If a person believes whatever God says goes, does that make them a Christian even if they never heard of Jesus
82837
Jesus did not come to talk of Himself!!!--He came to announce the existence of GOD THE FATHER AND HIS KINGDOM AND HOW YOU CAN BE A PART OF IT!!! Jesus plainly stated He would be Head of this Royal Family--but that YOU could also be a son or daughter with GOD!Any other "gospel" is a false gospel that centers on the Messenger(Christ) and NOT on what He preached!!!-I hope you have your answer-good for you for trying to understand the truth!
909713
I am currently of "undetermined" faith, but here's the answer I think you're looking for:\n\nIt's possible that your friend believes in God, and believes that the Bible was the original word of God, but that through translation, some of the true meanings of that important history of the religion have been lost. If I ever return to Christianity, that would be my idea on the matter.\n\nHowever, there are whole religions that have either additional passages that are included in the Bible or who have selected only excerpts from the Bible (such as the Jehovah's Witnesses). Just my personal beliefs, but I tend not to trust someone else's vision of what is or isn't important from that religious work. But many people do accept this.\n\nAnd overall, the Bible is only a collection from a vast array of religious works available, that the Church set about in the early years to determine what was "important" and what was either a duplicate work, would be confusing, or just wasn't important. You can read a lot of these additional works at the Guttenburg project's Web site: http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page.\n\nPerhaps your friend wouldn't be as upset about your question, and would be glad to explain her personal reasons to you.
872602
No we dont. I believe in Jesus as son of God, hence Christian. If I were Muslim Id believe him a prophet, and if I were Jew, I would not believe in him at all.
347486
YES.  According to the good ol' American Heritage Dictionary, a Christian is one who professes "belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus."  I'm a Catholic, and I know this describes me, as I'm sure it describes you as well.\n\nI have come to understand a bit more about why sometimes Protestants say Catholics aren't Chritistian, however.  Hopefully, these will help you understand your friends' logic:\n\n1. The Saints.  It's thought that by praying to saints, Catholics are worshiping them.  This isn't true, of course, for reasons I won't get into here - I'm sure you know them - but you can see how people might think you're not Christian if they thought this was true.\n2. The Bible.  Because Protestants don't have a Church structure the way Catholics do, Protestants often end up paying a lot more attention to the Bible, memorizing passages etc.  It seems to them that Catholics ignore the Scriptures and so the word of Christ.  This isn't true either, but it's a not-infrequent misconception.\n3.  The Eucharist.  Catholics say that the Eucharist is the essence of Christ, present with us.  We worship Christ in and through the Eucharist.  If you're Protestant, you (generally) think the Eucharist is bread, symbolic of Christ, but not actually Christ.  So if they see us worshiping God in the Eucharist, they think we're bowing down to a piece of bread.  You can see how this would seem sacriligious?\n4. Salvation.  Generally, Protestants believe that salvation can only come from accepting Christ as your savior.  Essentially, no matter how good a person is on their own, because they're not perfect, they wouldn't be able to make it to heaven if it weren't for Chirst's sacrifice.    Catholics believe this is true, but that you also have to 'walk the walk, not just talk the talk.'  Salvation is based on the acceptance of Christ as savior combined with good works.  The reason some Protestants have a problem with this is because they're thinking we're discounting the importance of Christ's sacrifice and that we think we could get into heaven on our own. \n\nSo you see, the concept of Catholics not being Christian is generally based on misconceptions.  Try explaining these concepts to your friends (without proselytizing) and try to find out why they think Catholics don't count as Christians.  We all believe in Christ as the source of eternal life.  Maybe you can help them see this.
892806
You are welcome to believe what you like.\n\nBut do consider that it is probably a little more difficult, in general, for people to believe that a certain person is God than it is for them to believe that a certain person is homosexual.\n\nMoreover, Jesus didn't do any convincing. Jesus existed--and people came to understand that he was God. He never claimed he was God himself. So you would have to point to what he exactly said and did that was a persuasive tactic.
500609
Don't know but they assume the same with anyone who is not in their faith.  I am Muslim and Christians always try to Teach me about Christianity even though I know the Bible better than many of them. \n\nMany see Christianity not as a religion but a state of being.  IE:  They think to be a moral person is to be a Christian person.  I even had a friend try to convert me and when I was explaining the basic differences between Islam and christianity.  I stated that Muslims do not believe Jesus(peace be upon him) is God but a prophet and she told me "Christians dont believe Jesus is God we beleive he is the son of God" \nI had a landlord who knew I was Muslim but kept saying "but you are such a good Christian girl"  in reference to my behavior not my religion.  \nWhen you think that way that morality is attached with being Christain it is hard to accept that somone who is moral would not choose Christianity.
994330
This is very difficult to answer. Knowledge effects you on many levels. Whether something is true or factual is not relevant to a believer of faith. If you have been told something all your life and even if new evidence presents itself - you will tend to support the former idea. You have to understand the Christian mind. Most Christians see the world as black and white: no shades of grey. Either you are or are not a Christian. There is no other way to look at it. If you are not a Christian you are lost. Part of every Christian’s salvation and “Ticket to Heaven” is inextricably linked to several essential factors and one of which is to “Spread the Good News.” This is known as Evangelism. Yes. You have to endure the Christian’s witty incite filled pejorative analysis with cut downs and invidious diminutive behavior. It is their duty to explain to you what a looser you are for not being a Christian and what winners they are for being on the winning side. Although it seems like insecurity at first glance I feel it somehow reenforces some need to show they are superior. Wait, that's the same thing. . .right? Typical Christian comments are, “Are you still practicing that Witchcraft. . .come BACK to Christ.” “Hinduism is just a bunch of Pagans. . .FIND the Lord.” “You KNOW you are lost without Christ.” “The Bible SAYS. . .” They assume you should agree with them because they assume what they are saying is the ONLY way to look at it.
306731
As far as not believing some doctrine of God?  Yes, you can still be Christian.
264351
Being religious doesn't make you Christian.  Religious people do just about everything anyone else does, so I wouldn't let it shock me.
977374
They can't be held accountable for what they haven't heard.\n\nMy opinoin is that it seems that all cultures believe in a creation story, a worldwide flood story, a afterlife.  I don't think that the creator is as narrow as us humans who put him in a church and think we are the only ones who will make it to heaven.\n\nIf some say to this..........."but they haven't heard about Jesus" The Bible says......"the only way to the father is through the son."\nWell there is the trinity....the Father, Son & the Holy Spirit.\nTherefor if a tribe that never heard of civilation worships their version of the creator , then why would the creator hold them responsible for not knowing the official human form of religion.\n\nMankind is much more judgmental than the Creator is. \n\nTo the person who answered the question by saying they will go to hellll. Remember judge not lest you be judged. \n\nIf we who consider ourselves believers truely think about time and creation we can't put God in the box we keep him in. He is so much greater than our religion version of him.
345499
Absolutely not. That's ridiculous. I think there's a LOT they don't understand. I'm the only Christian one in my family, if I was intellectually lazy I wouldn't believe in God at all, just like them.
711303
Rule #1, sister:  Christians are irrational.\n\nI'm sure since early humans first invented the ideas of gods, there have been some people claiming to be descended from them. The pharoahs of egypt all believed they were divine for one thing. \n\nIt is just pure twisted luck that dictates that there are still many many people believing in the divinity of that one Jesus when all the other contenders are for the most part forgotten or simply dismissed. Could have been anyone really... but it just happened to be him. \nO'course, if you try to convince the christians of that.... Well.... Its like trying to convince a goldfish to get a bit of fresh air.
1048116
Even if the belief is presumed to have come from the Catholic Church, it is subject to subsequent reforms as introduced by St. Augustine and Thomas Acquinas. Many of the Christians know much more than what you know about their community and its long history.
493861
Some do, yes, but probably not in a traditional way. I am a UU, and I have christians who believe in the divinity of Jesus in my congregation as well as those who do not (like me). I believe in a primitive Christianity in the sense that I believe that Jesus was a very good, holy person, a great prophet & philosopher. I think anyone would be well to emulate Jesus in their personal life. I don't believe he was God, though, and do not believe that there is only one way to God. \n\nAs I understand it, the "traditional" christians in the UU do think Jesus was God incarnate, but also believe, as I do, that there is not only one path to God. There are many religions, and all of them have merit. I do not think that God would be so close minded as to create all the world, then allow only one narrow path to find him. I also do not believe that God would prohibit, say, the Dalai Lama from his presence, just because he did not follow one doctrine or another, as he is a good, holy person.\n\nSo, yes, there are still christian UU's, but probably not too many, and not very traditional, in the strict sense.
102395
Christianity believes that as long as you claim you love Jesus and believe he is the Son of God right as you die, you'll go to Heaven. So, be Atheist, kill everybody, and then right before you die say you believe Jesus is the Son of God... and you're in Heaven... sounds like it does to me. :)
1042230
No your not christian!!! You are in a christian religion/sect but that doesn't make you a christian, since the whole world forgot what a christian is.\nI'm not a christian but I don't say jesus when shit happens.
538533
I think that if they are truly Christians, that they have accepted Jesus as their personal savior, they are not going to hell. Somebody correct me if I am wrong about that. \n\nAnd I think, and this is just from my studies, I remember that Christian doctrine says we are all sinners and need Christ. Again, that is what I remember.\n\nIt is not my experience or my belief, mind you, but just what I think is Christian doctrine.