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Why I'm 'Christian'

King Phenomenon

Well-Known Member
I think most Christians realize that their faith is not 100% accurate and has its downfalls but is the closest to the truth in certain areas and that alone is why it's followers are many.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
I think most Christians realize that their faith is not 100% accurate and has its downfalls but is the closest to the truth in certain areas and that alone is why it's followers are many.

I'd leave out the 'that alone' part. But sure, I know plenty of Christians who would both acknowledge issues with various Christian denominations, and yet still believe in what they see as the core truths and values.
It will sound petty, but it does interest me when some of those 'core truths and values' are technically heretical. Just my twisted sense of humour at play.
 

Erebus

Well-Known Member
It will sound petty, but it does interest me when some of those 'core truths and values' are technically heretical. Just my twisted sense of humour at play.

I'm not sure it's possible to be a Christian at all without also being a heretic. There are groups who see the slightest deviation from their particular interpretation of Christianity as heretical. Since you can't be a member of every one of those groups (which would also be heretical anyway!) there's always going to be somebody who considers you a heretic.

This is why I went for apostasy myself. It makes things less confusing.
 

eik

Active Member
.... closest to the truth in certain areas......
Anyone can fake being a Christian by pretending to "certain" things that Christians do, or think.

They may see a special significance in Jesus. They may go to church on a Sunday. They may recite a creed. They may pray and obey the law. They may even perform miracles of sorts. But none of these things in themselves would qualify application of the label "Christian."

Jesus conceded that pagans pray. Matt 6:7, Luke 18 9-14
Jesus conceded that pagans obey the law in certain areas: Luke 11:42
Jesus conceded that pagans sit in the seat of Moses: Matthew 23:2
Jesus conceded that pagans do miracles of sorts: Matthew 7:22
Jesus conceded that pagans would call him "Lord": Matthew 7:21
Jesus conceded that pagans would be found at the temple: Matthew 21:12–17
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
I think most Christians realize that their faith is not 100% accurate and has its downfalls but is the closest to the truth in certain areas and that alone is why it's followers are many.
We are Christians because we have placed our faith on the work of The Cross and His resurrection for our redemption and sanctification.

Didn't say we had to be in the unity in the doctrines that we hold to but rather the unity of the faith.

I always give leeway for others to be wrong in their doctrine :D
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm not sure it's possible to be a Christian at all without also being a heretic. There are groups who see the slightest deviation from their particular interpretation of Christianity as heretical. Since you can't be a member of every one of those groups (which would also be heretical anyway!) there's always going to be somebody who considers you a heretic.

This is why I went for apostasy myself. It makes things less confusing.

Yes, but I was talking more about Christians who identify with a particular denomination, but have heretical beliefs for that same denomination.

This type of thing...

Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ
 

Hawkins

Well-Known Member
I think most Christians realize that their faith is not 100% accurate and has its downfalls but is the closest to the truth in certain areas and that alone is why it's followers are many.

It goes more subconsciously than you think. It's more on how the Shepherd calls and the sheep follow. To put it in a more conscious way, it's about how humans can perceive correctly what a truth is.

To explain more realistically, all mankind rely heavily on testimonies to get to a truth but without humans own consent to realize. We don't know that we have to rely on faith in testimonies to get to a truth in this very reality. Some of us however subconsciously know that we can rely on faith in testimonies to get to a truth. We are "certain" that we are approaching a possible truth in a correct way, but may failed to make this perception more obvious and more conscious.

Isaiah 6:9
He said, “Go and tell this people: “ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

The verse sums up what we are.

Spiritually speaking, this world has a blinding force. God's sheep however somehow can penetrate this blinding force to reach the "voice" of the Shepherd. That's what it is.
 

King Phenomenon

Well-Known Member
We are Christians because we have placed our faith on the work of The Cross and His resurrection for our redemption and sanctification.

Didn't say we had to be in the unity in the doctrines that we hold to but rather the unity of the faith.

I always give leeway for others to be wrong in their doctrine :D
Basically what I said
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I think most Christians realize that their faith is not 100% accurate and has its downfalls but is the closest to the truth in certain areas and that alone is why it's followers are many.
Couldn't the same thing be said for most other religions?

I think people become a particular religion because they were raised that way. It's what their parents told them was right. It's what their friends and acquaintances acknowledged as right. It's general principles are downloaded into their ROM before they ever develop a firewall or any capacity for critical thinking. It becomes axiomatic.

People don't believe "X" because it's "closest to truth in certain areas." Very few choose their faith through fact-checking, critical analysis or comparison with other doctrines.

Religion's a tool to enhance tribal solidarity; an alliance marker. I suspect the only ones actually concerned with the objective truth of the matter are posting here on RF! :rolleyes:
 

King Phenomenon

Well-Known Member
Couldn't the same thing be said for most other religions?

I think people become a particular religion because they were raised that way. It's what their parents told them was right. It's what their friends and acquaintances acknowledged as right. It's general principles are downloaded into their ROM before they ever develop a firewall or any capacity for critical thinking. It becomes axiomatic.

People don't believe "X" because it's "closest to truth in certain areas." Very few choose their faith through fact-checking, critical analysis or comparison with other doctrines.

Religion's a tool to enhance tribal solidarity; an alliance marker. I suspect the only ones actually concerned with the objective truth of the matter are posting here on RF! :rolleyes:
I wasn't talking about other religions. Yeah they were born into them but when they realize that it's the closest to the truth they just stick with it
 

Hawkins

Well-Known Member
Couldn't the same thing be said for most other religions?

I think people become a particular religion because they were raised that way. It's what their parents told them was right. It's what their friends and acquaintances acknowledged as right. It's general principles are downloaded into their ROM before they ever develop a firewall or any capacity for critical thinking. It becomes axiomatic.

People don't believe "X" because it's "closest to truth in certain areas." Very few choose their faith through fact-checking, critical analysis or comparison with other doctrines.

Religion's a tool to enhance tribal solidarity; an alliance marker. I suspect the only ones actually concerned with the objective truth of the matter are posting here on RF! :rolleyes:

I simply think this a common but fallacious speculation.

If aliens are true but they are far more advanced and try to hide from humans for a purpose, then how can humans get to know their existence. We have to rely on encounters by a fluke. That is, we have to rely on the testimonies from those supposedly have encountered the aliens to get to the fact. It remains the only way, we don't have a better alternative under the circumstance. That's what it is.

Religion somehow is the only way for humans to convey a historical truth under a God's supervision. Without such a supervision, a history event may have to be distorted and becomes a myth. A flood happened 10000 years ago, that is before humans can have a better writing tool (such as today's papers), will in the end become myths in different cultures. It is so because we don't have the ability to convey a truth happened long time ago. A religion is a better way (to actually avoid a fact becoming a myth). For example, in a critical situations, humans will run without bringing anything deemed not important. They will however bring with them a holy scroll as it is important religiously. Religion has the effect of enforcing something (say a piece of info) into a human obligation.
 
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Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I simply think this a common but fallacious speculation.

If aliens are true but they are far more advanced and try to hide from humans for a purpose, then how can humans get to know their existence. We have to rely on encounters by a fluke. That is, we have to rely on the testimonies from those supposedly have encountered the aliens to get to the fact. It remains the only way, we don't have a better alternative under the circumstance. That's what it is.
Huh?

Religion somehow is the only way for humans to convey a historical truth under a God's supervision. Without such a supervision, a history event may have to be distorted and becomes a myth. A flood happened 10000 years ago, that is before humans can have a better writing tool (such as today's papers), will in the end become myths in different cultures. It is so because we don't have the ability to convey a truth happened long time ago. A religion is a better way (to actually avoid a fact becoming a myth). For example, in a critical situations, humans will run without bringing anything deemed not important. They will however bring with them a holy scroll as it is important religiously. Religion has the effect of enforcing something (say a piece of info) into a human obligation.
If you want to record historical truth just write it down, but don't mix it up with fables and folk tales.
 
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Heyo

Veteran Member
I think most Christians realize that their faith is not 100% accurate and has its downfalls but is the closest to the truth in certain areas and that alone is why it's followers are many.
I think most Christians don't really care. There are 41,000+ Christian denominations so there's a good chance that one of them is pretty close to their values and understanding. But most go with the convenience of having a church nearby, no matter how many discrepancies there are.
 

syo

Well-Known Member
I think most Christians realize that their faith is not 100% accurate and has its downfalls but is the closest to the truth in certain areas and that alone is why it's followers are many.
Nah... Christian parents raise their babies christian. That is why they are many.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Anyone can fake being a Christian by pretending to "certain" things that Christians do, or think.

They may see a special significance in Jesus. They may go to church on a Sunday. They may recite a creed. They may pray and obey the law. They may even perform miracles of sorts. But none of these things in themselves would qualify application of the label "Christian."

Jesus conceded that pagans pray. Matt 6:7, Luke 18 9-14
Jesus conceded that pagans obey the law in certain areas: Luke 11:42
Jesus conceded that pagans sit in the seat of Moses: Matthew 23:2
Jesus conceded that pagans do miracles of sorts: Matthew 7:22
Jesus conceded that pagans would call him "Lord": Matthew 7:21
Jesus conceded that pagans would be found at the temple: Matthew 21:12–17

Most of your statements are about Jews, not pagans. Jews are not pagans.
 
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