How do Christians possibly rationalize these things?

[Aedes]

Originally Posted by Didymos Thomas

A Christian is someone who finds value in the teachings of Jesus. That's the only definition that accounts for all Christians.

That can't be right. A Christian at minimum also has to accept the divinity of Jesus. Is it possible to be a Christian and reject Jesus' divinity? And his divinity must be accepted over other God concepts. For instance Muslims regard Jesus as having been a prophet, but that doesn't make them Christians.

[Zetherin]

Originally Posted by Aedes

That can't be right. A Christian at minimum also has to accept the divinity of Jesus. Is it possible to be a Christian and reject Jesus' divinity? And his divinity must be accepted over other God concepts. For instance Muslims regard Jesus as having been a prophet, but that doesn't make them Christians.

Yeah, I always thought that you must regard Jesus to a higher level, so to say. You must believe he is the divine one and reject other notions of God, as you point out. However, perhaps there is a denomination of Christianity that does not? And if one exists, wouldn't it make things a bit confusing? I mean, the whole point of applying this label is to allow categorization, and to hold the beliefs that are related to the religion. Otherwise, why label yourself such?

The only thing I can think of is perhaps the label itself brings people comfort, regardless if they actually practice said religion, even at all.

[Mephistopheles]

Originally Posted by Martin Cothran

Wouldn't it be just as logical to ask, "How do non-Christians possibly condemn these things?"

Yes I wonder how rape, genocide, extermination, religious killing, witch-burning, slavery, human sacrifice, murder, and animal sacrifice is possibly wrong.

[Zetherin]

Originally Posted by Mephistopheles

Yes I wonder how rape, genocide, extermination, religious killing, witch-burning, slavery, human sacrifice, murder, and animal sacrifice is possibly wrong.

I think you may have been saying that sarcastically, but no, I think you should actually wonder why you think it's wrong. Self exploration is key.

[Mephistopheles]

Originally Posted by Zetherin

I think you may have been saying that sarcastically, but no, I think you should actually wonder why you think it's wrong. Self exploration is key.

http://www.philosophyforum.com/forum...l-purpose.html
http://www.philosophyforum.com/forum...not-wrong.html

[Zetherin]

Originally Posted by Mephistopheles

http://www.philosophyforum.com/forum...l-purpose.html
http://www.philosophyforum.com/forum...not-wrong.html

Very good, my friend.

[Didymos Thomas]

That can't be right. A Christian at minimum also has to accept the divinity of Jesus. Is it possible to be a Christian and reject Jesus' divinity? And his divinity must be accepted over other God concepts. For instance Muslims regard Jesus as having been a prophet, but that doesn't make them Christians.

Early Christians especially held a wide variety of views on the nature of Jesus.

Christology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Muslim, I imagine, would be someone with a particular degree of reverence for the prophet Muhammad.

[Aedes]

Originally Posted by Didymos Thomas

Early Christians especially held a wide variety of views on the nature of Jesus.

Yes, I know. But they were not Christians if they didn't have some prioritized regard for the divinity of Jesus himself, of his story (at least allegorically) or at least the divinity of his teaching. I doubt even a an early Christian would describe himself as such if he didn't believe that the story and teaching of Jesus were more important than any other religious story.

A Muslim, I imagine, would be someone with a particular degree of reverence for the prophet Muhammad.

Mohammed was a prophet, but God (Allah) is God, as conceived in Muslim theology. Muslims regard both Jesus and Mohammed as prophets (whereas in Christianity Jesus is not a prophet, he's an element of God). Thus, they find "value" in their teachings. But in the case of Islam the teachings of Mohammed are held superior to those of other prophets in the Abrahamic tradition.

[Didymos Thomas]

Yes, I know. But they were not Christians if they didn't have some prioritized regard for the divinity of Jesus himself, of his story (at least allegorically) or at least the divinity of his teaching. I doubt even a an early Christian would describe himself as such if he didn't believe that the story and teaching of Jesus were more important than any other religious story.

To call ones self a Christian would be an expression of that priority in religious teaching, I would imagine.

As for importance, important to who? For example, if the teachings of Jesus are most important to me, would I have to demand that everyone else recognize supreme importance of those teachings in order to rightly call myself a Christian? I can't imagine that demanding such a thing from others is a necessary condition for being a Christian.

[boagie]

The one qualifying statement I have heard across the board from Christians is, if you do not believe that Jesus is the son of god, you are NOT a Christian. You have to get passed the large absurdites before sitting down to dine at a banquet of absurdites. Be embarrassed for them, for they know not what they do---------from the book of Boagnarian wisdom!! volume #47