Originally posted by lucifershammer
The term 'Christian' has a well-understood (if not well-articulated) meaning that is more than just "anyone who calls himself a Christian".

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Wouldn't mind if you articulated it a bit.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
To some extent I did in my previous post.

Just because a perfect verbal definition cannot be provided for something doesn't mean people can't generally identify what it is.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Like "spiritual growth", eh?

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Actually, no. See my last post on the other thread.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
What about the Christians who were around before the Bible?

"Christian", to me, means Christ-like. The suffix -ian meaning from, related to, or resembling. A Christian is someone who exhibits the characteristics of Jesus Christ - compassionate, merciful, loving, etc. Are all Catholics Christians? Certainly not, in my opinion. I know Buddhists who are better Christians than some Catholic priests.

Originally posted by darvlay
"Christian", to me, means Christ-like. The suffix -ian meaning from, related to, or resembling. A Christian is someone who exhibits the characteristics of Jesus Christ - compassionate, merciful, loving, etc. Are all Catholics Christians? Certainly not, in my opinion. I know Buddhists who are better Christians than some Catholic priests.

catholic church=the church of christ. the roman catholic one is the one which we are discussing and most people assumed this. the christian creed mentions of catholic church. pretty much every church is catholic, by definition. if it's not catholic then it is not "of christ" thus it is not christian...

Originally posted by lucifershammer
That is one dictionary definition of Christian (e.g. "Christian living" or "Christian virtue" ).

Presumably the discussion here revolves around demographic or sociological definitions.

EDIT: Also, I feel that the image of Christ's compassion, mercy, love, forgiveness etc. is often misunderstood.

Originally posted by genius
catholic church=the church of christ. the roman catholic one is the one which we are discussing and most people assumed this. the christian creed mentions of catholic church. pretty much every church is catholic, by definition. if it's not catholic then it is not "of christ" thus it is not christian...

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Also, I feel that the image of Christ's compassion, mercy, love, forgiveness etc. is often misunderstood as some kind of infinite tolerance.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Huh?

Originally posted by darvlay
I think that specific dictionary definition is the closest to the biblical definition of a Christian.

Demographic Christian? 😕

Originally posted by darvlay
I agree. Christ wasn't very tolerant of the Pharisees.