What constitutes as a Christian?

[scorpia]

A Christian is someone who follows Christ, correct?

However, I have to ask myself, is that what I really do? Look at all this stuff; a television, a computer, a playstation 2, various CD's, DVD's, books, an excessive quantity of clothes, pretty looking paper-weights... *throws it all onto desk* but do I really need all of this stuff? People on the other side of the planet don't have any of this stuff. By all means I should sell it to help give someone else a better chance at life. But do I do it? No. Guess that makes me a selfish fool.

However, I believe in God, I like everything about him. Yet you're supposed to show that love by compassion/ charity etc. I haven't even learnt to love every fellow human. What does that show? I COULD go ahead and do all that, at any time. Nothing is stopping me. But if I don't it means one thing only; that I am simply weak willed. Blaming it on anyone but myself is even lamer.

Now with all that said, what does that make me? I believe in God/ Jesus/ The Holy Spirit, but I can't say a Christian; I've seen Christians with my own two eyes go out and make every effort to show their love, help others. They're the real deal and most of them are twice the person I am. And despite what people say here about them, this is after all the internet and you can't trust said over the internet too much.

[sue]

Look at all this stuff; a television, a computer, a playstation 2, various CD's, DVD's, books, an excessive quantity of clothes, pretty looking paper-weights... *throws it all onto desk*

All that, and a humongous desk.

Now with all that said, what does that make me?

Self-aware, and someone who wants to improve. Don't beat yourself up.

It does seem to be one of the problems with Christianity and the bible. There is an emphasis on being loving, but there's very little instruction on how to do that.

At the risk of sounding pushy, a book that's made a tremendous difference in my attitude is Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness by Chogyam Trungpa. It's an instruction manual on how to become a nicer person. I could be spouting heresy, and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that since buddhism is non-theistic, there's no reason why you can't benefit from the mental training that this book offers and apply it to your Christian practice. You can sample the first couple of chapters here.

[scorpia]

and someone who wants to improve.

Clearly though I'm not

It does seem to be one of the problems with Christianity and the bible. There is an emphasis on being loving, but there's very little instruction on how to do that.

I kinda see it as an emphasis of laws and the loving bit as being an instruction on how to do them. And it's only a few people I have problems getting along with. The problem is not putting it into practise.

At the risk of sounding pushy, a book that's made a tremendous difference in my attitude is Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness by Chogyam Trungpa.

Yeah. I had another book "Why can't I fall in love" which I ended up losing some time back. However, if a self-help book didn't do it then, why would it do it now?

[sue]

The problem is not putting it into practise.

Hrm. Well, you could start by doing something small.

Or if you know the people who are the "real deal" you could try talking to them to get some ideas on how to get past your rut.

Yeah. I had another book "Why can't I fall in love" which I ended up losing some time back. However, if a self-help book didn't do it then, why would it do it now?

Not all self-help books are the same, you have to find one that speaks to you. The one I recommended was helpful for me, but it may not be a good one for you. Earlier today, bernee51 recommended Essential Spirituality : The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind by Roger Walsh. It incorporates ideas that are common to all the major religions, from what I understand. I haven't read that one, but perhaps that is the one that you'd find to be helpful.

Or not. You have to find what's right for you. I'm just brainstorming.

[scorpia]

Yeah that's probably what I should do........

[Scrotum]

People on the other side of the planet don't have any of this stuff.

They dont? Tell me, where do you live? Or are you maybe one of these americans thinking you are superior then anyone else? You filthy americans having your SONY and SAMSUNG and VOLVO and NOKIA and.. Hold on, thats European/Asian...

Darn. I had this wonderfull american showing off his SAMSUNG phone to a KOREAN guy asking if he had this kind of technology in his country......... (Samsung is S. KOREAN)...

And i guess most americans dont kow that the majority (up to 90% of them) are using good ´ol swedish quality products, them making most of the worlds what is known as "vitvaror" in swedish, whiteware? No idéa what its called in english. (The stuff running your Fridge, Vaccuum and more or less anything domestical).

Your so swedisIcazied

[theleftone]

Scorpia,

Don't worry about Scrotum. He has his own superiority complex.

[scorpia]

No I'm not an American.

My apologies I did not mean to be condescending

[Scrotum]

Personally i use the term ´American´ on anyone whom shows great ignorans about the world.

No offense meant

[McCulloch]

Personally i use the term 'American' on anyone whom shows great ignorans about the world.

Personally I use the term American for anyone whom shows great ignorance about the world.

Besides being grammatically incorrect, your statement shows a form of bigotry.

Personally I use the term Middle Eastern for anyone whom shows a tendency towards sectarian violence.

American as an adjective has two possible meanings:

1. of or relating to or characteristic of the continents and islands of the Americas. In this sense, I am American and a Hawaiian is not.
2. of or relating to the United States of America or its people or language or culture. In this sense, I am not American and Hawaiians are.

Neither necessarily means ignorant.