Liberated Christians

Liberated Christians is the self-appointed term used by a religious support group in Phoenix, Arizona. The name Liberated Christians simply means, "Free Christians," or a group that believes that centuries of human tinkering with ancient Biblical stories have produced puritanical ideas that typify conservative Christian ideas, and that Christ's simple message is to "love one another."

Their website, which is not specifically designed for Christians, but rather "For All Regardless of Religious Belief" contends that monogamy is a traditional Christian value imposed by the early churches and has no Biblical foundation to it. They claim that instead God encourages Responsible Polygamy (or polyamory).

The group also distinguishes a difference between "polyamous" relationships and swinging (or playful, sexual acts without any commitment). While the group endorses both, they emphasize polyamory and sharing your sexuality with those you love.

However, because of their controversial views, this group has received quite a bit of attention by Christian groups, who contend that the group is misleading in its portrayal of what the Bible states. These groups claim that the Liberated Christians website refers to verses that are taken out of context, and ignore those verses that emphasis monogamous relationships for Christians. The Liberated Christians group, however, claims, and show in great detail, that each verse that traditional Christians claim supports only monogamy has been misinterpreted.

The group has also suffered from controversy from inside. The couple's Phoenix-based group, which at one point had over 350 members, fell apart around 1997, variously contributed to leader burnout and disagreements between the two main leaders about the direction and focus of the group. The message of the group, however, continues to be shared by many through the website and online forums.

Read more about Liberated Christians:  Founders' Comments, Scope of Libchrist

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