Can a Christian also be a hypocrite?

[flaminbats]

To me, all people who are Christian must be able to confess their sins to God. If sinners cannot admit to themselves or to God that they are hypocrites, then how can they ever be forgiven by God for their sins..and thus be saved as Christians?

James 4.11-12 Do not criticize one another, my brothers. Whoever criticizes a Christian brother or judges him, criticizes the Law and judges it. If you judge the Law, then you are no longer one who obeys the Law, but one who judges it. God is the only lawgiver and judge. He alone can save and destroy. Who do you think you are, to judge your fellow-man?

After hearing a number of self-described "Christians" announce they were offended for being called hypocrites on the Ed Schultz program, I decided to start this topic on what Christianity really is..IMHO a Christian is the first to admit he or she is a hypocrite and a sinner, not someone who is offended by such truths!

How would you describe most Christians in the 21st century?

[arbusto_baboso]

1. Most who CALL themselves Christians are hypocrites, but...

to be a true Christian does indeed call a person to a higher standard. As Gandhi once said, "I quite like your Christ. It's you Christians I can't abide."

[MikeG]

2. If they use the word Christian to describe themselves...

They are hypocrites.

They should keep their faith to themselves.

[eleny]

3. Is a bean green?

[flaminbats]

6. not if baked..

;)

[xfundy]

4. The ones that yell the loudest sure can.

The constant cry that "Christianity is under attack" is true, but it's not the libruls, gays, feminists, Democrats, etc., etc., etc. the fundies are always whining about: it's the fundies themselves. They're doing to Christianity precisely what Osama's done to Islam.

[UdoKier]

5. A hypocrite can't be a Christian

That's why Christianity is one of the rarest religions in the USA.

There are millions who spew Jesus' name while spitting on every one of his teachings.

None of them are Christians.

[Ron Green]

7. Amen to that.

That's why I think Christ's message is the most important of the major religions that have endured: It's all about forgiving yourself, and thereby forgiving the world, thereby forgiving yourself. But you can't forgive unless you're acknowledging your failure, and this is what George W. Bush just will not do.

[flaminbats]

10. to be a Christian I must confess my hypocrisy to God...

in other words I may be a hypocrite without being a Christian, but IMHO can never be Christian without first confessing that I am a devote hypocrite. The real question is can someone be human without also being a hypocrite?

[skygazer]

14. Christianity is not about perfection

It's about the sincere attempt. Christianity recognizes that we all screw up and that's where the concept of forgiveness comes in. The true hypocrite is the one who feels that God's forgiveness gives him or her a free rein to behave against the codes of Christ on the theory that they'll be forgiven anyway.

Or at least that's how I understand it. I personally don't believe in any of it.

[Ron Green]

15. Yes, it would seem that, to the extent you can

stay connected to your true self (spirit, God, higher power, whatever name it has), you will avoid hypocrisy. But to attain that completely would be perfect, and no one really reaches that, no?

[HawkerHurricane]

8. Self Proclaimed Christians can be hypocrits...

I caught the end of that show... the last caller...

"You insulted 60% of all Americans, calling them hypocrits..."

"No, I didn't"

"You insulted 60%..."

They hear what they want to hear.

[B Calm]

9. The republican party is a religious cult and

we have always known the GOP a party of hypocrites. Lets hope they all drink the Kool Aid when Bush is defeated in November!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. Sure, anybody can be a hypocrite

They're just hypocritical about different things.

[mandyky]

12. There are whole sects of the Christian religion that break that one

Jehovah's Witnesses are infamous for drumming people out of the fold.

I became an agnostic after my final church experience back in the 70's. Now I only attend Friend's meetings, Unitarian services and functions, and 12 step meetings. I think way too many American (esp. evangelical) Christians are way too preoccupied with Armagedon and right wing politics to be effective Christians.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. Of course they can be hypocrites. But they can also be

very loving and wonderful people. See:

Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm