... this animosity to a non-believer?
Is becoming a TRUE Christian just a guess on who's interpreting things properly?
2007-07-12 05:06:03 · 19 answers · asked by NHBaritone 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If by Christians, you mean most of the New Testament and a pick-and-choose version of the Old Testament, then it's no wonder that everyone thinks they have a monopoly on Christianity, and everyone who disagrees with them is not a "true" Christian. How else could we have literally hundreds of Christian sects and sub-sects... heck, even totalitarian empires like the Catholic Church include a number of different denominations that span from socially liberal to conservative, and entire religions like the Anglicans that split from it centuries ago. It all boils down the the self-righteous arrogance that organized religion instills in its believers.
2007-07-12 07:38:42 · answer #1 · answered by kena2mi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like water off a duck's back. I believe what I believe in and that's my right, while they believe what they believe in and guess what? That's the right too. If people think I'm a bad Christian (which alot of 'religious' christians have said to me) then so be it, but I'll not think any worse of them, they have their spiritual journey to make, and me mine. As for inter-faith controversies, I try to stay away from the details of religious doctines and instead discuss the broader concepts of spirituality. I'd say after reading your entire question through several times that this is another validation for the quote: God works in mysterious ways.
2016-05-20 13:32:20 · answer #2 · answered by tia 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's theological snobbishness of "true" Christians that reeks right up next to the atheists demand God be ordered up like a taco bell express otherwise they won't believe. Both groups of people take on the persona of the typical schoolyard bully. One of the most overlooked of Jesus' teachings were the two things in this world he found most appalling, a proud face and organized religion.
2007-07-12 05:24:33 · answer #3 · answered by Emerald 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The "flesh". This is our natural human nature (n.b. not just our body) I dont have a full theological exact picture of it, but to some degree our natural rebellious and straying nature remains with us after initial salvation. So rank-and-file christians are often more in the "flesh" than the "spirit". It takes time and effort growing in one's faith so one is more and more christlike (the Parable of the Sower shows people respond to the gospel well and not-so-well). So people will be sailing along blown by the easy winds of pride, in the "flesh" and will come out with categorical statements of that sort. (Mea culpa of course a lot of the time.)
However to be a christian it is essential imo to believe in the faith handed down by Jesus the Anointed One and the apostles - its in the New Testament, and taught in any good church. Mainline denominations - catholics, orthodox, protestant, baptist, pentecostal and so on hold to the faith.
LDS (aka Mormons), Jehovah's Witnesses and Unitarians stray from this faith, removing from it and adding to it. One would be reasonable in doubting if salvation works with a perverted representation of the gospel. But they are far closer than mohammedans to encountering God's path of salvation provided through Christ's atonement sacrifice for our sins.
2007-07-12 05:19:24 · answer #4 · answered by Cader and Glyder scrambler 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Scripture alone proves whether a form of Christianity is phony or not, it goes beyond interpretation it comes down to what a person choses to believe when the truth is right in front of them. a person studying the bible for them selfs is more likely to find the truth of it with out some one else to twist the words around. when you find something you don't understand you can pray to god to give you understanding. and when he gives it to you its like hitting the right note you just know its right. god will only work with the mind of a person who thinks for them self. it is easy to know the truth when you only tell the truth and when you hear a lie it even smells like ****.
2007-07-12 05:29:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Christians are measured by their adhering to the Word of God. So if they are Bible-based believers, it is very clear in the Bible that we should receive them as brothers.
There are several groups who do not follow the Bible as we know it, or have added to or taken away from the ancient text received during Biblical times and shortly after. Fellowshipping with them can get you into a mega-argument, and is of no benefit to anyone. Fellowshipping with believers, though, is of much benefit to everyone and should be encouraged at all times.
2007-07-12 05:15:07 · answer #6 · answered by TX Mom 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Anyone who is baptized is a "true" Christian. Once baptized a person is a member of Jesus Christ. Once baptized a person cannot be baptized again nor is he or anyone else capable of "unbaptizing" him.
This is my Faith as stated by my Church, the Catholic Church. Anyone who says that the Catholic Church believes its members are the only "true" Christians is a liar.
Yours in Christ Jesus, Grace
PS I see you are a preacher's kid, son of a Methodist minister. I was engaged to one once but grew too fat for him. lol
2007-07-12 05:19:25 · answer #7 · answered by Grace 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, I can explain:
Bad theology, bad catechesis, bad teachers, the "doctrine" of Sola-Scriptura, judgment by people who should know better, and modern denominational-ism - which runs completely 180-degrees from what the Creeds teach about the Faith Once Delivered.
It's like the title of Dorothy Sayer's great book: "Creed or Chaos."
2007-07-12 05:10:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
There's no guess work, who's following the bible ad not just parts of it. Pretty stright forward.
I can elimate a few........
who takes part in war
takes blood transfusions
committs fornication and any other sexual offense
has multipul wives
believes in going to heaven or hell at death
believes in the trinity
believe's in baptising baby's when they don't have the ability to choose for themseleves.
These are just a few of beliefs that don't follow the bible's teachings
2007-07-12 05:12:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
You may be right on that one. Of course everyone thinks THEY are the "TRUE" Christians, otherwise they would change what they're doing.
It's like going into a jail where everyone says they're innocent, or they were framed.
2007-07-12 05:11:20 · answer #10 · answered by Char 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋