What's this label of "exchristian" all about?

This (link) is a topic that I was talking to Steve about just the other day. Even though I once was on the other side, it still is difficult for me to understand how people can have no concept that their proselytizing/judgement comes across so negatively.

Steve asked me what it was like when I was on the other religious side, and yes, I have to admit, that hook line and sinker I believed that that way I believed was the only way to believe...that there was no other truth than what I'd been taught. I really don't recall being so mean as I see people being, but maybe I'm in denial. At any rate, anyone who is so narrowly focused on what they believe to the point of not even being able to consider that there may be another valid perspective is going to come across as arrogant and pushy, I think even if they are trying to do it nicely.

Since beginning to monitor and read the exchristian.com site, I actually find myself uncomfortable with some of the threads/postings I've been reading. When I first started reading, I found that I could very much identify with the anger there...the anger that I personally would call for myself anger over not so much at the seeming illogical and stupidity of Christian doctrine (although I'd come across that way in talking about it), but at the heart of it, the rejection I feel from people. I think at it's core, it really is about a call for love. And oddly enough, a call for love on the what was for me the other side.

My uncomfortableness from the exchristian.com site stems from the anger in the postings, and the attacking attitude. Sigh. In other words, as much as I (we) feel attacked by Christians, so we appear to aptly attack them back. I totally get the being angry part at a system which lied to us and then easily leaves us by the side of the road, not acknowledging who we really are. On the other hand, the other side is still human, despite how much we may disagree with what we think are their warped beliefs.

As much as we wish we received compassion from them, how willing are we to express compassion back? Not an easy question. I certainly don't feel much compassion at times.

Here's another thing that disturbed me on the exchristian.com site. I found a post by someone who was formerly a Christian, but still believed in "God". And someone responded to this person by asking why he still believed in something not real? The poster was not trying to change anyone's mind, and here someone in his new exchristian community was proselytizing/judging him. Now that bothered me.

I think my ultimate shangrila would be a place where everyone could be who they are and accepted as they are. A place of peace. I really don't have an issue with people being Christian...even if I think it makes no sense, if they somehow get something out of it and it helps them feel better, then more power to them, truly. The tough part is that Christianity believes it has to be telling other people that they need to be Christians. And thus the dilemma. How can you be compassionate when you're being annoyed by people who are trying to shove things up your ass, so to speak.

I should say that I do know some Christians who don't, by the way, and we can truly have relationships, and nice ones, when our religious/spiritual views do not become priority. So, it is possible.

So, again, I find myself in an inbetween state...what I would consider an exchristian, but still, oddly enough, what some would define as some kind of believer. But I still feel a bit like I'm sitting outside both camps. Not all, but a bit. Somewhat of a paradox I think.

The good part about hearing people so angry and attacking on both sides, I think, is that somehow I feel the intensity of my anger diminishing. :)