The Definition of A "Christian"

[AVG-JOE]

I had a Christian friend tell me tonight that the best definition of a Christian was someone who sincerely believed that he was absolutely wrong about his faith in Jesus.

I said (and I quote) "What the fuck?!?!"

He said, "Yeah, a true Christian is someone who loves his fellow man enough to sincerely hope that he is wrong about his faith because if he is wrong, then everyone he knows who doesn't know and accept Jesus gets a pass, but if he is right, then everyone he knows who doesn't know and accept Jesus goes to hell to burn forever. Therefore, if a Christian is true to the concept of 'love' (willingness to lay your life down for a friend), he sincerely hopes he is wrong about the Gospel, and everyone just dies, or gets to the next level on their own merit and the concept of 'hell' is rendered moot."

Is this true? Can love actually transcend the bullshit?

Please don't flame this one - I really want to know if love can possibly be this selfless and powerful.

-Joe

 

[JBeukema]

I really want to know if love can possibly be this selfless and powerful.

-Joe

That is like the question of whether true altruism can exist

No. All is ultimately self-motivated

Your friend described somone who satisfies his own need to feel good about himself by convincing huimself he's a good person by adopting a philosophy that fits his morality- thereby convincing him that he is moral, well-intentioned and 'good'

 

[AVG-JOE]

I really want to know if love can possibly be this selfless and powerful.

-Joe

That is like the question of whether true altruism can exist

No. All is ultimately self-motivated

Your friend described somone who satisfies his own need to feel good about himself by convincing huimself he's a good person by adopting a philosophy that fits his morality- thereby convincing him that he is moral, well-intentioned and 'good'

A selfish motivation for selfless love?!?!

Oh, the humanity!!!

-Joe

 

[JBeukema]

A selfish motivation for selfless love?!?!

Oh, the humanity!!!

-Joe

There is the hope that it will be returned

there is the self-satisfaction of being convinced one is 'a good person'

Ther is the hope that others will view one as 'a good person', thereby fulfilling the need for acceptance, praise, and vindication

 

["b0xcar*girl*]

I had a Christian friend tell me tonight that the best definition of a Christian was someone who sincerely believed that he was absolutely wrong about his faith in Jesus.

I said (and I quote) "What the fuck?!?!"

He said, "Yeah, a true Christian is someone who loves his fellow man enough to sincerely hope that he is wrong about his faith because if he is wrong, then everyone he knows who doesn't know and accept Jesus gets a pass, but if he is right, then everyone he knows who doesn't know and accept Jesus goes to hell to burn forever. Therefore, if a Christian is true to the concept of 'love' (willingness to lay your life down for a friend), he sincerely hopes he is wrong about the Gospel, and everyone just dies, or gets to the next level on their own merit and the concept of 'hell' is rendered moot."

Is this true? Can love actually transcend the bullshit?

Please don't flame this one - I really want to know if love can possibly be this selfless and powerful.

-Joe

If this isn't confusing, I don't know what is. Who is the one that is supposed to be wrong???? A man or specifically Christian? I honestly question if this person is actually a Christian.

A "Christian" literally means "little Christ," and as we understand it, a follower of and imitator of Christ. A disciple.

 

[JBeukema]

Oh, by the way... by his argument, the man would be best to simply want the bible to be wrong... his belief would have little to no meaning

 

[AVG-JOE]

I had a Christian friend tell me tonight that the best definition of a Christian was someone who sincerely believed that he was absolutely wrong about his faith in Jesus.

I said (and I quote) "What the fuck?!?!"

He said, "Yeah, a true Christian is someone who loves his fellow man enough to sincerely hope that he is wrong about his faith because if he is wrong, then everyone he knows who doesn't know and accept Jesus gets a pass, but if he is right, then everyone he knows who doesn't know and accept Jesus goes to hell to burn forever. Therefore, if a Christian is true to the concept of 'love' (willingness to lay your life down for a friend), he sincerely hopes he is wrong about the Gospel, and everyone just dies, or gets to the next level on their own merit and the concept of 'hell' is rendered moot."

Is this true? Can love actually transcend the bullshit?

Please don't flame this one - I really want to know if love can possibly be this selfless and powerful.

-Joe

If this isn't confusing, I don't know what is. Who is the one that is supposed to be wrong???? A man or specifically Christian? I honestly question if this person is actually a Christian.

A "Christian" literally means "little Christ," and as we understand it, a follower of and imitator of Christ. A disciple.

He knows I am even worse than a 'non-believer', I am a 'former believer'. There is absolutely no hope for me in the Christian view of heaven.

He told me that he sincerely hopes he is wrong about heaven because then people like me won't burn in hell for eternity. I thought that I had, for the first time ever, heard a profession of 'agape' love. It moved me. I wanted to know what my friends at USMB thought. Was that weird?

-Joe

 

[Sky Dancer]

JOe-

Very interesting comment from your friend. REcently one of my teachers of Buddhist meditation said that he thought that ultimately alll paths lead to their extinction---meaning that if there is embodiment or oneness of being, the separate self is annhilated, and with it the need to practice the religion,

 

[Citizen]

IMHO, a Christian is someone that has accepted Christ as their personal savior, and attempts to follow His teachings.

 

[AVG-JOE]

JOe-

Very interesting comment from your friend. REcently one of my teachers of Buddhist meditation said that he thought that ultimately alll paths lead to their extinction---meaning that if there is embodiment or oneness of being, the separate self is annhilated, and with it the need to practice the religion,

Is that kind of like the altruistic police officer who hopes he is out of work soon because that would mean 'crime' would be at an end, and it would be better for his fellow man that he be unemployed?

I've been drinking, did that sound o.k.?

-Joe

 

[AVG-JOE]

IMHO, a Christian is someone that has accepted Christ as their personal savior, and attempts to follow His teachings.

What are his teachings? what does it mean to 'follow' them?

Is such a selfless act as to lay one's life and faith down that a friend might live forever in spite of that friends arrogance regarding God part of the teachings of Jesus?

-Joe

 

[JBeukema]

IMHO, a Christian is someone that has accepted Christ as their personal savior, and attempts to follow His teachings.

that would be the usual definition

What are his teachings?

-The Old Law is overturned ('fulfilled' and no longer valid)
-Believe in me or you'll go to the outer darkness or lake of fire
-Hippie love
-God's not just for the jews anymore; he's working past his racism

what does it mean to 'follow' them?

'Believe in they heart and confess with thy tongue' and follow the NT commandments

Is such a selfless act as to lay one's life and faith down that a friend might live forever in spite of that friends arrogance regarding God part of the teachings of Jesus?

No. it is contras to yeshua's teachings. Faith and god come before all other. Remember than any who 'does not hate his mother and father' cannot be saved

 

[strollingbones]

they witness...its like their duty to save you...i assure you all the blah blah blah was simply to begin to witness to you and try to make you think about the choices you are making. will you live on in heaven with child preverts who have "been saved" or in hell with people who simply believed other faiths?
face it as one poster said....if you were born in iraq you would be muslims, india indu....the us ..christian....

o and just to let you catholics in on this...christians know you are going to hell ....o they make suck up to you but they know you are not a "real" christians. praying to the virgin mary....

jews, the defination of a "complete jew"....one who has found christ.....

i love this line...wouldnt you rather take the chance and find out you were wrong than to not believe and find out you are wrong...always one of the wtf moments.

 

[JW Frogen]

Jesus an't got no copywrite on love.

And I would hope Mohammed would take an interest in the concept.

 

[Animal]

Jesus the man, I admire and respect. The religion built up around him on the other hand, sucks MAJOR ass!!

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ".

- Mahatma Ghandi

"There was only 1 true Christian, and he died on a cross 2,000 years ago".

- Frederich Nietzsche

 

[JBeukema]

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ".

- Mahatma Ghandi

i am totally stealing that quote...

 

[strollingbones]

Jesus an't got no copywrite on love.

And I would hope Mohammed would take an interest in the concept.

and many more...there are not only two gods....there are many ranging in all manners ...even satan...seems there are two kinds of satanist...the levy kind and the anti levy kind....watch that will draw remarks from the palin kind

 

[JBeukema]

Jesus an't got no copywrite on love.

And I would hope Mohammed would take an interest in the concept.

and many more...there are not only two gods....there are many ranging in all manners ...even satan...seems there are two kinds of satanist...the levy kind and the anti levy kind....watch that will draw remarks from the palin kind

Levay was an atheistic satanist. He didn't worship lucifer, he mocked Christianity and worshiped the self

 

[editec]

I'm not entirely sure that the Christian religion actually believes that sinners go to hell.

ACtually I think that interpretation is just that...an interpretation, but not something that was ever actually clearly stated.


Anyone have any New Testament RED TEXT passages which support the theory that Jesus said non believers go to hell?

 

[Avatar4321]

A Christian is someone who believes the Good news that Jesus Christ atoned and died for the world and rose from the dead and becomes His disciple.