Who is christian?

Originally posted by VoidSpirit
as you can see from my post above, this issue is already resolved.

So now the statement is that there may be some who follow Christ's teachings accurately, but they must be detached from society to do so? Is that what you said?

How is that logical?

Originally posted by Suzianne
So now the statement is that there may be some who follow Christ's teachings accurately, but they must be detached from society to do so? Is that what you said?

How is that logical?

He must be agreeing with the JWs idea of being no part of this world.

Originally posted by whodey
Peter even denied him three times!! 😉

He did that to fulfill a prophecy of Jesus.

Originally posted by stoker
too early in morning to be drunk?? you are correct who does his work over claim to do it is a christian but its jesus say in the end if you call yourself christian ive no problem with that

You seem to be a diplomatic person, but it must be apparent to you that
karoly aczel is no Christian.

Originally posted by Suzianne
you've heard of grace, I asume?

we are exhorted not to put our faith in works, lest any should boast. But the JWs put their faith in works, because they're used to boasting. (BTW, they are the ones claiming their Christian brothers are not Christian, which incidentally, is not a very Christian thing to do. Ironic, eh?)

I do not claim the JWs as Christian brothers because I have studied with them.
You may think I do not act very Christian and embarass other Christians, but
I find it hard to keep the truth within me and not declare it regardless of the
animosity it creates toward me.

Originally posted by VoidSpirit
could be. such people would have to be completely detached from society. you or i would probably never meet such a person.

I would contend that I have although I couldn't be 100% sure

Originally posted by Suzianne
So now the statement is that there may be some who follow Christ's teachings accurately, but they must be detached from society to do so? Is that what you said?

How is that logical?

it's religion. it doesn't have to be logical.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
During my reading of recent threads I am more confused than ever as to who the "real christians" are.
The JW's claim that christians are not actually the real christians , while not claiming that title for themselves either.

I have my own ideas on who the real christians are, but I would appreciate it if someone could explain to me who the real christians are and why.

the answer is very simply explained by Jesus himself,

(John 13:34-35) . . .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.”

Ask yourself the question, which Christian denominations have demonstrated this
love. We can rule out all those involved in acts of warfare, for sure.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Oh, I see. That is a good point , but there may well be a few (granted they aren't prolific by any measure) who follow christs teachings accuratley. The thing is christians themselves cant agree on what the exact message was.

An extreme opinion about this was the one given by Nietzsche. He stated " The last Christian died on the cross ". However, for a Hindu person like me a true Christian will be the one like the forgiving father in the parable of the prodigal son or the person who saves the life of the ass in the other parable whose title I am unable to recall immediately.
A true Christian will be broad minded about people from other faiths or even atheists.
He will be kind and loving in his approach to all others.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
...but I would appreciate it if someone could explain to me who the real christians are and why.

Language is a collaborative effort between the speaker and the listener. In most cases definitions are agreed by most people and thus standardized (and put in dictionaries). However, whenever there is a disagreement, there is no 'correct' or 'true' meaning of a given word. There is only 'what the speaker means' and 'what the listener understands' and if the speaker is willing to define his words before he uses them and the listener is willing to listen to said definition then we can communicate.
When we attach too much value to a given definition however we end up refusing to accept other peoples definitions and communication either breaks down, or we spend our time arguing over words.

When someone tells me they want to call themselves Christian, then I accept that as a definition and accept that they are Christian. However if they then say "being Christian means following the teachings of Christ" but they clearly do not follow said teachings then I may call them on it and ask them to choose between maintaining the definition and claiming to fit the definition.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Oh come now...surely you guys have a fair idea. Give it a go.



BTW I'm sick of people saying that only Jesus can do this or that, that only he can fix the world ,that we are powerless without him,etc. It is precisely this type of thinking that the powers-that-be want you to keep believing. If we all pulled together, forgot about our taboos and su ...[text shortened]... of "just wait til you die and you will be saved if you believe in Jesus". UNBELIVABLE!!
😞

Matthew 7:1-5 (King James Version)

Matthew 7
1Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

So you see my friend, it is not for me to say if sumydid, robbie , Galveston et al. are saved, or followers of Christ. It is up to me to do the best I can to stay on the straight and narrow.
Cheers

Originally posted by rvsakhadeo
An extreme opinion about this was the one given by Nietzsche. He stated " The last Christian died on the cross ". However, for a Hindu person like me a true Christian will be the one like the forgiving father in the parable of the prodigal son or the person who saves the life of the ass in the other parable whose title I am unable to recall immediately. ...[text shortened]... from other faiths or even atheists.
He will be kind and loving in his approach to all others.

you perhaps mean the parable of the Good Samaritan

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
the answer is very simply explained by Jesus himself,

(John 13:34-35) . . .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 [b]all will know that you
are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”

Ask yourself the question, which Christian denominati ...[text shortened]... have demonstrated this
love. We can rule out all those involved in acts of warfare, for sure.[/b]

Oh come now. There's hardly a difference between that and Dasa saying anyone who has ever eaten meat is ungodly.

Do you not get the irony of you deciding who is Christian and who isn't?

Anyone who steps up and makes sweeping judgments on others becomes the object of Christ's parable on judging others.

And by they, Christ's commandment for His disciples to love fellow disciples, has little relevance in situations like the war against fanatic Muslim terrorism. Just sayin'.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
(John 13:34-35) . . .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.”

Obviously, Christ should have added to the text, ......if you have love among yourselves and are a member of the JW which is the only organization capable of showing such love.

Originally posted by sumydid
Oh come now. There's hardly a difference between that and Dasa saying anyone who has ever eaten meat is ungodly.

Joke all you want, but Dasa is right. The Veders are the source of all knowledge. They are billions of years old and have the peferct language with the perfect diet and inerestingly, they have perfect tan lines as well. Unfortunately, however, their oral hygiene is much to be desired. Perhaps oral hygiene is the last aspect of their existence to be conquered before they enter into the Veda Nervana happy hour.