Do a quick look through R&F. We've had a couple other threads on the topic and, yes, you may find it gets a bit heated.

I define Christian as meaning having Jesus Christ, both his teachings and his story (e.g. things like the Virgin Birth, Crucifixion, etc.), as the centrepiece of your faith (your central myth, if you like). All else is dogma and doctrine. Since I'm not sure that Jesus is the centrepiece of my faith right now, I do not self-define as Christian.

Others are not so broad in their definition. You'll likely hear from a couple who will argue that a Christian must believe in salvation through atonement, in Heaven and Hell, and so on. Others are as broad as, or even broader than, I am.

Mendalla

I think as this site shows that  there is no definitive statement concerning this...

Liberal

Literalist

Conservative

Eclectic

(part-time?)

If someone says "I am a Christian"  I say "in what way?" (and sometimes think "Prove it")

The term, by itself seems to say little.

Someone said that Christianity reinvents itself every generation. This may very well be true.

   I agree with Mendalla, I define Christian as having Jesus as your homeboy.

   I think I should find more happiness in knowing what it means to be a Christian nowadays.  I should be letting my light shine more, possibly be 'on fire' for Jesus like some charismatic Christians?  Hmm I should probably just be authentic. 

    I have confusion but it isn't unique.  It's often about what God has in store or myself and the world and what Jesus really meant in his teachings.    

I too think that being a Christian is being a follower of Jesus.

I'd say that our generation is going the next step and having Christianity re-invented by each Christian based on their personal faith experience(s).

Mendalla

Being a Christian is acting like one. Jesus did not come to brag that His mother as a virgin or to order us to ritually sing His praises. It was our behaviour that concerned Him. He wanted us to Act as Christians - to love those who hate us, to help others, to live in this world with those values.  Not to kill Muslims, but to understand them. Not to  operate torture camps and call iin clergy to bless the torturers. Not to sing the praises of capitalism as a creator of wealth while not noticing what a lousy system it is for spreading wealth. Not to close our eyes while hiding in the church, but to take His advice out into the world as He did.

If you want to find Christianity and Christians behaving as Christians, the church may be the wrong place to look. Go where the suffering is. Go to the people who don't fit in. Go to the ones who do not support the governments. That's where your likely to ofind this world's few Christians.

Hi- Snaps--- Give all that you have to the poor , and follow Christ Jesus. This is what Jesus said to a rich man. So should all who would follow Jesus give all the wealth they have to follow him . I think not , unless it is money that stands between you an God.I Believe a  christian is one that has accepted Jesus as Lord and is following him, in there walk with God.

Jesus is a central person - things like virgin birth are secondary doctrines and as such not central - Jesus as the Christ is the narrative that informs ones faith - The bottom line, though, is sense of God as central - primary doctrine - and how God might be experienced - christianity is one way and a central way for the person to express their sense of God.... Jesus points to God and for some, with Jesus we experience God and for others, through Jesus we experience God. 

MorningCalm wrote:

Nice, MC. To others: it's a series based on the PC-Mac commercials. Like the PC-Mac commericials they parody, these get a bit tired after a while but the first three get their point across pretty well. The "PC guy" ( calls himself Christian) is a very ostentatious in your face with his faith type, while the Mac guy (who uses Christ-follower instead) doesn't show it, but lives it.

I supposed the question that ultimately needs to be asked of all us (not just Christians) is do we wear our faith on our sleeve but maybe miss the point or just live it?

Mendalla

Mendalla

Thanks, everybody (and others).

One of the things that most confuses or surprises me is that I feel closer to God than I do to Jesus.  I wonder sometimes if what I am is a God-ian. 

I certainly believe that Jesus was a real person who actually lived on Earth and preached some wonderful ideas.  But I don't know that he was more than, for want of a better word, a prophet.

I am certainly not sure that Jesus was perfect while he was on Earth as most (?)  Christians claim. 

((I see hints of a temper and certainly of impatience in the accounts we have of him.  And we have so little to go on--How in the world can we assume that he was perfect??) 

In some parts of the Gospels I find it actually funny when Jesus gets impatient  with his desciples because they can't figure out what he's talking about.  I actually agree with the desciples on most such occasions.  I don't know what he means either.  Those muddy passages are NOT tbe ones we have read to us in church.  I guess that's because our ministers don't understand what he's talking about either!

I call myself a Christian, but I talk to (pray) to God.

That's quite consistent with being a Christian in my book, snaps. Jesus prayed to God and taught us to do so (see the passage where he teaches the Lord's Prayer for instance). The whole idea of praying to Christ or using him as a some kind of intermediary to God (praying in the name of Jesus Christ) came later.  As I said, IMHO, it's not about how you follow Jesus, but that you do in some way make him and his teachings central to your spirituality and values.

Mendalla

Oh yeah, what does "accepting Jesus as lord mean"?  

That's a rhetorical question.

 I've long since stopped up my ears to all those Billy Graham statements and phrases.

Yes, exactly!

Thanks Pan

Yes, beautifully put, Pan. Certainly rings true from my experience.

As-salaamu alaikum

-Omni

I honestly think that's what JC intended - for us all to be "God-ian" if I may borrow your word (or I guess the official term would be deist?? or theist??).  That was his point - to help/push/entice/challenge folks toward a deeper connection and relationship with God.  All that other stuff about worshiping Jesus directly comes later.  Even though he is said to claim to be God, I still don't think he meant it as "look at me, I am GOD, worship me NOW!", you know?  He is supposed to be the way TO God...  just some random thoughts.

Cheers

Worshipping Jesus is very late - to repeat his message was directed to God - he was not a deist in our terms - he was a theist and he wanted to open a space where the experience of God would slide in - so yes he directed his message so people could experience what he experienced - God.

Hi snaps,

It shouldn't be.  I believe that the issue is still relevant.

Fair enough.  Is that because of the context or the content?

Grace and peace to you.

John