Who is a Christian?? !!

[oldbadger]

Before Covid I used to cycle around my local area and would visit chapels and churches which held tea'n'chat meetings. On one occasion I passed a Christian hall and saw a poster which read something like 'soup and chat', and I walked inside just as the event was commencing. A long table was set and many mid-aged and elderly folks sat around; I was guided to a place.

A very stern lady across the table fixed me in her gaze and an interrogation began:-
Who are you?
Hello I'm oldbadger.
Why have you come here?
I wanted to meet you, and the soup is interesting.
How did you know about this meeting?
I saw a big poster outside.
Do you walk in to any place because of posters?
Yes..... I often do.
Where else have you just walked in to?
Oh, lots of places. The Methodist church holds tea/biscuit meets on Saturday mornings.
She grunted what sounded like disapproval. I mentioned a few other meetings and then the room erupted.
I said....
Oh, and the Christian Spiritualists in T--------- offering healing and tea on Mondays at 1.30pm.

This stern lady exploded.
They are not Christians! They worship the Devil! All these evil people who pretend to be Christians...... Jesus warned us about you all! And that disgusting Halloween...... ............ well this carried on for minutes until she could be calmed down.

This has happened many times....... I once mentioned that we have JW Christian friends and we are pleased to let them park on our driveway when visiting homes in the area, and several Christians immediately pointed out that JWs are different, or not proper Christians......

There are many many differing churches and creeds, and so I wonder....... who is a proper Christian?

[Aetixintro]

[Replying to oldbadger in post #1]

I applaud your behavior. Posters are indeed invitations. "Who is Christian?" You know, there are Christians who see this as broad as possible, "Ecumenists", and they are friends with all other Christians. Yes, the Mormons too. We all share the Bible though there are some differences. The Catholic Bible is a bit bigger, for example.

Then there are those Christians who only mingle with people from their own congregation, etc. Just expect diverse social behavior from a religion that covers 2.2 Bn people, worldwide.

In fact, there are about 2.2 billion Christians in the world.

Source: https://statisticsanddata.org/data/majo ... 1945-2100/

Then there is also Grand Ecumenism that I expect to take hold in the World and they respect all religions except the unethical such as Satanism, belief in Evil. It holds that there is a lesson to be learned by every religion such as Shinto that teaches us about spirits of Nature, haunted places and all else. Religions, like the triangle of JCI, can be seen as one edge in a multi-edged geometrical shape.

Remember that devil-worshippers sneak in with the best people so much in life depends on reading people well and acting appropriately, like you did, OldBadger. You would not like to end up with a (professional) torturer in the very horrible wrong way, I trust you. Regardless, I bet you find more valuable people among the religious than with the atheists and non-believers. If you win their loyalty, they are with you for life, helping you out as best they can, practicing their moral code just like they worship God. Mind it also that humanists are not atheists. If people say they are atheist, they mean something.

[oldbadger]

I applaud your behavior. Posters are indeed invitations. "Who is Christian?" You know, there are Christians who see this as broad as possible, "Ecumenists", and they are friends with all other Christians. Yes, the Mormons too. We all share the Bible though there are some differences. The Catholic Bible is a bit bigger, for example.

Then there are those Christians who only mingle with people from their own congregation, etc. Just expect diverse social behavior from a religion that covers 2.2 Bn people, worldwide.

In fact, there are about 2.2 billion Christians in the world.

Source: https://statisticsanddata.org/data/majo ... 1945-2100/

Then there is also Grand Ecumenism that I expect to take hold in the World and they respect all religions except the unethical such as Satanism, belief in Evil. It holds that there is a lesson to be learned by every religion such as Shinto that teaches us about spirits of Nature, haunted places and all else. Religions, like the triangle of JCI, can be seen as one edge in a multi-edged geometrical shape.

Remember that devil-worshippers sneak in with the best people so much in life depends on reading people well and acting appropriately, like you did, OldBadger. You would not like to end up with a (professional) torturer in the very horrible wrong way, I trust you. Regardless, I bet you find more valuable people among the religious than with the atheists and non-believers. If you win their loyalty, they are with you for life, helping you out as best they can, practicing their moral code just like they worship God. Mind it also that humanists are not atheists. If people say they are atheist, they mean something.

Thank you for your post Aetixintro.... and 'yes', I think that an acknowledgement by Christianity for all Christianity would be a wonderful achievement for Christianity. Indeed, it would be wonderful if the people of the whole world would acknowledge humanity's loving/caring beliefs and opinions everywhere.

I see no reason why atheism and agnosticism cannot acknowledge other people's beliefs, just as religion should acknowledge atheist and deist beliefs........ but..... since some humans find it difficult to salute opposing sports teams then there will be large gaps in such hopes.

You mention that belief in Evil is not a trait of Christianity, or words to that effect. I think that Christianity acknowledges the existence of Evil very much, and history has shown us just how involved in it Christianity has been....yes?

And you have bet me that more valuable people can be found within religion than within atheism and agnosticism...... can you see how a gap is building already in our hopes?

I used to visit a Christian church's cafe when cycling around (Riverside, Whitstable, UK)....... A pot of tea, wonderful biscuits and a selection of newspapers for customers. Anyway, one morning a Christian lady who knows my agnostic wife came in with friends and saw me. Knowing that I am a Deist she approached and in loud voice asked, 'What are you doing here?'....... I told that I often visited (before Covid) and that there were no signs outside forbidding entry to Deists.
'You could put up a sign reading 'Christians only! I suggested, at which point other folks around took over the conversation and pointed out to her that a Christian's responsibility is to represent Christianity to pagans like me. She was most embarrassed, but I did enjoy the point.

[theophile]

There are many many differing churches and creeds, and so I wonder....... who is a proper Christian?

Whoever it is, I don't think their Christianity is defined by church or creed.

[oldbadger]

Whoever it is, I don't think their Christianity is defined by church or creed.

Hello theophile and thanks for your post.

And so....can I ask, how would you define a Christian? What would they be like?

[Miles]

Who is a Christian?? !!

Whoever claims to be one.

So far I've found all other answers to be too biased to be useful. However, I am open to being shown wrong.


.

[oldbadger]

Who is a Christian?? !!

Whoever claims to be one.

So far I've found all other answers to be too biased to be useful. However, I am open to being shown wrong.


.

Hello and thank you for your post.
Sadly, as already mentioned, I've met many folks who didn't and don't think like you.

[oldbadger]

Who is a Christian?? !!

Whoever claims to be one.

So far I've found all other answers to be too biased to be useful. However, I am open to being shown wrong.


.

Hello and thank you for your post.
Sadly, as already mentioned, I've met many folks who didn't and don't think like you.

[2timothy316]

I would think that the Bible would be the source to tell who is a Christian. Many say it's the Word of God, so shouldn't the One that gave the name also shape the critreria for who is truly Christian?

[1213]

..... who is a proper Christian?

In the Bible a Christian means a disciple of Jesus and I think Jesus is the best to answer to define who is his disciple.

It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
Acts 11:26

Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
John 8:31-32

Next time someone says that "they are not Christians", ask from him/her, is he/she a disciple of Jesus. I recommend to go with those who are disciple of Jesus and know what it means.