In your opinion, at what point does a true Christian (or follower of any other religion, for that matter) cease to be a true follower? Is it when they stop attending church, or perhaps when they stop reading their holy book? Or is it perhaps something deeper and more spiritual? Is it an instant transition from follower to lip service, or a gradual decline in belief?

Furthermore, in your opinion how does God (Once again this applies to all religions, I'll use Christianity to simplify things though) view those who only pay lip service? Does He consider them better than or the same as non-believers?

Lastly, to those this applies to, at what point did you realize that you were just paying lip service to your religion? How did you react?

I'm lazy so I won't link the chapter of the N.T. where Jesus tells exactly about that. He says it is even worst than those who don't believe. At least in Christianism, they are sinning twice - for not believing and for being hipocrit.

when the title said lip service I thought it was about something else

When they stop going to church and reading their holy book

So you believe that to be Christian you have to attend church and read the Bible?

When they decide to not only follow, but presume to lead everyone else to their faith.




I think if there is a god they are well amused by our mortal insecurities by now as well as broken hearted at the history faith has made in blood.


I've never paid lip service to my faith. I'm secure in who I am and I live it for me and expect and respect others to do the same.

Both IMO and you must accept christ


But christians fail to see that there are other faiths that do accept christ

When they no longer believe that the words of the bible and christ are true .

I don't think that any one rule applies for everyone. Belief is something that is in your heart, and to me there is no "true Christian" (or typical one).
I don't think you have to go to church or read the Bible to be a Christian. So many say that they have God and Jesus in their hearts.

Why would one want to be a follower of anything??? why wouldn't one be leading through the wisdom that lives within them naturally. What is the nobleness in following the crowd and shouldn't one be real clear on what it is they are following???We can't all be the same we may have similar understandings but its not possible to be exactly the same, that is the flaw of religon it insists and demands that one size fits all but in truth that is illogical....Namaste sheri

Only the person involved and God can answer that question. I guess it would be different for everyone, but it is not up to me to judge when or if. Only God has that right.

In my opinion of course.

Regards, PA

So the bible says you can't ask questions?? there are some things you have no right to know? You see this as a loving graceful 'god' is 'god a person to you pA Namaste sheri

Well if it's not up to you to judge PA how come you are so quick to judge that another faith is false? You don't know the real truth infact and I repeat INFACT NO ONE does

I would have to say that god plays no part in this decision. It is up to the individual to seek and understand what he believes as the truth. If one has found within himself/herself the truth as they see fit, it is up to himself/herself to judge according to how they fit into the big picture. This person may decide whether or not god has any role in their decision depending on the degree of their falling away from a particular religious belief.

Where does it say that?

I give my opinion on a worldview. BUT, I have NEVER judged an individual for choosing that worldview.

NO??? yet you clearly state the catholic teaching are indeed false...so again I ask you how do you know for a fact what is false and whats not?

^^Whether the BIble is true or not, that is a different argument to the one we are having now. We are talking of the Catholics, a Faith that professes to follow the teachings of the Bible. If you choose to believe in the Bible, then you must believe what it says. Since the Catholics go against it, yet claim to follow it, they are false, in my opininon.

How do I know what they teach is false? For starters, they admit they have changed their beliefs because to their way of thinking, they are allowed to do so. More importantly though, I have actually read the BIble and what it says, and have come to the conclusion that what they teach is incompatible with the teachings of the Bible.

I know, this is just my opinion, but it is an opinion made after much study and thought.

As I said, I do believe the Catholic teaching is false, but I will never condemn or ridicule an individual for choosing to be Catholic. Indeed, outside of this forum, it might not even come into conversation. It's just that this place is a place to voice such opinions, and discuss such views.

Need I post the verses about homosexuals?
Need I post the verses about what to do with a wayward child?
Need I post the verses about what to do to a witch?

Follow your Bible PA if that is what you believe.

When they make something else more important than their belief, unless that's part of their belief.

It's an objective question no? It does have a right or wrong anser, right?

That's stated without going narrow into Christianity. Narrowing the field to Christianity, then it's as PA stated, it's between that individual and God and evidenced to us by that individual's fruit.... imo...

I admit I have my board settings to the default option with regards to the number of posts that appear per page in a thread.
However , I've checked both pages of replies in this and for the life of me can not find anything that evolved a general question into a focus on the Catholic faith specifically until this bit between PA et al.

Was a post perhaps deleted that indicted the Catholic faith into this accusatory tone that, first and foremost, voids one Paranoid Androids assertion of tolerance for other faiths?

No, Imag. Friend. BM and PA like to argue, and they sometimes take their arguments into inappropriate threads.

Edit: Btw, I don't mean to antagonize BM or PA. I just don't think this is the right thread for the argument you're having, which I believe has it's own thread already.

A Christian does not have to have a literal belief in the bible or belong to any church at all to be a Christian.
When they no longer believe in their heart that people should always try to do to others what they would have others do to them if they were them, then they cease to be a Christian. It does not matter then if they can quote the entire bible or belong to a hundred churches, they are no longer truly a Christian.

Thank you angrycrustacean for the insight.

Your observant angrycrustacean but I still loves ya LOL it was myself and PA that kept your other thread a loaf for a long time (homosexuality/religion) actaully FYI Pa & I called a truce...so now what? I know the boards get boring again dun dun dun... plz see memo ...

MEMO to all members that use these boards
BM & PA have called a truce...we came to realize you guys where getting too much entertainment from free-viewing our spats all over the joint...so...we want paid for the entertainment we provide....call it a pay-per-view if you like

Thank you for your time

Time hell! If it's Pay per view, I want a refund! *smacks monitor* I can't see a darn thing!


Levity...gotta wuv me.

Anyone ineterested in viewing should PM me their credit card details and bank account numbers. I'll debit the appropriate amount for the viewing

Define 'appropriate'.

Oh no! Here we go again.

"How do you mean that!?"

everwhere and anywhere

AHEM...pm BOTH of us for payment details...dont get greedy PA

$29.95 per event (Australian dollars). That's the usual pay-per-view price over here (at least it was a year ago when I still had cable TV).

I was going to send you a cut - 70/30 my way, since I'm the drawcard (don't take offense, BM - it's a joke).

Regards, PA

nu uh me 60..you 40 thats fair

I'll compromise, 55/45, my way!