For as judgmental as you can be of others you don't seem very confident that you're a Christian.
I'm sure.
How did you reach that conclusion?
Then many atheists live like Christians.
Or the other way around... but what do you mean.
Is it important that a person thinks they have to follow Christ?
Very important. Why do you ask?
Not if they live in a way that is consistent with what he taught, as that is what is important, yes?
You can't live in a way that is consistent with what Jesus taught, if you don't think it is important to follow Christ. Why?
(Matthew 7:21-27)
21 “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will.
22 Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does them will be like a discreet man who built his house on the rock.
25 And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and lashed against that house, but it did not cave in, for it had been founded on the rock.
26 Furthermore, everyone hearing these sayings of mine and not doing them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27 And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and struck against that house, and it caved in, and its collapse was great.”
Who is going to get out of bed, and leave their house to go searching for people who wants to hear good news of peace.
Who has that good news, other than those who received it from the one who has it?
Thus, it's not possible, on your own, to consistent with what Jesus taught.
Trump is a liar and corrupt, and very cruel to people, so that he calls himself a Christians is another lie that he hopes Christians believe and vote for him.
So are many men and women "of the cloth", or filling the pews.
That's why I think for myself, and avoid being a follower.
You think for yourself. That's good. We all do... except for those who follow the Jim Jones, and David Koresh, and... the list goes on.
You aren't a follower. Hmm. We might want to believe that. However, the reality is, we are all followers.
Some follow willingly and knowingly... for example, I follow Christ. While others follow blindly, and unknowingly
This is the advantage I have by thinking for myself, and rejecting popular dogmas.
You are not a hermit.
Is there a reason you avoided my question?
Yes. Why? It's loaded.
Do I laud them for what? Being religious, in believing in false gods... engaging is harmful rituals...?
I commend religious people for believing in an intelligent creator... but I do the same for non-religious people.
This isn't a rebutal, but then, how could you rebut the fact that faith is blind belief? Faith is unreliable and not reasoned.
Any idiot knows that atheists did not originate the word, so they don't get to define it.
Faith
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, including "something that is believed especially with strong conviction," "complete trust", "belief and trust in and loyalty to God", as well as "a firm belief in something for which there is no proof".
Religious people often think of faith as confidence based on a perceived degree of warrant, or evidence, while others who are more skeptical of religion tend to think of faith as simply belief without evidence.
See. That's an advantage idiots have over atheists. That's doesn't look good.
You can't seem to handle that Christians can be weak, foolish, deceived, corrupt, and full of vice. Being a believer guarantees nothing.
For a moment there, I thought you were putting Christians in a box labelled "foolish".
I was about to ask if you can't see how idiotic that is. However, I think you are saying that Christians are not immune to going contrary to Christ teachings.
Did I say otherwise? Where did I say that?
Everyone, regardless of skin color, nationality, belief system, worldview... can be weak, foolish, deceived, corrupt, and full of vice.
That's when they turn away, or, in the case of weakness fall, but some do get back up, and return to the way.
You can liken it to, walking a narrow path. Or a cross country marathon. One can fall off, or deviate to the right or left.
The important thing is to get back on the path. It's a race to the finish. Jesus said, it's the one who endures to the end that makes it. Matthew 24:13