NationStates Jolt Archive

...or a Muslim, for that matter.

In another thread, I said something to the effect of "Christians believe in the divinity of Christ" or something like that, and someone else pointed out that plenty of Christians they knew did not consider that to be true or important. Clearly, the term is a very wide one, and what a Jehovah's Witness believes is different from what a Mormons believes is different from what a Catholic believes, even though all groups consider themselves Christian. Still, it seems like there should be some underlying, basic beliefs that all Christians have.
So, regardless of how you feel about the religion(s) it/themselves, what do you consider the criteria for being Christian?

I'm also curious what people think you should believe if you want to call yourself Muslim. That's a faith I know practically nothing about, but approaches the size and diversity of Christianity.

EDIT: Religious Tolerance has a page that addresses some ideas here (http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_defn1.htm). It doesn't really answer the question, but has some useful information all the same.

1) father, son and holy spirit
2) Allah and the prophet Mohamed

otherwise known as believing in non-existent beings

to be a christian one has to follow the teachings of jesus christ. that does not mean that you have to be religious or that even believing in the divinity of christ is enough (after all you can believe in jesus and be a satanist). you have to follow his teachings.

to be a moslem you have to submit to the will of god (allah) and believe that mohammed was his prophet.

1) father, son and holy spirit
2) Allah and the prophet Mohamed

otherwise known as believing in non-existent beings

What about Unitarians?

from my personal experience? boring as cardboard and a sanctimonious hypocrite to boot.

What about Unitarians?

yeh, what the fuck are they anyway? we had a couple of weddings for them at my work and nobody could explain what they were.

IIRC it's a type of potato from Belize.

I always thought to be a Christian, you must believe that Jesus Christ was your savior who came down to Earth to die for our sin and was raised three days later and ascended into heaven, thus he died for your sin and without him, you won't get into Heaven.

I always thought to be a Christian, you must believe that Jesus Christ was your savior who came down to Earth to die for our sin and was raised three days later and ascended into heaven, thus he died for your sin and without him, you won't get into Heaven.

That's close to what I thought, that you had to believe a) Jesus was both divine and human and b) he died for our sins and rose again. The Nicene Creed, basically. But the existence of people who call themselves Christians seems to indicate otherwise.

That's close to what I thought, that you had to believe a) Jesus was both divine and human and b) he died for our sins and rose again. The Nicene Creed, basically. But the existence of people who call themselves Christians seems to indicate otherwise.

that is what makes you a mainstream christian.

the rest are what might be called christian heretics because they believe things that arent in the nicene creed. 500 years ago they would be burned at the stake. today we dont all that much care.

but christian heretics are STILL christians.

What about Unitarians?

they still do only they are confusing and make no sense in a way only the religious can be

they still do believe in that only they don't...its like Hinduism

Christian was first used in Antioch, to describe those Jewish men and women that believed that Christ was and is Saviour of all mankind. To me, it is one who has accepted Christ as God the Son, who died for mankind's sin, and is baptised in the Holy Spirit. After that, they commit their entire lives to glorifying God through serving Christ.

And then you have "christians" who wear suits, ties, drives SUVs with God Bless America and Troops stickers, who protest against anything that some whack job says to protest against, and they don't really serve God in anyway. This is also known as the typical protestant.


As far as a Muslim, they must first say La ilaha illa Allah wa-Muhammad rasul Allah. Then after that, they are a muslim, are required to pray salaat five times daily, give zakat, do hajj if possible, etc etc.

After that, they commit their entire lives to glorifying God through serving Christ.

so they can't enjoy a nice scone every now and again but must instead work day in day out down the crucifix mines?

This is also known as the typical protestant.

no your thinking of evangelicals, protestants live in countryside villages and go on short bike trips to peoples houses where the have tea and discuss what they think of the latest soft core porn literature

As far as a Muslim, they must first say La ilaha illa Allah wa-Muhammad rasul Allah. Then after that, they are a muslim, are required to pray salaat five times daily, give zakat, do hajj if possible, etc etc.

not really an integral part of being Muslim actually

so they can't enjoy a nice scone every now and again but must instead work day in day out down the crucifix mines?
Working to glorify Christ need not be painful. The most ascetic people I can think of are monks and nuns, but all of the ones I've met love what they're doing. There's a difference between serving Christ and proving to yourself or others that you are a good Christian by self-denial.


*snip*
Yeah, everything else I agree with.
Zilam, I think I remember you saying you were an ex-Muslim, or came from an Islamic community. You also seem to be a very dedicated mainstream Christian. To satisfy my voyeurism, could you explain your religious history?

Working to glorify Christ need not be painful. The most ascetic people I can think of are monks and nuns, but all of the ones I've met love what they're doing. There's a difference between serving Christ and proving to yourself or others that you are a good Christian by self-denial.

yes one can like rigid discipline and such however you don't get the same joy from reading the bible over and over as you may do from say traveling the land saving damsels in distress from Dragons and such

...I think what I was getting at is you missed the point because serving Jesus would surely involve eating only the most efficient foods (seeing as how that saves the Earth and such if only in a way a mortal can)

yes one can like rigid discipline and such however you don't get the same joy from reading the bible over and over as you may do from say traveling the land saving damsels in distress from Dragons and suchYou don't have to be as extreme as someone in a convent, I was just using them as an example.
As for saving damsels from Dragons, what about St. George? There was a guy who knew how to serve Christ. :)

I think what I was getting at is you missed the point because serving Jesus would surely involve eating only the most efficient foods (seeing as how that saves the Earth and such if only in a way a mortal can)
I'm actually starting to understand you less, but that's okay.
Basically, Jesus doesn't mind if you eat a scone now and then. Maybe even everyday. As long as you don't put the scone before Him, I'm guessing he'd be fine with it. Unless it was some sort of evil, magic scone.

You don't have to be as extreme as someone in a convent, I was just using them as an example.
As for saving damsels from Dragons, what about St. George? There was a guy who knew how to serve Christ. :)

Jesus preached turn the other cheek what the (probably Pagan but whatever) mythical saint George did was Kill which is forbidden in Christianity

and devoting your life to serving Christ does mean boring things like convents because thats what commitment is

I'm actually starting to understand you less, but that's okay.
Basically, Jesus doesn't mind if you eat a scone now and then. Maybe even everyday. As long as you don't put the scone before Him, I'm guessing he'd be fine with it. Unless it was some sort of evil, magic scone.

gluttony is a sin

*snip*
Usually you are much more articulate. I'm guessing your tired, or... you're someone else pretending to be Call to power!

Since Christianity is based off of one's personal relationship with God, can it really be defined or can parameters really be applied to it?

But the existence of people who call themselves Christians seems to indicate otherwise.
The schism appears successful ... and predictable.

By definition, a Christian is someone who believes that Yeshua ben Yosef was the messiah.

I agree with One World Alliance:

"Since Christianity is based off of one's personal relationship with God, can it really be defined or can parameters really be applied to it?"

God does not just a person until he or she dies; why should we?

Since Christianity is based off of one's personal relationship with God, can it really be defined or can parameters really be applied to it?

Yes...if you define Christianity to be based off of one's personal relationship with God.

Christians are followers of Christ. Pretty simple, huh?

no your thinking of evangelicals, protestants live in countryside villages and go on short bike trips to peoples houses where the have tea and discuss what they think of the latest soft core porn literature
I think you are thinking of Mormons..Or the protestants there are really different from the ones here.



not really an integral part of being Muslim actually

Bull. The 5 pillars of Islam are what is mandatory for a Muslim. For example, when a muslim prayers salaat, they are required to pray the first few ayats of Surah Al-Fatiha.

Christians are followers of Christ. Pretty simple, huh?

Very simple. Only two questions:

Who or what is Christ?
How does one follow Him?