NON-CHRISTIANS ONLY: What is a Christian to you? (Jesus Christ, follower)

[lilithu]

It means nothing to me other than the person identifies him or herself a Christian. I would still have to talk with them to find out what they actually believe. I know Christians who believe that Jesus is God who died for our sins and pay no attention whatsoever to his teachings. I know Christians who don't believe that Jesus was God but for whom his teachings are central to their ethics. And I know people all in between. What's more, I know people who call themselves Christian as almost an ethnicity. It's a cultural label; they don't really believe and don't pay attention to the teachings. In my experience, the word really means very little except to indicate that the person more likely is of Western origin than Eastern (but certainly that's not guaranteed either).

[Isabella Lecour]

I voted...1) a person who believes Jesus Christ is God, 2) a person who worships Jesus Christ and looks to Him as his Savior, and 10) a person who calls himself a Christian.

I would like to add that anyone who professes belife in John 3:16 is a Christian to me. Perhaps I should mention my time spent growing up in a Christian household has influenced my view of the matter.

[Father Heathen]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I was also suprised that no one so far has voted that a Christian is someone "who is likely to tell you (a non-Christian) that you're damned." Don't you guys get that all the time from Christians? I don't get it. I pretty much thought most of those who responded would pick that one.

But you asked how we define a Christian. Of course a lot of them screech to unbelievers that they're filthy sinners bound for hell, but I wouldn't really consider it a requisite for being a Christian.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Father Heathen

But you asked how we define a Christian.

Is that what she asked? I thought she was asking what we think we know about a person when they identify themselves as Christian.

If the question is how I personally define Christian - the ideal, the "true" Christian: A Christian is someone who lives his or her life in relationship with Christ. It isn't just a belief or even the good deeds, it's an on-going relationship where one is transformed by love to wish to respond - returning love for love, towards Christ and towards one's fellow humans.

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by lilithu

Is that what she asked? I thought she was asking what we think we know about a person when they identify themselves as Christian.

If the question is how I personally define Christian - the ideal, the "true" Christian: A Christian is someone who lives his or her life in relationship with Christ. It isn't just a belief or even the good deeds, it's an on-going relationship where one is transformed by love to wish to respond - returning love for love, towards Christ and towards one's fellow humans.

I think you're thinking too much into this. The idea was to define "christian", which is to say to say what we think of when someone tells us they're Christian. I don't think the distinction here is necessary. By defining what we think a Christian is, we're not really defining what a Christian should be, according to us.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by mball1297

I think you're thinking too much into this. The idea was to define "christian", which is to say to say what we think of when someone tells us they're Christian. I don't think the distinction here is necessary. By defining what we think a Christian is, we're not really defining what a Christian should be, according to us.

Actually, lilithu picked up on what I was looking for when she said:

Originally Posted by lilithu

I thought she was asking what we think we know about a person when they identify themselves as Christian.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by mball1297

I think you're thinking too much into this. The idea was to define "christian", which is to say to say what we think of when someone tells us they're Christian.

Well as I said in my first answer, I don't think anything when someone tells me they're Christian. I know from experience that different people mean drastically different things by that same word.