Are Baptists "Christians?"

[The Heretic]

Interesting side note. I've had Baptists from the church up the street come to my door and try to speak to me about my beliefs, which are made quite obvious. I told them that I'd listen to them preach to me for 15 minutes, if they'd let me recite "The Charge of the Goddess" to them. They've never taken me up on it...Guess they don't subscribe to the "Love thy neighbor" policy, hmmmm?

Or maybe they were afraid they would be corrupted. SOmetimes people with little faith in their own beliefs are afraid to be exposed to other beliefs for fear they might have to change their minds.

 

[morninggirl5]

Interesting side note. I've had Baptists from the church up the street come to my door and try to speak to me about my beliefs, which are made quite obvious. I told them that I'd listen to them preach to me for 15 minutes, if they'd let me recite "The Charge of the Goddess" to them. They've never taken me up on it...Guess they don't subscribe to the "Love thy neighbor" policy, hmmmm?

Did you ever consider that perhaps they recognize that you have no desire to actually converse with them and are respecting your wishes on the subject?

 

[entitled]

Heretic, i see now where that jump in logic is. The mind just refused to kick into gear enough for me to even see it was there at all yesterday. Sorry about that.

To connect that post from the other thread to this thread: Most religions are basically the same. They use different figures and heads, but teach mainly the same things. So to me it only makes sense that if a person believes the teachings of one religion - such as those the Moslems believe - the same person could very well believe the teachings of another religion - such as those of Christianity - without knowing it. Basically the only thing separating one religion from another are the translations, including the name of the 'savior' of the people.

Many people do believe that this savior was Christ, so name themselves Christians. Many others believe it was Muhammed, or Buddha, or a hundred other people, and name themselves accordingly. Now if a Buddhist were to agree that the founder of their religion could possibly have been named or called Christ at some point, doesn't that make them a Christian as well?

OK, since i'm rambling again and my thoughts are getting all twisted up to where the words won't come right, i'll stop there for the moment. Please let me know if this makes any sort of sense.

 

[The Heretic]

To connect that post from the other thread to this thread: Most religions are basically the same. They use different figures and heads, but teach mainly the same things. So to me it only makes sense that if a person believes the teachings of one religion - such as those the Moslems believe - the same person could very well believe the teachings of another religion - such as those of Christianity - without knowing it. Basically the only thing separating one religion from another are the translations, including the name of the 'savior' of the people.

Many people do believe that this savior was Christ, so name themselves Christians. Many others believe it was Muhammed, or Buddha, or a hundred other people, and name themselves accordingly. Now if a Buddhist were to agree that the founder of their religion could possibly have been named or called Christ at some point, doesn't that make them a Christian as well?

No. For one thing Buddhism is not really about salvation, nor is Hinduism, nor are a number of other "eastern" religions. Islam, Judaism and Christianity all share belief in the same God, so there are similarities there, but there is a whole raft of other religions that are quite different in many ways, including a number that are not "exclusive" like Islam, Judaism and Christianity in believing in one and only one God.

There are many similarities in most religions, but it is simplistic in the least to say they are all the same, and simply wrong in the extreme to say they are similar enough to support your assertions.

Please let me know if this makes any sort of sense.

It makes sense, but it is flawed logic for the reasons I stated, and because you left out one huge segment of the human population; agnostics and aetheists. If I were an atheist, and I believed that Jesus Christ did at one time live, but that he was just a demented human who thought himself the son of God. Then would that make me a Christian?

 

[entitled]

Well damn. i think You got me. *laughs* Ah well... Nobody ever said my twisted logic makes sense to anybody but me, and nobody ever said that i could put it in a way that would explain my convoluted thinking to anybody else.

 

[The Heretic]

Well damn. i think You got me. *laughs* Ah well... Nobody ever said my twisted logic makes sense to anybody but me, and nobody ever said that i could put it in a way that would explain my convoluted thinking to anybody else.

Never debate logical topics with a Heretic.

I understand where you are coming from - I just don't agree.

 

[entitled]

Never debate logical topics with a Heretic.

I understand where you are coming from - I just don't agree.

As long as You understand that much i'm not a total failure. Yay me!

*still feels like an idiot, though*

 

[breakwall]

Just read this in the New York Times...or maybe it was the Onion...I get them mixed up:

God Quietly Phasing Holy Ghost Out Of Trinity
HEAVEN—Calling the Holy Trinity "overstaffed and over budget," God announced plans Monday to downsize the group by slowly phasing out the Holy Ghost. "Given the poor economic climate and the unclear nature of the Holy Ghost's duties, I felt this was a sensible and necessary decision," God said. "The Holy Ghost will be given fewer and fewer responsibilities until His formal resignation from Trinity duty following Easter services on April 20. Thereafter, the Father and the Son shall be referred to as the Holy Duo."

 

[Guest]

I have no desire to actually converse with them?

That's not it at all. I would be more than happy to have an intelligent conversation about religion with them, if they'd ever take me up on my offer. They want to come preach to me, but they in turn won't let me educate them on MY beliefs? I don't think so. I've read the Bible...I could hold my own if they want to discuss theological differences, but they just think of me as a Devil worshipper (which is ludicrous, considering the "devil" is a Christian idea), and want nothing to do with actually carrying on a conversation with me. As previously stated, their whole "Love thy neighbor" concept goes right out the window.

 

[mbb308]

I no longer debate religion with the "door-to-door" type.

I will, sometimes, go so far as to say that I am a Spiritualist. When they ask what that is, I tell them that they believe what they do because they fear going to hell. I tell them I belive what I do because I have been to hell and come back, and have no intention of going again.

That gets them to beat it down the garden path, most of the time.