nature.” Of course you do, I understand this – but you are disagreeing not just with me but with the OT, the NT and Jesus as well, which is why it is problematical if you call yourselves “Christians.” More to the point, you are disagreeing with history and reality, which is pretty much the definition of delusional. I don’t say “Go read the Bible.” I say, “Look at yourself and the world around you – and then tell me about the essential goodness of human nature.”
Yep. It's just liberal Christianity. All grace/no truth. They're as wrong as the Westboro Baptist group, only in the opposite direction-all truth/no grace.
Your understanding of Christianity appears to be not only very limited, but twisted via some venom. A prayer was just said for you. Get well, feel better, let go of your hate.
Yep. It's just liberal Christianity. All grace/no truth. They're as wrong as the Westboro Baptist group, only in the opposite direction-all truth/no grace.
If Troggy's claim is seconded by little jimmiej, we know it's wrong.
I converted to Christians some twenty years ago and this OP sound like people outside of Christianity ..... I know Jesus Christ and when ever I get a pain or anything on my body or demonic spirit trying to confuse here then I take up the authority through Jesus and the pain is gone , like indigestion of the stomach and then after prayer the indigestion is gone , and the gas is gone or pain in the groan and the pain is gone or pain in the temple and then the pain is gone , and so one to discern every spirit ....... , Like Jesus protects here with His power of Christ , ...Were this is No fluffy spiritualities but life giving protection from the living God
Your understanding of Christianity appears to be not only very limited, but twisted via some venom. A prayer was just said for you. Get well, feel better, let go of your hate.
Oooh, you're just so FLUFFY I could squeeze you like a big roll of Charmin! I do feel better, I do, I do!
I do find that fluffy "Christians" tend to use phrases like "twisted via some venom" rather more often than one might expect from those whose entire raison d'être is theoretically spreading the love of God, but we'll let it go. I have seen fluffies describe passages in the NT - indeed quotations attributed to Jesus - as "filled with venom."
I try to limit myself to a couple of hundred posts per forum because, as you folks are rather convincingly demonstrating, the intellectual level is approximately that of a Walmart checkout line - but there, at least, I can giggle at the tattoos and catch up with the National Enquirer.
Now come on, Troglodyte74, was that loving? Actually, it was. As I've said previously, I'm kind of a Zen Master sort of Christian. Occasionally the students get whacked upside the head, but someday they will thank me.
Oooh, you're just so FLUFFY I could squeeze you like a big roll of Charmin! I do feel better, I do, I do!
I do find that fluffy "Christians" tend to use phrases like "twisted via some venom" rather more often than one might expect from those whose entire raison d'être is theoretically spreading the love of God, but we'll let it go. I have seen fluffies describe passages in the NT - indeed quotations attributed to Jesus - as "filled with venom."
I try to limit myself to a couple of hundred posts per forum because, as you folks are rather convincingly demonstrating, the intellectual level is approximately that of a Walmart checkout line - but there, at least, I can giggle at the tattoos and catch up with the National Enquirer.
Now come on, Troglodyte74, was that loving? Actually, it was. As I've said previously, I'm kind of a Zen Master sort of Christian. Occasionally the students get whacked upside the head, but someday they will thank me.
That's the trouble isn't it. Believing ourselves the teacher when in fact we are the students.
By the way Trout, the view represented by the OP is shared by the Watchtower aw well. Troggy and the Tower like the same Bible verses.
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