FAQ

Mission statement: Why are we (as a group) AntiChristian?

Our group aims to unify the people who hold AntiChristian views and exchange information regarding the subject. It is a place to share and discuss news, personal experiences and philosophies. We view AntiChristian viewpoints as progressive and try avidly by various means to promote and spread them, be this by mere miscellaneous imagery (buttons, for example) or by carefully written articles and essays which you can find mostly on the AntiChristian Phenomenon website.

FAQ index

  1. What does the group name signify or mean?
  2. What does the group logo symbolize?
  3. Are we satanists
  4. Are we anti-religious?
  5. ‘All of you are going to hell! I Will lead you to salvation through Christ!’ (Why we don’t respond well to this?)
  6. Is there a difference between antichristian and anti-church?
  7. Is antichristianity the same as atheism or antitheism?
  8. Is belief the same thing as faith?
  9. Is atheism/non-adherence a religion?
  10. What is the definition of religion?
  11. What is spirituality and how does it differ from religion?

1. What does the group name signify or mean?
The Antichristian Phenomenon is the name of a song by Behemoth. This name was chosen by the last.fm group founder for reasons yet to be answered, but most importantly it clearly states what kind of group it is–AntiChristian!

2. What does the group logo symbolize?
They are the letters A,C and P in the form of an inverted cross. The letters are the “initials” of the group name and the inverted cross symbolizes our rejection of Christianity.

There are some connotations that connect the inverted cross with false satanism, but its core meaning is not “Satan”, except in the sense of the original Hebrew word “satan” which means “opponent” or “adversary”. If the “upright” cross means the acceptance of Jesus, God and the Bible, we take the inverted version of the cross to mean the rejection of these things, which constitute the main principles of this group’s members.  Admittedly, there are several readings of the inverted cross, but rejection is the one we associate with our group.

3. Are we Satanists?
Please first be aware that a “Satanist” is not a devil-worshipper.  The members of this group are only joined by their rejection of Christianity (but not exclusively, often other religions are rejected as well). Some members may be Satanists, but the group does not solely represent Satanist philosophy. Philosophical viewpoints vary from asatruar to thelemist, from epicurian to hedonist.

4. Are we anti-religion?
An anti-religious perspective would take up a position against any and all religion. AntiChristianity is precisely AntiChristian. While some may also be against religions other than Christianity, AntiChristian is exactly as it sounds. As such, there are undoubtedly AntiChristians who hold an anti-religious worldview, but plenty more who may be atheist, agnostic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, Pagan, Taoist, Satanist, or any other denomination or philosophy imaginable. The ACP tends to focus on the Abrahamic religions as a whole (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), but individual members hold various different views.

5. All of you are going to hell! I will lead you to Salvation through Christ! (Why we don’t respond well to this?)
That’s hardly the way to start a conversation, now is it?! The Christian “Hell” that is referred to molds this statement into a threat which makes us prone to equally unfriendly responses. Most of the members of the ACP are more than willing to talk about their respective positions, issues or opinions regarding Christianity and/or their personal beliefs in a calm and rational manner. Saying you will (forcibly) convert someone to your belief system or that we will be punished for our views is neither calm nor rational. The nature of this group also must hint at the low probability of success you will have proselytizing it’s members. Such attempts are therefore foolish and will not be heeded. If you take issue with any of our positions feel free to voice your opinion, but do so in a courteous and civil manner and we will respond in kind.

6. Is there a difference between AntiChristian and anti-church?
Anti-church is not AntiChristian or in any way anti-religious; generally quite the opposite. Anti-church tends to be a movement away from traditionally structured religious services, while still associating with the religion. Because of this some consider themselves “nonreligious”, which is a misnomer considering they are still practicing their religion just not in a central place of worship. So anti-church is not AntiChristian in that a Christian who is anti-church is still a Christian. AntiChristianity is quite simply and literally an anti-Christian movement, and completely indifferent to the place, type or manner of worship.

7. Is antichristianity the same as atheism or antitheism?

Atheism is a concept or position that either affirms the nonexistence of gods or rejects theism. AntiChristianity is the rejection of Christianity - but like atheism does not suggest or require any other particular religious, philosophical or political disposition. An atheist may not be against Christianity as a whole, and an AntiChristian may not be against other religions or deities. For example, an atheist may not have a problem with any one or group of churches, and only against the idea of an anthropomorphic, supernatural creator, while an AntiChristian may not have a problem with the concept of god(s), but with the teachings and institutions of Christianity. So although they are similar, they deal with different facets of the same general subject.

8. Is belief the same thing as faith?
Although the two are often used interchangeably there is a qualitative difference in certain situations. You can make an assertion about something, such as having “faith in humanity”, but this assertion is typically based off of one’s own qualities as well as the observation of others and is in many ways a developed expectation of others: the belief that people will help others and advance ourselves as a species for the better.  Belief does not have to be based on evidence, but it is more often than not.

This does differ from simply “having faith” or placing “faith in a higher power” as this is typically done without observational evidence and with the blind expectation that you are being protected or looked after in some way. While you can believe in a supernatural entity, that belief would be based on faith. While some may cite personal experience as supporting evidence for their belief (ie. surviving a tornado, beating cancer, divinely-touched dreams, etc) it is worth noting that none of these experiences have anything to do with a person’s faith, and are instead associated with their faith for ease of explanation. However, all can be rationally explained in a myriad of ways ranging from hallucinations to medical advancements and just sheer luck. Nothing which occurs in reality can in any way be faith-based or miraculous as long as there is even the remote possibility of it occurring by chance.

So while faith and belief are in many ways related, they are at least slightly different. Faith is an unerring trust in something/someone without any tangible evidence, while belief is the state of being convinced of a proposition, typically based around some sort of reasoning, however valid.

9. Is atheism/non-adherence a religion?
No. Atheism is only a concept and does not include any sort of rituals, laws, prayers or requirements of those who would consider themselves atheist. The position affirms the nonexistence of gods or rejects theism, and nothing more. As such, those with some other sort of faith or belief system that does not include that of a deity could consider themselves atheist. For example, a Buddhist could consider themselves atheist without any conflict to their beliefs. Although people who call themselves atheists do tend to be anti-religious, some are still spiritual or religious in one way or another. Atheism does not preclude systems of belief, just the idea of a deity.

10. What is the definition of religion?
This is a point of much contention amongst all denominations, religious or not. Wikipedia offers a decent if broad definition:

“A set of common beliefs and practices generally held by a group of people, often codified as prayer, ritual, and religious law. Religion also encompasses ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as personal faith and mystic experience. The term “religion” refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction.” This is a fairly reasonable definition and broad enough to encompass most semi-regulated systems of belief. Of course not everyone would agree.

For example, some believe that Christianity is not a religion but a “lifestyle” or “personal relationship” with Jesus/God. Despite this, they continue to partake of what other Christian denominations partake in, including but not limited to prayer, repentance, communal worship, adherence of religious laws and recognition of religious holidays. These are also activities practiced by other denominations such as Judaism or Islam; denominations these Christians would not hesitate to refer to as a religion.

11. What is spirituality and how does it differ from religion?
What constitutes spirituality is a much greater point of contention than religion. It means so many different things to so many different people that it becomes difficult to focus its meaning and come to even a partial consensus.

Some feel that spirituality is an offshoot of religion and offers a less restrictive way for them to explore and experience varying worldviews. Some see spirituality as an integral part of their religious faith. For others it encompasses metaphysical and unexplained phenomena, quite literally “spirits” as well as other aspects such as karma, that is in no way connected with religion. In opposition to religion it is generally understood to be a more individual journey to find whatever is “out there” that makes sense to the individual without (religious) preconceptions.

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