What is a Christian

[Spiderman]

So, Im accussed of not being a Christian, but the Bible doesn't make that so clear. It is true that my behavior often isn't Christian, but neither was Pauls (or yours I'm assuming) who said in Romans 7 said
Romans 7:15-20New International Version (NIV)
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do

So, was paul still a Christian, because clearly his behavior often wasn't.

Romans 10:9 ►
New International Version
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." -God

I believe that, so according to Scripture I'm saved. So, since I'm saved, does that mean I'm Christian? Could you argue, you're saved according to Scripture but you aren't Christian?

I confess Jesus is Lord, believed he died for my sins, and rose from the dead...I believe in Matthew 25 that it is righteous to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, give shelter to the homeless,visit the imprisoned, welcome the stranger, forgive others, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

I pray often in Jesus name, make blessings in Jesus name, praise Jesus, invoke his precious blood, pray for the infilling and guidance of the Holy Spirit, meditate on the crucifixion and carrying of the cross when I'm suffering...and a lot of other things Christians do.

But I look at the condition and history of Christianity and what a lot of Christians are teaching, all sorts of talk about non-Christians all going to hell to be tortured for eternity for not embracing a belief (they didn't know to be true) and want to puke. A God who is love would not be more cruel than me, and I wouldn't put my worst enemy through so much as a month of screaming in agony while tossed about in flames (but he's going to punish them in such a way, because they didn't believe a Dogma they didn't know was true???) That is the most depressing unjust outrage I've heard of....worse than anything Adolf Hitler did. I don't want to insult God and harm my own mental health by believing something so repulsive and depressing about him.

One thing is I highly doubt that the Old Testament is innerantly inspired by God (Because it is totally in contradiction to what Christ taught), which means I'm not Catholic, because the Catholic Church teaches that it is, and according to a lot of Christians I'm not a Christian, because I'm disgusted with the Old Testament, and it is "The Word of God".

However, did Jesus ever say that a person who is ashamed of the Old Testament and thinks it is disgusting are Not Christians? Old Testament prophets disagreed with God, argued and fought with him. Does that mean they weren't Jewish?

So, please do explain your basis for saying I'm not "Christian". At the end of the day, I'm not Christian because I don't fit in your Dogmatic box.

Also, while you're at it...please explain why Catholics aren't Christian.

I disagree and even become nauseous regarding some of what the Catholic Church teaches, but I absolutely see Catholicism having more credibility than Protestantism, because the SolaScriptura Doctrine, upon which Protestantism was founded, destroys itself and is therefore completely illogical.


The Bronze serpent verse:

Numbers 21:9 ►
Parallel Verses
New International Version
So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

God specifically commands them to do the opposite of what he previously commanded them (Thou shall not make graven image). The graven serpent (a creature associated with Satan) was so important to God, that if you turned to God for healing and said you didn't need some bronze serpent, you would die. They relied on the serpent to be saved, for the grace of God would not be transmitted to them but that they turn to a graven image for healing. God also commanded them to make Golden Cherubim and that was where his prophet was to kneel and he'd speak to them between the Cherubim .

Exodus 25:22 ►
Parallel Verses
New International Version
There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.


It is quite common for God to command people to do the opposite of what he previously commanded, which is why the Bible confuses so many people and was never intended to be the sole rule of faith.

Also, in the video I'll correct myself about the date the printing press was invented. The first Bible was printed in 1450's...when I referred to the printing press, what I was getting at was an explanation of the reformation not taking place until 1517, meaning God waited more than 1500 years after the birth of Christ before what single Church on the face of the earth existed that condemned devotion to Mother Mary or the souls in heaven or statues.

If praying before sacred art , crucifixes, and statues Statues, or petitioning the souls in Heaven is Satanic (as many protestants say), that means for more than 1500 years after Christ walked the earth, there was not a single Church to condemn such practices, hence God would have done an extremely pathetic job of shepherding Christians, if every Church on the face of the earth for roughly one thousand 500 years was teaching people Satanic practices.

Jesus promised the Spirit of truth would guide the Church. To claim that all Christian Churches for 1500 years were worshiping Satan, completely contradicts that claim, and makes God look like the epitome of an unreliable guide. If the Bible was to be the sole rule of Faith, there would have to be a verse in Scripture that says it was.

Actually Scripture makes it extremely clear that most of what Christ said isn't in Scripture. The Catholic Church made the final decision to put together the Bible in the late forth century, after hundreds of years of debate.

Catholic Bishops decided which writings belonged in the Bible, and the Bible did not say which books belonged in the Bible, neither did the Scripture tell anyone to put together a Bible, which means that the Bible can't be the Sole Rule of Theology. If you don't trust the Catholic Church, why do you trust the Bible that the Catholic Church put together at the Councils of Rome, Carthage, and Hippo, and ratified by Pope Damasus?

Here is the online definition of a Christian:
Chris·tian
ˈkrisCHən/
adjective

1. 1.
   of, relating to, or professing Christianity or its teachings.
   "the Christian Church"

noun

1. 1.
   a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Jesus Christ and his teachings.

Apparently I'm a Christian, no?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

So, Im accussed of not being a Christian, but the Bible doesn't make that so clear. It is true that my behavior often isn't Christian, but neither was Pauls (or yours I'm assuming) who said in Romans 7 said
Romans 7:15-20New International Version (NIV)
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do

So, was paul still a Christian, because clearly his behavior often wasn't.

Romans 10:9 ►
New International Version
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." -God

I believe that, so according to Scripture I'm saved. So, since I'm saved, does that mean I'm Christian? Could you argue, you're saved according to Scripture but you aren't Christian?

I confess Jesus is Lord, believed he died for my sins, and rose from the dead...I believe in Matthew 25 that it is righteous to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, give shelter to the homeless,visit the imprisoned, welcome the stranger, forgive others, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

I pray often in Jesus name, make blessings in Jesus name, praise Jesus, invoke his precious blood, pray for the infilling and guidance of the Holy Spirit, meditate on the crucifixion and carrying of the cross when I'm suffering...and a lot of other things Christians do.

But I look at the condition and history of Christianity and what a lot of Christians are teaching, all sorts of talk about non-Christians all going to hell to be tortured for eternity for not embracing a belief (they didn't know to be true) and want to puke. A God who is love would not be more cruel than me, and I wouldn't put my worst enemy through so much as a month of screaming in agony while tossed about in flames (but he's going to punish them in such a way, because they didn't believe a Dogma they didn't know was true???) That is the most depressing unjust outrage I've heard of....worse than anything Adolf Hitler did. I don't want to insult God and harm my own mental health by believing something so repulsive and depressing about him.

One thing is I highly doubt that the Old Testament is innerantly inspired by God (Because it is totally in contradiction to what Christ taught), which means I'm not Catholic, because the Catholic Church teaches that it is, and according to a lot of Christians I'm not a Christian, because I'm disgusted with the Old Testament, and it is "The Word of God".

However, did Jesus ever say that a person who is ashamed of the Old Testament and thinks it is disgusting are Not Christians? Old Testament prophets disagreed with God, argued and fought with him. Does that mean they weren't Jewish?

So, please do explain your basis for saying I'm not "Christian". At the end of the day, I'm not Christian because I don't fit in your Dogmatic box.

Also, while you're at it...please explain why Catholics aren't Christian.

I disagree and even become nauseous regarding some of what the Catholic Church teaches, but I absolutely see Catholicism having more credibility than Protestantism, because the SolaScriptura Doctrine, upon which Protestantism was founded, destroys itself and is therefore completely illogical.


The Bronze serpent verse:

Numbers 21:9 ►
Parallel Verses
New International Version
So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

God specifically commands them to do the opposite of what he previously commanded them (Thou shall not make graven image). The graven serpent (a creature associated with Satan) was so important to God, that if you turned to God for healing and said you didn't need some bronze serpent, you would die. They relied on the serpent to be saved, for the grace of God would not be transmitted to them but that they turn to a graven image for healing. God also commanded them to make Golden Cherubim and that was where his prophet was to kneel and he'd speak to them between the Cherubim .

Exodus 25:22 ►
Parallel Verses
New International Version
There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.


It is quite common for God to command people to do the opposite of what he previously commanded, which is why the Bible confuses so many people and was never intended to be the sole rule of faith.

Also, in the video I'll correct myself about the date the printing press was invented. The first Bible was printed in 1450's...when I referred to the printing press, what I was getting at was an explanation of the reformation not taking place until 1517, meaning God waited more than 1500 years after the birth of Christ before what single Church on the face of the earth existed that condemned devotion to Mother Mary or the souls in heaven or statues.

If praying before sacred art , crucifixes, and statues Statues, or petitioning the souls in Heaven is Satanic (as many protestants say), that means for more than 1500 years after Christ walked the earth, there was not a single Church to condemn such practices, hence God would have done an extremely pathetic job of shepherding Christians, if every Church on the face of the earth for roughly one thousand 500 years was teaching people Satanic practices.

Jesus promised the Spirit of truth would guide the Church. To claim that all Christian Churches for 1500 years were worshiping Satan, completely contradicts that claim, and makes God look like the epitome of an unreliable guide. If the Bible was to be the sole rule of Faith, there would have to be a verse in Scripture that says it was.

Actually Scripture makes it extremely clear that most of what Christ said isn't in Scripture. The Catholic Church made the final decision to put together the Bible in the late forth century, after hundreds of years of debate.

Catholic Bishops decided which writings belonged in the Bible, and the Bible did not say which books belonged in the Bible, neither did the Scripture tell anyone to put together a Bible, which means that the Bible can't be the Sole Rule of Theology. If you don't trust the Catholic Church, why do you trust the Bible that the Catholic Church put together at the Councils of Rome, Carthage, and Hippo, and ratified by Pope Damasus?

Here is the online definition of a Christian:
Chris·tian
ˈkrisCHən/
adjective

1. 1.
   of, relating to, or professing Christianity or its teachings.
   "the Christian Church"

noun

1. 1.
   a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Jesus Christ and his teachings.

Apparently I'm a Christian, no?

Ima tell you honestly and kinda blunt.

You dont need scripture to be a christian. It is really simple.
Do you believe in a creator?
Will you live like jesus as jesus did his father (his life)
Will you do for others like he (his death)?
Do you feel you are saved from sin? (His ressurrection)?

You can commit a thousand murders and still be christian. I read in the bible god judges by ones actions.

He judges a -christian- by his actions.

So long as, imo, you have that cycle of life (communion), death (repentence), and resurrection (pentenence), youre fine.

Dont let anyone rock your passion for Christ.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

So, Im accussed of not being a Christian

LOL, join the club.

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." -God

Technically, Paul said that, with no proof God did. God had a tendency to eyeroll bootlickers with shallow, fragile beliefs.

.I believe in Matthew 25 that it is righteous to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, give shelter to the homeless,visit the imprisoned, welcome the stranger, forgive others, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

I agree with the issue in general. However, I think it's a mistake to play oneupmanship games with charity and such. We should do what we can to help others, whether on the small scale or the large. It is refusing to help when assistance was technically within our power that is the sin. It's not being unable to do a particular good deed.

But I look at the condition and history of Christianity and what a lot of Christians are teaching, all sorts of talk about non-Christians all going to hell to be tortured for eternity for not embracing a belief (they didn't know to be true) and want to puke.

This isn't new. Look at the apostles: even Jesus had to get onto them for wanting to exclude others every now and again.

If praying before sacred art , crucifixes, and statues Statues, or petitioning the souls in Heaven is Satanic (as many protestants say), that means for more than 1500 years after Christ walked the earth, there was not a single Church to condemn such practices, hence God would have done an extremely pathetic job of shepherding Christians, if every Church on the face of the earth for roughly one thousand 500 years was teaching people Satanic practices.

I don't believe God would make artistic talent and then ban art. It's just overvaluing said art that's the problem.

 

[BilliardsBall]

"Christian" means "follower of Christ/Messiah". Why do we follow Him?

One good reason to follow Him is to get to Heaven. Jesus said we cannot even see God's Kingdom without being born again (John 3:3, 7, 16-17).

If you are born again, you are a Christian. Born agains use the term "born again Christian" to distinguish people who've asked for the new birth from above from people who grew up in a Christian tradition but aren't following Jesus, etc.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

When I'm trying to decide whether someone is a Christian, I have two criteria:

- do they call themselves Christian?
- do they follow Christ in some way?

If they meet those two requirements - even if they don't believe in God - I consider them Christian.

 

[Spiderman]

So far, I like the answers. However, we still have someone who says I'm not Christian. I'm most curious to hear the explanation as to why I'm not. If you answered no, I thank you for voting, but would even be more grateful if you would leave an explanation for why you voted that way.

@1robin
I know that you seem to think i'm not Christian. However, you were also the person who pointed out that the number of votes carried weight on another thread, so how about the fact that the majority of votes here state that I'm a Christian? Please explain how I am not.

You seem to believe that a person has to have a scripture verse to make their every Theological point (Which the Bible doesn't say to do) so please tell me where in the Bible it says a person must be x,y, or z or they aren't Christian, that I may compare your verses with the other verses that likely say something opposite

Apparently your answer thus far about why I'm not a christian is you don't think I was born again? I'm pretty sure I was born again...I surrendered to Christ, received baptism of the Holy Spirit, asked to be reborn again, be transformed into his instrument with a mind, heart, and soul that obeys him. I've repeatedly done all that I could think of to do to make sure I'm giving him permission to steer the ship (as it were).

So, perhaps you are saying im not born again because of my sinfulness?...well, if doing bad things means a person isn't born again, that means the Apostle Paul and almost everyone else is not born again either:
Romans 7:15-20New International Version (NIV)
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."

So, since Paul doesn't understand what he does, does not do what he wants to do and does what he hates, does that mean he isn't born again?

Please do also explain how you know your Baptist denomination has the correct ability to interpret Scripture, because you placed a lot of emphasis on the fact that a person can't understand Scripture unless they are born again.

Well, for more than one thousand five hundred years after the birth of Christ, every Christian Church on earth (Coptics, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Churches) resembled Catholicism far more than Protestantism. They weren't Solascriptura (Bible Alone).

The "Bible Alone (SolaScriptura)" Doctrine of your Baptist Church was not embraced by any significant communion of Christians before the 16th Century. So do tell me, if such a Doctrine is true, why did it take so long for someone to come up with it?

So, are Catholics born again Christians? If not, please explain why not. Do you think asking Mother Mary or the souls in heaven is Satanic (most Baptists do)?

So, do explain, why was it that every Christian Church on the earth was so confused that they taught people to honor and venerate the souls in Heaven, thus greatly offending God, but God never raised up any Church to condemn such practices for over 1500 years?

Also, Martin Luther, the founder of the Reformation (and inventor of the "SolaScriptura" Doctrine) didn't throw out the baby with the bathwater (He was still devoted to the Mother of Jesus).

John 16:13 ►
Parallel Verses
New International Version
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

How could you say the spirit of Truth was guiding Christians if every Church on earth for 15 generations was practicing Satanism and the Holy Spirit never raised up one Church to condemn it?

Should we really have much confidence in a God who did such a terrible job of shepherding the people that prayed to him, sought his will, and gave their lives up for him??

So, are Catholics Christian? If not, where does Scripture say they aren't? Where does Scripture say that everything you believe about God or spirituality must be found in the Bible?

Where in the Bible does it say anybody should compile scripture into one volume (Create a Bible) or what sacred writings belong in such a book?

If you don't trust the Catholic Church, why do you trust the Church's decision about your New Testament Canon?

If you think the Catholic Church is evil (Which you stated you do), that is basis for not trusting in the Bible, for it was the Catholic Church that put together the first Bible and preserved the Bible and it's reproduction for quite a few centuries before Protestantism was invented.

Please do respond, because as a Christian , it is kind of your responsibility to answer theological questions. May the Spirit of God inspire you and reward you, in Jesus name!

 

[Neo Deist]

In the simplest terms, a Christian is one who follows the teachings of Jesus in an effort to be "Christ like" and receives baptism. The symbolic "accept Jesus into your heart" prayer along with the belief in the Trinity and/or Jesus is God is NOT a requirement for being a Christian. Those things are just traditional beliefs across several denominations. Traditional does not mean biblical.

Then you get into denominational specifics such as infant baptism, sprinkling vs submersion, purgatory, prayers to saints, which translation of the Bible to use, saved by faith alone, saved by actions, heaven, hell, the grave, soul sleep, cremation vs burial, accept blood, accept medicine, women's role in the church, etc.

I am a Christian (believe it or not lol). I was "saved" and baptized at the age of 12 on Mother's Day. I try and follow Jesus' teachings on morality, compassion and forgiveness. The only thing is that those teachings are not any different from other holy men, shamans, gurus, wise men, etc. It is just a reflection of how I was raised and from the geographic location of the world I live in.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If we're going by the Bible, it doesn't seem to me that it clearly defines the term "Christian". However, it does apply the label "Christian" to people who do some surprising things, like:

- being "not of God" (1 John 3:10)
- hating his fellow Christians (1 John 3:15)
- not having "eternal life residing in him" (also 1 John 3:15)
- not loving God (1 John 4:20)

... so apparently, if we're being Biblical about this, it isn't necessary to be saved, love God, or be a pleasant person to be a Christian.

 

[1robin]

So far, I like the answers. However, we still have someone who says I'm not Christian. I'm most curious to hear the explanation as to why I'm not. If you answered no, I thank you for voting, but would even be more grateful if you would leave an explanation for why you voted that way.

I know that you seem to think i'm not Christian. However, you were also the person who pointed out that the number of votes carried weight on another thread, so how about the fact that the majority of votes here state that I'm a Christian? Please explain how I am not.

How did I get quoted in this forum? It is generally consider polite to ask another person if they would like to move a debate to another thread. Normally I would love to debate this issue but as you have worn me out with contradictory claims by the dozen on another issue, not so much. However as it is my job to answer questions from anyone who demonstrates an ability to learn from them (which you haven't on the former issue we discussed) then it is my responsibility to respond (as long as it is justifiable) concerning this issue.

However I am not going to respond to what you have claimed but by making my own points from what the bible says and only this way can I do this subject justice and to not allow you to bait me into any particular response the way you tried to in the other thread.

If you actually wanted to know if you are a Christian or what is required you would not ask me, or make a poll for Pity's sake. You would immediately go to the bible or start praying. What no man says (including me) matters one bit.

Regardless let's see how we got here. Whether you agree or not you appeared to me to be making an argument that was an attempt to either incriminate God or to limit his allowable actions to those which you liked in the other thread. I only know you from those embittered, inexhaustible, and unremitting accusations against God. However I am very familiar with the argument you were making as it is used by unprofessional atheists and the occasions and rare babe in Christ and even they readily respond to the arguments I made. If you looked up all 12,000 plus debates I have had you would not a find a single Christian of any level of maturity that made the arguments you did. I could not help but be skeptical of a persons status with the deity found initially in the book you were trying to deny. I didn't but would be justified in any conclusion I might make.

You however went on to make another false accusation which concerned me this time instead of God. You have here in front of others (which was your point) falsely claiming I posted the conclusion that you were not in fact a Christian despite the fact I never claimed such a thing. I am very reluctant to make any firm claim like this concerning another and did not do so with you. This is another action I have had no Christian make. Why are you publically perjuring yourself?

First I expect you to retract in writing what you have written publically about me then I will take the time, not to supply my own conclusion or put my souls rightness with God up for a vote as you have. I will supply what Christ said about what makes a person a Christian without regard to whether you meet that standard in my own opinion or not because I can never know with certainty.

So you clean up your requests and retract your false claims and I will supply what you asked for. However unless you do so then I feel no duty or desire to carry this conversation that I was dragged into without choice any further.

I can say that every actual Christian I know personally would instantly and without question retract what you have said if they instead have claimed it concerning me. It's up to you.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I go by the Nicene Creed. If you believe that and do your best to practice what us Catholics call the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, you're a Christian in my book.

When it comes to the Old Testament, I find it's best to stop looking at it as a history book. It's mythology. "Myth", despite how popular culture wrongly tends to equate it with "made up", are sacred stories with deep meanings. The power in them are the various spiritual interpretations and the morals we come away with from them. I view them as metaphors and allegories. I don't think or even really care that/if most of the Biblical figures even existed. It doesn't really matter to me in my day to day life. I don't think the wars of the Jews, the Deluge, Sodom and Gomorrah, etc. actually happened. A lot of it was redacted from older Middle Eastern myths going back to the Sumerians. What matters to me, as with any great story, is the lesson we can take away from them. Fairy tales are the same thing.

 

[Spiderman]

How did I get quoted in this forum? It is generally consider polite to ask another person if they would like to move a debate to another thread. Normally I would love to debate this issue but as you have worn me out with contradictory claims by the dozen on another issue, not so much. However as it is my job to answer questions from anyone who demonstrates an ability to learn from them (which you haven't on the former issue we discussed) then it is my responsibility to respond (as long as it is justifiable) concerning this issue.

However I am not going to respond to what you have claimed but by making my own points from what the bible says and only this way can I do this subject justice and to not allow you to bait me into any particular response the way you tried to in the other thread.

If you actually wanted to know if you are a Christian or what is required you would not ask me, or make a poll for Pity's sake. You would immediately go to the bible or start praying. What no man says (including me) matters one bit.

Regardless let's see how we got here. Whether you agree or not you appeared to me to be making an argument that was an attempt to either incriminate God or to limit his allowable actions to those which you liked in the other thread. I only know you from those embittered, inexhaustible, and unremitting accusations against God. However I am very familiar with the argument you were making as it is used by unprofessional atheists and the occasions and rare babe in Christ and even they readily respond to the arguments I made. If you looked up all 12,000 plus debates I have had you would not a find a single Christian of any level of maturity that made the arguments you did. I could not help but be skeptical of a persons status with the deity found initially in the book you were trying to deny. I didn't but would be justified in any conclusion I might make.

You however went on to make another false accusation which concerned me this time instead of God. You have here in front of others (which was your point) falsely claiming I posted the conclusion that you were not in fact a Christian despite the fact I never claimed such a thing. I am very reluctant to make any firm claim like this concerning another and did not do so with you. This is another action I have had no Christian make. Why are you publically perjuring yourself?

First I expect you to retract in writing what you have written publically about me then I will take the time, not to supply my own conclusion or put my souls rightness with God up for a vote as you have. I will supply what Christ said about what makes a person a Christian without regard to whether you meet that standard in my own opinion or not because I can never know with certainty.

So you clean up your requests and retract your false claims and I will supply what you asked for. However unless you do so then I feel no duty or desire to carry this conversation that I was dragged into without choice any further.

I can say that every actual Christian I know personally would instantly and without question retract what you have said if they instead have claimed it concerning me. It's up to you.

I said you SEEM to think im not Christian. It absolutely seemed that way and from what you post, it SEEMED clear to me you didn't think I'm Christian. If my assessment was incorrect, I apologize.

Also, perhaps you should retract. I never said what you claim. I don't like God's actions, if those indeed are his actions. But I'm also not accusing him of doing wrong , because he decides wrong.

I simply stated the undeniable fact that he wants Satan to confuse, steal, kill, destroy, rape, and torture (if it is indeed true he can lock him up at any time ). Claiming differently is no less bizzare than letting a snake enter the cage with your pet, knowing the snake would eat it, and then claiming you didn't want the snake to eat your pet.

God made Satan knowing he would make Adam and Eve fall and do all the disgusting things that he does , therefore God wanted it, end of story.

I also said Moses got God to change His mind because he clearly thought it was asinine that God lead the Israelites out of bondage just to kill them in the wilderness (as he had planned. Scripture says "God repented ")....so, you don't think Scripture contradicts itself?

Meaning, it is Biblically sound to disapprove of God's behavior and decisions, and it saved Israel, so thank God Moses didn't agree with God.

Just because I don't like what God does, doesn't mean I get to define what is wrong. If God defines it's as beautiful, he is the one who gets to decide how words are defined.

I didn't contradict myself or as you say "make contradictory claims by the dozens", so you can retract your publicly verifiable dishonesty.

Also, My claim about "it seems you don't think im Christian " was not dishonest , because it certainly seemed that way.

And I have been accused of not being Christian...I've also had Baptists tell me Catholics aren't Christian, so if you feel that way, it would also be good for me to see the explanation behind it.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

@PopeADope

I think you are a Christian, but you're struggling with your faith at the moment. It's okay. It happens to the best of us.

 

[Spiderman]

@1robin
Also, please answer a simple black and white question. Do you think im Christian?
You don't have to know for certain, but I know you have the opinion "yes" or "no" . Which one is it?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

@1robin
Also, please answer a simple black and white question. Do you think im Christian?
You don't have to know for certain, but I know you have the opinion "yes" or "no" . Which one is it?

I don't want to sound mean, and, does it matter?

Many Jews spat at Jesus saying that he wasn't following god because he, Jesus, didn't follow the Jewish traditions of his own culture. They basically said they deserted his own religious blood. However, Jesus didn't ask them "am I still God's Son"; instead, he prayed about it. He went up on the mountain (can't figure the name) and prayed to his father about the situation. The devil tried to tempt him and it didn't work.

I'd say having a yes or no answer won't make you less Christian. I asked once if I am a polytheist here on RF. Then another time I was frustrated because I was told I wasn't a "real" Pagan. Then another said how can I be Catholic if I'm Buddhist. While yet another wondered how I believe a god when I said I'm an atheist.

I tell them (and for the record so I don't have to repeat it to everyone ) what I tell you:

I'm polytheist because I believe in multiple spirits. I am a Pagan because I believe in multiple spirits. (The difference is I do not worship them; that's not a requirement) I am Catholic by sacrament and will always be Catholic by sacrament. I interpret god as life not an entity and not a being.

So people call me a whole bunch of things but all they know is what I typed above. If people actually asked you what you believe, they'd see you are not just a label. You have a plethora of beliefs etc that makes you who you are. Are you a Christian? If you say yes, of course you are. NO PERSON has the right to say you are not.​

That is between you and God.

 

[Spiderman]

I don't want to sound mean, and, does it matter?

Many Jews spat at Jesus saying that he wasn't following god because he, Jesus, didn't follow the Jewish traditions of his own culture. They basically said they deserted his own religious blood. However, Jesus didn't ask them "am I still God's Son"; instead, he prayed about it. He went up on the mountain (can't figure the name) and prayed to his father about the situation. The devil tried to tempt him and it didn't work.

I'd say having a yes or no answer won't make you less Christian. I asked once if I am a polytheist here on RF. Then another time I was frustrated because I was told I wasn't a "real" Pagan. Then another said how can I be Catholic if I'm Buddhist. While yet another wondered how I believe a god when I said I'm an atheist.

I tell them (and for the record so I don't have to repeat it to everyone ) what I tell you:

I'm polytheist because I believe in multiple spirits. I am a Pagan because I believe in multiple spirits. (The difference is I do not worship them; that's not a requirement) I am Catholic by sacrament and will always be Catholic by sacrament. I interpret god as life not an entity and not a being.

So people call me a whole bunch of things but all they know is what I typed above. If people actually asked you what you believe, they'd see you are not just a label. You have a plethora of beliefs etc that makes you who you are. Are you a Christian? If you say yes, of course you are. NO PERSON has the right to say you are not.​

That is between you and God.

I know but I'd like to hear what someone has to say on the matter and why they believe an improbable, irrational , nonbiblical and impossible Solascriptura Doctrine

 

[Brickjectivity]

How did I get quoted in this forum? It is generally consider polite to ask another person if they would like to move a debate to another thread.

That is correct. It is also considered a provision of rule 10 that people should not quote members posts from other threads without permission. Its unfair to try to drag people into other threads.

 

[Spiderman]

That is correct. It is also considered a provision of rule 10 that people should not quote members posts from other threads without permission. Its unfair to try to drag people into other threads.

Thank you for that. My intention was not to move the same debate to another thread but a very common mantra Ive been hearing all my life (even from my own household ) is "Catholics aren't Christian", so I thought it would be good to have someone provide me with a Biblical explanation of what is a Christian and why "such and such " a system of beliefs or spirituality is not , and it wasn't relevant to the other debate, which is why I started a new thread.

Thanks for the correction though.

 

[1robin]

I said you SEEM to think im not Christian. It absolutely seemed that way and from what you post, it SEEMED clear to me you didn't think I'm Christian. If my assessment was incorrect, I apologize.

Also, perhaps you should retract. I never said what you claim. I don't like God's actions, if those indeed are his actions. But I'm also not accusing him of doing wrong , because he decides wrong.

I simply stated the undeniable fact that he wants Satan to confuse, steal, kill, destroy, rape, and torture (if it is indeed true he can lock him up at any time ). Claiming differently is no less bizzare than letting a snake enter the cage with your pet, knowing the snake would eat it, and then claiming you didn't want the snake to eat your pet.

God made Satan knowing he would make Adam and Eve fall and do all the disgusting things that he does , therefore God wanted it, end of story.

I also said Moses got God to change His mind because he clearly thought it was asinine that God lead the Israelites out of bondage just to kill them in the wilderness (as he had planned. Scripture says "God repented ")....so, you don't think Scripture contradicts itself?

Meaning, it is Biblically sound to disapprove of God's behavior and decisions, and it saved Israel, so thank God Moses didn't agree with God.

Just because I don't like what God does, doesn't mean I get to define what is wrong. If God defines it's as beautiful, he is the one who gets to decide how words are defined.

I didn't contradict myself or as you say "make contradictory claims by the dozens", so you can retract your publicly verifiable dishonesty.

Also, My claim about "it seems you don't think im Christian " was not dishonest , because it certainly seemed that way.

And I have been accused of not being Christian...I've also had Baptists tell me Catholics aren't Christian, so if you feel that way, it would also be good for me to see the explanation behind it.

You have taken the dishonorable option here so I will only point it out and wait for a retraction before I respond to your questions. You most certainly did not say that I SEEMED to state something in your posts opening statement. I will do what you did not do and provide what you actually said to support what I just claimed you did. You actually stated:

However, we still have someone who says I'm not Christian.

Do you deny you stated this sentence which I took word for word from your post or will you dig the hole deeper and pretend that you were not referring to me in a post that contains my forum name?

Not that what you stated I SEEMED to claim makes any sense to begin with. People do not seem to state things, they either type them or don't type them.

You need to fix all this garbage or I will not respond to your posts beyond this request.

 

[1robin]

That is correct. It is also considered a provision of rule 10 that people should not quote members posts from other threads without permission. Its unfair to try to drag people into other threads.

Thank you for the sentiments. The person I responded to seems not to understand how to quote others nor how to honorably evaluate another's statements. It is only my duty to Christ and not my duty to that person that has led me to not completely give up on them.

 

[Spiderman]

You have taken the dishonorable option here so I will only point it out and wait for a retraction before I respond to your questions. You most certainly did not say that I SEEMED to state something in your posts opening statement. I will do what you did not do and provide what you actually said to support what I just claimed you did. You actually stated: Do you deny you stated this sentence which I took word for word from your post or will you dig the hole deeper and pretend that you were not referring to me in a post that contains my forum name?

Not that what you stated I SEEMED to claim makes any sense to begin with. People do not seem to state things, they either type them or don't type them.

You need to fix all this garbage or I will not respond to your posts beyond this request.

Quite an infantile post

We had someone who voted I'm not Christian... I was asking anyone who doesn't think im Christian to give an explanation why. If that is you than it includes you as well. If not, then I'd like an answer from you anyway on the topic.

Also, stating you won't explain why someone isn't Christian until they deny the obvious is quite pitiful.

I chose your forum name because you were the one who most recently made statements that would indicate you knew what a Christian was.

You have not been the only person here who stated I wasn't Christian, so I was very well aware that maybe you were not the one who voted no.

I just assumed from your choice of words that you knew what a Christian was, so especially wanted to hear the explanation from you. I want to hear the explanation from anyone, but especially from anyone who would vote no.

And as I stated, since you asked me if I was a Christian and gave an incomplete vague answer about being born again, I was especially wanting to hear a further , more complete answer + explanation from you about "Christian " and how to know if one is " born again".

I think Jesus wants you to give a thorough explanation.

Since I was hoping for an explanation from you, because your last explanation was so incomplete and vague, that is why I mentioned you.