i dont get it...why couldn't they be christian? i mean the left has its christian branch like the right does...jesse jackson, al sharpton and those guys.
I thought the only requirement for being a Christian is believing that Jesus is the son of God. I didn't know there was a whole screening process.
This is a man who was responsible for tarring and feathering innocent white men in the Tawana Bradley case. This is the same man who was responsible for a race riot that resulted in the killing of a shopkeeper. He is no more a Christian than a pig is a bird.
Wow, and here I'd been thinking it'd be Peter at the gates. But no! It's going to be bamaslam. Yikes. Better start working on my really angry side if I want to get into heaven.
Isn't one of the principles of the Christian religion compassion?? I remember reading that the Christian Right was neither.
You see rimmy, there was an ulterior motive to doing this thread! I wanted to see some outrageous stuff going on and it looks like it is fixing to heat up!! WOOOOO!!
you would like to think that you would see more of the influence of Christ on those who make claim He's their Lord. i think that's what bamaslammer is getting at. the problem is, all of us fall short of His glory. having said that...i've absolutely seen old habits die and lives transformed by grace. the book of James is good for this discussion...it says that grace is all important...but that grace received is evidenced through acts of the believer. in other words, it's not enough to mouth some words of acceptance...there is to be a transformation. a new creation. a new birth. salt and light. all that stuff!
Manny, you should have seen my first posting thoughts when I originally read your thread title! Let's just say I easily would have qualified for bama's "Christian" label if I'd held forth.
Exactly. If having complete disdain for everyone that disagrees with you is the ticket to Heaven, then looks like I'm not invited. Doesn't sound like a place I'd want to be anyway.
Brings to mind a theological question that I would always go at with some of my teachers back in high school: I would always argue that a benevolent humanistic unbeliever who followed the teachings of JC, etc., as far as doing unto others and that sort of thing, was effectively more "christian" than a pious jerk who accepted Jesus role as the son of god/son of man, etc. but otherwise was out to get his no matter what. Needless to say they disagreed. Thoughts?
I'm with you Sam. Warming the pew in church doesn't make you religious in my books unless your day to day behaviour is consistent with the 'teaching of JC' as you put it. Why did your teachers disagree with your position?
Catholic school, I think the class was about the theology of JC specifically and his role as son of god/son of man etc so it wasn't cool to say that kind of thing and kind of undercut the whole rationale for the class.
I agree. That being said, the "best" Christian is no better than the "best" Muslim, "best" Buddhist, "best" Athiest, etc.
no one is any "better" than anyone else at all. there's nothing i can do to earn favor in God's eyes...Jesus said the only one who could be called "good" is God, Himself. I will say that the latter example is an indication to me that the guy just mouthed some words....for instance..there's a bumper sticker out there that says, "Christians aren't perfect, they're just saved." That drives me insane!!! we're just saved?? that's it??? this is not a religion that strives merely for life after death. Jesus talked of the Kingdom of God as being right here, right now. He was very concerned with social justice and leading a life of righteousness RIGHT NOW. he spends a ton of time talking about hell and the wages of sin (the condition of separation from God as opposed to each minute action.) the pharisees focused, at the time, on righteousness through obeying certain laws...if i do this a certain way, i'll be "clean." Jesus said all that stuff is fine as long as you're doing it with the right motivation...from the right mindset...with the right heart. Everything was ultimately an issue of the heart with Jesus. the pharisees said, "hey..i haven't actually killed anyone..so i've been good on the 'thou shalt not murder' thing!" and Jesus responded, "yes...but you've harbored hate in your heart...thus, you are like a murderer." the pharisees said, "i've never committed aldultery because i never actually slept with another married woman." and Jesus said, "Yes, but you've intentionally sought the thought of doing so out and harbored that in your mind and heart..so you have committed aldultery in your heart." so when you talk about someone who claims to be a believer...there has to be some sea level change in the heart to evidence that. not that the change in and of itself is what "earns" the Kingdom of God...but that it is a result..a byproduct of a heart changed by God.
So if you are doing something for the sake of "goodness" are you actually doing it for god? When Jesus says "you are guilty in the heart" I think he is saying to be aware of your thoughts. It is the same as the Buddhist concept of Right Mindfulness.
