NON-CHRISTIANS ONLY: What is a Christian to you?

[lilithu]

It means nothing to me other than the person identifies him or herself a Christian. I would still have to talk with them to find out what they actually believe. I know Christians who believe that Jesus is God who died for our sins and pay no attention whatsoever to his teachings. I know Christians who don't believe that Jesus was God but for whom his teachings are central to their ethics. And I know people all in between. What's more, I know people who call themselves Christian as almost an ethnicity. It's a cultural label; they don't really believe and don't pay attention to the teachings. In my experience, the word really means very little except to indicate that the person more likely is of Western origin than Eastern (but certainly that's not guaranteed either).

 

[Isabella Lecour]

I voted...1) a person who believes Jesus Christ is God, 2) a person who worships Jesus Christ and looks to Him as his Savior, and 10) a person who calls himself a Christian.

I would like to add that anyone who professes belife in John 3:16 is a Christian to me. Perhaps I should mention my time spent growing up in a Christian household has influenced my view of the matter.

 

[Father Heathen]

I was also suprised that no one so far has voted that a Christian is someone "who is likely to tell you (a non-Christian) that you're damned." Don't you guys get that all the time from Christians? I don't get it. I pretty much thought most of those who responded would pick that one.

But you asked how we define a Christian. Of course a lot of them screech to unbelievers that they're filthy sinners bound for hell, but I wouldn't really consider it a requisite for being a Christian.

 

[lilithu]

But you asked how we define a Christian.

Is that what she asked? I thought she was asking what we think we know about a person when they identify themselves as Christian.

If the question is how I personally define Christian - the ideal, the "true" Christian: A Christian is someone who lives his or her life in relationship with Christ. It isn't just a belief or even the good deeds, it's an on-going relationship where one is transformed by love to wish to respond - returning love for love, towards Christ and towards one's fellow humans.

 

[Magic Man]

Is that what she asked? I thought she was asking what we think we know about a person when they identify themselves as Christian.

If the question is how I personally define Christian - the ideal, the "true" Christian: A Christian is someone who lives his or her life in relationship with Christ. It isn't just a belief or even the good deeds, it's an on-going relationship where one is transformed by love to wish to respond - returning love for love, towards Christ and towards one's fellow humans.

I think you're thinking too much into this. The idea was to define "christian", which is to say to say what we think of when someone tells us they're Christian. I don't think the distinction here is necessary. By defining what we think a Christian is, we're not really defining what a Christian should be, according to us.

 

[Katzpur]

I think you're thinking too much into this. The idea was to define "christian", which is to say to say what we think of when someone tells us they're Christian. I don't think the distinction here is necessary. By defining what we think a Christian is, we're not really defining what a Christian should be, according to us.

Actually, lilithu picked up on what I was looking for when she said:

I thought she was asking what we think we know about a person when they identify themselves as Christian.

 

[lilithu]

I think you're thinking too much into this. The idea was to define "christian", which is to say to say what we think of when someone tells us they're Christian.

Well as I said in my first answer, I don't think anything when someone tells me they're Christian. I know from experience that different people mean drastically different things by that same word.

 

[Magic Man]

Actually, lilithu picked up on what I was looking for when she said:

Right, but did you mean to imply a difference between "defining a Christian" and "telling what we think of someone when they tell us they're Christian"?

 

[Yerda]

What's more, I know people who call themselves Christian as almost an ethnicity.

This is true in some parts of Scotland. People who have never set eyes on a Bible consider themselves to be Catholic or Protestant. I grew up convinced I was a Catholic and the Protestants were different. A natural divide between two classes of people. Then I went through several years of suggesting to people that I was not a Christian and therefore the terms were not applicable to me. I eventually relented and accepted that it is easier to just say I'm Catholic (too many confused faces and irritating questions). It sounds weird I suppose, coming from an atheist, but my identity is still tied up with Catholicism.

 

[Katzpur]

Right, but did you mean to imply a difference between "defining a Christian" and "telling what we think of someone when they tell us they're Christian"?

Since you used to be a Christian, your "definition" of the word Christian is probably a little different from that of someone who has never been a Christian. You have an idea in your mind of what you think a Christian should be, based upon your background. At least that's what I'm thinking. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. If someone were to tell me that he was a Muslim, I would have a different concept of what it means to be a Muslim than I would had I formerly been a Muslim and then left the faith. See what I mean?

 

[Halcyon]

I voted;

A person who strives to love his fellow men, including his enemies.

and

a person who calls himself a Christian.

All the others are optional extras in my most humble of opinions.

 

[kai]

i have no idea, theres too much arguing and allegories and parables to argue over i find a common description to hard to make

 

[Green Gaia]

I voted "a person who calls himself a Christian"

But to be honest on my more pessimistic days the first thought I would have would be "a person who is likely to tell you (a non-Christian) that you’re “damned."

 

[Magic Man]

Since you used to be a Christian, your "definition" of the word Christian is probably a little different from that of someone who has never been a Christian. You have an idea in your mind of what you think a Christian should be, based upon your background. At least that's what I'm thinking. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. If someone were to tell me that he was a Muslim, I would have a different concept of what it means to be a Muslim than I would had I formerly been a Muslim and then left the faith. See what I mean?

I understand. All I was saying was that, to me, defining a Christian and saying what I think of when someone tells me they're Christian are the same thing, which is what you're asking for. However, defining what a Christian should be and what a Christian is are two different things.

 

[Panda]

I said "A person who calls him(her)self a Christian"

Only the other definitions will fit some but not all Christians.

 

[Poisonshady313]

Personally, I believe a Christian is anybody who believes Jesus was anything more impressive than a prophet. I say this specifically because Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, and I certainly wouldn't call a Muslim a Christian.

 

[Smoke]

I didn't check "a person who believes Jesus Christ is God" because I consider Jehovah's Witnesses and liberal Christians who don't believe in the divinity of Christ to be Christians.

I checked "a person who is likely to tell you (a non-Christian) that you're 'damned'" because of the qualifier "likely"; obviously, there are Christians who do no such thing.

I didn't check "a person who sees Jesus Christ as a great teacher" because some Christians would consider that practically an insult to the dignity of Jesus, and also because the teachings of Jesus are peripheral or irrelevant to most forms of Christianity.

If the option were available, I would certainly have checked "a person who supports an organization that denies that LGBTs are equal to cisgendered heterosexuals."

And actually, if someone tells me he's "a Christian," I tend to assume he's some kind of Evangelical or Pentecostal, since most other Christians tend to be more specific, and say they're Catholic, Orthodox, LDS, Lutheran, etc.

 

[Smoke]

I answered: a person who is believes he is “saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone.” I spent a lot of time in theology school and my conclusion is: A Christian is a person that accepts Jesus "The Christ" as their personal Lord and Savior thus they are forgiven their transgressions and "sins" and may pass go, collect $200 and move on to "heaven". Is that right? Do I win anything?

That's certainly true of the majority of the Christians I encounter in real life, but it's actually a minority view within Christianity.

 

[Smoke]

I was also suprised that no one so far has voted that a Christian is someone "who is likely to tell you (a non-Christian) that you're damned." Don't you guys get that all the time from Christians?

I do.

 

[Smoke]

If the question is how I personally define Christian - the ideal, the "true" Christian: A Christian is someone who lives his or her life in relationship with Christ. It isn't just a belief or even the good deeds, it's an on-going relationship where one is transformed by love to wish to respond - returning love for love, towards Christ and towards one's fellow humans.

I think it's presumptuous, especially for a non-Christian, to distinguish between "true" Christians and --- what? false Christians?

I can also count on my fingers the number of Christians I know personally who come close to that definition, even if we assume it's possible to have an ongoing relationship with a dead man.