A definition

[ScioVeritas]

The word " Christian" is thrown around a lot and I'm wondering how people here define it?

Specifically, the question for debate is : what makes someone a Christian? Also where/what does your definition come from?

[arian]

A Christian is anyone who has faith in God through the story of Jesus Christ.

The similarities among Christians is that Jesus was born of a virgin, Was the Jewish Messiah who died for our sins and was raised from the dead and sits at the right hand of God.

I think pretty much all Christians sects today would believe that?

There are actually plenty of theologically liberal Christians who would reject the virgin birth, the Jewish Messiah claims, the substitutionary atonement ('died for our sins'), and the resurrection. There are even some (like John Shelby Spong and Atheist Quakers, for example) who would reject the literal existence of God altogether. It's really hard to identify any doctrines that all Christians hold in common. Maybe a belief that Jesus was, in some way, a special person?

Wow! So there are Christians who would reject the virgin birth, the Jewish Messiah claims, the substitutionary atonement ('died for our sins'), and the resurrection. There are even some (like John Shelby Spong and Atheist Quakers, for example) who would reject the literal existence of God altogether, .. and you suggest maybe a 'special person!?

Special Person - Oxford Dictionaries
1.5 Used to denote education for children with particular needs, especially those with learning difficulties.

[ttruscott]

From the OP:

The word " Christian" is thrown around a lot and I'm wondering how people here define it?

Specifically, the question for debate is : what makes someone a Christian?

Best I can tell, it's an inability to accept the homosexuals as human beings.

Joey this is sooo wrong I don't even know what to call it.

Christians believe that EVERYONE IS A SINNER and ALL SIN IS OF EQUAL AND ULTIMATE DISVALUE TO GOD!!!

This means no one's sins are less than another's and to pray, "Thank you GOD for not making me like those sinners and that tax collector!" is the epitomé of self righteousness, not true righteousness.

So if you really want to tell the truth of things about Christians say, "Best I can tell, it's an abilIty to ACCEPT the homosexuals as human beings!!!"

But I know that my sins are the same as the sins of the murderers, the rapists etc and I include gay sex here because the Bible condemns it but if I had to condemn every friend who was gay I'd have to condemn myself for my sins are of equal ultimate disvalue.

Peace, Ted

[DefenderofTruth]

I don't really believe in the term "fake-Christian", I think one either believes in the scripture or does not... I think people who believe seek to understand what the scripture says, even if there is different beliefs stemming from it. I don't think it is a major difference.

Let me give you an example. I don't think it is possible to believe in the scripture and not be convicted of sin. Either you believe the scripture and you are convicted of sin, or you don't believe the scripture...


Can people manipulate the scripture? ya, people can manipulate anything.. people can manipulate "love", that doesn't mean it is wrong to love and doesn't mean the scripture is wrong either.


But as far as for what the word "Christian" means, I believe it is to confess Christ...

[Zzyzx]

.

I don't really believe in the term "fake-Christian", I think one either believes in the scripture or does not...

Many Christians and Christian scholars and theologians believe SOME scriptures and not others. Are they Part-Christian? Half-fake?

I think people who believe seek to understand what the scripture says, even if there is different beliefs stemming from it.

Seeking to understand what scripture says can also lead to dis-belief when one discovers (or admits) that those ancient stories don't make sense, don't reflect the real world, contain errors / contradictions / inconsistencies, are not supported by anything other than themselves, do not stand up to scrutiny, etc.

I don't think it is a major difference.

Is this to say that there is not a major difference between JW, Fundamentalist Baptist, RCC, SDA, LDS, Holy Rollers, Episcopal, Branch Davidian, etc, etc?

Do they all believe the same things with only minor differences?

[dianaiad]

Wow! So there are Christians who would reject the virgin birth, the Jewish Messiah claims, the substitutionary atonement ('died for our sins'), and the resurrection. There are even some (like John Shelby Spong and Atheist Quakers, for example) who would reject the literal existence of God altogether, .. and you suggest maybe a 'special person!?

Special Person - Oxford Dictionaries
1.5 Used to denote education for children with particular needs, especially those with learning difficulties.

Never mind the equivocation here.

It's true that there are Christians who have some doubts about His divinity...some even have doubts about His existence. What all Christians have in common, though, is that they think that the teachings attributed to Him are good ones, and the claim to be Christian as opposed to any other belief/ethical/moral system.

Now...if you are going to ask 'who is Christ's,' that might be a very different topic.

[ScioVeritas]

Based on the replies then the most general definition I can come up with is a 'Christian' is any person who believes the God of the Bible exists and in general recognizes that Jesus was sent from God and that the NT teachings are integral to their life. This would exclude Orthodox Jews, but include Messianic Jews and then every sect within Christianity that has been mentioned here. Would you agree with that assessment?

[Stonez]

A Christian is anyone who has faith in God through the story of Jesus Christ.

The similarities among Christians is that Jesus was born of a virgin, Was the Jewish Messiah who died for our sins and was raised from the dead and sits at the right hand of God.

I think pretty much all Christians sects today would believe that?

There are actually plenty of theologically liberal Christians who would reject the virgin birth, the Jewish Messiah claims, the substitutionary atonement ('died for our sins'), and the resurrection. There are even some (like John Shelby Spong and Atheist Quakers, for example) who would reject the literal existence of God altogether. It's really hard to identify any doctrines that all Christians hold in common. Maybe a belief that Jesus was, in some way, a special person?

I know that early Christianity was extremely diverse so I suppose this doesn't surprise me considering I have never met two Christians with the same beliefs but I would have thought the main theme went right through today's Christianity. I don't think I have ever met a Christian who would reject Jesus being the Messiah but It wouldn't surprise me either...

[arian]

Wow! So there are Christians who would reject the virgin birth, the Jewish Messiah claims, the substitutionary atonement ('died for our sins'), and the resurrection. There are even some (like John Shelby Spong and Atheist Quakers, for example) who would reject the literal existence of God altogether, .. and you suggest maybe a 'special person!?

Special Person - Oxford Dictionaries
1.5 Used to denote education for children with particular needs, especially those with learning difficulties.

Never mind the equivocation here.

It's true that there are Christians who have some doubts about His divinity...some even have doubts about His existence. What all Christians have in common, though, is that they think that the teachings attributed to Him are good ones, and the claim to be Christian as opposed to any other belief/ethical/moral system.

Now...if you are going to ask 'who is Christ's,' that might be a very different topic.

Hello my friend Dianaiad.

First, you should know me by now, .. I don't 'equivocate', I tell it like I see it? Unless you mean the poster who said that "Unless Jesus was a special person" .. that he was equivocating? That's why I said what I said, to see if that is what he meant by 'a special person' or not?

Yes, I know what you are saying, but really, won't it make a huge difference if those teachings came from a 'special-person' that may or may not be needing occasional Thorazine, or shock-therapy to be able to function in society?

OR, .. what do I have in common with a 'Christian' like Jim Jones, who used those words of Christ to lure and then kill a thousand innocent people? The 'Words of Christ' does not define a Christian, .. anyone, even as I mentioned Jim Jones could read the 'words of Christ'.

Another words what I'm saying is that there should be a clear definition of a "Christian", and who we believe would fit that definition, right? Otherwise (as I believe someone here suggested) that "everyone who claims to be a Christian IS a Christian", and today, as was for the past 1,700 years that's about what we have. I mean we have 'Christian atheists' for Pete's sake.

I would say we should define first if the original group of Christ's disciples, who followed in the footsteps of Jesus, what I mean is 'The Church' itself, .. if it was a "Christian Religion" like the one Constantine created, .. or not?

I don't mean if some followed their love for their fellow man like visiting the widows and the orphans religiously, but the Church itself, .. was it an established religious Church, or not?

Because what we have today is organized religions crying out: "Here is Christ, come for we follow Christ's teachings, .. listen; (and here they read some verses from the Gospels) .. see, we have Christ, our name on our building even says we are followers of Jesus Christ!"

[DefenderofTruth]

.

I don't really believe in the term "fake-Christian", I think one either believes in the scripture or does not...

Many Christians and Christian scholars and theologians believe SOME scriptures and not others. Are they Part-Christian? Half-fake?

I think people who believe seek to understand what the scripture says, even if there is different beliefs stemming from it.

Seeking to understand what scripture says can also lead to dis-belief when one discovers (or admits) that those ancient stories don't make sense, don't reflect the real world, contain errors / contradictions / inconsistencies, are not supported by anything other than themselves, do not stand up to scrutiny, etc.

I don't think it is a major difference.

Is this to say that there is not a major difference between JW, Fundamentalist Baptist, RCC, SDA, LDS, Holy Rollers, Episcopal, Branch Davidian, etc, etc?

Do they all believe the same things with only minor differences?

I don't study Christianity based out of anyone of them. What i do study is the scriptures for myself. Which is what we should be looking to do for anyone of us that are christians.

Seeking to understand what scripture says can also lead to dis-belief when one discovers (or admits) that those ancient stories don't make sense, don't reflect the real world, contain errors / contradictions / inconsistencies, are not supported by anything other than themselves, do not stand up to scrutiny, etc.

Here is a question for you. You say in the face of all this scrutiny, then why would a Christian ever believe? Do they ignore the scrutiny, or does their beliefs has answers?

for instance "not supported by anything other than themselves".. do you think a christian would agree with that? And more importantly, is that a true statement?

[dianaiad]

[
,snip to>

Because what we have today is organized religions crying out: "Here is Christ, come for we follow Christ's teachings, .. listen; (and here they read some verses from the Gospels) .. see, we have Christ, our name on our building even says we are followers of Jesus Christ!"

I believe that this was my point; the equivocation lies in the idea that "Christian" equals "salvation," or even "truth." It doesn't; it's simply a handy classification of the focus of a belief system; a very big box in which a very great number of opinions fit.

So we can have all those buildings with the name of Jesus Christ on them..and a bunch of buildings that have names that do not include the name of Jesus Christ on them but claim to be Christian, and y'know what?

they are.

That doesn't mean that they are 'saved,' or, as I have put it elsewhere; sure, all these folks are Christian...but are they Christ's?

And that is a very different topic, and one that probably doesn't belong in THIS particular forum.