Comments on: 8 possible ways to tell "true" Christians http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/ Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:07:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Aerik http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-6671 Aerik Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:07:49 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/#comment-6671 It may be inappropriate to define a religion based on the actions of its adherence - but it is appropriate to question whether or not said religion is a cause of their behavior. Wait a minute, if it does actually cause bad behavior, than isn't it bad? Why then is it inappropriate to judge a religion based on its adherent's actions then? You know, Jehovah's Witnesses are against blood transfusions. And it fucking kills people, children often. Doesn't the actions of these <b>murderers</b> make their religion bad? I think so. It may be inappropriate to define a religion based on the actions of its adherence – but it is appropriate to question whether or not said religion is a cause of their behavior. Wait a minute, if it does actually cause bad behavior, than isn’t it bad? Why then is it inappropriate to judge a religion based on its adherent’s actions then? You know, Jehovah’s Witnesses are against blood transfusions. And it fucking kills people, children often. Doesn’t the actions of these murderers make their religion bad? I think so.

]]> By: Atheist Revolution http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-6660 Atheist Revolution Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:09:16 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/#comment-6660 <strong>Identifying the "True" Christian...</strong> Pedro over at Way of the Mind recently did a great post on the "true" Christian issue. If you have ever talked with a Christian about immoral acts committed by another Christian, you have undoubtedly heard the "Well, I guess he/she wasn't a true Ch... Identifying the “True” Christian…

Pedro over at Way of the Mind recently did a great post on the “true” Christian issue. If you have ever talked with a Christian about immoral acts committed by another Christian, you have undoubtedly heard the “Well, I guess he/she wasn’t a true Ch…

]]> By: Pedro Timóteo http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-6232 Pedro Timóteo Mon, 08 Jan 2007 11:06:18 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/#comment-6232 Kren: if (and I agree) we accept that the Bible was hearsay AND heavily edited by the early Christian church, then how do we know how Christ was like, what he did, what he said, and so on? After all, many people could (and probably did) edit the Gospels to put their own words into Jesus' mouth... There's really no way to know for sure if you're following Jesus or someone else. Micah: I agree with what you say - that the actions of Christians have no bearing on whether Christianity is right or wrong. However, my point in this post is separate from that. What ARE true Christians - if we can even say there's such a thing? We could also ask what is "true Christianity", which is a different question. Kren: if (and I agree) we accept that the Bible was hearsay AND heavily edited by the early Christian church, then how do we know how Christ was like, what he did, what he said, and so on? After all, many people could (and probably did) edit the Gospels to put their own words into Jesus’ mouth… There’s really no way to know for sure if you’re following Jesus or someone else.

Micah: I agree with what you say – that the actions of Christians have no bearing on whether Christianity is right or wrong. However, my point in this post is separate from that. What ARE true Christians – if we can even say there’s such a thing?

We could also ask what is “true Christianity”, which is a different question.

]]> By: Kren http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-6219 Kren Mon, 08 Jan 2007 06:08:06 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/#comment-6219 Micah- [quote post="142"]The actions of atheists have nothing to do with whether Atheism as a theory about reality is true or false. The actions of christians have nothing to do with whether Christianity as a theory about reality is true or false.[/quote] This basically means that our believes have nothing to do with us. With this I actually agree. You can say you're Xtian all day long, but fuck someone before getting married. Some will say you're not a Xtian, others will say you are, you definately would believe this to be so. There's no real "True Christian". Except, maybe that quote "The only real Christian was Christ", the bible is heresay, written by different people, from different times, with different, human, intentions. Yes, the Bible can be seen as a historical document. But it's been edited and translated so many times it's rediculous. What we do is pick and choose parts from the Bible that we agree with as our own sense of morality. This makes nobody a Christian. The PRACTICE of the religion is what? Many people who call themselves Xtian would probably disagree with eachother. Micah-

[quote post="142"]The actions of atheists have nothing to do with whether Atheism as a theory about reality is true or false.
The actions of christians have nothing to do with whether Christianity as a theory about reality is true or false.[/quote]

This basically means that our believes have nothing to do with us. With this I actually agree.
You can say you’re Xtian all day long, but fuck someone before getting married. Some will say you’re not a Xtian, others will say you are, you definately would believe this to be so.

There’s no real “True Christian”. Except, maybe that quote “The only real Christian was Christ”, the bible is heresay, written by different people, from different times, with different, human, intentions.

Yes, the Bible can be seen as a historical document. But it’s been edited and translated so many times it’s rediculous.

What we do is pick and choose parts from the Bible that we agree with as our own sense of morality. This makes nobody a Christian. The PRACTICE of the religion is what? Many people who call themselves Xtian would probably disagree with eachother.

]]> By: Micah Redding http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/comment-page-1/#comment-6209 Micah Redding Mon, 08 Jan 2007 00:46:26 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/07/8-possible-ways-to-tell-true-christians/#comment-6209 I would say the one should not criticize ANY belief system based on the actions of its supposed or real adherents. The actions of atheists have nothing to do with whether Atheism as a theory about reality is true or false. The actions of christians have nothing to do with whether Christianity as a theory about reality is true or false. I would also like to point out that statements like "Christians are like this..." or "Christians do this..." are of a different order than "Christianity is this..." or "Christianity does this..." The first is a general assessment of a group of people, and it is understood that it is a generalization. The second is an attempt to pin behavioral traits onto a belief system, and ultimately is logically problematic. For example, I find myself often saying things like, "Christians are hypocrites" - generalizing about a group of people. If someone were to say "Christianity is hypocritical", that would be ridiculous, because it is trying to attach a personal behavior onto a theory about reality. For another example, if someone were to say "Christians are violent" - then this MIGHT be a fair generalization based on large groups of people. But if someone were to say "Christianity is violent", then this is attempting to attach a behavioral trait onto a theory about reality. -micah http://emergentchristian.blogspot.com I would say the one should not criticize ANY belief system based on the actions of its supposed or real adherents.

The actions of atheists have nothing to do with whether Atheism as a theory about reality is true or false.
The actions of christians have nothing to do with whether Christianity as a theory about reality is true or false.

I would also like to point out that statements like “Christians are like this…” or “Christians do this…” are of a different order than “Christianity is this…” or “Christianity does this…”

The first is a general assessment of a group of people, and it is understood that it is a generalization. The second is an attempt to pin behavioral traits onto a belief system, and ultimately is logically problematic.

For example, I find myself often saying things like, “Christians are hypocrites” – generalizing about a group of people. If someone were to say “Christianity is hypocritical”, that would be ridiculous, because it is trying to attach a personal behavior onto a theory about reality.

For another example, if someone were to say “Christians are violent” – then this MIGHT be a fair generalization based on large groups of people. But if someone were to say “Christianity is violent”, then this is attempting to attach a behavioral trait onto a theory about reality.

-micah
http://emergentchristian.blogspot.com

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