What is a 'true christian'? Or is this just a scapegoat?

Question

Okay, I know that many christian postings I've read on here have argued that the atrocities committed in gods name were by people who were not true christians. At first this seemed logical, but after hearing it so much it seems more like a scapegoat. Whenever we progress as a society and can no longer approve bigotry or intolerance generated from christians idea's and scriptures we say that they were not true christians. The crusades, the dark ages, the genocides of the native, the holocaust, bombing abortion clinics. In one hundred years from now when stem cell research and g*y marriage flourishes christians will look back at the christians of this era and say 'they were not true christians?" There's certianly support in the bible to go either way, depending on 'interpritation'.

Please, no one line answers about how I need to read the bible, I was in the church for 20 yrs. And conversely no one liners about how christians are just stupid or some such bashing.

Kill anyone who refuses to listen to a priest. Deuteronomy 17:12-13

Don’t associate with non-Christians. Don’t receive them into your house or even exchange greeting with them. 2 John 1:10

Shun those who disagree with your religious views. Romans 16:17

Paul, knowing that their faith would crumble if subjected to free and critical inquiry, tells his followers to avoid philosophy. Colossians 2:8

God knows the hearts of men

Acts 1:24/ Ps 139:2,3

God tries men to find out what is in their heart

Deut 13:3/ Deut 8:2/ Gen 22:12

Christ taught non-resistance

Matt 5:39/ Matt 26:52

Christ taught and practiced physical resistance

Luke 22:36/ John 2:15

Answer 1

there is none, they are all equally brainwashed hypocrites

Answer 2

sounds like your trying to justify your life style.won't work with the lord he knows your thoughts and deeds.the lord gave us a guide to live by jesus christ is are example.to be christ like.we failed ALOT.

20 years that doesn't mean anything.i have been going to church for 45 years,does this make me a christian? no no no, christianity is more a relationship than a religion.

Answer 3

There are only 2 types of religions. Try to figure out where your Christianity fall.

1. The first teaches us that we must earn our way back to God. That God is an angry God, and we must appease that anger with GOOD WORKS, SACRIFICES and RITUALS. We can never be fully certain that God will accept us because we never know fully what we can do to please Him.

This is not the religion that Bible teaches.

2. The other religion shows us that God is like a father, eager for His lost son to come back. We do not have to earn our way back! God Himself welcomes us back. It is our heavenly Father who will make us presentable for Himself.

This is what the Bible teaches: We can do nothing to be presentable to God so God created this plan of making us presentable to himself. For by grace we are saved through faith; and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Answer 4

A true christian is a believer that a son of David will arise and claim the Kingdom of Israel under the influence and guidance of Christ and Jesus is an anti-christ which belongs to heaven.

Answer 5

The things that are done in the name of religion are not true Christians or Muslims or whatever

they use the religious beliefs of the masses to control and manipulate and use religion as the REASON

Answer 6

I think you mean 'red herring' rather than scapegoat.

Answer 7

another cherry picker.

wow! i thought it was only christians that pick and choose what they want to believe and follow.

*sarcasm*