Religion

Bretton Garcia

(970 posts)

97. Some Christians may be better than others

Tue May 1, 2018, 10:31 PM

May 2018

The Bible suggested that "all have sinned." Including Christians. But it suggested we could tell which Christians - and non-Christians too - were better. And which were worse. By examining their behavior and outcomes. Their" fruits," "works," and so forth.

In the case of the story of the Good Samaritan, the standard was to see who physically helped others; who helped the victim of a crime. By that standard, the allegedly good rabbi and a priest, both walked by a victim in need. But as it happened, a non-Christian Samaritan actually stopped and helped the victim.

We could use this kind of standard today, to evaluate people independently of whether they call themselves Christians or atheists. Looking to see if they physically help victims, the poor, and so forth.

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(Right Winger Evangelicals) brand of Christianity IS NOT the Truth of Christ [View all] Civic Justice Apr 2018 OP

Well... NeoGreen Apr 2018 #1

This response does nothing to refute any Holy Scripture in the original post. sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #4

Well...duh... NeoGreen Apr 2018 #9

If you kill your kids for talking back are you a good Christian or bad Christian? Major Nikon Apr 2018 #42

Who you talkin' 'bout? God the Father? sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #43

I thought there was only one choice Major Nikon Apr 2018 #47

Three in One. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #50

Which brings us back to the unanswered question Major Nikon May 2018 #51

Due to contradictions in The Bible, following it or not... Beartracks May 2018 #105

You might like this... NeoGreen May 2018 #109

Obviously the bible is up for interpretation. Those who claim to be Christian are Christians Major Nikon Apr 2018 #2

Look, hard to perceive in this discussion room of religiosity, sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #5

Such is certainly a virtuous attitude Major Nikon Apr 2018 #7

I think the "double edged sword" analogy is more... NeoGreen Apr 2018 #10

That particular passage can be interpreted a number of different ways Major Nikon Apr 2018 #13

You make me smile... NeoGreen Apr 2018 #15

It's generally a term of respect for any teacher within the faith Major Nikon Apr 2018 #16

Y'all was doing pretty fair, then you make a remark about John the Baptizer and sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #19

I choose not to view history through romanticized lenses Major Nikon Apr 2018 #22

See the Secret Gospel of Mark The Genealogist Apr 2018 #28

The secret is they are all forgeries Major Nikon Apr 2018 #31

Yes, I know The Genealogist Apr 2018 #32

I'm not sure how Major Nikon Apr 2018 #37

The Apocryphal Books are an interesting read. 👍 sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #44

So...it's an apparent combination of... NeoGreen May 2018 #71

Not all that far from being historically accurate Major Nikon May 2018 #72

What I find interesting... NeoGreen May 2018 #74

What is ethically acceptable today may not be 50 years from now Major Nikon May 2018 #84

That's close enough. The last sentence however, dot dot dot 😕. sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #18

Warrior-god Jesus has been a thing since 312 CE. Voltaire2 Apr 2018 #21

Would you please explain more specifically? Thanks. sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #45

Starting with emperor Constantine at the battle Voltaire2 May 2018 #59

Not to mention it's easier to get someone to march to their death with the promise of reward Major Nikon May 2018 #69

Jesus, however, mostly taught his followers to turn the other cheek. Sophia4 May 2018 #76

Well yes sure, only for the last 1700 years. Voltaire2 May 2018 #78

But that is what he taught if what remains of the version of his teachings that we Sophia4 May 2018 #79

Constantine was a Roman. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #80

And yet 1700 years of history disagrees. Voltaire2 May 2018 #108

You'd think someone who is omnipotent would have seen that one coming Major Nikon May 2018 #112

So you're saying that the Christ is responsible for all warring, bloodshed, atrocities, etc. from sprinkleeninow May 2018 #117

If the claim is he's the god of gods... NeoGreen May 2018 #118

Let's just say He did create you yourself. no text sprinkleeninow May 2018 #122

Yeah? Well... NeoGreen May 2018 #125

I cannot go any further with this. Love you! eom sprinkleeninow May 2018 #124

Of course you can't. I understand. (nt) NeoGreen May 2018 #126

Um, no, I didn't say that. Voltaire2 May 2018 #127

Today's early Humpday already. I lost my way in this here thread. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #104

Agreed that organized 'religion' can do good and sadly also be used do harm. sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #20

Nothing wrong with that Major Nikon Apr 2018 #23

Some but not all... actually hardly any ollie10 Apr 2018 #26

By what standard? Major Nikon Apr 2018 #40

"Not all people who live by christian values choose to claim the label as Christians." trotsky Apr 2018 #3

The first century Christians undoubtedly had a much different set of values Major Nikon Apr 2018 #11

As an atheist, it is not my job to distinguish between who is and is not a Christian. MineralMan Apr 2018 #6

Be honest. You like to judge ollie10 Apr 2018 #27

MineralMan doesn't judge the validity of people's claim to Christianity. Mariana Apr 2018 #34

You are making it far more complicated than it needs to be Major Nikon Apr 2018 #41

Funny, that happened to me the other day on the way to the forum. sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #48

But they don't agree on which deeds are good and which are bad. Mariana Apr 2018 #49

We all should agree that killing your kids for talking back is wrong Major Nikon May 2018 #52

Anyone can claim MFM008 May 2018 #60

I don't agree. Mariana May 2018 #61

Have your children ever cursed you? Major Nikon May 2018 #70

I was talking about MFM008 May 2018 #75

See, you're being selective with the Bible. MineralMan May 2018 #77

So the rest of the book can be safely ignored? Major Nikon May 2018 #81

I judge only behaviors, not claimed adherence to some religion. MineralMan May 2018 #67

To me, some Christians behave better than others. Bretton Garcia Apr 2018 #8

Now I yam significantly deceived to a certain degree? Oy again. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #85

Christians have spent the better part of 2,000 years arguing marylandblue Apr 2018 #12

I feel that right-wing evangelicals are worse than liberal Christians Bretton Garcia Apr 2018 #14

But it's so much easier to just shrug and say, "They aren't Christians." nt. Mariana Apr 2018 #35

So as a liberal Christian, I am thankfully a notch above the despicable RW sprinkleeninow Apr 2018 #46

Who can judge? Major Nikon May 2018 #53

Personally, I'd rate you higher. Though all Christianity has problems. Bretton Garcia May 2018 #56

It's risque what's said. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #82

Yeah. Violence. ollie10 Apr 2018 #29

You say you were a history teacher marylandblue Apr 2018 #33

Maybe he was a teacher at a Christian school. Mariana May 2018 #55

Or now it's the 18th century, or maybe the 28th. Voltaire2 May 2018 #63

typo. 18th century. 1 didn't come out ollie10 May 2018 #58

George Bush declared his god told him to go to Voltaire2 May 2018 #62

He wasn't the only one who believed it. Mariana May 2018 #64

When one having civil powers chooses to a perpetrate an act of folly, sprinkleeninow May 2018 #99

The last two sentences, sum to what some of the commentators are saying. Civic Justice Apr 2018 #17

Nope. Act_of_Reparation Apr 2018 #24

Many believers here suggest it's inappropriate to interpret the bible literally Major Nikon Apr 2018 #25

Many of those selfsame champions of "nuance"... Act_of_Reparation May 2018 #66

Literalism seems to be the most honest approach to Christianity Major Nikon May 2018 #92

Yeah. I find hitler distasteful . ollie10 Apr 2018 #30

... Major Nikon Apr 2018 #38

Even that Golden Rule has problems. Bretton Garcia Apr 2018 #36

The most notable is it doesn't work on sociopaths Major Nikon Apr 2018 #39

The biblical Good Samaritan tale though is useful Bretton Garcia May 2018 #54

Most Christian denominations teach that the Good Samaritan Mariana May 2018 #73

Most again. 😉 sprinkleeninow May 2018 #86

I'm guessing you've never heard of sola fide Major Nikon May 2018 #91

Sprinkle is Eastern Orthodox, so as far as her tradition is concerned, it never came up marylandblue May 2018 #93

Religious exclusivism is common among Christians Major Nikon May 2018 #94

She doesn't strike me as an exclusivist marylandblue May 2018 #95

It seems that way Major Nikon May 2018 #96

I did not say 'those people' were not 'true christians', did I? sprinkleeninow May 2018 #101

Nor did I claim you did Major Nikon May 2018 #111

You makin' my fur stand on end. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #120

I didn't say that either Major Nikon May 2018 #133

Any of my words are wrong. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #136

Well, hello! sprinkleeninow May 2018 #106

Your Welcome marylandblue May 2018 #142

Incoming�� sprinkleeninow May 2018 #143

Sola Fide. Salvation by works alone. A more nouveau doctrine. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #103

Regardless other Christians don't subscribe to your doctrine Major Nikon May 2018 #110

There are unchurched, non-believers that adhere to sprinkleeninow May 2018 #119

I have no faith to defend so it's hard for me to take offense Major Nikon May 2018 #134

Received. And I am appreciative of our exchange. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #137

So you are a Catholic and disagree with most Protestants. Cool Cuthbert Allgood May 2018 #113

Not Roman Rite Catholic. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #121

So you know there is a whole world of Protestants (even liberal ones) Cuthbert Allgood May 2018 #123

I am exhorted to not JUDGE. I am exhorted to hold my 'neighbor' sprinkleeninow May 2018 #128

Where does it say that... NeoGreen May 2018 #129

You know the chapter and verse. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #130

So when the big guy is reported to exhort believers to... NeoGreen May 2018 #132

And in what context and during what time period was this written. sprinkleeninow May 2018 #135

I get it... NeoGreen May 2018 #138

Huh? sprinkleeninow May 2018 #139

It's ok... NeoGreen May 2018 #140

She is saying she follows an interpretative tradition rather than a single book marylandblue May 2018 #141

"Tradition", in this case is... NeoGreen May 2018 #144

'The *elect* will be judged more harshly.' It it written. eom sprinkleeninow May 2018 #83

No, the problem here is an over-simplified, naive view of the problem. trotsky May 2018 #65

A tradition in liberal Christianity sez no one can judge others Bretton Garcia May 2018 #68

Most of them are hypocritical, lying bigots anyway. Alice11111 May 2018 #57

One point is vivid, there's a voluminous number of Atheist among the patrons of these forums... Civic Justice May 2018 #87

Gosh imagine that... uriel1972 May 2018 #88

they can do what they want... its their life Civic Justice May 2018 #89

Don't count me as one Major Nikon May 2018 #90

They apparently are fond of roomy rooms that are billowy. 😊 sprinkleeninow May 2018 #100

Is that a good thing or a bad thing in your opinion. Cuthbert Allgood May 2018 #114

Those other rooms are mostly barren wastelands. My lips are pursed. 🙄 😄 sprinkleeninow May 2018 #131

Some Christians may be better than others Bretton Garcia May 2018 #97

Kudos! 👊 sprinkleeninow May 2018 #98

Thanks. This standard is implicitly in force at DU, Democratic Underground Bretton Garcia May 2018 #107

RW evangelicals are all about saving their own individual ass if democratisphere May 2018 #102

Seems like a good place for this South Park Movie snippet Cuthbert Allgood May 2018 #115

Whew...at least it wasn't the... NeoGreen May 2018 #116

Good discussion from everyone Bretton Garcia May 2018 #145

Choices Civic Justice May 2018 #146