What is a good Christian?

[Jack Thomas Lang]

However, I'm considering Orthodoxy, and am becoming more and more sure they are the Church Jesus founded. I mean, Catholicism has gone through so many changes and splits, and they still claim to be "Apostolic", but the Orthodox Church has always remained the same. I'm beginning to think it's because they never needed to change.

That's not quite true. I'm sure one of our resident Orthodox Christians can tell you about the split between the Orthodox Church and the Old Believers, and Orthodox Churches have had schisms between themselves (most notably that between the Ukrainian and Russian Churches). That being said, the Orthodox Church has undergone far less schisms and far-reaching changes than Catholicism and Protestantism. I admire it. Who knows, I might have been Orthodox if my Russian were better.

[Jedi Council]

I've actually considered Christianity before, but after looking into the dark and dirty side of things, im not so sure :/

There is always the option of rejecting all Faiths.

That's just as valid.

[Katganistan]

A good Christian ? What’s that ? The only good Christian is Martin Luther King Jr. .

Mr Rogers?

The world is a lot poorer for having lost Fred Rogers.

[Atheris]

Mr Rogers?

The world is a lot poorer for having lost Fred Rogers.

Wasn't ever alive to watch his show. Still agree, 100%.

[Neutraligon]

Mr Rogers?

The world is a lot poorer for having lost Fred Rogers.

When I think of a good Christian, that is who I think of. He doesn't need to proselytize because he is his own best example. He does not need to spread the word because his every action proclaimed the best of what humanity (and Christianity, because it was a big influence on him) can be.

[Katganistan]

The world is a lot poorer for having lost Fred Rogers.

When I think of a good Christian, that is who I think of. He doesn't need to proselytize because he is his own best example. He does not need to spread the word because his every action proclaimed the best of what humanity (and Christianity, because it was a big influence on him) can be.

*nods* A genuinely kind, loving man. He spread the tenets of what being a good moral person are through his very secular show, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. He literally was charged to do his ministry in this way, and he did it very successfully.

[Neutraligon]

When I think of a good Christian, that is who I think of. He doesn't need to proselytize because he is his own best example. He does not need to spread the word because his every action proclaimed the best of what humanity (and Christianity, because it was a big influence on him) can be.

*nods* A genuinely kind, loving man. He spread the tenets of what being a good moral person, a good Christian, are through his very secular show, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. He literally was charged to do his ministry in this way, and he did it very successfully.

I love watching his reaction to seeing the kids he met on his show after a long time. He kept in contact with them....What was the bible passage you will know them by their fruits, Mr Rogers epitomized this. I wonder what his church services where like. I bet they where incredibly fulfilling, no fire and brimstone or condemnation.

[Katganistan]

*nods* A genuinely kind, loving man. He spread the tenets of what being a good moral person, a good Christian, are through his very secular show, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. He literally was charged to do his ministry in this way, and he did it very successfully.

I love watching his reaction to seeing the kids he met on his show after a long time. He kept in contact with them....What was the bible passage you will know them by their fruits, Mr Rogers epitomized this. I wonder what his church services where like. I bet they where incredibly fulfilling, no fire and brimstone or condemnation.

He never did them, never preached in front of a congregation. The show literally was his ministry from what I understand.

[Byeclase]

I like Jacques Roux and Thomas Sankara for their actions.

[Albrenia]

I love watching his reaction to seeing the kids he met on his show after a long time. He kept in contact with them....What was the bible passage you will know them by their fruits, Mr Rogers epitomized this. I wonder what his church services where like. I bet they where incredibly fulfilling, no fire and brimstone or condemnation.

He never did them, never preached in front of a congregation. The show literally was his ministry from what I understand.

That's the sort of Christianity I prefer, tbh. Winning souls with good deeds as example tugs even at the heartstrings of a danged ol' atheist like me.

[Neutraligon]

I love watching his reaction to seeing the kids he met on his show after a long time. He kept in contact with them....What was the bible passage you will know them by their fruits, Mr Rogers epitomized this. I wonder what his church services where like. I bet they where incredibly fulfilling, no fire and brimstone or condemnation.

He never did them, never preached in front of a congregation. The show literally was his ministry from what I understand.

Funny to think of him as a televangelist.

[Katganistan]

He never did them, never preached in front of a congregation. The show literally was his ministry from what I understand.

That's the sort of Christianity I prefer, tbh. Winning souls with good deeds as example tugs even at the heartstrings of a danged ol' atheist like me.

Yup. This old Catholic has a deep and abiding respect and love for Mr. Rogers, who was a Presbyterian minister.

[Katganistan]

He never did them, never preached in front of a congregation. The show literally was his ministry from what I understand.

Funny to think of him as a televangelist.

And yet, never asked for money (except from Congress to support public children's educational television aka PBS) and really never mentioned anything you could point to as being religious.

[Luminesa]

*nods* A genuinely kind, loving man. He spread the tenets of what being a good moral person, a good Christian, are through his very secular show, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. He literally was charged to do his ministry in this way, and he did it very successfully.

I love watching his reaction to seeing the kids he met on his show after a long time. He kept in contact with them....What was the bible passage you will know them by their fruits, Mr Rogers epitomized this. I wonder what his church services where like. I bet they where incredibly fulfilling, no fire and brimstone or condemnation.

I didn’t get to appreciate him until I was older, which is a shame, but he really was wonderful as a preacher, teacher, and person. And as a Christian. He also pushed for children’s education to be put on TV, period, so he was definitely a Godsend.

Honestly, we’re all Godsends one way or another, we just have to use our gifts to make the world more beautiful and loving. Like he did.

[Dominioan]

I've actually considered Christianity before, but after looking into the dark and dirty side of things, im not so sure :/

There is always the option of rejecting all Faiths.

That's just as valid.

True true. But I’ve seen some good things religion does. If I believe the universe is random according to science, I’m useless and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

[Joohan]

For Christians, such concepts are one in the same, as what is good and evil is an objective measurement based upon the whims of God.

So in short, a good Christian is automatically a good person? Or am I misunderstanding?

Indeed

[Luminesa]

For other good non-Catholic heroes (though I have plenty of Catholic heroes I can list), there was CS Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (who died preaching against Hitler), Elie Wiesel, and John Donne (if you’d consider a poet a hero, at the very least his poetry is quite lofty) off the top of my head.

Catholic heroes I have plenty. Mother Theresa, despite all the controversy around her order, inspired me to do simple actions to show my love for others. While others have said they’ve experienced negative things about her, having read about her spirituality, I found that her desire to love as much as she could despite her inner loneliness was amazing. While his papacy was marred near the end by the abuse scandals that came forward, St. John Paul II’s spirituality and heroism against Nazism was astonishing, and he really, really did try to bring Catholics and non-Catholics closer together. St. Maximilian Kolbe befriended Shinto and Buddhist priests and died as a sacrifice in the place of another Auschwitz prisoner. His battles with depression also connected with me. And of course, the Blessed Mother is an obligatory Catholic hero, but still should be a hero for any Christian who wishes to dedicate their lives to God.

These are just a few examples of good Christians I could think of. Agree or not, I’ve found their spiritual lives, and the love they sought to bring to the world, to be beautiful and worthwhile examples.

[Albrenia]

There is always the option of rejecting all Faiths.

That's just as valid.

True true. But I’ve seen some good things religion does. If I believe the universe is random according to science, I’m useless and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

The universe isn't quite 'random', and there is a certain beauty, to me, in our ability to choose our own significance.

[Jedi Council]

There is always the option of rejecting all Faiths.

That's just as valid.

True true. But I’ve seen some good things religion does. If I believe the universe is random according to science, I’m useless and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Eh, that's a common misconception. The Universe is not entirely random, it's a series of processes, interactions and relationships that are largely governed by probability. People tend to use this misconception around the process of evolution as well.

Even so, I am sorry to say that you are correct in your second point, a vast majority of human beings are insignificant and useless on a universal, or cosmic, scale. Recognition of that is humbling, even freeing, however, and, in my opinion, is preferable to the arrogance that comes with assuming our rocky world somehow is special, or divinely created.

[Neanderthaland]

True true. But I’ve seen some good things religion does. If I believe the universe is random according to science, I’m useless and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Eh, that's a common misconception. The Universe is not entirely random, it's a series of processes, interactions and relationships that are largely governed by probability. People tend to use this misconception around the process of evolution as well.

Even so, I am sorry to say that you are correct in your second point, a vast majority of human beings are insignificant and useless on a universal, or cosmic, scale. Recognition of that is humbling however, and, in my opinion, preferable to the arrogance that comes with assuming our rocky world somehow is special, or divinely created.

We shouldn't get so down on ourselves.

It's not impossible that you might happen to be the person who figures out how to break the universe.

[Kragholm Free States]

Someone who is a good person and also a Christian.

All this shit about "not trying to spread their beliefs to others" that seems to be the most common response in this thread is just quite odd to me, and I'm very much an atheist. It doesn't seem like that would be a sign of virtue, rather a sign of total lack of conviction. I would be far more suspicious of a Christian who consciously avoided spreading their religion than one who tried to share what they genuinely believe to be good and true.

[Jedi Council]

Someone who is a good person and also a Christian.

All this shit about "not trying to spread their beliefs to others" that seems to be the most common response in this thread is just quite odd to me, and I'm very much an atheist. It doesn't seem to me like that would be a sign of virtue, rather a sign of total lack of conviction. I would be far more suspicious of a Christian who consciously avoided spreading their religion than one who tried to share what they genuinely believe to be good and true.

It is not a lack of conviction, it is rather a realization that not everyone wants what you are selling, and that it is not alright to try and stick ones nose where it does not belong.

[Neanderthaland]

Someone who is a good person and also a Christian.

All this shit about "not trying to spread their beliefs to others" that seems to be the most common response in this thread is just quite odd to me, and I'm very much an atheist. It doesn't seem to me like that would be a sign of virtue, rather a sign of total lack of conviction. I would be far more suspicious of a Christian who consciously avoided spreading their religion than one who tried to share what they genuinely believe to be good and true.

You'd think so. But after Northern Europe killed half of themselves arguing over it, they decided it was better for everyone if you just don't bring it up.

[Joohan]

Someone who is a good person and also a Christian.

All this shit about "not trying to spread their beliefs to others" that seems to be the most common response in this thread is just quite odd to me, and I'm very much an atheist. It doesn't seem to me like that would be a sign of virtue, rather a sign of total lack of conviction. I would be far more suspicious of a Christian who consciously avoided spreading their religion than one who tried to share what they genuinely believe to be good and true.

It's the anti-theist answer. They want a Christian who does not act like a Christian. Our whole schtick, after all, is evangelism.

[Joohan]

Someone who is a good person and also a Christian.

All this shit about "not trying to spread their beliefs to others" that seems to be the most common response in this thread is just quite odd to me, and I'm very much an atheist. It doesn't seem to me like that would be a sign of virtue, rather a sign of total lack of conviction. I would be far more suspicious of a Christian who consciously avoided spreading their religion than one who tried to share what they genuinely believe to be good and true.

You'd think so. But after Northern Europe killed half of themselves arguing over it, they decided it was better for everyone if you just don't bring it up.

I agree; Protestantism was a mistake. But weening the nordic nations off paganism certainly was not.