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Thank you for your comments. They have been among the most intelligent and civil on this thread thus far, and I commend you for your exemplary demeanor; I also appreciate your perspective.

It seems that some of this issue regards the definition of morality. Some Christians *define* morality with respect to their God, which makes it quite easy for them to claim that anybody who does not believe in their God is somehow immoral.

Yet this is not what most other people - including some Christians - consider to be morality. For them and for me, morality is entirely a function of a person's *behavior*, and as such has nothing at all to do with the adjectives a person attaches to himself (Christian, atheist, conservative, socialist, etc.) or the kinds of sound vibrations his mouth produces in air. The morality of a person, under this view, is solely a function of the way that person intentionally affects his own life and the life of other human beings - and in the real world, a person's words and philosophical beliefs have far less of a role in this than most would think.

For the record, I am as staunchly opposed to socialism as one can get -- as even a cursory examination of my writings would show. Only in the contemporary United States is the mistake of equating a devotion to political liberty with Christianity made. Virtually at no other time or place in history have the two doctrines been seen as indistinguishable from one another.

Let this be a warning to anyone else reading this thread: if some elements of the right continue to marginalize and demonize people who *agree with them politically* but do not hold their religious views, then I can guarantee that the conservative movement will be dead, and freedom will be dead in this country quite soon.

I am
G. Stolyarov II

(Stolyarov wrote) Yet this is not what most other people - including some Christians - consider to be morality. For them and for me, morality is entirely a function of a person's *behavior*, and as such has nothing at all to do with the adjectives a person attaches to himself (Christian, atheist, conservative, socialist, etc.)

This is exactly the issue though. I would say that a Biblical definition of a 'Christian' would be one who follows Christ and accepts him as Lord and Saviour. To do so involves a change of behaviour... and a radical change at that.

This is expressed continually in the New Testament. Faith without action is dead. Teach them to obey all that I have commanded you. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world. Love your enemies. Pray for those that persecute you. Build each other up.

Each is action.

Thus for a Christian, the separation of 'Behavior' from 'Adjective' (Christian) should not exist.

Let me be clear however that this does not mean that all Christians ARE moral (in a Christian definition, meaning conforming to God's will), but it should be entirely true that all who are Christian are seeking to become more 'moral' and 'holy'. As you mentioned in your original posting, one of the claims of Christians is that their lives have changed. This is part of the evidence that they are who they claim to be... followers of Jesus Christ.

By 'Christian' in this context, I mean a Christian by a Scriptural definition such as the one above. I do not mean possessing a membership card, bumper sticker, embossed golf trophy, or even merely church attendance. Part of the confusion today stems from the fact that many people are not clear on what they are professing when they say 'I am a Christian'.

On a final note, I should mention that the "Actions" do not make you acceptable to God. From a Christian viewpoint, that can only be done through acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The actions though, are an outward expression of an inner change. I change my actions to conform to my Father's will, because I now recognize Him as right. I seek to do His will because I love Him, and want to glorify Him.