Jesus said he would return stealthily, and nobody would know when. Therefore, if any of those people who keep predicting the time of the Second Coming get it right, then by their own theology they will delay it.
Jesus said he would return stealthily, and nobody would know when. Therefore, if any of those people who keep predicting the time of the Second Coming get it right, then by their own theology they will delay it.
A Christian is a follower of Christ’s teachings. He taught humility, acceptance of others, non-violence, truth, helping others, non-hipocracy, love, and peace. Just because people in power call themselves Christians, doesn’t mean they are.
Yeah, but then you get into “no true Scotsman” territory or “gatekeeper” territory.
I agree, but I’m worried about the implication of saying someone who’s trying (i.e. not one in power) isn’t Christian enough when they’re trying and I’m not.
That is to say, I follow my own code, but Christ’s teachings follow a similar line of thought. Does that make me a Christian, then? Or is something more (faith, baptism?) required?
I’ve actually been doing a lot of thinking about this lately. Reading the gospels and trying to leave my preconcieved ideas out of it. The conclusions I’ve been coming to are: You can call yourself a Christian, but if you don’t live like it, you’re not. Acceptance of Christ’s teaching is intertwined with what you do. Acceptance of Christ’s teachings has to be an inner thing, not just doing the right thing and staying bitter and angry inside.
If we accept what you say is true, then I argue most churches and people who go to them aren’t Christian in the least.
I can’t answer that. I know some things about some denominations in my country, but I don’t have the knowledge to make that generalization worldwide.