"Former Christians"

Originally posted by RJHinds
You are just an arrogant and pompous ass. 😏

And you're a lying cheat. 😏

I understand that you are really firm and constant in your faith and that you cannot see yourself losing it.

Who said I could not see myself ever losing faith ?

I already experienced having my faith leak out and away because of a conscience problem in my adolescent years.

It could happen again. My confidence is really in the keeping power of Christ.
We learn to take Him for our everything. He's my consecration.
I am not my own. I am bought with a price.

Stop yawning there.

In your believing days you may remember how Joshua set up a stone in the land of Canaan - Ebenezer - meaning something like "This far the Lord has helped us."

I am not so arrogant as to assume no future experience could not be a real shake up to my faith. But I practice to look back, thank the faithful Lord and praise Him - Ebenezer - This far the Lord has helped me. .

Now you know I tend to be verbose. And I know you aren't interested in one word of this post. Take it as intended mainly for those other readers curious as to how I might reply.

Originally posted by sonship
Who said I could not see myself ever losing faith ?

So, you can still see yourself possibly losing your faith one day? Well if you do, it will - according to the author of the OP - mean that you never were a Christian.

Personally I don't agree with him. Do you?

Originally posted by Proper Knob
And you're a lying cheat. 😏

Another arrogant and pompous ass. They seem to come in twos. 😏

Originally posted by sumydid
Every forum has a handful or more, so-called "former Christians." People who claim they were faithful believers (usually during childhood while they lived under their parents' roof). The Reformed Christian doctrine (which I adhere to) explicitly denies this possibility.

As objectively as possible I tried to analyze the claim and see if I could come up w ...[text shortened]... or you all. It's a sincere question and this is not a "trap" thread.

Thank you!

To paraphrase Mitch Hedberg...

I used to be a Christian.
I still am, but I used to be, too!

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
To paraphrase Mitch Hedberg...

I used to be a Christian.
I still am, but I used to be, too!

The writer of the OP said "I do not believe anyone who isn't Christian was ever Christian". Do you think this is true?

Originally posted by sonship

I understand that you are really firm and constant in your faith and that you cannot see yourself losing it.

Who said I could not see myself ever losing faith ?

I already experienced having my faith leak out and away because of a conscience problem in my adolescent years.

It could happen again. My confidence is really in the k is post. Take it as intended mainly for those other readers curious as to how I might reply.

The only interest they have in our posts is to find something they can use to put us down. And all I am going to say to that is GLORY BE TO GOD!.

HalleluYah !!! Praise the Lord! Holy! Holy! Holy!

Originally posted by FMF
The writer of the OP said "I do not believe anyone who isn't Christian was ever Christian". Do you think this is true?

No.
Once a Christian (saved), always saved.

While one may certainly get out of the chair, run around the room and never rest upon it again, you cannot take back the fact that you sat on the chair in the first place.

One act of faith, one act of acceptance: that's all it takes.
You're in forever.

Originally posted by FMF
The writer of the OP said "I do not believe anyone who isn't Christian was ever Christian". Do you think this is true?

Here is a simple answer to the original question...

No I do not think it is true that "anyone who is not currently a Christian never was a Christian" to paraphrase the question.

My definition of a Christian is somebody who firmly believes in the following:
- Jesus Christ was the son of the one and only God.
- He was crucified and rose again
- Faith in him can ensure us an afterlife

Given the vast number of slightly different versions of Christianity, that seems to me to be a reasonable set of core attributes to define a Christian. If you disagree, I would like to know how you would define a Christian.

There are a large number of people who have firmly believed these things at some point in their lives and then changed their view. Again, Google for "Atheist Priests" for some examples. Most of those people surely were once proper Christians by any reasonable definition.

--- Penguin.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
You're in forever.

So you reckon a Christian who abandons or renounces his or her faith - stops believing - is a Christian "forever" nevertheless?

Originally posted by RJHinds
Another arrogant and pompous ass. They seem to come in twos. 😏

Make that threes.

Originally posted by FMF
The writer of the OP said "I do not believe anyone who isn't Christian was ever Christian". Do you think this is true?

sorry to butt in.

The question [in the OP] is poorly worded because it is impossible to find a definition of "Chrisitan" that everyone will agree with.

Originally posted by Penguin
Given the vast number of slightly different versions of Christianity, that seems to me to be a reasonable set of core attributes to define a Christian. If you disagree, I would like to know how you would define a Christian.

I define it as anyone who claims to be Christian, with the qualification that if anyone has particularly radical views then it should be mentioned eg if someone says he is Christian but doesn't believe in God.
I certainly think that your third line of your definition is particularly shaky as witnessed by the frequent faith vs works debates on this forum. In fact I would say Paulian might be a better term for those that fit that line, if we were using descriptive definitions rather than my strategy of allowing people to use their own labels.

Originally posted by divegeester
The question [in the OP] is poorly worded because it is impossible to find a definition of "Chrisitan" that everyone will agree with.

At least three people immediately raised the issue of the flawed OP, in so many words, and were met with this: "Funny how most skeptics squirm in their chairs and spout off with questions and thinly veiled hostility, when asked a simple yes or no question."

Originally posted by twhitehead
I define it as anyone who claims to be Christian, with the qualification that if anyone has particularly radical views then it should be mentioned eg if someone says he is Christian but doesn't believe in God.
I certainly think that your third line of your definition is particularly shaky as witnessed by the frequent faith vs works debates on this forum ...[text shortened]... ing descriptive definitions rather than my strategy of allowing people to use their own labels.

Your definition was exactly what my first draft used, but I wanted to narrow it down slightly more than that to give the OP the benefit of the doubt. Your objection to my third point was also at the back of my mind when I wrote it. "Great minds..."

But whatever your definition, I think the Atheist Priests thing firmly demonstrates that there can be such a thing as an ex-Christian.

--- Penguin.