tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064729025510181487.post863775208755947282..comments2023-09-26T16:01:59.345+02:00Comments on A life in juxtaposition: No True ChristianEugenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17722877695054410613noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064729025510181487.post-73212573699216696972010-02-26T05:38:20.554+02:002010-02-26T05:38:20.554+02:00A few more thoughts.... you have asserted here th...A few more thoughts.... you have asserted here that it is unfair for Christians to claim that anytime someone does something egregious, they were not "true Christians." I have been thinking more about it, and I think that it is quite Biblical for us to say this. Didn't Jesus tell us that we would "know a tree by it's fruit" and that "no bad tree bears good fruit and no good tree bears bad fruit?" I agree that Christians can and do sin and make mistakes. But, if someone is a true Christian than they are filled with the Holy Spirit and they are seeking God to lead them in their life. The tone of their life should consistently show that. If the overall tone of a person's life shows the exact opposite of following Christ, then one can logically conclude that they are not a true Christian. The Bible tells us that Satan came to lie, kill and destroy. I can't think of three better descripters of what the Crusades, and the Inquisitions were about than lying, killing and destroying. The fact that it was done in the name of Christ only shows that Satan loves to smear the name of Christ. <br />I guess it would be like this - if someone claims to be a vegetarian, and once in a while you see them eating meat, you would assume that they are a vegetarian, but slip up once in a while. If you saw them eating meat at ever single meal, you would not consider them a true vegetarian. <br /> If being a Christian means being a follower of Christ, then only the people that actually follow Christ are legitimate "true Christians." That doesn't mean we don't slip up and do wrong things, but there is a big difference in a slip up and mass murder, rape and pilage. <br /> The same arguement could be made for a Buddhist. Theirs is a religion of peace. (I believe it is a false religion and dangerous,but still, I can't deny that they advocate peace) If a bunch of Buddhists went on a murdering rampage, we would not reasonable be able to then conclude that "true Buddhists" did it. It violates everything that religion teaches. <br /> We could not say the same for the Muslim faith. The most devout of Islam - the ones that follow their holy book the closest and follow the example of their leader Mohammed closest are the most dangerous. The ones that are least devout, the ones that don't follow the Quran or Mohammed's example are the peaceful ones. One cannot assert that the murderous actions of Muslims are done by those that are not "true Muslims." The ones that follow thier leader and holy book the most are the "true Muslims" and they are the ones committing atrocities in the name of Islam.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064729025510181487.post-77302298179746742952010-02-26T05:04:23.892+02:002010-02-26T05:04:23.892+02:00I appreciated your article. I have just been stud...I appreciated your article. I have just been studying the Crusades for the first time and have really been pondering how in the name of Christ people could have done such things. One thought (this is specific to the Crusade example - I know your article is not specifically about that, but Christians dismissing all bad behavior in general) though is this. Pope Urban promised those who went on the Crusade their salvation if they died in battle. This is salvation by works, and not by faith in Christ's death. This means that they were truly not "true Christians" if one defines a "true Christian" as someone who is trusting by faith in the redemptive work of Christ, rather than on one's one efforts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064729025510181487.post-47292194935226481642008-09-01T18:56:00.000+02:002008-09-01T18:56:00.000+02:00I agree! You've articulated brilliantly what I am ...I agree! You've articulated brilliantly what I am currently dealing with - thanks! And "...if we get anything right it’s not because we are the best but because we are following the best example." Soooooo right, bro!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064729025510181487.post-84951718659301259042008-08-22T20:19:00.000+02:002008-08-22T20:19:00.000+02:00Well said, I have this debate with my friend Kathy...Well said, I have this debate with my friend Kathy all the time. The whole what makes a true Christian thing and look at all the bad things that have been done in the name of God blah blah blah.<BR/><BR/>I call myself a Christ follower. I am very thankful that everything is a matter of the heart with the God I serve. I am also very thankful that HE is the only one that can see what is really in my heart. I wouldn't want his job.RandomSuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00266089487669591255noreply@blogger.com