Spherical Time

I have, actually. It makes no claims on certain positions. I'm familiar with the Nicene Creed. Do you limit Christians to Catholics then, or do you interpret holy catholic and apostolic Church to be a more universal Church? Also, since the Creed rejects millenialism, do you reject millenialist Christians? And non-Trinitarians? You say "[t]o start." Does that mean that you accept people that do not believe in the Nicene Creed to be Christians? Under this definition, the Westboro Baptist Church would be considered Christian. Do you accept that? If you don't, under what conditions do you reject their claim to be Christians? Being a Christian. Most have either a creedal or philosophical stance that they require others to fit before they'll accept them as Christians. While this is a singular example, my best friend from high school's mother would usually end philosophical debates with a form of the argument "Oh, well they're not actually Christians." She did not consider Catholics, Mormons, Quakers or Christian Unitarians to be Christians. This is actually a good working definition. I was worried that I would get a response along the lines of "Atheists are just people that hate God." It's hard to argue with that because it makes a few assumptions that are faulty. I agree completely. Can you elaborate on that? That's a high list of requirements. Under that definition, there are very, very few real Christians. Is there a specific denomination that you think fufills these qualities better than other denominations? I've met atheists that don't necessarily reject the supernatural and others that don't argue that there isn't any evidence, but the vast majority of atheists that I've met fit that definition. Yes, I agree. Finally, are the majority of Christians here members of a specific denomination? Evangelical Protestants, most likely? I don't know. I do not belong to any denomination or church, of any religion.

I hope you'll forgive the simples questions, but dialogue can be a problem if the terms are vague. What is a Christian? Are people that disagree with your theology still Christians as long as they follow the path that they think that Christ has set for them? What are your requirements? What is an atheist? (and also: What is an agnostic?) Finally, are the majority of Christians here members of a specific denomination? Evangelical Protestants, most likely?

Yup, just goes to show that you don't need to write anything particularly scholarly to be bought kit and kaboodle by the masses Good point Faithie I just want to add something to this point that I think is important: I bought the DaVinci Code, but I didn't like it. Don't let people tell you that massive economic success equals endorsement. I don't endorse the book.

We don't always attack. We have boards of our own where Christians come to debate us, and in that sense, attack us. It's simply a matter of perspective, usually. Best wishes, ST

No, but I've seen it help someone that was questioning one way or another. Yes. In both directions. Rarely beliefs though. Most people won't conceed that their beliefs are incorrect, but I have seen people conceed arguments. I think is comes from the differences of opinion. I don't actively set out to discredit what Christians believe, I usually set out to explain why I don't believe. The result is that I talk about why I don't believe in Christianity and why I see it to be false.

That reminds me of the uproara that the Jewish community had over Mel Gibson's 'The Passion'. For years and years the Jews were portrayed as sufferers. When they were shown in a different (and true) light, they didin't like it. They couldn't make that claim anymore. I disagree. Their position is very nuanced. Many Christians have always considered them the betrayers of Christ. Many others have always considered them "sufferers." I think that they are afraid that people will mistake the few Jews in the film for all Jews everywhere. It's a fear that I certainly understand. ETA: Incidentally, I view the DaVinci Code as entertainment . . . and fiction. I think Dan Brown is more about Capitalism than about tearing down the Christian faith. Besides, if he was trying to undermine the Christian faith, he's not particularly good at it. Did anyone else catch the New Yorker's review?