Why I Am a Christian (Sort Of) (by Robert Jensen on AlterNet) is a reasonably clear statement of a fairly common hypocricy. How to respond?
I also took Jensen’s path at one time – and later, in recognition of the common core values of all religions, described myself as a Christian-Muslim-…etc.
But to join any religion does lend support to the authority claimed by its leaders and for its scripture; and that is the problem.
The fundamental evil of all deistic religions is not their “core values” but their “essential blasphemy”. They all attribute to humans and/or human creations the authority of what they call “god”, and by doing so deny their adherents the moral autonomy that they claim “god” gave them.
Throughout history this has always been used to provide a supply of morally dependent Zombies to support one or other of the competing power structures of the day.
This is evil. If “god” exists, then all religions are the work of the devil. The “core values” are just bait on the hook, and “faith” is the barb.
So to do anything that legitimizes any organized deistic religion is dangerous.