Do you think that Donald Trump is a Christian?

[Ratt Blastard]

If Trump says that he is a Christian, then he should be considered as such. It is everybody's right to proclaim his religion. Right, please?

Regards

So, in your opinion the Christian religion has no standards and just about anyone who proclaims themselves a Christian even if they don't know any of the doctrine or dogmas of the religion, practice none of the rites or rituals and has no understanding of the its codes of ethics and conduct is a Christian just because they say so?

 

[paarsurrey]

So, in your opinion the Christian religion has no standards and just about anyone who proclaims themselves a Christian even if they don't know any of the doctrine or dogmas of the religion, practice none of the rites or rituals and has no understanding of the its codes of ethics and conduct is a Christian just because they say so?

One's point relates to whether somebody is a good Christian or not. Right, please?

Regards

 

[Ratt Blastard]

One's point relates to whether somebody is a good Christian or not. Right, please?

Regards

No, not right. Does the Christian religion have standards, doctrines and rites that adherents must practice and believe?

 

[Jainarayan]

Watch from :44 to 1:04.

He thrice calls himself a Christian. I don't have any reason to think he's lying about his religious affiliation.

Yeah, at least nominally Christian. As many people are.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Yeah, at least nominally Christian. As many people are.

You'd be surprised how many.

I love Vivekananda's thoughts on this...

Be a true Christian…
In a letter written to Mrs. G. W. Hale, dated 5 October 1899, Swami Vivekananda wrote—[Source]

We must always remember ours is only to work — we never attain results. How can we? Good can never be done without doing evil. We cannot breathe a breath without killing thousands of poor little animals. National prosperity is another name for death and degradation to millions of other races. So is individual prosperity the beggaring of many. The world is evil — and will ever remain so. It is its nature, and cannot be changed — “Which one of you by taking thought . . .” etc. (Matthew 6.27.)
Such is truth. The wisdom is therefore in renunciation, that is, to make the Lord our all in all. Be a true Christian, Mother — like Christ, renounce everything and let the heart and soul and body belong to Him and Him alone. All this nonsense which people have built round Christ’s name is not His teaching. He taught to renounce. He never says the earth is an enjoyable place. And your time has come to get rid of all vanities — even the love of children and husband — and think of the Lord and Him alone.
​

Swami Vivekananda's Quotes On Christianity - VivekaVani

 

[Jainarayan]

You'd be surprised how many.

I love Vivekananda's thoughts on this...

Be a true Christian…
In a letter written to Mrs. G. W. Hale, dated 5 October 1899, Swami Vivekananda wrote—[Source]

We must always remember ours is only to work — we never attain results. How can we? Good can never be done without doing evil. We cannot breathe a breath without killing thousands of poor little animals. National prosperity is another name for death and degradation to millions of other races. So is individual prosperity the beggaring of many. The world is evil — and will ever remain so. It is its nature, and cannot be changed — “Which one of you by taking thought . . .” etc. (Matthew 6.27.)
Such is truth. The wisdom is therefore in renunciation, that is, to make the Lord our all in all. Be a true Christian, Mother — like Christ, renounce everything and let the heart and soul and body belong to Him and Him alone. All this nonsense which people have built round Christ’s name is not His teaching. He taught to renounce. He never says the earth is an enjoyable place. And your time has come to get rid of all vanities — even the love of children and husband — and think of the Lord and Him alone.
​

Swami Vivekananda's Quotes On Christianity - VivekaVani

I always loved those verses, as well as Matthew 8:21-22 “And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead” and Matthew 16:24-26 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

I’ve said again and again if someone wants to call themselves Christian they need to follow these. Or else say I’m trying to be a Christian. There are very few Christians in the world, except for the most austere monastics.

 

[Milton Platt]

Everyone here is a nobody.
But we all opine anyway.

I'm a body....just not somebody.

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm a body....just not somebody.

You're a fellow nobody.
This gives you the right to opine.

 

[oldbadger]

......... There are very few Christians in the world, except for the most austere monastics.

Excuse the post reduction.
So this is the bottom line, do you think?

 

[Jainarayan]

Excuse the post reduction.
So this is the bottom line, do you think?

Yes. That doesn’t negate that they don’t try to be Christian, however. Most people get a B+ for effort, C for execution as far as I’m concerned.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If Trump says that he is a Christian, then he should be considered as such. It is everybody's right to proclaim his religion. Right, please?

Regards

It's also everybody's right to say that he's lying.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

No, not right. Does the Christian religion have standards, doctrines and rites that adherents must practice and believe?

The largest Christian denomination in the world says "no."

The Catholics - and IIRC the Orthodox churches as well - hold that anyone validly baptized is irrevocable Christian. After baptism, you can do all sorts of things that would make you a bad Christian, but nothing that could make you not Christian.

 

[Zaha Torte]

Do you think that Donald Trump is a Christian?

I really do want to get an idea of what members think......
This question has been sparked by conversation on another thread .......

OK... I have seen President Trump hold up a big black book which looked like a bible. He held it high for pictures whilst standing outside the church by the White House. I think it might have been upside down, but that's the kind of mistake that I would make. He has referred to his Christian supporters on telly, and I don't know much else about his own religious 'position'.

So........ Please....... what do you think?

He has expressed a belief in Christ so that matches the criteria.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

He has expressed a belief in Christ so that matches the criteria.

He's expressed lots of thing that wound up being lies. Why trust him on this?

He makes 12 public lies a day, on average. Why would we assume that what he expresses is what he actually believes?

 

[Zaha Torte]

He's expressed lots of thing that wound up being lies. Why trust him on this?

He makes 12 public lies a day, on average. Why would we assume that what he expresses is what he actually believes?

That's not for me or anyone else to judge.

If you claim to believe in Christ - you are a Christian. Case closed.

Also I read just a few of the claims made in your source and I found them so biased as to be immaterial.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

That's not for me or anyone else to judge.

If you claim to believe in Christ - you are a Christian. Case closed.

... whether they actually believe or not?

Also I read just a few of the claims made in your source and I found them so biased as to be immaterial.

So much for not judging, eh?

 

[Zaha Torte]

... whether they actually believe or not?


So much for not judging, eh?

No one can prove what anyone believes.

I can judge the veracity of an argument without judging the person who made the argument.

 

[Arthur P. Dent]

Tricky question as "christian" is a very vague term. There is a reason there are some umpteen hundred (thousand?) denominations. I think he *claims* to be a christian primarily for the votes. He has demonstrably show he knows little of the bible and further, demonstrates his own morals are FAR from what the "good book" teaches... at least in the NT. If he is a christian, I would say he's more of an "Old Testament" christian.

FWIW, as an atheist, I am SOOOooo happy he doesn't claim to be one of us!!! ;-)