What is a True Christian?

Yes, I have watched the 700 Club.Pat Robertson and Jerrry Falwell are racist, homophobic, sexist, anti-intellectual power mongers, showing little in the way of Christian values.They are the ones who blamed the ACLU for the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and even claimed that the prayer drive they hosted was what caused a homosexually-caused hurricane to drift off to sea instead of hitting southern Florida.Yes, you read that right. They believed that gays cause hurricanes.

Don't forget, Schraf, that though you hate Robertson and Falwell, they are Biblically correct on all points of yours and yes, Sodom and Gomorah was the result of debauchery including homosexuality. The Bible is full of the consequences of disobedience to Biblical principles. It's the Bible you seem to [i]really[/ii] hate.

are certainly Christians. They are also ungodly and as I have said before, should Jesus return they can hope for nothing less than an asswhopping. They are Christianity at its worst and pretty sorry excuses as Humans to boot.Help, it's fallen and I can't get it up.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Am I reading this right? Pat and Jerry (and the others in attendence) prayed to remove a hurricane that God sent in the first place?Can that be considered "Praying for protection"? Is God following the Mafia's examples?As far as gays 'cuasing' hurricanes, Schraf, maybe you'll remember a certain song by the Dead Milkmen called Stuart?lol

It almost feels appropriate to repeat the old saw, "If the Bible told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?" Expressed more directly, just how hateful and/or anachronistic does your interpretation of a Biblical passage have to be before you'd question it? Are there no limits?Pursuing this too far would take us off topic, but I guess we could explore whether a true Christian accepts a literally inerrant Bible.--Percy

Percy askes... I do not believe that is off topic at all. And I think that it is important to learn some of the beliefs in that area. I would imagine that those who consider themselves Christians will fall into two distinct camps, those who believe that a Christian Must take the Bible literally, and those who believe that a Christian Must Not take the Bible literally.That is an important distinction and one that I think needs to be made. I doubt that it can be resolved but I do think that it is the bottom line crux of all of the disagreements.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

I agree lying/killing both come from the source of bad or evil. But I personally (opinion) think killing is the worst crime and is not on the same level as lying. I could lie about doing a good thing, "No, I didn't give to the poor I tell you!" Yet that would just be a private/humble good person. Also, killing isn't black and white either, BUT if Hitler killed millions of Jews then obviously we can discern that he differs from the average Joe/christian, even atheist. I think we could only define him as a homicidal nutcase, if we were judging him, which we are not.

So are they both tue Christians or what? How much does a Christian have to believe the bible before they are considered a true Christian? Do they have to only believe in the bible, or actually follow all or some of its teachings?This is a desperately vague subject - I've seen fundies throw around the definition lightly without having it explained properly. What can we all agree is absolutely necessary to be a true Christian? The general consensus is that only a belief in Jesus is necessary - which of course makes Hitler and any number of other madmen 'true' Christians.Anyway this topic naturally leads to this question - if someone displays characteristics that are inconsistant with our definition, are they not true Christians, and are we allowed to call them as such?The Rock Hound

Now just imagine if you could be that super cool athiest, and proclaim Christ as your saviour at the same time, woa!

He also qualified as a genuine nut case.If you mistake what the teachings of Christ are supposed to mean, are you still a Christian?

Man, not God.

And who here is the arbiter of what the teachings of Christ are suppose to mean?We have numerous members here whom, I'm sure, "think" they are true Christians...but many of them have differences of opinion on just exactly what the teachings mean.It all comes down to "I'm right, you're wrong" whether this is expressly stated or not.

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Asgara
"Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever....but get over it"http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com

Wouldn't mean that the Bible contradicts itself.
I haven't found the Bible to do that.I take the Bible for what is worth, when Genisis was written, it was a dream interpretation from Moses. Alot could be lost in translations, of both the dream and the translations. But that doesn't make it wrong either.

The arbiter of what is right and wrong is the Holy Spirit.
Unless you are Spirit filled, and following the Spirit, the true spirit, then you could be miss-guided.I have also heard of people being filled by demon spirits, thinking it was the Holy Spirit, but that is second hand info.Too many Christians are not Spirit filled.
The Holy Spirit is so awesome.

I take this to mean that you believe YOU are filled by the Holy Spirit?(Of course YOU would know whether or not it was the "true" spirit and not a demon spirit)

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Asgara
"Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever....but get over it"http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com