There seen to be more and more people in politics, business, and on social media who reference their "Christian" background and quote from the Bible to justify their opinions and their calls for political, legal and social action. Too often the positions are racist, antisemitic, suppressive, exclusionist, or violent. By definition, a Christian worships Christ and follows his teachings and commandments. None of the "leaders" that I referenced quote Jesus for justification. Jesus' life, actions, comments, stories, and commandments are found only in the first four books of the New Testament. These "leaders" quote form other parts of the New Testament, especially Revelation, or the Old Testament. They do not reference the life or sayings of Jesus. Any "Christian" who references their faith or the Bible to justify their life, beliefs, actions or statements, but nothing of Jesus provides that support, is not really a Christian. They are a "Christian in Name Only", a CINO. Jesus taught love not hate, forgiveness not condemnation, tolerance and acceptance not rejection, and compassion not abuse. When a self-proclaimed "Christian" says or does something, we should ask, "Would Jesus say or do that?" If the answer is "No", they are probably a CINO. I am pretty sure that claiming Christianity tends to give a person a greater sense of community with more safety, security, influence and power. As a "person of God" their comments and actions are less likely to be questioned. But, we definitely need to question. If Jesus would not say or do it, then they are a CINO, and we need to make sure that everyone knows that they are a CINO. Everyone needs to know the truth.
LOL - Now THAT is quite a statement!!! Jesus laid down very clear requirements in Matthew 25:31 to end. JESUS stated that those who don't follow those requirements are going to hell. You can't argue that the comments by OldGuy are somehow more restrictive than the clearly stated requirements of JESUS.
Clearly stated? And how exactly do you claim to know what Jesus said? The gospels are anonymous hearsay accounts. Written long after the death of Jesus. Do you know why there are four Gospels in the Canon? Well, because this guy named Irenaeus liked the number four because there were four corners on the [flat] earth. https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=190
And of course the people who mock religion are the best people to both judge the individual christian as well as determine what Jesus would have done.
??? I read the BIBLE!! And, I cited Matthew's account of what Jesus said. >>>If you want to suggest the Bible is a PACK OF LIES, you need to do a WHOLE lot better than you are doing so far.
LOL. I said the Gospels are anonymous hearsay. Feel free to present your evidence that they are first person eye witness accounts.
Technically I have been a "Christian" since the mid 1970's and I began studying the Jewish and Christian scriptures in 1972 but...... by 1989 I was wondering if I, Dennis Tate, was a Christian In Name Only??????????????
I'm not interested in debating the faithfulness of the Bible. A major tenet of Christianity is that the Bible is a supremely accurate representation of God's will as well as his direction to mankind. Once you start tossing out hunks of the Bible as false, Christianity is toast.
I researched the "No True Scotsman Fallacy", and I did overstate my opinion. A Christian who says or does something that is racist, antisemitic, suppressive, exclusionist, or violent should be made aware of their non-Christian action. A person who claims to be Christian and maintains a position that is racist, antisemitic, suppressive, exclusionist, or violent is not a Christian. They are a CINO, and we should limit their influence by letting everyone know that they are CINOs.
Jesus gave some quite simplistic advice. Jesus provided very little detail on the topic of how leaders should act, how to resolve issues where love and forgiveness for one implies loss of love or forgiveness for another, etc.. And the advice he did give is easy to interpret in many different ways, hard to apply, hard to extrapolate, etc. Besides, he also says things like he does not change the law, indicating that Jesus would agree with, or act in accordance with, all the laws of the old testament as well. Who is qualified to figure out what Jesus would have done or said? It seems to me the ones you call CINOs are in no worse position than you are to interpret what Jesus would do/say. You call them CINO, they call you CINO. Certainly, I (who am not a Christian) am not qualified (so the solution is not going to be for you to convince me what Jesus would do/say). Seems to me that to us who are outside of Christianity, your CINOs are as good or representative Christians as anyone else.
