How many REAL Christians?

[Zzyzx]

.
Christians are said to represent 70% of the US population. However, many Christians who debate here (and speak elsewhere) declare that some fellow Christians are Not REAL Christians. Since there is no consensus in Christendom regarding requirements / criteria for real status, individuals and groups seem inclined to make up whatever suits their position " and apply their opinion in judging fellow Christians.

A self-declared REAL Christian Protestant may declare that Catholics are not real while RCC may say the Protestants are not " thus eliminating each other. Some posters deny real status to Eastern Orthodox, LDS, JW, 7th Day, Amish, Holy Rollers, Snake Handlers, Westboro Baptist, KKK, and/or other sects / denominations / groups " based on their personal opinion.

A cumulative total of sects denied real status seems to eliminate nearly every Christian (except the speaker's chosen sect, of course). How many are left? Would 5% or 10% be a good guess? If so, that would be LESS than the percentage of the US population who declare no religious affiliation (20%) including Atheists (2%) and Agnostics (3%). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligio ... ted_States

It should be kept in mind that Christians are not truthful in surveys about church attendance. Forty percent tell surveyors they attend regularly while church attendance statistics indicate that only 20% actually attend.

Can the 20% who actually attend church regularly be considered REAL Christians? If so their numbers about equal the no religious affiliation group. Are some regular attendees NOT Real Christians (but attend church for appearances, under duress, or whatever)? Are some who do not attend church actually Real Christians? How are such matters decided? What individual or group is authorized to judge?

Does the whole issue seem like a schoolyard inclusion / exclusion game?

[marco]

Well on that we can agree, you do not possess such truth and yes, I agree your powers are indeed too fallible but they are all you have.

Thank you, JW, for your generous confirmation of my inadequacies. It is always a pleasure to have your agreement in any matter. May your God go with you.

[Elijah John]

There are many outside of the JW ... who sincerely worship "the true God", the same one that JWs claim for themselves.

There are many that believe they worship the true God but believing something doesn' necessarily make that thing true; those that adhere to the bible and believe it to be the word of God therefore have a personal responsibility to compare their religious teachings with those in scripture to verify if what their faith is indeed in line with the guidelines therein.



JW


Do Jehovahs Witnesses Believe That They Have the One True Religion?
https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesse ... -religion/

Do you claim that Bible is the infallible Word of God? Prove it.

And while your'e at it, prove that yours is the only valid interpretation of the Bible.

You may want to start by proving that Jesus of Nazareth was Michael the Archangel.

Prove it.

Also, do you want to tell us how and why JW's failed with several predictions of Christ's return, and what was the last one, 1918 was it? And didn't you folks have to "spirtualize" that supposed return in order to avoid being proven wrong?

Not a very convincing track record, in fact one that all other Christians reject.

[Elijah John]

. Some posters deny real status to Eastern Orthodox, LDS, JW, 7th Day, Amish, Holy Rollers, Snake Handlers, Westboro Baptist, KKK, and/or other sects /

Does the whole issue seem like a schoolyard inclusion / exclusion game?

I wish you hadn't lumped the Klan and the WBC in with the others. Eastern Orthodox, LDS, JWs etc..base their teachings on love, not hate.

All Christians reject the KKK and The WBC, except for the KKK and the WBC.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 32 by Elijah John]

Hello EJ,

Thank you for your interest in my post and your questions are most interesting. I'm sure that if you posts them in their own thread and someone is interested enough to deal with them you'll get many interesting answers.

As it is, I posted my beliefs in relation to the thread question which is that personally I believe that the bible is the standard by which all Christians should assess their faith and addressed that specifically to those that believe that the bible is the word of God. Those are my personal beliefs, you and anyone else are of course free to believe othewise and I certainly have no intention of derailing this thread with discussion on biblical interpretation of the specific topics as mentioned. I know that there is a sub-forum for posting about the specific beliefs of particular faiths, and personally I would post such questions there (but that's just me, I'm in no position to tell anyone else what to do).

Hope you find some answers to the questions whatever you chose to do with them,


JW

[JLB32168]

Since you don't necessarily believe in the resurrection or the the ascension of Jesus yourself:

But I do believe in those things. I cant prove they occurred and would never say that they definitely did, but still believe theyre true.

I was more addressing what I felt was a silly question.

[Zzyzx]

.

All Christians reject the KKK and The WBC, except for the KKK and the WBC.

I don't know about that EJ,

"What we uncovered was truly shocking. Anyone who thinks the Klan is a remnant of a bygone America will be disturbed to learn their numbers are growing," says British director Dan Vernon, who spent seven months with the Klansmen".
http://www.theweek.co.uk/64369/ku-klux- ... sions-soar

The gains might well be primarily here in the Bible Belt (stronghold of the Klan) -- and new members are not likely to be Atheists.

Likewise, here in the Bible Belt WBC is not dismissed by some Christians (who probably share homophobia and hatred).

Things might be different in New England and on the West Coast.

[marco]

I wish you hadn't lumped the Klan and the WBC in with the others. Eastern Orthodox, LDS, JWs etc..base their teachings on love, not hate.

One lives and learns - I have led a sheltered life never guessing such folk existed as the WBC. Here they would be sectioned, that is placed in a hospital for the mentally bewildered and perhaps a Roman Catholic priest would perform an exorcism. It would make a fine film.
If a lunatic declares he's a real Christian, do we take him seriously?

[Elijah John]

.

All Christians reject the KKK and The WBC, except for the KKK and the WBC.

I don't know about that EJ,

"What we uncovered was truly shocking. Anyone who thinks the Klan is a remnant of a bygone America will be disturbed to learn their numbers are growing," says British director Dan Vernon, who spent seven months with the Klansmen".
http://www.theweek.co.uk/64369/ku-klux- ... sions-soar

The gains might well be primarily here in the Bible Belt (stronghold of the Klan) -- and new members are not likely to be Atheists.

Likewise, here in the Bible Belt WBC is not dismissed by some Christians (who probably share homophobia and hatred).

Things might be different in New England and on the West Coast.

Even Evangelicals condemn the WBC, I have never heard of support for them outside, of course, of the WBC. But if you have in your area, I certainly cannot dispute your experience.

And the Klan's influence and membership is declining dramatically, last I heard.

But mentioning those two hate groups in the same sentence as Eastern Orthodox, LDS, JW etc. especially, seems wrong.

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 32 by Elijah John]

Hello EJ,

Thank you for your interest in my post and your questions are most interesting. I'm sure that if you posts them in their own thread and someone is interested enough to deal with them you'll get many interesting answers.

As it is, I posted my beliefs in relation to the thread question which is that personally I believe that the bible is the standard by which all Christians should assess their faith and addressed that specifically to those that believe that the bible is the word of God. Those are my personal beliefs, you and anyone else are of course free to believe othewise and I certainly have no intention of derailing this thread with discussion on biblical interpretation of the specific topics as mentioned. I know that there is a sub-forum for posting about the specific beliefs of particular faiths, and personally I would post such questions there (but that's just me, I'm in no position to tell anyone else what to do).

Hope you find some answers to the questions whatever you chose to do with them,


JW

Hi JW, the topic relates to who and who is not a "real" Christian. You seem to be claiming that ONLY JW's are "real Christians" are you not?

And you base that claim on your group's unique interpretation of the Bible, suggesting that all others have the "wrong" interpretation of the Bible.

And also implicit in your claim is the infallibility of the Bible. And that is not a given on this forum.

And so, I think my comments are entirely relevant to the OP.

And your unwillingness, or inability to address them seems a dodge to me, and perhaps to the reader as well.

Having said all that, I address the question to Z, the author of the OP. Is this line of questioning relevant to your thread?

If not, I will suspend it in favor of a more appropriate one.

It just baffles me how someone can be so confident they are right, and all other (groups) are wrong, when one cannot, or will not prove that they are right!

[JehovahsWitness]

Hi JW, the topic relates to who and who is not a "real" Christian.

Yes, and I think I was clear, my personal opinion is that real christians ar those that adhere to the teachings of Christ as presented in the bible. Why do I believe that? Because I believe the bible is the word of God* and only He is in a position to set the standard. And that is not a given on this forum? I know, that is a given about my beliefs, which I am stating. It is also a fact about the official beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses which is a fact, which I am stating. I am not saying anyone else has to believe it or accept that to be true. The thread question is essentially an opinion based one and I am sharing my opinion.

Obviously I believe Jehovah's Witnesses meet that standards or I wouldn't be one, that much is self evident. If you want more information about the Jehovah's Witness interpretation of scripture and OP are happy for you to discuss that in this thread, fine, ask away. Like I said, I hope someone will want to respond to you.

JW

* Personally I never use the expression "infallible word of God" in relation to the bible because I'm never sure what people mean when they say that and want to avoid confusion