[net.religion] True christians

ddb@mrvax.DEC (DAVID DYER-BENNET MRO1-2/L14 DTN 231-4076) (03/29/84)

The current crop of born-agains, or whatever the term is ("Sorry, I'm
color-blind in that range myself") asks us to accept them as true Christians
and reject the established churches (particularly the Catholic church).
I understand their eagerness to do so -- it's pretty hard to defend many
of the things done by the established churches over the years.

Unfortunately, I can't see any way a non-Christian can decide which, if
any, is the real Christianity.  A Christian presumably makes this decision
by seeing which ones follow his idea of Christianity, which he believes is
provided him by God (his idea, that is).  I have philosophical problems with
this approach, based on the human tendency towards self-delusion -- but
in any case, valid or not it isn't available to me!

I can't claim to accept anyone as christian who claims to be -- but if I
had to decide between the Catholic church and the unorganized evangelicals,
the Catholics would win hands down by historical precedent.

		-- David Dyer-Bennet
		-- {...}!decwrl!rhea!mrvax!ddb