Are Moderates Christians "True Christians"

[jegs2]

Just as an aside, has anyone here actually read the Bible from cover to cover. If I recall correctly, Mike has, and I know I have. If you have read the Bible, please specify which version.

NIV. KJV is just too damned hard to understand.

I don't read the KJV either (too archaic) , although I do have the NKJ on my Handspring Visor.

[Superman]

I know many fundies who believe that only the King James is correct. The morons don't realize that the version was translated from the Church Vulgate, and that there are versions that have been translated from the Greek.

[Setzer]

A lot of people say that people who commit horrible things in the name of God are not "True Christians" because they do not really follow the teachings of the Bible.

Now, let's turn this around. Are the "moderate" Christians really christians, or do they fall under the "Dosen't really follow Biblical teachings." catrgory normally reserved for Hitler?

So as not to be biased, this applies to all other Religons.

My definition of a true Christian is as follows:


John 3:16-19
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
(NIV)

How can we know someone who claims to be a Christian is one (Christian meaning one who accepts Christ as Lord and Savior, following his teachings)?
Jesus said the following:
John 14:15
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
(NIV)

Someone can believe that Jesus existed and was a good man, but unless they embrace him as Lord and Savior, following his commands, they are not Christians.

Couldn't have put it better myself!

[Enforcer Talen]

then you bring in job 2:6 and mark 7:27, as well as Hosea 13:16 and Genesis 19:24-25 . . then things get confusing.

obey what he says? often, he says genocide.

[Superman]

Enforcer, agreed.

[Sir Sirius]

In my oppinion anyone who says that he or she is a christian is a christian. With all the different denominations, sects, belief systems, concepts Etc. found in christianity keeping track of them is nearly impossible.

You say you are a christian, in my book you are a christian. Ofcourse there are fundie and non-fundie christians, but that distinction just weed's out the morons from the horde unfortunate victims of a memeplex.

[Superman]

I think fundies have their own little "clique" of Christians, but even that varies. Some fundies accept Catholics, some do not. Some accept Seventh Day Adventists, some do not. The list goes on.

The fundie clique is made up of mostly orthodox groups. These are the churches that accept the rulings of the early church councils (Council of Nicea, etc.). They believe in the Trinity, they believe in an inspired Bible, etc. The funny thing is these early Council rulings were made by the very type of Church Authority that the Protestants fundamentally reject.