There is often debate about what makes someone a "True Christian"... but most of the time the subject is brought up athiests will retort with the tired "No True Scotsman" line (even though it's not actually a fallacy)... suggesting that people just make it up as they go along. So I will clear the matter up right now as to what makes one a true Christian, backed by Scripture. Here is the end-all definitive definition of a true Christian:
True Christian: One whose name is written in the Book of Life.
64 comments
"True Christian: One whose name is written in the Book of Life."
Then you admit that whether a person is a True Christian or not is entirely unknown to human beings, and thus saying, arbitrarily, that someone is not a real Christian has no real basis, and is, as the "No True Scotsman" fallacy holds, illogical.
Thumb up dude.
So you are making it up as you go along?
If no one can know if they're a "True Christian" until they're dead, you are in no position to tell anyone who is and is not a true Christian. Maybe the "false Christians" are actually "True Christians" and you're not.
"There is often debate about what makes someone a "True Christian"..."
Mainly because your religion is so convoluted and obtuse as to not be able to allow one to actually tell who is and is not an actual "True Christian." That alone should tell you something.
"but most of the time the subject is brought up athiests will retort with the tired "No True Scotsman" line (even though it's not actually a fallacy)..."
Then what is it? It's certainly not sound logical reasoning.
"suggesting that people just make it up as they go along."
That's been my experience. Those too lazy to do so themselves generally leave the "make it up as you go" part to their pastor/priest/preacher/deacon/etc who then tells them how they're supposed to act.
"So I will clear the matter up right now as to what makes one a true Christian, backed by Scripture. Here is the end-all definitive definition of a true Christian:
True Christian: One whose name is written in the Book of Life."
Well now, isn't that just a nice little slice of useless. Show me this "Book of Life" or else you're just babbling meaninglessly.
So, it doesn't mean a damn thing what one does, because if their name isn't in that book, they're doomed.
Well then...
As SeenAndNnotSeen already stated,
Every one says that our religion is controvertible, but I have just proved it is incontrovertible, and you cannot say anything in return. Right? I mean, my logic is so obviously true, no one can counter it? Right?
"retort with the tired "No True Scotsman" line (even though it's not actually a fallacy)"
<scottish accent> It's not a troo fallacy!</scottish accent>
"True Christian: One whose name is written in the Book of Life."
Well, this really doesn't help us at all.
"True Christian: One whose name is written in the Book of Life."
OK, but you understand, as the Book of Life is fictional, that means no one is a True Christian.
True Christian: One whose name is written in the Book of Life.
And if I may ask...how exactly does one go about determining if he or she is one of the lucky ones who belong to the 'happy happy post-apocalyptic not getting the toasty-ass' club?
Explain in great detail your process for confirming your membership in this particular post-humous organization. Show your work.
Later on poster 3sigma says:
What a worthless definition. I challenge you to demonstrate that any particular person is written in the Book of Life. In fact, I challenge you to demonstrate that the Book of Life is anything other than imaginary.
ElijahFalling:
HAHAHAHA
Actually, the "No True Scotsman" fallacy is a poor analogy to the question of whether or not one is a "true Christian." "Scotsman" refers to a particular ethnic background, and a person either is or is not born as a Scottish man. Whether or not a person is a "Scotsman" is a fact that can be objectively verified.
"Christian," on the other hand, is a much more mercurial term. It is based on a person's decision to follow a certain set of teachings attributed to Jesus of Nazareth. It is certainly legitimate for one Christian to claim that another person identified as Christian has not adequately followed the teachings that define "Christianity." This is akin to saying "Joe is not a true Communist, because he owns a multinational corporated and is an outspoken advocate for unbridled capitalism." When you get into defining people by their adherence to certain teachings or philosophical ideas, things become much more murky than when you're identifying people by their ethnic background (i.e., one either is or is not a Scottish man).
"No true Scotsman" refers to an attempt to invent one's own private definition for a word and substitute it for the commonly accepted definition. Either you're speaking English, in which case "Christian" is pretty well (and broadly) defined, or you're making up your own definitions for words, in which case you're speaking some other language - you have to choose one or the other.
Well, my name is written on the Wall of Cool, so N'YAH!
*bagpipes in the background, very badly played*
This comment is actually not so bad. A Christian, according to this, is someone who has presumably said the Magic Words so as to be in the "Book of Life". For once it doesn't require a whole bunch of added-on semi-Biblical bullcrap about hating gay people or not playing RPGs or persecuting Catholics or beliving the world is flat and that dinosaur bones were put there by the Debbil.
Book of Life, can that be bought at borders? Or is it another unproven thing that doesn't exist?
Of course Borders exists. Don't be silly.
[Monotones]
Well I wonder, wonder, who--who-oo-oo-ooh,
Who wrote the Book of Liiife!"
[/Monotones]
My name is written on a brick on a Columbus, OH, playground somewhere. My grandma bought them for my brother and I when we were little. I think that's cool.
Also, my friend wrote me into a Sailor Moon fanfic. That's cooler than the Book of Life! Especially because I got to be a Sailor Senshi in the story. Albeit a kind of uselessly-powered one.
And you, of course, have seen the Book of Life, so you would know. You could easily look anyone up. And we would just have to tae your word for it. My name is in the local White Pages. Is the Book of Life listed alphabetically like that, for convenience?
Isnt that the book that was in that kooky, fire and brimstone, flying horses and 7 headed dragon filled book of revelations?
I think its safe to say that the book of life is just as imaginary as Jesus and heaven and hell. Your argument did nothing to help the question.. at least you were truthful about the atheist stuff in your paragraph.. I give you kudos for that, usually you cultists dont know a flipping fuck about atheism, or you do but you lie your asses off about them.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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