Korean Job Discussion Forums

[EFLtrainer]

I think it's pretty bogus for supposed Christians to be excluding each other from the claim to the title of Christian, so how about an *honest* discussion about it? Personally, it's simple: anyone with a sincere belief in Christ as the son of God, who believes Christ died for their sins and is the source of their salvation, is Christian.

The trappings are, imnsho, just that and irrelevant to the discussion. Why one "Christian" thinks they are any more legitimate a Christian is beyond me.

That's my take.

[Dan The Chainsawman]

You are still not givin up on this are you?





Ok I will take a crack at it.

I agree to your basic premise about what entails a christian. However, I have to disagree on one thing. The trappings make all the difference in a true christian and a psuedo-christian.

Now I am certainly not stating an entire institution like the Catholic church need not qualify as christians. I do see that some affiliations take on the guise of christianity and bingo is their nameo they are christians.

For instance the LDS church claims very forthrightly to be followers of the bible, and the book or mormon. They accept the truth of Jesus's teachings, but honestly their further claim that he preached to the Native Americans in North America, and Joesph Smith stumbled around New York until he found a the book of mormon hiding under a rock is ... well doubtful at best. I do suppose if George Bush got elected for two terms then it is possible that Joesph Smith may well have actually found the Gold Card version of the book of mormon stuffed under a rock near his outhouse in upstate New Yawk.

Even though the Mormon Church follows the bible are they Christian?

[some waygug-in]

The thing is there are true and not so true believers in every church.

Only the person themselves can say whether or not they are really a
Christian.

What to you think the parable of the wheat and the tares was about anyway?

[Satori]

It's the people who call themselves christian that are the furthest away from the teachings of Christ...

[Rteacher]

A real Christian follows the instructions of Jesus. Unfortunately, "Churchianity" has managed to obscure some of the essential teachings of Jesus, and many leaders with sectarian interests have become materially contaminated by involvement in politics.

I think that there are connections between original Christianity and the original Vedic religion of ancient India. Recently, I came across a letter written in 1969 by (my spiritual master) A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada that sheds some light on this. (The letter is mainly in regard to the Krishna devotees in England acquiring more-or-less vacant churches - with the help of George Harrison...)

"...Sometime back I sent one letter addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, supposed to be presented through Mr. George Harrison, and I shall be glad to know what happened to that letter. If it was not presented before, it may be done so when George Harrison meets the Archbishop for the church. Actually our Krishna Conscious movement is genuine Christian movement. Christ means Krishna, love of Godhead, Who has His face annointed with tilak. There is a word Kristos in the Greek dictionary, and this word is supposed to be borrowed from the Sanskrit word "Krishna," and Christ is derived from Kristos. I find these things in a book known as Aquarian Gospel of Lord Jesus the Christ. Anyway, any genuine Christian will find our movement nice and perfect. We simply want their cooperation in this matter that they allow us to use their many vacant churches in the Western countries for rejuvenation of spiritual life in this part of the world. So if the Archbishop kindly gives us a church through the intervention of Mr. Harrison, it will be a great success for our movement..."
http://www.geocities.com/priitaa/gh_and_sp.htm (a great site for fans of George and his relation with the Krishnas - many stories and anecdotes...)

[joe_doufu]

I thought "Christian" meant "like Christ"... so those who believe in Jesus as a get-out-of-Hell-free card that allows you to sin however you please are not Christian. But those, including nonbelievers, who are like Christ in their beliefs in kindness, peace, charity, etc, are Christian. What do you think of that?

[Troll_Bait]

An Honest Question: Do you have to believe in Jesus' miracles to be a Christian?

Can you believe that Jesus was a man, and that his teachings were wise and great, and still be a Christian?

When I was young, the answer was no. However, when you look up recent dictionary definitions of "Christian," it seems that things may be changing.

This is from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (added emphasis mine):

Christian
adjective
1 of or belonging to the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ:
a Christian charity/organization
the Christian faith

2 describes a person or action that is good, kind, helpful, etc.

Christian
noun
someone who believes in and follows the teachings of Jesus Christ

Christianity
noun
a religion based on belief in God and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and on the Bible

(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=13403&dict=CALD


This is from onelook.com, a site that links to many on-line dictionaries (added emphasis mine):

Quick definitions (Christian)


noun: a religious person who believes Jesus is the Christ and who is a member of a Christian denomination
adjective: relating to or characteristic of Christianity (Example: "Christian rites")
adjective: following the teachings or manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ
name: A male given name (common: 1 in 1538 males; popularity rank in the U.S.: #236)
name: A surname (common: 1 in 4761 families; popularity rank in the U.S.: #564)
name: A female given name (rare: 1 in 10000 females; popularity rank in the U.S.: #903)

http://www.onelook.com/?w=Christian&ls=a

[Mr. Pink]

[some waygug-in]

I agree with Joe.

But it's not really my place to say who is a "real Christian" and who isn't.

That's God's job.

I hope and pray that all are saved, saint or sinner.

Whether or not that happens, I can't be certain. It's up to God to decide their fate. I may see someone living a very sinful life and it's easy to say "this person is going to hell" ..blah blah blah. But how do I know what God is going to do in that person's life? I don't.

[krats1976]

[khyber]

[EFLtrainer]

[EFLtrainer]

[EFLtrainer]

[Dan The Chainsawman]

The LDS members I have encountered in my time claim to be followers of Christ. However, you asserted from the get go that the trappings of a church had nothing to do with the ability to be christian. I dissagree as sometimes the trappings themselves interfer with the ability to be a follower of christ.