# Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 2, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943 "2005-02-02T04:35:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![sweetfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@sweetfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweetfreak)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/141 "2005-02-03T15:07:18Z")
> [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > But I was just wondering who here all have accepted him as their savior. Not I, but I wouldn’t mind sitting around discussing ideas with the guy. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” Yeah, I can dig it. I’ve been saved now for almost 8 years. [/QUOTE] Saved from what, though? ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/142 "2005-02-03T15:12:53Z")
> [@](#): > > I wouldn’t mind sitting around discussing ideas with the guy. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” Yeah, I can dig it. Exactly. That’s the only kind of saving I believe in. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/143 "2005-02-03T15:42:51Z")
Quite the opposite. If anything, I’ve rejected Jesus Christ as my personal savior. I grew up believing out of indoctrination, but once I did some background research on the topic, I decided that it was much more likely that the whole Bible thing was folklore and mythology. ---
**Author:** ![GomiBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@GomiBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GomiBoy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/144 "2005-02-03T15:48:15Z")
> [@sweetfreak](#): > > Not I, but I wouldn’t mind sitting around discussing ideas with the guy. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” Yeah, I can dig it. Anyone else get a sudden mental image of an 80-year-old black Missisippi Delta blues man jammin’ with the Lord JC with that one? OK, maybe just me. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/145 "2005-02-03T16:44:25Z")
I greatly admire and am in fundamental agreement with the wisdom and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. I do not believe Jesus of Nazareth had any interest in having you, me, or anyone else “accept him into our hearts as our personal lord and savior”, or worship him as God. I believe such things to be misconstruals. (And if he did mean such things, that’s sad and unfortunate). ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/146 "2005-02-03T17:01:22Z")
> [@Siege](#): > > The idea of pointing to a specific date and time and saying, “At this point I was saved” is foreign to my denomination’s way of thinking. Look at it this way – Episcopalians are like coupons. We’re more redeemed than saved! **Polycarp** , I can hear you groaning from here! 😃 Reminds me of one of those gawdawful “witty” signs: “Jesus saved and redeemed you. Are you paying Him enough interest?” The idea of **Manny** as Jesus’s financial advisor, suggesting that He buy up 1,000 more shares of **FriarTed** and sell off His holdings in **His4Ever** , is one that kind of puts an obnoxious twist on the whole thing! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/147 "2005-02-03T18:10:02Z")
> [@missbunny](#): > > They all said that Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and every other religion that did not specifically say the words, “I accept Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour” were never ever going to get into heaven no matter what. Tricky, tricky, you have just made everyone say the magic words. Well, looks like we’re all going to Heaven, now! See what you done now, damn tricky Baptists! ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/148 "2005-02-03T19:58:05Z")
I’m sorry I used the term “saved” at all now. It’s just the term/word everyone else used at my church and most others I knew who had accepted Jesus as their savior. I didn’t know it would offend or make me sound like I was better than anyone else. I’m sorry. I just didn’t know how else to say it, as it was the only way I ever heard it used. ---
**Author:** ![Othersider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Othersider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Othersider)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/149 "2005-02-03T20:02:07Z")
> [@GomiBoy](#): > > Anyone else get a sudden mental image of an 80-year-old black Missisippi Delta blues man jammin’ with the Lord JC with that one? I didn’t before, but I do now. Rather humorous. “I got the blues…sing it, Jesus!” ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/150 "2005-02-03T21:12:39Z")
> [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > I’m sorry I used the term “saved” at all now. > > It’s just the term/word everyone else used at my church and most others I knew who had accepted Jesus as their savior. I didn’t know it would offend or make me sound like I was better than anyone else. I’m sorry. I just didn’t know how else to say it, as it was the only way I ever heard it used. Well, think about it, when you use a word like “Saved,” it implies to everyone else that unless they believe in Christianity, they’re fucked. Sure, that may be what you believe, but it’s not a way to engender a lot of goodwill from people with different faith values. ---
**Author:** ![Sgt.Pepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sgt.Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sgt.Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/151 "2005-02-03T21:36:50Z")
Well, just when I think that I understand what Christianity is about, I read something like this. I have no idea what “saved” is, but thankfully, from reading this I can see I’m in good company. But “witnessed” I have no idea what that is either. I’m not sure how baptism comes into play as well. It’s all getting confusing. I was raised with no religious influence from my parents. I only know what agnostic and athiest are from the dictionary, not from prior experience. Religion just hasn’t been a part of my life. I think that puts me in the “no” catagory. ---
**Author:** ![sweetfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@sweetfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweetfreak)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/152 "2005-02-03T21:42:52Z")
> [@Othersider](#): > > I didn’t before, but I do now. Rather humorous. > > “I got the blues…sing it, Jesus!” That wasn’t my intention but…I like it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/153 "2005-02-03T21:54:46Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Look, I know about Total Immersion. > > But in the Marianas Trench!?!?! :eek: Where do you think Jesus fish come from? Damn, **Manhatten** stole my comeback. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/154 "2005-02-03T22:20:03Z")
> [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > I’m sorry I used the term “saved” at all now. > > It’s just the term/word everyone else used at my church and most others I knew who had accepted Jesus as their savior. I didn’t know it would offend or make me sound like I was better than anyone else. I’m sorry. I just didn’t know how else to say it, as it was the only way I ever heard it used. Look at it this way. It would be like me asking you if you were naturalized only with the implication that you were somehow less of an American or not an American at all if you weren’t. When I was 21, I made a conscious decision and swore deliberate vows which made me an American citizen (I was born in England and moved here as a child). There was a deliberate change in the state of my relationship to the U.S. Government, just as I assume you see the moment you were “saved” as making a deliberate change in the state of your relationship with God. If I were to ask you when you became an American, assuming you were born and raised here, I assume you’d be confused and wonder why I was asking. I’m going to live up to the tenacity my handle implies now. Once again, if you were interested in learning who was Christian around here, why didn’t you just ask that? I am curious, because if I wanted to learn who was Christian, it wouldn’t occur to me to ask the question the way you did because of the traditions _I_ was brought up in and observe. Respectfully, CJ ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/155 "2005-02-03T22:25:09Z")
> [@Siege](#): > > Once again, if you were interested in learning who was Christian around here, why didn’t you just ask that? Because, being a Christian and having accepted Jesus as one’s savior are two different things. One can be a Christian but not have taken the steps toward what I know as “Salvation”. Being a Christian doesn’t have anything to do with accepting Christ as a personal savior. If I wanted to know who the Christians were, I could have easily asked that. But that wouldn’t have given me the more detailed info/answers/members that I was seeking. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/156 "2005-02-03T22:43:40Z")
How is it different? I ask because, according to my Episcopalian faith, there really _isn’t_ a difference. I’ve had profound experiences of God which have made my faith irrevocable, but I don’t think I’ve ever been saved in the sense you mean it. One was even akin to being saved as I understand the Baptist use of the term, but I see it more as saving my life than my soul. I certainly won’t say I wasn’t a Christian before then – among other things I was a Sunday School teacher! :eek: _How_ is being saved being different from being Christian? Does someone like me who’s a Christian but not saved not go to heaven? Am I somehow more or less of a sinner than one who was saved? I really _don’t_ understand. 😕 Respectfully, CJ ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/157 "2005-02-03T22:46:59Z")
> [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > Because, being a Christian and having accepted Jesus as one’s savior are two different things. One can be a Christian but not have taken the steps toward what I know as “Salvation”. Being a Christian doesn’t have anything to do with accepting Christ as a personal savior. If I wanted to know who the Christians were, I could have easily asked that. But that wouldn’t have given me the more detailed info/answers/members that I was seeking. It all seems so _complicated_. Thank God I’m an atheist. Pash ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/158 "2005-02-03T22:47:04Z")
By the way, I’ll remind you of something I posted earlier. A friend of mine did accept Jesus Christ as his Saviour some 30-odd years ago and became a Fundamentalist Christian. In the intervening years, a great many things happened and he’s now a Wiccan. In one way, he could answer “Yes” to your question while I couldn’t, yet I don’t think, on the surface, he’s the kind of person you were interested in hearing from. Your question could generate opposite and misleading results. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/159 "2005-02-03T22:48:40Z")
> [@Pashnish Ewing](#): > > It all seems so _complicated_. Thank God I’m an atheist. > > Pash You’re telling me! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943/160 "2005-02-03T23:00:33Z")
> [@](#): > > How is being saved being different from being Christian? Does someone like me who’s a Christian but not saved not go to heaven? Am I somehow more or less of a sinner than one who was saved? I was taught, and I imagine the OP’s church is the same way, that you can only be “saved” by making a conscience decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal saviour. In those words. Not “I truly believe in God” or “I love Jesus and believe he was the son of God” or “I am deeply religious and believe in and love God and Jesus and wish to conduct my life as Jesus did.” No, you must specifically and deliberately accept Jesus as your personal saviour. There’s a whole ritual to it. If you don’t say the words, you are not “saved.” The “saved” people don’t believe that you are going to heaven, since you have not specifically said those words. And, everyone is a sinner. You’re not more of a sinner than someone who is “saved” - you’re just not going to heaven. No matter what. Until you are “saved.” (N.B. I don’t believe any of this anymore; I am merely repeating what the “saved” brigade believes to be true.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-accepted-jesus-christ-as-your-savior/287943.md?page=9)