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From: rcd@opus.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Thoughts on True Christianity
Message-ID: <324@opus.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Apr-84 21:41:57 EST
Article-I.D.: opus.324
Posted: Wed Apr  4 21:41:57 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Apr-84 05:50:42 EST
References: <754@orca.UUCP>
Organization: NBI, Boulder
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<>
The base article from Ken Ewing is a very thoughtful appraisal of how one
might recognize a "real" Christian.

I found one shortcoming, in that when we get down to the bottom line many
of the characteristics of "Christians" seem to be what I would call
characteristics of "good people" in general.  I would like to have this
relation understood in a sense that Christianity may be the factor behind
these characteristics without having people conclude that (when I'm
behaving myself!) I must be a Christian because of it.

If I can venture a guess, I think that something which has been bothering
the non-Christians in this newsgroup is this:  On the one hand, the US is
labeled as a "Christian nation" because most of the people are considered
(or consider themselves) Christians.  But on the other hand, when we get up
in arms and start flaming about the behavior of the typical "Christian",
the response is often, "Well, yes, but that's not really the way a true
Christian would behave" and if we pursue it, it seems that less than half
of the people who are labeled Christians are really considered Christian in
their behavior.  We could use a little balance on this matter.  I would be
perfectly happy with the statement that 20% of USAmericans are really
Christians.  (Of course I forgive the occasional aberration of even the
most devout - we're all imperfect and trying.  No problem there.)  But now
I'm stuck without a concise term for "people who say they are Christians
but don't know what it's about, don't practice it, and don't particularly
try" (whew!)  I have called these people pseudo-Christians from time to
time, but that's the best I can do.  What are they, anyway?
-- 
Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.
{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd