Chap wrote: ↑Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:33 pm
Kishkumen wrote: ↑Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:52 pm
I'm not down with anti-Catholic bigotry, even if it is coming from a place of mere ignorance. Sad that a person would think Catholics are not Christian.
Fair enough. But what I find sadder on a forum like this is that no-one so far has bothered to tell us what conditions have to be fulfilled by somebody's religious beliefs before they can be called 'Christian'.
Personally I don't care one way or another what is 'in' or 'out'. But since some people evidently do, please could they favour us with an explanation of where their personal sheep/goats barrier is erected and why?
Christian: The word Christian was born in The Book of Acts - In Antioch.
Acts 11:26 (NIV)
Acts Chapter 11 verse 26 - and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Disciple of Jesus Christ: Disciple means to be a student or follower. Here is one teaching from Jesus concerning following him and being a disciple.
Luke 14:27
New International Version
27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
So, In my opinion, A Christian is someone who is a student and follower of Jesus.
Christianity is a movement - it is not a religion per se (Religions are things like Catholicism, Lutheranism, Mormonism, etc)
Belonging to an organization doesn't make you a Christian - Nor does it matter what particular building you happen to sit in on any given Sunday.
Don't misunderstand me, you can be a Christian if you belong to any of these organized religions (Mormonism, Catholicism, Lutheranism, etc) if you are a student and follower of Jesus Christ. The danger, in my opinion, are the obvious risks and temptations that are part of these religions: To follow Joseph Smith - or the Pope - or the LDS Prophet - or The Watch Tower - or Jim Jones - or David Koresh - or any human being that has ever lived on planet earth. You must follow Jesus Christ to be a Christian. Full stop!
in my opinion, religions place us in bondage. They quite often control those who partake - place enormous demands on us - require many works - and demand tithings (Which are clearly not Biblical in my view)