Am I a real Christian?

Originally posted by galveston75
Yes giving to anyone in need physical items is required by Jesus, not wrong there. What else did Jesus "command" his followers to do? Are you seeing only one side of the coin?

Jesus's own words:
Matthew 24:14
14 And this good news of the Kingdom "will be preached" in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will ...[text shortened]... mples he set.

So don't knock us for doing exactly what Jesus said for us to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many of you Jehovh's Witnesses are still living in the past by trying not to be a part of the present world. Today, we have better ways to communicate quickly around the world to preach the gospel. We have telecommunications methods such as telephone and television, whereas the disciples had to walk door to door or tel-a-woman.

Christians are spreading the Gospel much better and more accurately than you and your Watchtower cult.

http://www.goforchrist.org/middle_east_projects

Originally posted by twhitehead
That depends on which part of the Bible and how you choose to interpret it.

I was baptized as a child, so am I born again?

According to scripture no, I don't think so. Rebirth is a spiritual asset not a physical one.

Originally posted by hakima
When Christ walked the earth the disciples never called themselves Christians...
Jesus simply called them "friends"
and then he went away...

So what does it mean to maintain a friendship with one who rarely comes around? Does the friendship cease?

It has been said that "...we love him because he first loved us..."
In contemporary times I think there ...[text shortened]... ian is not the claimant but the Claimer...which would make humanity in its entirety "Christian."

Certainly scripture would support the notion that Christ died for all humanity.

Originally posted by galveston75
“CHRISTIANITY exists only where the memory of Jesus Christ is activated in theory and practice.” (On Being a Christian) With those words, Swiss theologian Hans Küng states a self-evident truth: Genuine Christianity exists only where sincere individuals put Jesus’ teachings into practice.

What, then, if individuals or institutions claim to be follower ...[text shortened]... is judgment: “I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.”—Matthew 7:22, 23.

Millions around the world subscribe to the delusion that being a member of an organisation somehow either validates their Christianity or actually provides them with it. Other remain in religious organisations because they are are captives of the fear that leaving will nullify their Christianity and lose them their friends and family. These organisations are the worst of the worst; religious prisons with walls as real as any place of incarceration.

Originally posted by josephw
Are you saying that your question, "who here can help me know if I am a real Christian?", is rhetorical, that you already know you are a real Christian?

Otherwise I answered your question, as it appeared in the body of your OP that you had doubts. Or perhaps due to grammatical inconsistencies I misunderstood your intent. That's entirely possible, but then again, maybe you're just not sure whether or not you are a Christian.

Please feel free to contribute to the thread premise which is not rhetorical; as you can see I am trying to engage with every contributor.

If you feel you have something for me and don't want to post it in public I will be happy to discuss it in private.

Originally posted by divegeester
According to scripture no, I don't think so. Rebirth is a spiritual asset not a physical one.

And is it a reversible process? ie can you stop being 'born again'? Could you then potentially be born again twice?
If being born again is a prerequisite to being a 'true Christian', and you are born again but stop believing in God, then do you remain a Christian?

Also are you willing to discuss the murder issue? Not only did I find that surprising, but I found it surprising that you seed to feel that other theists should have the same stance.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
Shrug. It's easy. Just believe that he really DID say all that stuff about caring for the poor and sick, and all the stuff about him rising from the dead and ascending to heaven were tall tales.

Yeah, that's what I call a common sensical atheist, or atheist for short. It's not like jebus
was the first and only to suggest we treat others well. I think to call someone a christian, is
to say that this someone believes in jebus the supernatural, spiritual saviour, which
obviously an atheist don't.

Originally posted by twhitehead
And is it a reversible process? ie can you stop being 'born again'? Could you then potentially be born again twice?
If being born again is a prerequisite to being a 'true Christian', and you are born again but stop believing in God, then do you remain a Christian?

Also are you willing to discuss the murder issue? Not only did I find that surprising, but I found it surprising that you seed to feel that other theists should have the same stance.

This is a fascinating topic and one that got some airing a few weeks ago with FMF you may remember. Christianity is split on this and it is contentious, but my view is that once you are born into a family you cannot be unborn from it. Spiritual DNA (my made up term of course) defines whether or not a person has been reborn. I do not believe that a person can lose that spiritual heritage. The challenge for someone who is at some point not walking with god is that what they do lose is the security of knowing whether they are in that family or not, but that does not change their actual state.

Many characters in the bible experienced this, the obvious example being David who was a conniving adulterer and murderer at one point in his life and yet was a men after gods own heart.

I'll respond on the murder thing separately.

Originally posted by twhitehead
That is why I questioned whether you believed in life after death and in God. It just seems to me that if death is not the end, then murder isn't necessarily all that bad. And if God is all hes made out to be then following his orders might be the best thing to do at all times.
Can you explain why you think murder is so wrong?
Can you explain why you wo ...[text shortened]... my questions as challenging your faith, but rather seeking to better understand your reasoning.

Murder is called out in the bible as wrong and yet god sent the Hebrews into bloody wars many times. I don't understand this. To murder someone is abhorrent but I don't know why other than I've been brought up that way and it seems obviously wrong. I struggle to explain why.

Why would I disobey god? This is easy. Firstly I'm not particularly obedient anyway, secondly I hold my belief that murder is wrong quite strongly and it would be a worse thing for me to murder than to disobey god. Would I kill to save my own life? Probably, I'd certainly kill to save the life of my nearest and dearest. But is that murder? Is killing always murder?

Originally posted by C Hess
I think to call someone a christian, is to say that this someone believes in jebus the supernatural, spiritual saviour, which obviously an atheist don't.

Jews can be Jewish by descent, by culture or by faith. Why not the same for Christians?

Originally posted by divegeester
To murder someone is abhorrent but I don't know why other than I've been brought up that way and it seems obviously wrong. I struggle to explain why.

Thank you for the honest answer.
What is your view about other theist who have less of a problem with murder. That is what really concerned me in the thread where it originally came up - you seemed not to be able to understand the position of the theist who puts God first and would murder if God told them to or less severely, a theist who would allow someone to die rather than disobey God.
It seems to me that belief in the afterlife should make loss of life far less important - so it seems reasonable that theist should value life less than an atheist. In fact it often amazes me just how much theists do tend to value life.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Thank you for the honest answer.
What is your view about other theist who have less of a problem with murder. That is what really concerned me in the thread where it originally came up - you seemed not to be able to understand the position of the theist who puts God first and would murder if God told them to or less severely, a theist who would allow som ...[text shortened]... fe less than an atheist. In fact it often amazes me just how much theists do tend to value life.

To be clear, are you talking about the thread "a life saved from the madness" send my exchanges with Kelly?

Originally posted by galveston75
“CHRISTIANITY exists only where the memory of Jesus Christ is activated in theory and practice.” (On Being a Christian) With those words, Swiss theologian Hans Küng states a self-evident truth: Genuine Christianity exists only where sincere individuals put Jesus’ teachings into practice.

What, then, if individuals or institutions claim to be follower ...[text shortened]... is judgment: “I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.”—Matthew 7:22, 23.

Well, when one sect twists the words of the Bible to fit their pre-made dogma, how can you possibly know what the teachings of Jesus actually were?

Originally posted by galveston75
“If You Have Love Among Yourselves”

One condition Jesus sets is this: “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”—John 13:34, 35.

Jesus requires his followers to have genuine love for on ...[text shortened]... writes former Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu, “espoused the same faith. Most were Christian.”

This chapter (Rev. 18) has an even greater significance than you think. I believe the modern-day Babylon is New York City.

Originally posted by galveston75
Yes giving to anyone in need physical items is required by Jesus, not wrong there. What else did Jesus "command" his followers to do? Are you seeing only one side of the coin?

Jesus's own words:
Matthew 24:14
14 And this good news of the Kingdom "will be preached" in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will ...[text shortened]... mples he set.

So don't knock us for doing exactly what Jesus said for us to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But you fit your works into only that tight little pigeonhole, as do most Christians. Like them, you believe the Bible says only what you think it says. Literalists stop more people from receiving help because they think only they are following Christ exactly. Such minutiae-monitoring does not help. *You* are missing the point of Jesus' words if you do not attempt to help any way you can, instead of playing the "No, He only said to help in this way" game.

I'm sure Jesus would prefer that we act where our strengths lie, rather than do nothing.

People with money to spare should not be discouraged from giving to those in need. People with time to spare should not be discouraged from giving that time to provide needy families with food and necessities.

Satellite TV preaching the gospel message, beaming it to every corner of the earth, together with the Internet, is reaching far more people than even your corporation does.