And again you do not actually answer the question:

You tell me that "...the mind of Christ begins to exhibit from you."

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

What physical or behavioral changes are exhibited?

Your "new clothing" example is instructive. Let's assume the sick people have kahki's and blue shirts. The new clothing is denim and yellow shirts. When someone changes from the old clothing to the new clothing it is readily apparent.

What is the equivalent when someone changes from the old man to the new man? What external changes can I expect to see?



But you haven't told me how to recognize the mind of Christ in another person, or myself for that matter.

What am I looking for when I look for the mind of Christ in another person?

If secret knowledge is to be kept secret it certainly cannot be shared on a message board. That would explain why CF ignored my rather simple question and chose instead to reiterate his condemnation of Ken.

Galatians 5:16-26 gives a quick answer - look for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the so-called fruit of the Holy Spirit, things that should be increasingly visible in the life of someone who is following Jesus.

Yes, but what I don't get is that, even knowing that CF has no secret knowledge, and little open knowledge, people still keep trying to beat sensible answers out of him. Do you think he has some and has been holding out on you all this time? What would the desired outcome look like if you got it? Do you want him to become intelligent by a pure act of will? Do you want him to admit uncertainty? Or what? He likes to take pleasure in feeling superior to everyone else (that's his only interest in Christianity that I ever saw), but I think having a conversation with him carries a risk for his listeners of falling into the same trap.


____________________
"And if you were prejudiced, you'd go around thinking that you were better than everybody. But after spending these wonderful moments with you, Archie, I can tell ya - you ain't better than nobody."

"Can I have your hand on that, Mr. Davis?" -- Sammy Davis Jr. and Archie Bunker

So if only the saved have the mind of Christ, and if the Judge has the answer as to those who are saved or not, then you're saying, Only the Judge knows who has the mind of Christ. So, to answer Spock's question, we can't know if someone has the mind of Christ or not--only the final Judge can know that.

I've met a couple of Buddhists who showed these characteristics. I once met one Christian who didn't have these characteristics--normally I would suspect they were out to scam something, but in his case, he was a brand new Christian and was busy learning.

I also read a testimony from a former prostitute. She said when she was converted she then witnessed to her customers after she had fulfilled her 'transaction'. A short while later she said she heard God whisper gently to her that perhaps sleeping with the johns wasn't really the way to live her life now that she was a child of God.

What struck me about that story was that she said the Christians in her life didn't tell her she had to stop all that she was doing before--they said (paraphrased), don't stop until God leads you to stop. No judgment, no condemnation from them, just support, and she stopped doing the drugs, sleeping with customers because she felt God would want her to, not because some group was now saying she shouldn't do that.

Speaking of judgment...

What!? Again!? He did that 15 months ago too. God's going to need a 2x4 to get through to that guy.

I assume that "someone who is following Jesus." would also be someone who "possesses the mind of Christ." If so you have indeed addressed my original question.

So those who are exhibiting these traits can be trusted to interpret the bible correctly?

A streak of masochism?

I have little hope of saving CF and I am not really trying. But his fake religion cannot go unchallenged for the sake of those who might confuse his bluster and constant condemnation of others for knowledge.

I don't often look at research on the psychology of religion, but every time I do I see evidence that spirituality is an important component of good mental health for humans. The overwhelming majority of us find that spirituality through religions of one sort or another.

Unfortunately religion, like other necessities of life, can be overdone and become toxic.

Based on CF's claims about the toxicity of his prior "unsaved" life he probably is better off with the belief system he has now in the same way that someone who stops smoking three packs a day but now eats more fatty meats is probably better off than they were. At least with fatty meats there is some positive value for survival even though the excess fat is bad for you.

However, for most of us, moving to an all fatty meat diet would be worsening our situation rather than improving it. Those who might confuse the all meat diet for a much healthier diet need whatever warning we can provide to help them avoid becoming less healthy than they are now.

Unfortunately comments by myself and some others often come across as being anti-religious when in fact I, and I believe others, are anti-toxic-religion.

It is also unfortunate that the toxic religious beliefs are like illness producing viruses--they spread very easily from one person to another and are very difficult to get rid of. Pointing them out in someone's rantings may inoculate others to the infection.

I'm glad I make some sense finally. Okay now, mind of Christ is like what would Jesus do! Like you would see Jesus preach in the sermon of the mount "You have heard that it has been said, but I tell you.. ". The whole of new testament is about the mind of Christ.

For example, James 3:15-18 talks about wisdom from below and wisdom from above. A mind of Christ would seek for the wisdom from above.

The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

So you can see for yourself what kind of things or wisdom you are seeking out, and that will reveal what kind of mind you have.

Ken, you can know if you have the mind of Christ or not. But you can't speak for others.

So, in other words, you can't expect others to know you have it, even if you do?