Definitions...?

Question

Curious what people think.

you hear different definitions of different religions. they say that it means a certain thing, or that certain things are what define someone to be in that group or not.

for example, I have heard some argue that figures that died long before islam came to be, were "muslim" on the definition that their devotion to God makes it so they qualify. this has a certain point to it I think.

and some say that a christian is someone who follows and tries to be like Jesus.

if I do my best to follow God's Will, and worship only God, does that mean I count as a Muslim?

if I think that Jesus probably had alot of good things to say, and would have liked to be able to listen to him and discuss things and learn from him, and follow his lead as a role model, would I count as a Christian?

and what does it say about these definitions, that one could fulfill both, without beliving in much of what the general population of either group, belives in?

Additionally, the point is really about definitions. if a definition is so broad as to not really define something signifigantly, then is it really that useful?

and how does one be sure of the accuracy?

like the bible. do you belive what it says? are you trusting the person who said/wrote those things? or are you trusting what you are told they said/wrote/did?

some cases remind me of with a little kid, where they are supposed to have a secret word, so that if someone they don't know comes to pick them up and says "your mom/dad couldn't pick you up, they wanted me to come get you" the kid could ask for a secret word, to be sure that it really was from their parents, and not some stranger lying to them.

for example if one belives what they feel Jesus said/meant, but do not trust the new testament or the church, how does that measure into things? how do you know? so many christians for example, seem to feel that if Jesus/God appeared to them personally and told them something that was contrary to what the church told them is so, that it would be evil and not real. ... does this really make sense? is it not trusting the stranger without a secret code word?

Answer 1

I can't speak for the other religions, but the Bible is the definition book for Christians. In it, Jesus teaches that you cannot make yourself a Christian. That is something God does for you. He creates a new spirit within you. Jesus said those who are His sheep will not follow a stranger's voice, but will only follow the true shepherd, who is Jesus Himself. A person who is being called by God to be a Christian will repent of their sins, and will openly declare Jesus to be Lord, and will believe in His resurrection, and will not listen to imposters. God will forgive and accept anyone who turns to Him in this way. But Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. If you believe that about Jesus, you will not and cannot follow another.

Answer 2

I study this kind of thing and this is how I see it. A too narrow definition becomes ridiculous and yet can be useful. A broad definition brings us all together. How bad is that. In fact everything relates and at every corner we must decide which way to go. The spirit tell us. If not that then the intuition. Is it one or the other, both? Is a rose still the same? The Bible gives us the rule. Test ideas, words, to see if they are from God. Once I wanted to say something and something in me said, should you say that. I actually scrunched up my eyes and thought about it and didn't see anything wrong with it. After being called into the office a couple of times, I now know that if something in me says, should you say or do that, I know it's questionable and the answer is absolutely not.

So now I'm convinced in my intuition, but are you convinced in yours or is it just an interesting idea? Do we have a spirit that guides us or did I just make it up? I continue to test all it shows me and it shows me, "even the deep things of God." It doesn't come out of the blue on one issue. It resides with us always, if we desire it. And like the results from a calculator, we can test it out anytime. The question is then, what specifically is it telling you and is it sensible?

The big issue today, to my mind, is have our leaders, in all areas, including religion, lied or made errors to the point where we are living a web of deception and is it time to listen to God again. Are we to be king/priests or little children who don't know what to do? Are we being led by big children who don't know what to do less than we do? When you know that they have all gone astray, no one will have to tell you. You will be ready to be a king/ priest and need no priest or king to tell you what's real (Joel). We just doubt ourselves because it's hard to believe this world view has to be almost entirely thrown out.

We now have a new King George and his goverment on our neck and we need another revolution, but a peaceful one to tear down the rulers of this darkness and go back to the constitution. What they are calling a lovelution or re-evaluation, the mind shift, the paradigm shift. It's time to see how everything and everyone relates, while still re-defining our boundaries beyond which we will not go. In life it's not aways singularity, either or, but I find it's almost always and. Like a diamond with many facets, none need be denied, but you must stick narrowly to your own while seeing how we need all the others. You get a pretty ugly and smaller diamond when you try to take one facet out and without two eyes we wouldn't see 3D. We are pretty much in a duality with dimensions and sides. We have to get used to it. All words are separate and individual and yet it's relationships with other words show a depth of meaning in one word that sometimes seems infinite.

So is it intuition, the spirit, our spirit, god, God, our higher power, the universe, higher consciousness, sixth sense, common sense, a knowing, channeling, cosmic consciouness, ET's, karma, still small voice, an angel and the list goes on? Does anything really fit in a box. Doesn't a real tree come complete with apples and worms? So what's in a definition? It's an unreal abstraction anyway, it's the spirit that counts. In other words it's to be lived, not an intellectual excersize. Everything and every word has it's purpose and we all have some truth and we are all beautiful to each other for that reason and having a beautiful spirit. On the other hand on some days we're not so beautiful and the definition for stay away applies.

Answer 3

Usually to fall into the category of Christianity it's required to believe in the inherent divinity of Christ, because many non-Christians still believe that Jesus was born and lived and was a cool dude. Any religion can't be certain about the religion of people who predate the establishment of the sect. Many religions have been trying to claim Abraham as their own, but which is correct? I don't really know. You don't need to defend your beliefs to us though, many of us will have you if you're willing to be peaceful.

The point is, most of these definitions are vague and have been torn apart by people trying to exclude others from the exclusive little group. By the dictionary definition, I'm a Christian. I've been told here countless times that I'm not a Christian. Definitions are constructs of our minds, much like words themselves, and can't really describe what we mean without many words.

Friend, that's why I believe in modern-day revelation, and in man's error and how that can distort the message of the Bible.

Answer 4

I cannot answer the Muslim half of this question but as far as being a "christian"..this term while latterly biblical means a disciple of Christ. The Church of Christ...or Ekklesia (people gathered for a purpose) under His Name are what make up the human body (the Host) of Ya'shua on earth...His humanity is alive through us with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There are two...the Wine (those saved by the blood such as the theif on the cross who simply confessed Him and believed) and the Oil (those that are truely annointed with the Holy Spirit and convey that through whatever gifts...ie; languages, healing, interpretation, teaching, ministering and etc.) In the end times during the tribulation these two will be saved...
In order to be a disciple of Christ and to belong to God with full acknowledgement you have to come to the knowledge and confession of a certain thing. If you cannot confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is God...then He cannot confess you before His Father. The only way to gain the understanding and knowledge is to be led by the Holy Spirit to either believe with His instigation...to recieve the truth and not to shun it...or to be brought into belief by hearing the Gospel and reading the Word of God. There is only One Way. Jesus (Ya'shua) is the Way, the Truth and the Life...many are called to Him but few are chosen. There is no other way to eternal life. With Islamic beliefs...women are second class citizens even in their so called "paradise" and would belong to men as part of the heavenly reward. With Christainity we are told that His Spirit will be poured out on both sons and daughters and that we will be restored to a new earth with a new heaven and that there will be no marriage, or male/female designation...we will be "like" the angels. All things being new and all the old things as are corrupted right now would be cast away. Oh and there is no burning in hell for lost sinners...not for eternity. Hell is a misnomer for the Hebraic term "sheol" or grave...literally means "to be covered over." In order to worship and obey the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob you have to abandon ones own understanding and follow His guidence to lead you to where you are. It cannot happen just by default. Ya'shua was very specific about the keys to the Kingdom....the Law and Prophets - the Bread and the Wine - Scripture and Atonement - The Word and Sacrifice. Jesus is both...In order to be saved you have to follow His commandments (bread, law, scripture) and believe in His Name (Ya'shua means Salvation or God Saves). If you lean on your own understanding then you essentially are your own god as you have defined for yourself. It is what it is and He is who He is...you either believe or you don't. His Word warns of false prophets, apostate religions, corrupt religious leaders and against religion itself. The Bible says: Pure religion, undefiled before God is this...to give to the widows and the fatherless, to see to the needs of the oppressed, imprisoned, sick and deprived and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. If the faith system doesn't teach this...then its not of God. Love in Christ, ~J~

Answer 5

My definition is often a ways from the textual content publication definition of accountability. It is: To reside in innocence and freedom. To take care of our residence the Earth and to take care of all of the residing creatures who inhabiit it.

Answer 6

all holey prophets including Jesus used the Arabic word that u know as Muslim(in english)to refer to all the ones that beleaved in their way.it's in many part's of the quran that a prophet say's [we are muslims] that means god we obey u(i hope my transelation isn't too wrong).and remember Jesus was an arab who spoke arabic but the word christian isn'nt arabic is it?

Answer 7

if you believe in one and only God and believe that prophet Muhammad(pbuh) is one of His messengers then you are a muslim..this is the basic needs to be a muslim...in islam, Jesus is also one of the messengers of God which means you can follow his example, discuss his teachings or do something beneficial as long as you do not worship Jesus..for me this is what i called as fulfilling both religion...islam contains all the uncorrupted teachings of judaism and christianity