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What is Christianity, and what makes a Christian a Christian?

Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
It's My Birthday!
Gaura Priya said:
Well, Catholics generally have many children, and Mormons generally have many wives, so... I guess that's the only difference, really!





(Don't stone me! :shout LOL)
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LOL! I was just about to until I saw your last line. Actually, I think Mormons have as big of families as Catholics do.
 
Falvlun

Falvlun

Earthbending Lemur
Premium Member
Katzpur said:
Jeesh! That sounds so Mormon! ;)
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It also sounds like Islam and probably a handful of other religions. I mean, it's not like it's all that unique to believe that being nice to other people is a good thing or that we should love God with all our hearts.
 
Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
It's My Birthday!
Falvlun said:
It also sounds like Islam and probably a handful of other religions. I mean, it's not like it's all that unique to believe that being nice to other people is a good thing or that we should love God with all our hearts.
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I know, but it was actually the idea that each of us is "a child of God" that struck me, since there is an LDS children's song about that very concept. I don't hear non-LDS people use that phrase all that often. I don't know if other Christians understand this concept in the same way that the LDS do, but we believe that every single solitary human being is a child of God. I think it's a beautiful thought.
 
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T

the-jesusist

Emmanuel
ChristineES said:
A Christian is someone who follows Jesus and His teachings, which you can find in the 4 Gospels, and other places. There are many, many denominations due to Paul's epistles and interpretation. But the basic is following Jesus and obeying, to the best of your ability, His commands. We are not better than other people and we do fall short on occasion but we believe in forgiveness.
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Christians follow the teachings of their churches. Jesusists follow the teachings of Jesus, or Yeshua. Christians pick and choose their beliefs, Yeshua told it like it is.
 
Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
It's My Birthday!
the-jesusist said:
Christians follow the teachings of their churches. Jesusists follow the teachings of Jesus, or Yeshua. Christians pick and choose their beliefs, Yeshua told it like it is.
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Jesusists? Sounds like another word for "non-denominational Christians" to me.
 
S

SPACKlick

New Member
I find it interesting how little of this discussion ahs focussed on belief.

"Following Jesus's Teachings" is all well and good but plenty of people follow an interpretation of them without believing in Jesus's divinity or any divinity at all. Surely believing that there is a god and that Jesus was/was a representation of/an avatar of/the son of/an aspect of that god has to be central?
 
ChristineES

ChristineES

Tiggerism
Premium Member
the-jesusist said:
Christians follow the teachings of their churches. Jesusists follow the teachings of Jesus, or Yeshua. Christians pick and choose their beliefs, Yeshua told it like it is.
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Jesusist? I like "Follower of Jesus" or "follower of Yeshua" better. And not all Christians "pick and choose" their beliefs. That is a blanket statement.

Welcome to the RF.
 
C

connermt

Well-Known Member
Gjallarhorn said:
It's come up several times in discussions and debates on this forum. People will be arguing about Christianity without having a set definition. I have seen people claim that Christianity is accepting the entire Bible as fact, only the New Testament, only the Gospels, and some strip it down even less than that.

What I want to know is, what is the bare-bones definition of Christianity? The definition that if you do not adhere to it you cannot legitimately call yourself a Christian. Must you believe Jesus existed? That he still exists? That the Bible is true? Must you believe in God? Does the story of the virgin birth matter? Etc.

Anyone who answers, please check your answer for any hidden suppositions and add them to your answer. I'm tired of people posting oversimplified definitions.
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The only answer is that there is no answer. Christianity has no facts to support its claims. And when no facts are present, it's up to individual interpretation. And that never ends well.
 
IsmailaGodHasHeard

IsmailaGodHasHeard

Well-Known Member
Christianity is the state of being a Christian. Being a Christian means that you have changed your mind about all of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Friend, God, Lord, and Savior. That is all there is to it.
 
Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
It's My Birthday!
IsmailaGodHasHeard said:
Christianity is the state of being a Christian. Being a Christian means that you have changed your mind about all of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Friend, God, Lord, and Savior. That is all there is to it.
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What do you mean by "changed your mind"?
 
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Gjallarhorn said:
This I feel is the end stage of inclusivism. Anyone who wants can be anything they want. By your statement I have every right to be a Christian atheist, a Christian who doesn't believe in Jesus, a Christian who thinks Jesus was absolutely wrong in all aspects, or even a Christian who has never even heard of Jesus.
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The definition I use for "Christian" is something like "a follower of Christ, as he or she understands Christ".

I don't think this allows for someone who believes that Jesus was absolutely wrong or someone who's never heard of Christ, but it does leave room for a Christian atheist... and I see no problem with that. I've bumped into a couple of them, actually.

Katzpur said:
Jesusists? Sounds like another word for "non-denominational Christians" to me.
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Which itself is another term for "Christian who doesn't like to think he belongs to a denomination", IMO.
 
Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
It's My Birthday!
IsmailaGodHasHeard said:
What I mean by "changed your mind" is just that. You change your mind about being alienated from Jesus and you accept Him as your Friend, God, Lord, and Savior.
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So are you saying that before a person has acknowledged Jesus Christ as his Savior, he is alienated from Him? Then, at some point, he changes his mind and decides he no longer wants to be alienated? Do you see this changing of one's mind as also involving a changing of one's actions? Suppose a person has never felt alienated from Jesus? I'm thinking of my own relationship with Him. I was taught that He loves me from the time I was old enough to understand the concept. I can't remember a time when I ever felt alienated from Him.
 
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