Blurring the lines.

[Drich]

Which of the 40,000+ denominations are the True Christians? If you go by the book, the only candidates are the fundies, not those fake ass cherry pickin Christians. And I don't know about you, but I prefer to have moderates than a world of only the WBC. To me, they're just claiming false bullshit all the same.

All Canonically based Teachings of Jesus Christ centered religions.

---

Just an open ended question.

What's with blurring the lines between those who claim Christianity and those who actually practice it? We've had a couple of recent examples of you guys assuming everyone who claims to be christian happens to be Christian just on their proclaimation. Why is this? I have brought up that Christ himself says in Mat 7 that not everyone who claims to be a follower is indeed a follower. What's more he even went so far as to say even some of those who do great things in His name are followers of Christ. But only those who do the will of the Father.

This means that a Follower of Christ is one who follows the instructions given to us to follow. Not anyone who just calls out 'Lord, Lord.'

I hope none of you think that God is bound by your understanding of some death bed effort on your part to keep you out of Hell.

Because our criticism of Christianity isn't just about what it teaches but also the consequences of its teachings. Regardless of the fact that you want us to make an entirely subjective distinction, that distinction is completely unnecessary for us to make.

Then please explain why you all defend say a Mormon's right to be called a Christian?

[The Grand Nudger]

Mormons claim to believe in christ. Case closed. You claim to believe in christ - case closed...or no? If this simple principle is getting smashed to peices on the rock of your skull...I could always quote your god-man and ask you why you're being so very unchristian...lol. For some reason, though, I don't think it would help.

[Cinjin]

What's with blurring the lines between those who claim Christianity and those who actually practice it?

Yeah - if there's a line between the two, the party responsible for blurring it is NOT the unbelievers.
You people are so divided on whats what, we couldn't have possibly muddied it further.

[Minimalist]

What's with blurring the lines between those who claim Christianity and those who actually practice it?

All of you are full of shit. That does make for blurry lines.

[Spooky]

What's with blurring the lines between those who claim Christianity and those who actually practice it?

All of you are full of shit. That does make for blurry lines.

Smeared lines?

[Brian37]

Just an open ended question.

What's with blurring the lines between those who claim Christianity and those who actually practice it? We've had a couple of recent examples of you guys assuming everyone who claims to be christian happens to be Christian just on their proclaimation. Why is this? I have brought up that Christ himself says in Mat 7 that not everyone who claims to be a follower is indeed a follower. What's more he even went so far as to say even some of those who do great things in His name are followers of Christ. But only those who do the will of the Father.

This means that a Follower of Christ is one who follows the instructions given to us to follow. Not anyone who just calls out 'Lord, Lord.'

I hope none of you think that God is bound by your understanding of some death bed effort on your part to keep you out of Hell.

You practice a sport, your practice a skill, you believe in a god, nothing to practice about blindly swallowing something.

Now if the rituals in religion I guess you can "practice", but that to me would be like reciting a Vulcan prayer at a comic book convention.

God is an empty concept, there is no evidence for any god claimed in our species history.

[Cinjin]

I hope none of you think that God is bound by your understanding of some death bed effort on your part to keep you out of Hell.

We should probably remind you that we don't believe in god.
Ergo: moot point.

[Drich]

Courtesy. It's not our job to police who is and isn't a real ™ Christian. Christians seem happy to accept nominal Christians into the fold when the topic is what percentage of (say) Americans are Christians. Neil Tyson calls himself an agnostic when he's clearly an agnostic atheist, but if he doesn't want to call himself an atheist, that's his right. If someone wants to call themselves a Christian, that's their right. If you have a problem with who is calling themseleves Christian, take it up with them.

Actually that is what I am doing (I am taking it up with the people who call others Christian when they themselves call each other by a different name. )

For example Mormons are supposed followers of the prophet Moroni, and the third testament of the bible. They consider 'Christians' followers of the second testament which is has been corrupt over time. That is the reason for the distinction of 'latter day saints' and the title 'Mormon' over Christian.

Even so many here (Atheists) would argue that they are Christian when they themselves do not see it that way. So I am asking the lablers why do you insist that in this case Mormons are Christians?

Personally, and no offense intended, I think that describes you pretty well. I think your idiosyncratic theology has led you off the reservation of what legitimately can be called Christian. But if that's how you identify, it's not my job to convince you otherwise.

As per my open ended defination I support one of the broadest ranges of Christianity of any formal denomination. I honestly think you guys (those who are guilty of this) lable people christian in a straw man effort to devalue or defame the religion, inorder to make an easier arguement.

What has this to do with atheists? Why are we your target audience for your complaint? For the most part, we don't care who really is or isn't a Christian. For me, this is similar to my lack of concern for who really is or isn't a true Star Wars fan.

Actually it is, if you choose to speak about star wars fandom. How can you claim no responsiblity of a subject matter if you take the time to speak on it?

So convince the people you're complaining of that you're right. Convincing atheists is irrelevant to the matter.

I'm working on it.

You seem to be thinking of Catholics, not atheists.

It would seem that most of you have a 'catholic' based understanding of Christianity.

---

Mormons claim to believe in christ. Case closed. You claim to believe in christ - case closed...or no? If this simple principle is getting smashed to peices on the rock of your skull...I could always quote your god-man and ask you why you're being so very unchristian...lol. For some reason, though, I don't think it would help.

Is canonical a new word for you? It means biblically based... Mormons teach from the book of mormon (and several others) none of which are the bible.

---

What's with blurring the lines between those who claim Christianity and those who actually practice it?

Yeah - if there's a line between the two, the party responsible for blurring it is NOT the unbelievers.
You people are so divided on whats what, we couldn't have possibly muddied it further.

long time no see! welcome back

[FatAndFaithless]

We can't look inside someone's heart to see what they honestly believe, combined with the fact that Christians have been telling other Christians that they aren't really Christians for thousands of years. If someone claims to be a Christian, I don't really have any reason to disbelieve them, especially considering the fact that it's not our job to evaluate each claimant to see if he/she is a True Christian™. I'll still ask the same questions about their specific beliefs in order to discuss what they actually believe, but it's not my problem what label they want to use. If there's a sect of Christianity that has a fixation on the divinity of a Jesus-based scat fetish that somehow brings them closer to God, that might (and would) seem crazy as shit to me (hehe), but there's no rubric for evaluating who is a 'real' Christian, so the Jesus Scatologists can join the other 40,000 sects.

[rexbeccarox]

Are Mormons Christian?

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unequivocally affirm themselves to be Christians. They worship God the Eternal Father in the name of Jesus Christ.