Originally posted by twhitehead
If you do not claim to be a Christian then a Christian is anyone who claims to be one.
If you do claim to be a Christian then a Christian is anyone who's beliefs are close enough to yours that you are willing to be categorised in roughly the same group. However, you may still decide to subdivide further. For example the group whose beliefs match yours lative, ie what a persons correct label is, depends on how valid you think his beliefs are.
Your writings are deep and certainly true, but it doesn't answer my question.
I want a short definition that define all christians within the definition, and all non-christian to be outside that definition.
luctrucs definition is short and clear: "John 3:16. If you believe that, you're a X'n." but is it valid in detail?
If, let's say Hilter believs in John 3:16, then he is christian? Not necessarily a good christian (That demands another definition, "what is a good christian", but that we take later.), but still a christian due to this definition.
A friend of mine says she's a christian, but still she likes the buddhist idea idea of reincarnation. She believes in John 3:16 but is that enough in her case?
(Thank you, forum moderator, for moving this thread to its proper forum.)