How can a Christian reject part of the Bible and still call themselves a Christian?

[Lek]

No, once again, Occam's Razor. The other explanation (that it's all true) simply doesn't stack up. Some more food for thought, a challenge unanswered by anyone here: http://atheistforums.org/thread-30849.html

Here's my reply to your unanswered thread. Scripture doesn't get it's authority from the person penning it but, rather from God working by the Holy Spirit in his church. I agree that the authors of the four gospels were anonymous. By the time they were written the church had already expanded across the Roman empire. The faith had been carried on orally beginning with the words of the apostles. The writers of the new testament books had no idea that they were writing scripture. They were taking what had been spread by mouth and writing it down. Because the authors may not have been eyewitnesses doesn't mean that the events were not from eyewitnesses. We don't know whether or not Paul's teaching included any stories from the gospel events or not by reading his letters in the new testament, which were probably less that 1% if his total teaching throughout his christian life. His letters do not conflict with gospels either. This doesn't at all mean that Paul never referred to gospel events in his teaching. The new testament writings were eventually accepted as scripture by the church after intense scrutiny to determine if they reflected the teachings of the church that came down from the apostles. When it comes down to it, the gospels and the rest of the new testament receive their authority from the power of the Holy Spirit working through God's people.

In regards to the 100% surety question, I side with the opinion that if we wait for complete surety to accomplish anything we'll live a worthless life. I've read the bible, listened to countless hours of teaching and have participated in hours of discussions and debates. Most importantly, I've taken it to God with a mind and spirit that is open to what he wants to relate to me. I have the Spirit in me that turns me back to him every time I'm ready to abandon him. That's the way it works for me. We're human beings and I think if we're honest with ourselves we really don't believe anything without a doubt. That's part of our human nature.

I see you identify as an agnostic and maybe will be until you die. In the meantime you go on reading books that continue to lead you into new areas of doubt about some previous beliefs you may have held. Why not just let it go and become an atheist? That way, at least you can use all that time to do something constructive for the world. I'm sure you'll tell me if you think I'm wrong, and I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but my image of an agnostic is a person who is afraid to commit. You can contemplate forever, but there comes a time when you need to make a decision or else it's all worthless. You can sit on that pot forever or you can commit and move on.