What is a Christian?

[Simonline]

What is a Christian?

According to the rules of this site (specifically 2.1 Flaming) no-one is allowed to deny that anyone who declares themselves to be a Christian is actually a Christian?! That means that, in answering the above question, one is actually violating the rules of the site because defining the term 'Christian' is, by definition, to exclude and deny all who do not conform to that definition. Thus, as far as this site is concerned, everyone and no-one is a Christian?! In other words, the term 'Christian' is utterly meaningless.

All that glitters is not necessarily gold.

Simonline.

 

[SonOfSophroniscus]

The last Christian died on the cross.

Edit: According to Nietzsche, anyway

 

[Maynard Keenan]

You can give your personal definition of what a Christian is, you just can't tell someone they are not a Christian. You know what the difference is and I don't see the point behind this thread.

 

[Chie]

What is a Christian?

According to the rules of this site (specifically 2.1 Flaming) no-one is allowed to deny that anyone who declares themselves to be a Christian is actually a Christian?! That means that, in answering the above question, one is actually violating the rules of the site because defining the term 'Christian' is, by definition, to exclude and deny all who do not conform to that definition. Thus, as far as this site is concerned, everyone and no-one is a Christian?! In other words, the term 'Christian' is utterly meaningless.

All that glitters is not necessarily gold.

Simonline.

[SIZE=-1]Having the faith ,believing that Jesus Christ is Lord and following the teachings and manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ in their lives.
The Word tells us not all that say Lord, Lord will enter in the kingdom of God. So all that confess Jesus is not saved but that is not our call but his alone.
[/SIZE]

 

[Techservant]

It is widely debated, but the most common thing is that you have faith and believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you and me in order that we can have forgiveness and therefore eternal life.

 

[billwald]

A Christian is a member of the Church militant (on this earth). This is NOT a guarantee of election.

 

[Piedpiper123]

The meaning of a word is normally determined by how it is used. For example, most of us have a common understanding of what we mean by the word 'sun'. But the word 'Christian' is used in so many different ways that it is impossible to give a clear definition.

 

[*Starlight*]

I think that a Christian is a person who is trying to follow Christ's teachings as they understand them.

 

[Piedpiper123]

I think that a Christian is a person who is trying to follow Christ's teachings as they understand them.

Including those in extreme cults and sects?

 

[tulc]

Including those in extreme cults and sects?

You mean like the Early Christians?
tulc(because if you look at them, those guys were pretty...weird)

 

[Nadiine]

What is a Christian?

According to the rules of this site (specifically 2.1 Flaming) no-one is allowed to deny that anyone who declares themselves to be a Christian is actually a Christian?! That means that, in answering the above question, one is actually violating the rules of the site because defining the term 'Christian' is, by definition, to exclude and deny all who do not conform to that definition. Thus, as far as this site is concerned, everyone and no-one is a Christian?! In other words, the term 'Christian' is utterly meaningless.

All that glitters is not necessarily gold.

The problem with the rule as I view it, is that in not being allowed to point out what isn't "Christian", anyone is able to call themselves one (join as a Christian member), then post all kinds of NON Christian statements as a "Christian" - then tying the hands of GENUINE Christians from being able to call a spade a spade.

As if we can't spot a wolf in the herd? What's worse is, the utter CONFUSION I believe this causes when visitors/non members are visiting the threads reading all our debates - they have to be thinking: "what's going on here? these Christians fight each other & can't even agree on anything simple!".
We look confused & divided to outsiders. & that's becuz we can't call things as they are according to clear & obvious scripture.

That's the real problem here & why there's so much fighting in so many threads IN MY MOST HUMBLE OPINION of course!

 

[Simonline]

You can give your personal definition of what a Christian is, you just can't tell someone they are not a Christian. You know what the difference is and I don't see the point behind this thread.

The point is that according to the rules of this site a 'Christian' can be absolutely anything one wants it to be and no-one has the right to say that one's definition of a 'Christian' (including a mass murderer or a paedophile?!) is wrong?! Not only so but to exclude people from the 'Christians Only' forums on the grounds that they cannot agree with the Nicene Creed is to implicitly declare that because they cannot agree with the Nicene Creed they are not a Christian...that is a direct violation of the 'No Flaming' Rule 2.1 which states that no-one has the right to declare that one is not a Christian according to one's own definition.

In other words the rules of this site show that the people running this site have no concept of absolute Truth or joined up thinking.

Simonline.

 

[*Starlight*]

Including those in extreme cults and sects?

Well, yes... if they honestly try to follow Jesus. But it doesn't mean that they are good. I've seen some Christian extremists who had really crazy and dangerous ideas.

 

[SonOfSophroniscus]

I don't think there are many people with the right to call themselves a real Christian; those that do tend to get taken advantage of.

 

[SonOfSophroniscus]

I've seen a lot of those around, too.

I've seen some Christian extremists who had really crazy and dangerous ideas.

 

[Piedpiper123]

You mean like the Early Christians?
tulc(because if you look at them, those guys were pretty...weird)

I was thinking Klu Klux Klan, Jim Jones and his Christian sect of which nearly 1,000 killed themselves, Christian Branch Davidian (Waco) for some extreme examples. All these were people who tried to follow Christ's teachings as they understood them.

Some evangelicals don't regard Mormans to be Christians but Mormans believe they are following Christ's teachings.

 

[Maynard Keenan]

The point is that according to the rules of this site a 'Christian' can be absolutely anything one wants it to be and no-one has the right to say that one's definition of a 'Christian' (including a mass murderer or a paedophile?!) is wrong?! Not only so but to exclude people from the 'Christians Only' forums on the grounds that they cannot agree with the Nicene Creed is to implicitly declare that because they cannot agree with the Nicene Creed they are not a Christian...that is a direct violation of the 'No Flaming' Rule 2.1 which states that no-one has the right to declare that one is not a Christian according to one's own definition.

In other words the rules of this site show that the people running this site have no concept of absolute Truth or joined up thinking.

Simonline.

The staff sets the definition of a Christian for the purposes of this site as someone who agrees with the creed. It isn't flaming for the staff to tell someone, privately, that they don't fit the board's definition. If this rule didn't exist I guarantee you we'd have a plague of "You're not a Christian" posts. Everyone would think THEY saw the "wolf in the herd" when really it is just someone who has a different opinion. This board isn't about the members deciding who a Christian is and then the majority dictating that to the others. It is a place for Christians of all backgrounds and points of view to communicate.

 

[Simonline]

[SIZE=-1]Having the faith ,believing that Jesus Christ is Lord and following the teachings and manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ in their lives.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]The Word tells us not all that say Lord, Lord will enter in the kingdom of God. So all that confess Jesus is not saved but that is not our call but his alone.[/SIZE]

Having defined what constitutes a Christian you are now in violation of the rules of the forum because you have effectively said that any who do not say that Jesus is Lord or manifest the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ in thier lives are NOT Christians. That is a violation of forum rules.

Simonline.

 

[Simonline]

A Christian is a member of the Church militant (on this earth). This is NOT a guarantee of election.

By defining what constitutes a Christian, you have now violated forum rules (as elucidated above).

Simonline.

 

[Simonline]

The meaning of a word is normally determined by how it is used. For example, most of us have a common understanding of what we mean by the word 'sun'. But the word 'Christian' is used in so many different ways that it is impossible to give a clear definition.

Whilst you have not violated the rules of the forum (since you have not defined what constitutes a Christian) you have effectively denied the existence of objective absolute Truth. The definition of a Christian is absolutely NOT just a 'matter of opinion'. There is such a thing as a correct and incorrect definition of a Christian but, like you, this site also denies that.

Simonline.