True Christianity

[Az]

This phrase keeps popping up as various members of different sects present bad social behaviour in the name of their particular religion. Christianity is one of the most splitered religions about. It has nearly countless sects and denominations. Each with their own interpretation of the teachings. Each with their own emphasis on which issues matter.

History has presented an even greater array of faces for the Christian population. From protector to destroyer. The basic concepts of the religion have entwined themself in our population and in many ways are inseperable in most nations.

This brings the concept of the term True Christian into an interesting light. What exactly is a True Christian. Certainly the followers of the conservative religious would consider the liberal claimants to not be True Christians. Likewise followers from the left look at the conservative's position and complain about how they are not representitive of the true spirit of Jesus.

From the view of someone outside the fold the various camps all fall under the general heading of Christian. The internicine conflict between the sects has been going on since before the bible was compiled (Council of Nicea 325ad). Suffice to say that no one living on earth can define exactly what a True Christian is. Our history is full of the struggle to claim that title.

So please understand that the definition of what believers want the world to see the teachings of Jesus stand for is under conflict. The court of public opinion is built on what is represented in the public square. You cannot simply dismiss those that do not follow the teachings as you do and expect the rest of the world to condemn them for getting the meaning wrong. You have to live the meaning you believe is at the heart of the matter and present it before the people around you. You have to challenge those that you believe represent it wrongly. You have to set the example that others may know.

[bryant69]

1. This is a good post

It's one of those things that's tricky to put into practice, but I think you are 100% correct. As a Liberal Christian, I've went through this week in a kind of a funk, since it seems clear that Rove is going to trot out "A vote for Bush is a vote for a God Fearing Man (and pay no attention to the war behind the curtain)."

The only real alternative is to do as you say, and live as you believe; show that a Christian can support sensible health care policy or a less belligerent foriegn policy.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[NeonLX]

3. Yup, this liberal Christian (though somewhat agnostic) Christian agrees. n

nt

[BlueEyedSon]

2. "In truth there was only one true Christian, and he died on the Cross."

--Friedrich Nietzsche

[emad]

4. From today's BBC News:

Snapshot of faith:

People in the UK are less likely to believe in God than those in any other country, according to a BBC-commissioned global survey of religion.

The survey was conducted in January 2004 by independent research company ICM for the BBC's What the World Thinks of God programme.

[Az]

5. Good thing they didn't isolate Scotland

I seem to recall hearing a survey showing 80% nonbelief in Scotland.

[emad]

6. Its v. cold and isolated in some part of Scotland.....

There are more pubs/bars/inns per capita than 'kirks'.

Scottish people are also more cynical than their southern neighbours and have suffered more from anti-Catholic and anti-Protestant bloodbaths than the rest of the Brits.

Another survey once said that Scots had better and more frequent sex lives than any ethnic group in the UK. Religion maybe doesn't get much of a look in.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. "There are more pubs/bars/inns per capita than 'kirks'"

true for nearly all the UK, I'd think. Large parts of the rest of the world too. Thank goodness.

[emad]

8. Not if you live in Saudi Arabia. Or Kuwait. Or Iran etc (like UTAH)

Try getting a 'medicinal' in any of those when the old war wound's playing up....

[supernova]

9. To take that a step further,

I don't think there's a true anything. That is if you use "true" to mean "perfect."

There is no "true" xtian, no "true" muslim, no "true" jew, or pagan, or hindu, or..... ergo, no one version of any of these paths is more true than the others. And we follow them imperfectly at best. For myself, I'm not in church every single sunday, and I don't give as much time to charity as I could.

The only "true" thing you or I can say about ourselves is that we follow the path that best makes sense to each of us. That can take considerable time and study in our lives if we choose to take the journey, and not just accept what they grew up with because it is convenient.