[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Wildest Bill *
**
Could you clarify this comment, please?
-Ben
Made sense to me. Correct me if I’m wrong, Bill, but aren’t you saying different Christians and Christian denominations have different opinions on what makes somebody a “good Christian”? For example, a Catholic would probably say “good Christians” would listen to the pope, Pat Robertson would probably say a “good Christian” would be born again and try to convert other people, etc. I believe WB is saying that there isn’t a consensus among Christians as to what a “good Christian” is, and that, probably, the “fundie” that some people on this thread are complaining about thinks that he or she is a “good Christian”.
That’s right thanks Captain.
David,
Sorry if I went out of line, but I am not sure what I did?
Just FTR, I am acquainted both IRL and on the Pizza Parlor with a number of people who self-identify as “fundamentalist.” More commonly, they are inclined to use the term “evangelical” or “conservative Christian” to identify their stances. “Literalist” is also quasi-valid, although as the majority of them will point out, there is virtually nobody who holds to the literal truth of all of Scripture. Rather, they claim as “literalists” to believe that “all of the Bible is to be taken as ‘literally true’ except those portions that are obviously to be understood as figurative in language.” (I’d agree with that, myself, except that our stance on what’s “obviously figurative” is gonna be miles apart! 
)
When I use “fundaloony” (generally here, to avoid the apparent insult to an intelligent person self-identifying as fundamentalist such as ghoti on the Pizza Parlor), context makes it clear that it is someone who misuses the “conservative Christian” quasi-literalist stance to preach hatred, identify the “Jewish liberal evolutionist homosexual conspiracy” (substitute the appropriate adjectives ad lib.) which is of course out to destroy “true Christianity” (which appears to be several steps to the right of the Southern Baptist Convention), etc. The nutball who wants to replace the “heathen” Constitution and Declaration of Independence with the Ten Commandments as the governing law of the U.S. would be a classic example.
Wildest Bill: Clearly you are correct – de gustibus non est disputandum, after all. But, here or on another thread, answer me this:
What constitutes a "good Christian" in your opinion? If, based on the inference one may draw from your response to Esprix’s post about me, I am not one, in what way do I, IYHO, fall short?
As you may understand, the matter is of some importance to me…
Hey Poly,
How have you been man? I don’t know really if any of us are so-called “good” in light of who we try to immulate? I guess a good Christian is someone who tries to help others, follows the Bible, and spreads the word of the Gospel. I think you do these. I for one certainly could do better on all of those.
The rest of being a Christian gets kind of subjective. More on how you interpret certain things and apply them to life. I don’t know if that makes sense or not but I think you understand. If not, tell me and I will try to elaborate.
Thanks, Bill. I get what you’re saying, and I appreciate it.
How about endeavoring to practice those principles promoted by Jesus in all their doings? You know, love thy neighbor as thyself, love God with all your heart, return love for hatred, forgiving enemies?