Are you a true Christian believer?

[Nick]

I believe in evolution and that we exist because it was possible for us to exist. 

[srb7677]

I tell any religious fanatics who knock my front door my wife and I are Pagans. That gets rid of them.

The radio presenter James Whale once entertained with an amusing anecdote.

He was being plagued by Jehovah's Witnesses knocking on his door all the time trying to save his soul.

So one day he answered the door in the nude. They never came back after that,

[papasmurf]

I tell any religious fanatics who knock my front door my wife and I are Pagans. That gets rid of them.

[srb7677]

No not me . Im sure he was a good bloke and all that  but I can't get the Son of God thing , we are all sons of God .

A rare occasion when I agree with you.

[Streetwalker]

No not me . Im sure he was a good bloke and all that  but I cant get the Son of God thing , we are all sons of God . 

[johnofgwent]

As I've oft said, I used to be 2 (Archbishop Usher is a man of his time, not this one) but now I'm more the "I believe that when I die I rot" brigade

[Borchester]

I keep my word, have never raised my hand to a woman or child and think that God is a spiteful and dim witted old bastard who is best avoided.

I am not sure if that makes me any sort Christian, but I am content.

[srb7677]

...and you went to pains to explain that. I understand your view and have simply tried to explain mine. Why suggest I am quibbling? I didn't complain at your reply.

Apologies if I offended you.

Re my use of the word "fundamental". I meant it in it's dictionary sense of "forming a necessary base or core" and "of central importance".

I did not intend to mean it as "fundamentalist" as it has come to be understood, eg as extremist or in the sense of being a literal belief in the exactitude of every single word.

When I spoke of the fundamental truth of the bible, I meant it as those for whom the bible is at the core of their belief systems and is the foundation of everything for them. No connotations of extremism or unreasonableness were intended.

I was surprised that you did not identify with this and assumed a misunderstanding.

But it is only a poll so if you find nothing is suitable for you to vote for, then ok. And if I myself have still misunderstood your objections, then I can only apologise for that.

[B0ycey]

The poll needs some refining. I believe the Bible has a fundamental truth but we must accept it is written by man and many of the canons from the dead Sea scrolls are missing from it. There is also a bias to religion. And then there is a loss in translation, which means the full message of whatever was preached can never be understood from just the Bible itself. But at the same time, given 2000 years ago writing was a labor intensive and expensive thing to do, to me just accepting that religion is bollocks and is fairytail stories of horseshit is someone ignorant of what it would and took to write about religion back then and thinking people 2000 years ago people didn't know what they were talking about whilst accepting that Science has all the answers - when most of their theories aren't even proven by the scientific model - is just as crazy as saying religion is the absolute truth.

[Barry]

1 and 2 for me.
I believe 100% in the Bible and I have had doubts, but rarely do these days.
Am I a true Christian believer? Yes.

[T00ts]

Every poll is inherently a question, And I think you are reading too much into the word fundamental, which I mean as in at the core of things.

You seem to be an obvious option 1 to me and are just quibbling. If the question seems less than perfect it obviously nevertheless reflects where you are coming from far better than any of the other options.

I had to choose far left as one of your options in another poll because you left me no more accurate an alternative.

...and you went to pains to explain that. I understand your view and have simply tried to explain mine. Why suggest I am quibbling? I didn't complain at your reply.

[srb7677]

Perfection is an eternal journey, we all make mistakes continually. Jesus taught us to seek forgiveness by repentance for thoughts and deeds. It is a very demanding road. Believing in God is a life choice and involves living in the world but not of it. Each one of us is a child of God whether we choose to believe it or not.

The poll is limited by the word fundamental. It already assumes limitations. I don't just believe, I know with my whole heart that the Bible is the truth in as much as it is correctly translated and the Gospel is absolutely true. So I need an option which has no question before I can vote.

Every poll is inherently a question, And I think you are reading too much into the word fundamental, which I mean as in at the core of things.

You seem to be an obvious option 1 to me and are just quibbling. If the question seems less than perfect it obviously nevertheless reflects where you are coming from far better than any of the other options. 

I had to choose far left as one of your options in another poll because you left me no more accurate an alternative.

[T00ts]

I have known many professed Christians who have not always practiced what they preached, though it would be unfair to tar all with that brush.

But Jesus supposedly said that he who is without sin should cast the first stone. It seems to me that many, even most, Christians seem to struggle with that one. Because they are forever judging others regarding this or that and finding them wanting.

Perfection is an eternal journey, we all make mistakes continually. Jesus taught us to seek forgiveness by repentance for thoughts and deeds. It is a very demanding road. Believing in God is a life choice and involves living in the world but not of it. Each one of us is a child of God whether we choose to believe it or not.

The poll is limited by the word fundamental. It already assumes limitations. I don't just believe, I know with my whole heart that the Bible is the truth in as much as it is correctly translated and the Gospel is absolutely true. So I need an option which has no question before I can vote.

[srb7677]

There's nothing wrong with a lot of Christian values but you don't need to attend a church nor believe in a god to follow them.

The problem is as with so many religions that the good bits are usually left at the door as the followers leave the place of worship.

I have known many professed Christians who have not always practiced what they preached, though it would be unfair to tar all with that brush.

But Jesus supposedly said that he who is without sin should cast the first stone. It seems to me that many, even most, Christians seem to struggle with that one. Because they are forever judging others regarding this or that and finding them wanting.

[cromwell]

There's nothing wrong with a lot of Christian values but you don't need to attend a church nor believe in a god to follow them.

The problem is as with so many religions that the good bits are usually left at the door as the followers leave the place of worship.