"Christian" when is it right to drop the name?

[ALAYMAN]

Is it ever right to drop the name from your religion?
If not, why not?
If so, why?

 

[Izdaari]

I'm not especially attached to the name. I think "Christ-follower" is more descriptive and a better conversation starter,

My pastor has nothing bad to say about rainbows, for which I am grateful.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

Some people who call themselves "Christian" should probably drop it.

Just sayin'. 

 

[Bruh]

Some people who call themselves "Christian" should probably drop it.

Just sayin'.

Do you call yourself one?

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

Some people who call themselves "Christian" should probably drop it.

Just sayin'.

Do you call yourself one?

I don't call myself anything, normally.  Occasionally, I'll say I'm a Calvinist as a shorthand for believing in the doctrines of grace.  It saves a lot of time.  I've never even read Calvin, though, let alone consider myself a follower of the man, so it can lead to misunderstandings. 

 

[freelance_christian]

Is it ever right to drop the name from your religion?
If not, why not?
If so, why?

Unfortunately, in America at least, it is a label that has been claimed by such a diverse group of people that it actually indicates very little about the person or group using it. I don't think we need to abandon the term, but just recognize that it doesn't really indicate much more than a nominal belief in Jesus Christ.

 

[TimbauxRioux]

Is it ever right to drop the name from your religion?
If not, why not?
If so, why?

Unfortunately, in America at least, it is a label that has been claimed by such a diverse group of people that it actually indicates very little about the person or group using it. I don't think we need to abandon the term, but just recognize that it doesn't really indicate much more than a nominal belief in Jesus Christ.

Missionaries to the Deaf in Czech told us on furlough the same thing you just said above... and the JW's pretty much own the term "Christian" among the Deaf community. wow.

 

[Biker]

When a ladies maiden name Christian, and a handsome devil gets on two knees...
oh that's not a religion

 

[ALAYMAN]

Christian was a term of derision given to the Christ-followers of the early church age.  Solomon was right.  There's nothing new under the sun.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

Christian was a term of derision given to the Christ-followers of the early church age.  Solomon was right.  There's nothing new under the sun.

Yeah, but above the sun, that's a different story. 

 

[QuestioningIFB]

The definition of "Christian" means completely different things depending on who is using it.  From a secular standpoint, its a very wide umbrella that includes most Americans, from the IFB to Mormonism to Catholicism to Universalist Unitarians.  Most people on the more fundamentalist side of the spectrum would deny that Mormons, Unitarians, and a large percentage of Catholics are truly Christian.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, I've heard IFB preachers say that if you aren't a card-carrying member of a Bible Believing IFB church then you either aren't a Christian or a very backslidden one.  In the media, it generally means the "Christian right" or the political movement at the forefront of the culture wars and the base of the Republican Party's platform.  From that, it has someone developed a stigma among the world as being somebody who is hypocritical, intolerant, and judgmental.

All of that is nothing new.  Christian was initially used as a derogatory term in the days of the early church.  I don't believe, as a Christian, that it would be right to call myself something else due to the stigma that surrounds the word these days.  Plus, how will the world see what a true Christian looks like if they drop the name to avoid being associated with the stereotype?

 

[subllibrm]

Christian was a term of derision given to the Christ-followers of the early church age.  Solomon was right.  There's nothing new under the sun.

Yep. So I beat them to the punch and call myself a butt face. Just saves so much time.  ;D

 

[ALAYMAN]

Christian was a term of derision given to the Christ-followers of the early church age.  Solomon was right.  There's nothing new under the sun.

Yep. So I beat them to the punch and call myself a butt face....

Good call.

 

[ALAYMAN]

All of that is nothing new.  Christian was initially used as a derogatory term in the days of the early church.  I don't believe, as a Christian, that it would be right to call myself something else due to the stigma that surrounds the word these days.  Plus, how will the world see what a true Christian looks like if they drop the name to avoid being associated with the stereotype?

That's pretty close to how I feel about the whole baptist/fundamentalist/Christian nonsense.  Just do what the Bible calls you to do and let the chips fall where they may.