The perceived actions of a christian?

Question

I notice alot of people point out the actions of a christian and say they turn me off of christianity. I have always considered myself a sinner who was lucky enough to find Christ and recieve his grace. I still screw up all the time. So I was curious what a non-christian thinks the actions of a christian should be. Do you think a christian should be an everyday person who you might see at a bar, or at a concert, or at a ballgame talking and loving people but will still make mistakes and screw up and look bad; or do you think a christian should be someone who never puts himself in an area where he could fall and he stands out in a crowd and he speaks elegantly and peacefully.
I am just curious of your opinions, theres no hidden agenda behind my question.
Do you see the first person as a hypocrite or genuine. Do you see the second person as a true christian or as someone hiding behind a false front who doesn't relate to real life?

Answer 1

A Christian should be whoever he wants and worship however best makes him content. Not every Christian needs to be perfect: just ordinary people. All I ask is that they leave me alone to believe and worship how I want without either endlessly trying to convert me or endlessly telling me I'm going to hell for being a Pagan.

If they would just do that, I wouldn't mind them at all.

Answer 2

Honestly, I think a Christian should model themselves on the original doctrines of their church, specifically the 1st Century doctrines. Christianity was originally a religion of hermit monks, founded on asceticism. You can tell from your Christ's own words about not worrying about clothing, food, shelter, and the like, "as God gives even the beasts of the field clothing, etc.". That means no ball games, no concerts, very few personal possessions, required charity, mandatory pacifism, even if it means dying in the name of your beliefs, much like the Buddhists. If you were a REAL christian there'd be no such thing as a "screw-up", you'd be too busy praying to your God to make any mistakes. This "we're not perfect, just forgiven" crap sickens me. It's clear from reading your holy book, that the object of your religion is to be as perfect as humanly possible, like your Jesus. If you can't handle that, don't be a christian, that's your own religion's doctrines. Instead, you do whatever you want and then use the "forgiveness" idea to justify your actions,i.e. "I may have just killed a person in cold blood, but it's okay, Jesus will forgive me." Well, that's fine, but where does that leave the victim's family? Their friends? You're not really "forgiven", you've just deluded yourself by substituting making amends to the victim or their family with propitiation of some big invisible man in the sky.

Answer 3

I think a lot of every day Christians are every day people. They spend thier day trying to be a nice person. Sure they can go to a bar, there is nothing wrong with hanging out with friends and having a beer. Go to a concert, music is fun! Go to a ballgame. Even the most fundemental Christian shouldn't have an issue with a simple ballgame.
The hypocrits we speak of are the ones you stand on the street and send us all to hell then go home and beat thier wives. The ones who suck money out of everyone around them but don't bother to help the poor, feed the hungry, cloth the homeless. The ones who come to our door and preach fire and brimestone with out love. Those just aren't very Christlike. Its offensive and ugly and I will have no part of the judgement of our fellow man to appease a God who demanded a blood sacrifice to be forgiven and loved.
But hey if it works for you more power to you.

Answer 4

I'm a Christian, and I screw up every day, sometimes making the same mistakes over and over again. I know that's not how Jesus wants me to live, but I believe that he forgives me and encourages me to do better.
As for other Christians, I would rather see someone who admits to screwing up and asks for forgiveness for it and turns to other Christians for support and help thansomeone who puts on a front all the time. I see so many in my church who are always so "I trust the Lord for everything and my kids are already acting so Christian because of the example we set at home, yada yada yada," or people who don't go to the doctor, even for serious illnesses in their kids because they "have enough faith that God will heal them/their kids," but then they say something like, "but if you need to go to the doctor, that's fine." It's just like they're hinting that they're better Christians than you are. I guess they think it's uplifting, but it's not; it even turns me off and makes me want to leave the church again.

Answer 5

I am saved by grace.BUT I am only human. Christians are still sinners though we TRY NOT TO SIN. People have the idea that Christians are holier than thou but truth is were just people trying to live by Gods commandments and sometime we screw up. God Bless...

Answer 6

I do not place any more expectations on Christians that I would from any other person.

I like people to try to look at things from different angles, try to be understanding of one another, be humane, and also study a subject before coming to a conclusion.

Answer 7

People think that we think we are perfect.
This is not the case at all.

People use this as an excuse to turn away. They say, " see? you are no different than anyone else".......
We KNOW we mess up all the time but hopefully try to do better when faced with the same temptation.

Answer 8

They want us to walk like Jesus. The Bible also wants that. We should strive for it, but obtaining it is very difficult. Continue on brother and try to choose the right paths. I'm trying too, but I too fall. Trying to live a Christian life needs to be taken day to day, and is very difficult in an ungodly world.

Answer 9

It wasn't Christians who turned me off of Christianity, it was the bible itself.

That being said, what do I think Christians should be like? They should be literate and understand their own holy book, far too many don't actually study the bible. They just go to church and listen to what their preacher spoon feeds them. If they actually studied the bible they might understand why their are so many EX-Christians.

Answer 10

Every body makes mistakes, says and does things he/she later realizes it was not right. This has nothing to do with your (a)religious convictions it is just the way you are.