What defines a religious adherent?

[c0da]

What would you say defines what religion a person belongs to?

Is it their beliefs, or the way they conduct themselves....

For example could somebody be a Christian, albeit a bad one, if they believed in Heven and Hell, believed in the God of Abraham, recognised Jesus as their saviour etc. etc. but behaved in a vile way and broke lots of the ten commandments. Or to consider them a Christian, would they have to believe it all, then behave accordingly to the moral codes that religion sets out....

Beliefs or Behaviour?

 

[Karl R]

What would you say defines what religion a person belongs to?

Is it their beliefs, or the way they conduct themselves....

Names are labels that we place on things so we can conveniently identify them.

Most religions recommend a very similar code of conduct. Gandhi's behavior could be seen as very christian, very buddhist, et cetera. It would be very muddled if we started claiming that Gandhi followed a half dozen religions just because he was an amazing spiritual individual.

Much as we hate to admit it, people like Phelps are christians, even if they misunderstand almost all the teachings and violate the remainder. They're christians, just very, very bad christians. I typically refer to them as nominal christians.

The same principle can be extrapolated to every other religion.

 

[finalfrogo]

What would you say defines what religion a person belongs to?

Is it their beliefs, or the way they conduct themselves....

For example could somebody be a Christian, albeit a bad one, if they believed in Heven and Hell, believed in the God of Abraham, recognised Jesus as their saviour etc. etc. but behaved in a vile way and broke lots of the ten commandments. Or to consider them a Christian, would they have to believe it all, then behave accordingly to the moral codes that religion sets out....

Beliefs or Behaviour?

I would go with beliefs. Religion's foundation is composed of beliefs, which affects behavior. In other words, beliefs determine behavior.

Furthermore, people of different religions can act almost identically. If we go with behavior, it would be difficult to distinguish one adherent's religion from another.

Yes, I think there are bad Christians, Hindus, etc. These people know how they are suppose to act--this derives from their religious beliefs--but do not always act as they know they should. A student is still a student if he/she is a poor student.

 

[evearael]

I believe there are many false adherents in every faith. These people play lipservice to their faith, only when convenient, but haven't internalized the faith as a motivating force in their lives, in their conduct towards others and towards God (or gods/goddesses/kami/ect.). I try to put the person in question in the context of their own faith, as the laws and expectations vary wildly. Are they reasonably knowledgable about their faith? Are they growing spiritually? Is their conduct in keeping with their faith? What priority do they place in their faith?

 

[BruceDLimber]

Hi again, Coda!

I'm a Baha'i, and would offer two answers from the scriptures of the Baha'i Faith:

"Faith is conscious knowledge,"

and the fact that the hallmark of a true believer is both faith and works!

Peace,

Bruce

 

[sojourner]

My denomination says that anyone who confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God is a Christian. We're pretty open and affirming on this issue...thank God!

 

[Booko]

My denomination says that anyone who confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God is a Christian. We're pretty open and affirming on this issue...thank God!

Baha'is aren't much different. If you believe in Baha'u'llah, then you're a Baha'i.

There are some minor technicalities that almost never come up, but that's about the sum of it. Christians don't have to confess also that Peter is the Rock upon which the Church is built or anything, but Baha'is do have to do something of the sort and recognize the "Covenant" which is basically that Baha'u'llah did say who authority rested with after he died.

 

[michel]

What would you say defines what religion a person belongs to?

Is it their beliefs, or the way they conduct themselves....

For example could somebody be a Christian, albeit a bad one, if they believed in Heven and Hell, believed in the God of Abraham, recognised Jesus as their saviour etc. etc. but behaved in a vile way and broke lots of the ten commandments. Or to consider them a Christian, would they have to believe it all, then behave accordingly to the moral codes that religion sets out....

Beliefs or Behaviour?

Being a cynic, I would say that what defines the religion of the average person is the name of the Church they go to pray at.

 

[Opethian]

my church is the pub, and I pray by drinking beer. What does that make me?