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And contrary to popular opinion, I really try not to call people “good” or “bad” Christians, as a general rule. If someone makes a specific claim to be a “good Christian” and in the same post manages to do something decidedly unChristian (in my view), I might make an exception, but probably not in a thread that really isn’t about that at all, but has merely been hijacked by those who don’t want to discuss the issue of the thread.

Actually, the only ones who are into labeling others as *good* Christians and *bad* Christians are non-Christians.

I can't tell you the number of times I've heard non-Christians accuse Christians of being *bad* Christians in a bid to manipulate the Christian's behavior. Not because the Christian actually did something unscriptural, but merely because the Christian did something that the non-Christian didn't like for some reason.

And that's all it's about. Somehow the non-Christians think that the Christians will have some kind of meltdown if they think that someone else thinks that they are a *bad* Christian. When a non-Christian labels a Christian as a *bad* Christian, it's virtually always based on some personal preference, not on any actual comparison to Scripture.

The problem is, Christians recognize this tactic and don't fall for it, which frustrates the non-Christians to no end.

And when Christians call the non-Christians on it, it merely earns them (again) the epithet of *bad Christian*.

And so it goes.....

When a non-Christian labels a Christian as a *bad* Christian, it's virtually always based on some personal preference, not on any actual comparison to Scripture.

Actually, it is based mostly on the vile behavior some 'Christians' display here.

Former Christian here.

I try to be civil on these threads. And pretty much always it's the Christian who begins the vicious personal attacks. It is acceptable for me to say that is not very Christian behavior?

BTW, I stay away from the "good" or "bad" Christian thing. With so many variants of the religion over the years and even today it would be difficult to peg exactly what that would be. How literal do you go? A woman not covering her head when praying? Literally in the NT that's a no-no. But I know most Christians take it more figuratively, as in follow the normal customs. Then translation gets to be a bitch, as in should I call a person a bad Christian because he doesn't kill any witches (Wiccans) he may meet? I know the translation issue on this, but all modern Bibles say witch or sorceress.

All I can do is recognize behavior that, in the Christian upbringing I had, I recognize as not being in the spirit or the letter of the religion.