P wrote:
Flagpole wrote:
Generally speaking, that is true. Certainly can't say so based on one thing. There are lots of flawed people who are practicing Christians who fail even on a regular basis.
With Donald Trump though, there is just no evidence at all that he's a Christian. He doesn't adhere to any of the principles at all, he's Mr. "Two Corinthians". He has stated he has never had to ask God for forgiveness. He has never been a church-goer. So is Trump a Christian? Nah. His whole life tells us that he isn't. He's not religious at all.
The point is not that Trump is a Christian.
The point is that you, the Fat dude, me, and EVERYBODY else on Earth - we each have absolutely no say in who is or is not a Christian. None. Zip.
Again, generally speaking, you are correct. BUT, we CAN say that someone who says they aren't a Christian isn't one, so there's one exception to your rule.
Donald Trump is a VERY public figure, and we see how he behaves on a daily basis. There is nothing he does that suggests he is a Christian, and there is a lot of what he does that says he's not. Now, you could argue that he's just a failed Christian, but people who are failed Christians are those who are still trying. There is no evidence that he is trying. Could he be tormented in his own mind and be asking for forgiveness every day and just lying in public about that? Sure. I don't believe that is the case. I see no morality in him at all and therefore feel pretty confident in saying he is not a Christian. Your point is correct 99.99999% of the time and probably even more, but for Donald Trump, for Jeffrey Dahmer, for a handful of other people who have lived on this planet, I think it's fine to take a stab at it.
Just to be clear also, I couldn't care less if Trump is Christian or not. For me, I respect people in this order:
1) Atheists and agnostics who are good, caring, decent people (can't proselytize).
2) Christians and any person of any religious faith who are good, caring, decent people.
3) People who claim to be Christians or from any other religious faith who don't adhere to the teachings they say they follow.
4) People who do bad things regardless of their belief system.