Some look at an individual who has done a wicked deed and say, he was a Christian, or he was an Atheist. How can we know for sure? Are we justified in saying Hitler was a Christian, or Jeffrey Dahmer was an atheist killer?
2007-03-25 07:43:58 · 23 answers · asked by ignoramus_the_great 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Christianity and atheism are belief systems. Christianity, in particular, is supposed to carry with it a number of moral precepts, but all you really need to be a Christian is to accept that Jesus is the son of God and that he came back from the dead. If you then go on to do horrible deeds, you're still a Christian, although not a very good one.
Likewise, atheism is the belief there is no extrasensory dimension to reality whatsoever. That belief does not preclude any flaw of character that is not in direct contradiction of it.
2007-03-25 07:49:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Nobody really knows what is in another person's heart. That is why Jesus said we will be known by our fruits. But Jesus also said that all those who say Lord Lord will not enter into Heaven. That's because there are a lot of people who say they are christians but they aren't really. Just look at some of those televangelists. They are exploiting christianity for the money.
I don't know about atheists. Someone once said that only agnostics were completely honest. I don't actually believe that but it's something to think about.
2007-03-25 14:49:39 · answer #2 · answered by Sharon M 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Personally I think that someone could think they are a Christian and not really be one, and someone may say they are an atheist and not be one.
I know a lot of people who have had bad expiriences with religion and go on out of anger to say they are atheist, but really believe in God in their hearts.
I also know some people who state they are Christian but don't live what the Bible says at all.
A Christian can mess up, it isn't about being perfect. God says that as a Christian we will mess up and we will fall, but that because Jesus died, we can start all over everyday and have forgiveness. It is our faith in Christ, not how good we are that makes us Christian.
You never know for sure what is in a persons heart, that is why it isn't up to us to try and say what people are, but to just treat everyone the best we can. It is up to God to decide what someone is and us to just love them.
2007-03-25 14:59:05 · answer #3 · answered by Hi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only the individual and the Creator could possibly know this absolutely. The rest of us can only look at what someone does and see if it matches what they say. We can not know what is really in any persons heart but i am willing to guess that Hitler and Jesus are not friends and that atheists normally don't eat people
2007-03-25 14:50:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
We can only note what these killers say they believe. We should not define what they believe after their bad behavior has been uncovered. That would only lead to biased labeling.
We can look at what Hitler said before his bad behavior. Did he claim to be christian?
We can look at what Dahmer said before his bad behavior. Did he claim to be a christian?
2007-03-25 14:52:30 · answer #5 · answered by CC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't matter what we think, God knows. God looks into the heart of a person and basically we just judge the outward appearance and what we think the so called person has or has not done. I believe my fellow Christians when they tell me they believe same as I do, but ultimately, no one person knows ... it is only GOD who knows for sure.
But in loving kindness and giving people the benefit of the doubt as we Christians are told and by not judging each other by good deeds or sins ... we entrust to Jesus all the accountability... I never wonder these things.
2007-03-25 14:50:12 · answer #6 · answered by sassinya 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Jeffrey Dahmer was a satanist.
2007-03-25 14:51:54 · answer #7 · answered by skitz 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the bottom line to your line of questioning is this:
"Thou shall not judge". God will judge Hitler, Dahmer, and all others.
Judging those around us is not our job, however, we are told that we will know a tree by the fruit that it bears. But knowing something and judging someone is two different things.
2007-03-25 14:52:04 · answer #8 · answered by shendley04 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hitler himself said he was a Christian on numerous occasions, so yes, he was.
I don't know what religion, if any, Dahmer claimed.
2007-03-25 14:51:15 · answer #9 · answered by Sun: supporting gay rights 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not everyone who says that they are a Christian really is one.
A Christian is one who has repented of their sins and has accepted Jesus.
As far as atheists go I cannot answer because I have never meet one.
2007-03-25 14:50:06 · answer #10 · answered by zoril 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋