Christian Atheists

It's official, there is a "movement" to legitimize Christian Atheists as Christian.  To most, the concept of a Christian Atheist seems oxymoronic.  It seems self contradictory.  It seems, quite frankly, moronic.  

I know that some commenters here have fled from actually delineating a point where ones beliefs cross from Christian to something other than Christian, but surely one could surmise that denying the very existence of the deity the religion is named after is crossing that line.

I suspect that there are reasons why these folks won't accurately label themselves.

1.  Quite possibly they find some sort of comfort in the forms and rituals of Christianity, yet want to strip any of the meaning out or to insert new meaning more to their personal taste.

2.  They're simply afraid, or cowardly.

3.  In much the same way as Progressive Christianity has taken over many of the mainline denominations, because the imprimatur of a mainline denomination carried more gravitas that the UCC or one of the fringe denominations, this clinging to the term Christian is merely a ploy to attach this new "belief" to the coattails of historic Orthodox Christianity. 

4.  Either #3 or it's similar to those who attach themselves to traditions that can be more flexible in doctrine.  I believe that this is why so many progressive christians self identify as Anabaptist.  They latch onto the Anabaptist doctrines that fit their political (or other) agenda, while ignoring other doctrines which don't.

Personally, I don't understand this desire to completely reject virtually everything about Christianity but the name, but to cling to the name for dear life.  I suspect that some of it is purely naked financial self interest.  As long as pastor GLBTXYZPDQ of the PCUSA can somehow contrive a way to keep the term Christian attached to themselves, and get past the whole lying in their ordination vows, they can remain employed.  Keep the paycheck, the manse, the tax free housing allowance, the pension, and whatever other benefits that come with the job.

I'm going to guess that it's a lot easier to get folks to come to 1st PCUSA church, than the 1st Christian Athiest church.

Ultimately it's almost a sort of false "look at me being so incredibly brave and taking a stand", with little or no risk involved.   What ever happened to "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no."?