What is your definition of a "real" Christian (please read further)?

Question

If we believe in the Bible, that means we're stupid.
If we don't, we're contradicting ourselves.

If we preach against sin, we're being judgemental.
If we allow our congregations to do just as they please, we're hypocrits.

If we keep homosexuals out of the clergy, we're gay bashing.
If we allow homosexuals into the clergy, we're putting our children in danger.

If we're educated on other religions, we have a hidden agenda.
If we're not, it means we're narrowminded.

If we're poor, that's proof God won't bless us.
If we're rich, we're snobby.

I'd like some nonbelievers to tell me exactly how you think Christians should act.

Answer 1

No one here can tell you how to act. You know what your beliefs are so set your actions accordingly.

Answer 2

If we believe in the Bible, that means we're stupid.
If we don't, we're contradicting ourselves.

I don't believe in the bible, has too many contradictions. People believe every word that's in the bible, but were something that happened in the bible were to happen today, people would be looking for a logical explanation, and the first person who came forward and said it was an act of God would be locked up, bottom line. You paint the picture.
Believing in God and believing in the bible are 2 different things. God didn't write the bible, man did.

If we preach against sin, we're being judgemental.
If we allow our congregations to do just as they please, we're hypocrits.

Yes, you are being judgemental. I didn't ask you to preach to me. If you feel that I am sinning, fine, it's noted. But to continued to preach and preach about how wrong I am and I'm going to hell makes you just as guilty as I am. Does "Judge not, lest ye be judged first" ring a bell?

If we keep homosexuals out of the clergy, we're gay bashing.
If we allow homosexuals into the clergy, we're putting our children in danger.

First of all, you're not putting your children in danger. How are homosexuals a danger to children? Ask yourself that question, first.

If we're educated on other religions, we have a hidden agenda.
If we're not, it means we're narrowminded.

It doesn't mean you have a hidden agenda. You're educated about other religions so as to have a better understanding about them. If you're not, you're not, but some so-called christians attempt to put down and bash other religions, when they know nothing about them.

If we're poor, that's proof God won't bless us.
If we're rich, we're snobby.

What are you talking about? Everthing happens for a reason, if you're poor, fine you're poor, make the best of it. But I notice most times that many rich people DO have a snobby attitude. They feel the need to preach louder, and more often to those they believe may be beneath them. This has been my personal experience, especially where I go to school at.

What is MY definition of a real Christian?

Someone I've never met in my entire life.

Answer 3

First, there is a lot of bating going on. If you are being bated, don't bite, you will only get caught. Leadership should do what you state, but, the message to others needs to be more basic.

Stay on message. For example, no matter what anyone says, the bible is based on 2 principles:

Love God and Love others as yourself. That is a good message.

When others point out historical issues in the old testament, like kill your kids if they cuss you. Point out that Jesus stopped the fundies of his day from stoning the adultress, though the bible told them that was their duty to do so. Does this mean that Jesus, who was without sin, sinned, because he did not follow the bible. Of course not.

Christians are against evil, not pleasure. Look at David, a man of God. He was upright, he worked hard, he played hard, and he sinned. David was an ideal man.

Last, one of the most judgemental statements in the bible is in the parable of the talents. Not to be fishers of men, but to live your life to its full potential.

Ignore the stupid stuff and keep mentioning the positive, life and living stuff. Not holiness and judgement, but good examples that people can relate to, like the above.

If accused of killing people, point out that the role of religion is personal, not political. It is when people gain political power using religion, that religion becomes perverted.

Just a thought.

Answer 4

The original meaning means follower of Christ which means messiah. So if you believe Jesus is the messiah and you follow his teachings you are a Christian. This does not mean reading the Bible as there is a lot in the Bible which is not Jesus' teachings, also there may be much of Jesus' teaching outside the Bible, example the Nag Hammadi Library, and all the Gospel and Epistles now extant, i.e. the ones that did not make it into the Bible as the Catholic Church decided not to include them.

Answer 5

A better idea is to ask how we think fundamentalists 'should act'.
Most of what you wrote is simply NOT the attitude of most 'non-believers'. We object to prosletyzing. We object to putting your value judgements on a pedestal and raising them to the level of law.
We object to the arrogance of any group that thinks that they, and only they 'know' the 'truth' and try to make others abide by it.
We object to the unutterably simple-minded attitude of making decisions about how to live based on a book written 1700 years ago. We object to blind pompousness illustrated by people who think that their version of 'morality' applies to ANYONE other than themselves.

How should they act? In any way they please so long as they do it in the privacy of their own homes and churches and leave the rest of the world OUT OF IT.

Answer 6

Like Mother Teresa--tkaing what you need to survive and doing good with the rest--I do that and I hate christianity, so why can't you--do not your doctrines say that whatsoever you do to these the least of my brothers that you have done unto me(christ) what have you done for the least of his brothers? you show no compassion, especially in this forum--I have seen four teenagers get on here and say they have been christians their whole lives and are discovering that they are gay, you promptly tell them they are going to hell--how compassionate is that? Every time you do something like that YOU HAVE FAILED! It's your hell, you burn there.

Answer 7

My definition of Christian is a follower of Christ. Jesus Christ, who is God, became the one and only sacrifice for the salvation of mankind. - Jesus is God and there is one, not many paths that lead to God - Jn.3; Jn.14:5-6; Acts 2:21; Acts 4:12; Rom.10:10; Cols.1:20-22; Cols.2:13-15 After we die we go to our eternal reward of heaven or hell. - Salvation is not thru reincarnation or in living a pretty good life. - Whether we put our faith in Jesus while we lived on earth determines our eternal destiny. - No second chance after we die. No purgatory. When we die our destiny is sealed for ever. - Matt.3:12; Matt.25:41; Heb.9:27; Rev.20; Rev.21:27

According to Matthew 7, there will be those who stand before God and call themselves Christian but God will say "depart from me I never knew you". They were not building their lives on a Christian foundation or worldview. They were only Christian in name.

I can not pick and choose which parts of the Bible I will obey if I want to be a follower of Jesus!

A new generation of Christians are buying into the lie that you can be a Christian and pick and choose your values based on your own preferences instead of the absolutes of scripture.

Biblical absolutes, logic and reason are out of style and tolerance, choice and preferences are in.

This shift of worldviews has a great impact on our lives and church.

At one time the word "intolerance" was used for things such as racism but today it is being used against anyone who questions another person's values or belief system.

In the new worldview everything is relative. There is no right and wrong beliefs. There is no objective set of absolutes other then what the individual of community chooses.

The new measure of morality is "If it doesn't hurt anyone it is ok"

Of course this is all based on a lie. All sin hurts not only the individual but those around them and the very fabric of a society.

Anyone who claims to have absolutes is viewed as the new radical fundamentalists of society.

The scriptures, not the preferences of man are the basis for truth and so we have both authority and responsibility to speak and share our faith.

Ezek 3:18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

The universal truth for all cultures and peoples is written in the Bible:

John 14:5-6 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

What have you decided about Jesus?

Have you embraced not only Jesus but his teachings? Are you living a biblical worldview?

Are you walking in obedience to the absolutes of His word as the authority in your life for the decisions you make?

If not, according to the Bible, you really don't love Jesus. Jesus said in John 14:15: "If you love me you will obey what I command". In other words if you love Jesus you will live by a Biblical worldview.

Answer 8

LOL--This almost reads like poetry. Perhaps you should make it into a song!! Maybe make a million or so!! I know exactly what you are saying, though. They just love to hate us--and yet, the Bible says, they don't really hate us--they hate him and they hate the message. It makes them accountable and they don't want to be.

Answer 9

My definition is quite straightforward-someone who follows the ethical teachings of Christ. No dogma, no focus on God or miracles just plain respect for Christ's moral message.

Answer 10

think of roughly it the failings that are stated approximately what are called extraterrestrial beings sound like the fallen angels interior the bible. on the different hand it may desire to be there are sightings of God s angels around too. despite you're discovering confirm you dont in simple terms have self belief each and every thing it extremely is informed to you. learn it out for your self.i presumed what i replace into informed for years & found out that maximum of what i replace into informed replace into made up by skill of adult men. i began out examining a NIV chonological bible & then I downloaded something called e-sword unfastened on the inernet to help me . Then I went out & typed in fairly some issues i replace into informed & found out issues are very distinctive interior the scripture than we've been informed! remember, being a christian is given which you compromise for Jesus for who he's ask for forgiveness & repent (repent =to show FROM our sins & turn to Gods regulations)Dont have self belief mans regulations in easy terms Gods.