Re: [TruthTalk] Mormon Related Different Roads

[Dave Hansen]

Judy Taylor wrote: Well there is the broad road and the narrow way - everyone is on one or the other but only one of them will lead to life. Defining what the word Christian means is neither here nor there.  jt DAVEH:   ???   I don't quite follow your thinking on that one, Judy.  I would think defining one's goals would assist in reaching them.  If one doesn't know what defines a Christian, then how can one be one?  For instance....If a person of a specific sect (e.g.....Holy Rollers) says that to be a Christian, one has to join the HR movement.....then that would define it for that person in a specific way.  One can then have the opinion that to become a Christian, he could sign up for HR and meet that criteria.  Yet another person would probably define being Christian in another way that meets a different criteria.      To me to not define Christian leaves it pretty much in the air.  Can a person who does not have a definition for Christian really be a Christian?   Just thinking out loud on this....go easy on me!   :-) Bill Taylor wrote: I have been contemplating lately whether I need to broaden my own definition of "Christian" -- you know with the Trinity debate and all. I'm pretty sure of this much, DaveH: you're not alone :>)   Bill DAVEH:   Like most words, there is more than one definition of Christian.  Some (such as myself) are quite happy thinking of it as encompassing a lot of people who have a faith in Christ or attempt to follow his teachings.  This is also typical of most dictionary definitions.  On the other hand, some tend to want to take a very narrow view in an effort to exclude others from their club, so to speak.  I am rather amused that most of those wishing to adopt a very strict definition are usually unwilling to share that definition.  It makes me wonder why they would be reluctant to do so.  It could be that they realize they are wrong, and that dictionarys don't exist that support their position.  Another possibility is that Christianity is not as exclusionary as they proclaim.  IOW........Any time they try to define a person out of Christianity, it affects those who are commonly accepted as being Christian, so they don't want to ruffle any friendly feathers.  I suppose another possibility is that they are simply unable to write a precise definition that doesn't seem ridiculous to anybody who thinks logically.  Can you think of any other ideas, Bill? -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dave Hansen [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.langlitz.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you wish to receive things I find interesting, I maintain six email lists... JOKESTER, OPINIONS, LDS, STUFF, MOTORCYCLE and CLIPS.