# Would Jesus be Christian? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 1, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980 "2009-11-01T21:31:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/41 "2009-11-20T20:16:36Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > I’ll grant you the Resurrection, but how did they believe he died? That is something I haven’t learned yet, and I figured they believed that his cause of death was crucifixion (whether you believe that Jesus was God or not, if you believe he existed, it seems that there’s general agreement that he was at least crucified, makes sense to me, as that’s what the Romans did with their troublemakers, which Jesus more than qualified as one.) Quran 4:157 1. Translation by Allama Abdullah Yusuf Ali: “But they killed him not, nor crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them.” 2. Translation by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall: “…They slew him not nor crucified but it appeared so unto them;” 3. Translation by Professor Arthur J. Arberry: “…yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them.” has often been regarded as saying that Allah fooled Jesus’ enemies into thinking they had killed JC when actually Allah had them kill someone else in his guise. Here’s an interesting discussion, tho the page design has a lot to be desired. [http://www.mostmerciful.com/substitution.htm](http://www.mostmerciful.com/substitution.htm) I always thought that standard Muslim belief was that Jesus was not killed/raised but that Allah had assumed him into Heaven without dying, much like Enoch & Elijah. The phrasing of the Quran is much more ambiguous, however. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/42 "2009-11-21T12:54:17Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > “If Christ himself were alive, one thing he would not be would be a Christian.” - Mark Twain > > And I fully believe that! > > I am not a Muslim, but I have tried to learn as much about this religion as I can. One thing I’ve learned (I may be wrong, if there’s any Muslims or those that know the Quran better than I) is that Muslims also believe that Jesus is the central figure in their escatology, and that he will return pretty much as Revelation describes (although it is the non-Muslims that will be cast into the lake of fire) - Jesus, while not being the son of God in Islam, is one of their five great prophets (the other four are Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Muhammed), and I think Muslims (or at least the Quran, a Muslim himself might have to get over a lot of political baggage to say this) would agree with most of what the Bible says about Jesus and what He said (except, of course, for him being God’s Son and that the only way to salvation is through Him.) I have heard Muslims talk on TV and they stated they believed that Jesus was a prophet but not divine. No one can say in truth that Jesus said anything, one believes the person’s who wrote that he said those things, but some are contradictory to His reason for coming etc. as an example: He was quoted that He spoke in parables so some may not understand and believe, and be saved. If He came to save all people that is contrary to His message. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/43 "2009-11-22T02:33:17Z")
I think he would try to follow the teachings he had espoused. They wouldn’t contradict what he learned in the Temple, would they? > [@](#): > > **Kobal2** : Jesus would be appalled. First and foremost, He was a Jew. Second, he was into living a life of poverty, something one rarely sees in modern Jews and Christians. You just aren’t thinking or you are very unaware of reality. > [@](#): > > **SmartAlx** : You know, this question sort of makes me want to ask a similar question of Buddha. Was Buddha a Buddhist? Maybe it’s sort of all the same thing in the long run. (Aside) I understand the allusion to 42 and used to wonder what that age would hold for me. It turned out to be the most astounding year of my life! I completely changed directions! I do love coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/44 "2009-11-22T14:19:48Z")
I’d like to ad that I don’t think Jesus wanted to be worshiped although he understood mankind’s tendency to do so. I think his comments on believing in him and following him were more about believing in how he lived and following his example. > [@](#): > > John 14:12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father IMO he focused more on the details of how we really were and how that was reflected in our day to day lives and our relations with each other. He often chided the religious leaders for placing appearances and tradition over real personal spiritual growth. So, would Jesus be a Christian? For those who focus on those values and seek growth, probably. For those who have replaced the scribes and pharisees and focus on appearance and dogma, Not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/45 "2009-11-22T15:36:23Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > I’d like to ad that I don’t think Jesus wanted to be worshiped although he understood mankind’s tendency to do so. I think his comments on believing in him and following him were more about believing in how he lived and following his example. Technically, we have no idea how Jesus lived nor whether he wanted/didn’t want to be worshiped. Saying that the priestly class were decadent or describing himself as a poor black boy can easily be attributed to an attempt to manipulate people. Being executed as a cultist and rabble-rouser–probably the only historical fact of which we can be certain of–leaves little reason to think that he was much different from any other cult leader. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/46 "2009-11-22T15:47:00Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > I’d like to ad that I don’t think Jesus wanted to be worshiped although he understood mankind’s tendency to do so. I think his comments on believing in him and following him were more about believing in how he lived and following his example. > > IMO he focused more on the details of how we really were and how that was reflected in our day to day lives and our relations with each other. He often chided the religious leaders for placing appearances and tradition over real personal spiritual growth. > > So, would Jesus be a Christian? For those who focus on those values and seek growth, probably. For those who have replaced the scribes and pharisees and focus on appearance and dogma, Not so much. I’ve often thought this whole “Would Jesus be a Christian?” to be an inane question, but I think this answer is spot on, and the best answer I’ve seen to this question. Jesus clearly did _not_ want people to worship him, but rather his God. (And in the most relevant passage at Matt 6:9 (the “Lord’s Prayer”) he clearly taught his followers to pray to God not to him.) He didn’t advocate throwing out the “rules” wholesale, but that **living** the spirit of the law gave vitality to the letter of the law. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/47 "2009-11-22T15:58:12Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > I’ve often thought this whole “Would Jesus be a Christian?” to be an inane question, but I think this answer is spot on, and the best answer I’ve seen to this question. > > Jesus clearly did _not_ want people to worship him, but rather his God. (And in the most relevant passage at Matt 6:9 (the “Lord’s Prayer”) he clearly taught his followers to pray to God not to him.) > > He didn’t advocate throwing out the “rules” wholesale, but that **living** the spirit of the law gave vitality to the letter of the law. Many thanks. The question always seemed a little pointless to me as well since the general term Christian has so many variables and means different things to different people. What did Jesus really teach, with subcategories of , with words, and by example, seemed more appropriate. Then people who want to identity themselves as his followers can ask themselves the more important question. Am I a Christian? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/48 "2009-11-22T16:01:18Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Technically, we have no idea how Jesus lived nor whether he wanted/didn’t want to be worshiped. Saying that the priestly class were decadent or describing himself as a poor black boy can easily be attributed to an attempt to manipulate people. Being executed as a cultist and rabble-rouser–probably the only historical fact of which we can be certain of–leaves little reason to think that he was much different from any other cult leader. Yes, technically we have no real proof he existed at all or that any of the words or actions attributed to him actually took place. for the sake of the question in the OP I thought we were assuming that he was real and the account we have of him in the NT is at least somewhat accurate. Otherwise what’s the point? But thanks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/49 "2009-11-22T17:51:50Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Otherwise what’s the point? As pointed out in my first post and many subsequent ones by others in this thread, there really is no point to any of this. You have, for instance, decided to take your view of the New Testament’s view of Jesus. But there’s also the Mormon Jesus, the Islamic Jesus, the Gnostic Jesus, historical Jesus, Bahaist Jesus, Hindu Jesus, Buddhist Jesus, and New Age Jesus. And that’s not even splitting things down into denominations. No two people believe in the same Jesus, which makes answering what He would do a meaningless pursuit. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/50 "2009-11-23T03:52:20Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > As pointed out in my first post and many subsequent ones by others in this thread, there really is no point to any of this. You have, for instance, decided to take your view of the New Testament’s view of Jesus. But there’s also the Mormon Jesus, the Islamic Jesus, the Gnostic Jesus, historical Jesus, Bahaist Jesus, Hindu Jesus, Buddhist Jesus, and New Age Jesus. And that’s not even splitting things down into denominations. No two people believe in the same Jesus, which makes answering what He would do a meaningless pursuit. So meaningless you had to stop by to comment again? Why? To point out it’s meaningless? In case you missed it, I’m well aware of the different concepts of Jesus and that none can be held as truly accurate. Questions like this are not intended for accuracy but rather for an exchange of ideas and opinions. Pointing out the obvious seems like a waste of time especially if you think it’s meaningless but still take the time to say so more than once. But like I said, thanks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/51 "2009-11-23T08:16:08Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > So meaningless you had to stop by to comment again? Why? To point out it’s meaningless? To point out that you were making an assumption. This is a debate on a forum dedicated to fighting ignorance. Letting assumptions and flawed thinking stand unchallenged is unconscionable ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/52 "2009-11-23T12:14:43Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > To point out that you were making an assumption. This is a debate on a forum dedicated to fighting ignorance. Letting assumptions and flawed thinking stand unchallenged is unconscionable Except that discussions or debates of this type, like our many discussions about God or other uncertain topics, must be based on some assumptions. That doesn’t mean we’re not aware they are assumptions and/or just opinions. Since I and likely others are already aware of this, no flawed thinking is involved. It seems odd that you stop by to point out the obvious and yet in your first response to me offer your own assumption as fact. > [@](#): > > Being executed as a cultist and rabble-rouser–probably the only historical fact of which we can be certain of–leaves little reason to think that he was much different from any other cult leader. Ain’t that funny? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980/53 "2009-11-27T23:13:26Z")
I’m pretty sure he’d be a Jew. He might try to pull Christians back toward a respect for Judaism & “God-fearing Gentile” status. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980.md?page=2)