What is a Christian?

@secondson said
The question is - who are you going to believe? Yourself? Another being? Or God?

Do you agree with the OP?

@secondson said
Only in your imagination are there "many" Gods. I'm avoiding your ignorance.

There is GOD, and there is everything else. There is creator, and there is creation.

That's all there is in existence.

There is only one God.

Logic.

No, according to scripture there are many gods.

Are you going to answer the question or keep hoping around like a old moggie on a hot tin roof?

@secondson said
Succinctly, a Christian is one who believes God.

How do you come to this conclusion? Scripturally I mean.

@secondson said
It appears divegeester has nothing of substance to contribute to this discussion.

On the contrary I am trying to engage you in discussion but you seem keen to palm off questions like a (soccer) goal keeper palming of shots in a training session.

SecondSon, Jesus said you shall know them by their fruits.
Do you agree with him?

Jesus never said you shall know them by them having a belief in god.

@divegeester said
SecondSon, Jesus said you shall know them by their fruits.
Do you agree with him?

Jesus never said you shall know them by them having a belief in god.

SecondSon is saying "believe God" [not "believe in God"] which is even more feeble than it seems. He is trying to offer a definition of a Christian that relies totally on how certain he is his own version of theism is true. It is so spectacularly subjective and partisan that I don't know if one can honestly describe it as a "definition" at all. It's just a kind of pointless assertion.

@fmf said
SecondSon is saying "believe God" [not "believe in God"] which is even more feeble than it seems. He is trying to offer a definition of a Christian that relies totally on how certain he is his own version of theism is true. It is so spectacularly subjective and partisan that I don't know if one can honestly describe it as a "definition" at all. It's just a kind of pointless assertion.

Oh, are you sure?
Because that isn’t a definition of Christian, it’s just an assertion which says I am a Christian because I believe in the bible.

@divegeester said
Oh, are you sure?
Because that isn’t a definition of Christian, it’s just an assertion which says I am a Christian because I believe in the bible.

More like 'I am a Christian because I believe God' where, presumably, his God figure has told him he is a Christian. It's vaguely circular. Or perhaps he has been omitting the preposition because he's a sloppy writer. Either way: feeble.

@petewxyz said
Does a Christian want to be operationally defined? Is it important to know that you are strictly adhering to the criteria required or is it important to try and find something for your own individual self with reference to a particular set of spiritual stories, ideals or philosophies? (If the lack of tone of voice comes over as anything other than genuine enquiry then please note this asked respectfully with no agenda!)

It might help if you address your post to someone or as a reply to another post so that we can tell who is expected to answer.

@suzianne said
It might help if you address your post to someone or as a reply to another post so that we can tell who is expected to answer.

I suppose it was a question to everybody and anybody in the thread. I have no idea about religion at all after being brought up by a committed and devote atheist so this is an unexpected opportunity from deciding to learn chess. I have spent most of my life avoiding religion after seeing more of the divisive nature of religious factions in troubled communities than anything else. I am naturally wary of any group that has tight rules of membership that restrict the feeling that you can think for yourself, but I have no idea if religion is that. Whether people want the security of thinking according to set rules and being in a group or whether people somehow go to Christianity to enhance their thinking for themselves whilst not particularly feeling part of or controlled by a tight group or being tribal. If you feel you have answers that you want to share I am genuinely curious?

@petewxyz

Trying to understand Christians from your point of view is a fool's errand.

@eladar said
@petewxyz

Trying to understand Christians from your point of view is a fool's errand.

I suppose I am trying not to have a point of view. Tell me more about why you say that?

@petewxyz said
I suppose I am trying not to have a point of view. Tell me more about why you say that?

If you are going to dismiss the spiritual foundation of the Christian beliefs as foolishness, then all you can do is define it from your point of view.

@eladar said
If you are going to dismiss the spiritual foundation of the Christian beliefs as foolishness, then all you can do is define it from your point of view.

I didn't think I had done that, but if you feel certain that is my position maybe I need to see if somebody else will answer who has a different view of my position on the subject if anybody does?

@petewxyz said
I didn't think I had done that, but if you feel certain that is my position maybe I need to see if somebody else will answer who has a different view of my position on the subject if anybody does?

Your posts have screamed it.