Alex
Is being reasonable the same as being Christian?
Posted on: 06/04/2010 12:34
i found an interesting article in the Observer.
What makes Christians distinct?
What interested me the most was a quote from 2nd century Christian thinker Justin.
"The wisdom and insight of the ancient Greek philosophers impressed Justin deeply, and this led him to a conundrum. Justin believed in the necessity to confess Jesus Christ as saviour. Yet these Greek philosophers had done nothing of the sort. Not only had they lived several centuries before Jesus was born, but they had not even been followers of Jesus’ God. Were they therefore condemned? They were wise. How could they be damned? Justin decided that since Jesus is the Word or “reason” (in Greek, Logos) in whom “the whole human race partakes . . . those who live according to reason are Christians, even though they are counted as atheists.” According to Justin, the wise receive their morality from God, whether they acknowledge it or not."
The article was about what made Christians different. However the quote from Justin, says that many people, were already "saved" by reason.
While being Christian is not the same as being reasonable, Is being "reasonable" the same as being Christian?
Comments
Alex
Posted on: 06/04/2010 13:06
I have always seen thoughtful and reasonable people, (including atheists, Roman Catholics, conservative protestants and members of other religions) to be Christ like, as much, and sometimes more so, than I or others who "believe" in the same way I do.
RitaTG
Posted on: 06/04/2010 14:18
....reasonable the same as being Christian ....heavens NO LOL!!!!
Unfortunately being Christian is often used as an excuse for being unreasonable.
Do you remember the cartoon show Smurfs?? .... the little blue people????
I giggle at some so called Christians going around like Brainy Smurf...... "Papa Smurf always says....blah blah blah".....
Actually that is sort of sad and disgusting isn't it??? Seems I may have uncovered a perverse streak I need to work on ...... maybe in a while once I have enjoyed it a bit more LOL
Hugs
Rita
footprints165
Posted on: 06/04/2010 14:55
Being reasonable is being reasonable. Christ was reasonable. But being reasonable came first. Christ just embodied it by challenging the unreasonable and offering sound philosophies to live by.
Olivet_Sarah
Posted on: 06/04/2010 21:13
I agree w/the take of reasonable=Christ-like. So in that sense, anyone who believes in what Jesus believed in and stood up for is reasonable, so on a certain level yes. But we're talking about the title of 'Christian' today, which is a self-identification (my husband believes completely in what Jesus stood for, but would never call himself a Christian, yet I believe in him and what he represents in much the same way he does, but do label myself Christian). And as such, if we are going from the premis that those who call themselves Christian, ARE, at least on some level, then imho Christians don't always=Christ-like, don't always=reasonable. I know way too many Christians who are not reasonable, and way too many reasonable people who are not Christian, to make this parellel an absolute in either direction.
Arminius
Posted on: 06/04/2010 23:53
Reason, in itself confounded
Saw division grow together;
To themselves yet either/neither,
Simple were so well compounded
That it cried how true a twain
Seemeth this concordant one!
Love hath reason, reason none
If what parts can so remain.
-Shakespeare
I think that Jesus, like all sages, employed and both reason and intuition, and let his reason be guided by intuition.
revjohn
Posted on: 06/07/2010 06:09
Hi Alex,
While being Christian is not the same as being reasonable, Is being "reasonable" the same as being Christian?
Please God, may it not be so.
Grace and peace to you.
John