The minimal requirements to be an actual, real Christian

[randys1]

While I believe there is equal evidence for Leprechauns and any god or Jesus, I have spent much of my life in one religious belief or another, having been both a Catholic and 12 yrs Catholic school, and a born again xtian at one point many years ago as a result of one too many 3 day cocaine and alcohol benders, etc.

My knowledge is enough, of the new testament, to know how extremely difficult it would be to actually be a xtian.

As I have said a few times here, I only know of two that I have met, one was a Franciscan Monk and the other is a man I know now who is a JW, the problem with him is he has some screwed up ideas of modern issues like abortion and so on.



I think the JW may have beliefs that are wrong or anti choice or anti Gay, not sure, but what he wont do is express them without pushing him real hard, and he says that xtians are commanded by the bible to absolutely have zero involvement in politics.

So combining what he has taught me, what I have learned on my own, I have compiled a list of what is mandatory before you could call yourself a xtian.

1. Absolutely no involvement ever in politics beyond voting, as an individual you can express an opinion but your church must not have a position on anything politics

2. You can judge nobody, ever, not ever, zero, never, nada....you can decide you are against abortion for you, if you are a Woman that is; you can decide drugs are not for you, rocknroll is not for you, sex outside of marriage is not for you, but at no time can you ever express an opinion about what others can or cannot do...you can support laws that punish people for crime, but expressing an opinion like "well you know how them folks grow up with no fathers, it's no wonder most of em turn out x, y or z" - because that is judgment

3. You can not ever hate or distrust someone because of their skin color or religious belief or sexual orientation

4. You must help anyone and everyone you come in contact with who is less fortunate than you, if that means at some point you become homeless yourself in helping others, then so be it...although an argument could be made that it would be difficult for you to help others if you have nothing, so you would have to maintain a certain level of income to help others after helping yourself...

5. You could never support the death penalty, you could never support pro gun attitudes, any kind of preemptive violence against others or any violence at all beyond basic self defense which is proportionate to the danger you are facing.

There are more I am sure, but this is a good start, anyone want to add to my idea here?

[rug]

1. Those are good basics but are not exclusive to, therfore not distinctive of, Christianity.

Many Christians would not serve in the Roman legions until Constantine due to their Christianity. But some did.

I think there is more to it than that.

[randys1]

2. OK, but I am specifying Christians because of the massive problem we have with

hypocritical Christians in America, most on the right but left too.

You could apply these same rules to all religions? Probably, I am not as educated on other religions.

[rug]

3. I don't think religion is necessary at all for any of those positions.

The problem with rw Christians is that their hate doesn't flow from what Christ taught. They should be confronted on it whenever they claim it to be the basis for their actions.

[randys1]

4. oh there are NON xtians who qualify here, for sure...

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

5. I have a problem with the "Absolutely no involvement ever in politics beyond voting"

One of the reasons we honor Martin Luther King is that he fought against a fundamentally unjust political system. His "Letter From Birmingham Jail" echoes the original Martin Luther's "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God." -- and, indeed, quotes it. We honor Dietrich Bonhoeffer because he felt that his duties as a Christian made him oppose Hitler, and he paid the cost of his discipleship.

It is sometimes our obligation as Christians to act politically, where there is political injustice.

[randys1]

7. Not my rule, I am just repeating what my JW friend has told

me is made perfectly clear in the New Testament, but I cant tell you where, I will ask him.

Speaking out against unjust acts I think would not be considered the same thing, he meant you cant be a politician, you cant go on national television and give an opinion about political issues unless you are speaking in defense of people in need then it wouldnt be political it would be humanitarian.

The point he was making was about Falwell and the other con-men who used politics to get filthy rich

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

8. What he is saying is that no Christian should be involved in politics

So is leaving politics to the non-Christians really a good idea for Christians. No, that idea is crap.

BTW, I took so long to reply because I'm in Italy, in my flat in Umbria. Unfortunately, the Internet connection is not good, but the man from the phone company said they would fix it. (At least, that's what I think he said. My Italian is not the best.)

[randys1]

9. Crap or not he says there is undeniable scripture to back it up and I believe that

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

10. So his interpretation of scripture

Says that Christians should leave politics to non-Christians.

I looked it up, and the scriptural citation is to John 17:14, which says in part "they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world." -- "they" meaning Christ's followers. I'd say that a better interpretation is that Christians should not live by worldly values, not that we should abjure politics.

[randys1]

11. convenient

[L0oniX]

6. You can't earn your way into it or work to keep it or it's just another fake religion.