Re: The Mark of a Christian

will just get to the point and ask, what is the mark of a christian?


Belief
Behavior
Both
Other

That is probably the best question I've heard posed about religion ever, I'm not sure if anyone sees how profound this question is, but in that question I think for one, we can find Plato and Aristotle (which one is for belief and which for behavior?), religion vs. atheism, and the whole study of behaviorism...

So, belief and behavior lining up would be the best. But what happens when there is a belief and the behavior doesn't match?

Check out this conversation I just had with a friend of mine:

"Sorry, trivia time is girl's night. I highly recommend you go, but it's me and my girl friends that have a tradition of playing every Tuesday night. Been doing this for almost two years."

"Wow that sucks, I never really liked gender segregation much."

"It's not gender segregation, that's messed up, I only get to see my friends regularly once a week, and on a rare weekend. I take my true friends highly into consideration."

"Dang it, I can't stop laughing, if it's not gender segregation, maybe it shouldn't be called girls night."

"It's girls night,deal."

-----

Great, and there's another mystery for you. I think she likes me, because she's not including me in her friend group but is still talking to me. I guess it would have been worse if she had been like

"Hey, my girl friends and I are going to go do trivia tonight, do you want to go?" Right?

Hi. As a Christian is a follower of Christ, his words should be taken into account on what the mark of a Christian is. And he put it very simply, and very succinctly: "By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.” - John 13:35.

reply to post by Broom


Thanks you put that really well, so what's up with all of this negative energy between the church and atheism if both want the same thing? Do you have any thoughts on it?

reply to post by darkbake


Well, most who say they follow Christ, really don't. And because of them Christ is spoken of abusively, and his Father. There is a scripture that foretells this, a little lengthy but it explains it better than I can:

"However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner that bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves.  Furthermore, many will follow their acts of loose conduct, and on account of these the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively." - 2 Peter 2:1, 2.

Well the reason why it is the way it is is like this.

There, their & they're. No one likes a grammar nazi.

But Everyone hates a moral nazi.

and you don't get much more militant than someone quoting a book at you to tell you how bad you are, when you're not doing anything bad to anyone. Just not following the 'book'. stick the book.

Signed,

An illiterate grammar nazi.


ps, girls night is gender segregation. Same as blacks only clubs or whites only point hat parties is segregation. If it excludes people based based on physical traits for no reason, then .. bingo.

nevermind.

reply to post by winofiend


Thank you, Winofiend, especially for agreeing with me about the gender segregation issue. And to everyone else in this thread. I do agree with all of you.

There is something wrong, but I don't know what it is, I can't put my finger on it - religion seems to be being entirely misinterpreted these days and used as a fear-based, negative energy. I remember during the first days of Christianity, Christians were some of the only people willing to risk their lives to save others who were ill.

I remember, during the 9/11 attacks, people willing to sacrifice their lives to save those in the towers, and they were remembered as heroes. I remember the sense of community back then, how people were rewarded for good behavior socially.

Now, I feel like the people in the towers would be left to die and anyone who went in to save them would be fired from their work. Now, I feel like people are punished if they express compassion, like it is a duty to suffer and ensure the suffering of others.