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Can a person not believe in the God of Abraham and be a Christian?

Eddi

Eddi

Pantheist Christian
Premium Member
Can a person not believe in the God of Abraham and be a Christian?

I don't believe in a Supreme Being, I am a Pantheist

My "God" is metaphysical rather than personal

I don't believe in this guy:

god.png

However: I believe that Jesus Christ is somehow real (but won't go into the details of that here, not right now)

I believe that he is at work in our world right now, and I find the stories about him in the Christian scriptures to be inspiring and wise

So I don't know whether or not I can call myself a Christian

On RF the Christian DIR is under the Abrahamic DIR so I don't think I can really be active in there if I don't believe in the God that most people who profess to be Christians believe in
 
rocala

rocala

Well-Known Member
Thank you for such an interesting post. Christianity does seem to be under a certain lock and key, although I feel sure that he addressed all types of people. I believe that there was something special about him, maybe enlightened like the Buddha.

However, the "magic tricks" people with their virgin births, walking on water and resurrection have taken over the whole thing.
 
Eddi

Eddi

Pantheist Christian
Premium Member
rocala said:
However, the "magic tricks" people with their virgin births, walking on water and resurrection have taken over the whole thing.
Click to expand...
I think you're right

Personally all the magic stuff are not what draws me to him

And I certainly feel more at home amongst people who are drawn to him for reasons other than all the miracles and stuff
 
Spice

Spice

StewardshipPeaceIntergityCommunityEquality
You can most definitely live a Christian life without believing in the Abrahamic God. Many do. Atheist included. The enlightenment, if you will, that Jesus the Christ attained is the goal of most religions, IMV.

As far as being a "Christian," that definition is as complex and multi-layered as the beliefs and people that fall under the title. A good compromise title would be Christ Follower, though many still try to tack on Paul's views, which changes the dynamic, IMO.
 
InChrist

InChrist

Free4ever
Eddi said:
Can a person not believe in the God of Abraham and be a Christian?

I don't believe in a Supreme Being, I am a Pantheist

My "God" is metaphysical rather than personal

I don't believe in this guy:

View attachment 96939

However: I believe that Jesus Christ is somehow real (but won't go into the details of that here, not right now)

I believe that he is at work in our world right now, and I find the stories about him in the Christian scriptures to be inspiring and wise

So I don't know whether or not I can call myself a Christian

On RF the Christian DIR is under the Abrahamic DIR so I don't think I can really be active in there if I don't believe in the God that most people who profess to be Christians believe in
Click to expand...
I used to consider myself to be a Christian. After I came to know Jesus Christ and was born again I realized I wasn’t actually a Christian until that point. I think it’s important to understand that there are all kinds of different notions of Jesus…


But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
2 Corinthians 11:3-4
 
Quintessence

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
It's not my place to define another's religious traditions, but my understanding is acceptance of the Abrahamic god is... sort of one of the baseline requirements for being any sort of Abrahamic adherent, whether Christian, Muslim, or Jew. They are explicitly (mono)theistic religious traditions.
 
JustGeorge

JustGeorge

Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Eddi said:
Can a person not believe in the God of Abraham and be a Christian?

I don't believe in a Supreme Being, I am a Pantheist

My "God" is metaphysical rather than personal

I don't believe in this guy:

View attachment 96939

However: I believe that Jesus Christ is somehow real (but won't go into the details of that here, not right now)

I believe that he is at work in our world right now, and I find the stories about him in the Christian scriptures to be inspiring and wise

So I don't know whether or not I can call myself a Christian

On RF the Christian DIR is under the Abrahamic DIR so I don't think I can really be active in there if I don't believe in the God that most people who profess to be Christians believe in
Click to expand...
You can believe whatever you want, of course!

Maybe atypical Christian would be a better title, or has been suggested, a follower of Jesus.

Titles are tricky.
 
Eddi

Eddi

Pantheist Christian
Premium Member
JustGeorge said:
You can believe whatever you want, of course!

Maybe atypical Christian would be a better title, or has been suggested, a follower of Jesus.

Titles are tricky.
Click to expand...
I don't really want to call myself something like "Follower of Jesus" or "Atypical Christian"

I think those make my beliefs and my religion sound second-class

I think my beliefs about Jesus are as valid as those held by people who are Abrahamic and Christian

Even though our views about The Divine are different
 
JustGeorge

JustGeorge

Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Eddi said:
I don't really want to call myself something like "Follower of Jesus" or "Atypical Christian"

I think those make my beliefs and my religion sound second-class

I think my beliefs about Jesus are as valid as those held by people who are Abrahamic and Christian

Even though our views about The Divine are different
Click to expand...
I agree with you, overall.

It probably depends on how deep you want to get with a person.

If you tell someone in passing that you're a Christian, it'll be fine.

If there's someone you talk to daily on religion, you're going to need to specify some of your different beliefs in order to communicate efficiently.
 
Eddi

Eddi

Pantheist Christian
Premium Member
Rival said:
You would be a heretic by definition, if that. The only orthodox form of Christianity is Nicaean. That's why all heretical forms have a prefix such as Arian or Nestorian.
Click to expand...
Interesting

But I prefer "unorthodox" to "heretic" :D

Sounds like it is less of a value judgement

Personally I would be happy to be a follower Jesus, without all the Nicaean baggage. Which is what I essentially am right now

I think that over the centuries Jesus Christ has been let down by a great many of his followers, who have done bad things in his name so I don't really want continuity with those traditions
 
Spice

Spice

StewardshipPeaceIntergityCommunityEquality
Nothing wrong with being a Heretic. Some of the greatest thinkers of all time were considered heretics, including Jesus.

Although I usually ascribe to being Omnist, I also wear the label of Christian Heretic rather proudly among my Baptist and Methodist friends, including ministers/pastors, without being ostracized.

A heretic is someone whose beliefs or actions are considered wrong by most people, because they disagree with beliefs that are generally accepted. "He was considered a heretic and was ridiculed and ostracized for his ideas."
 
Jimmy

Jimmy

King Phenomenon
rocala said:
Thank you for such an interesting post. Christianity does seem to be under a certain lock and key, although I feel sure that he addressed all types of people. I believe that there was something special about him, maybe enlightened like the Buddha.

However, the "magic tricks" people with their virgin births, walking on water and resurrection have taken over the whole thing.
Click to expand...
Ooh magic. I love me some magic. Without the magic no one would be here. So it’s kinda important.
 
1

1213

Well-Known Member
Eddi said:
Can a person not believe in the God of Abraham and be a Christian?
Click to expand...
It depends on the definition. By what is said in the Bible, a Christian means a disciple of Jesus. And a disciple of Jesus is a person who remains in word of Jesus.

…The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Acts 11:26
Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 8:31-32

Jesus speaks about God of Abraham, so, at least a Christian remain in what Jesus said about the God.
Eddi said:
I don't believe in this guy:
View attachment 96939
Click to expand...
It seems the person who made that image doesn't believe what god said.

You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth be-neath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God
Exod. 20:3-17
 
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