text: can an atheist act christlike, but not be christlike? follow up from my earlier question, due to many of the answers being so different, it really made me think.  even my "friend" who've i've been asking to give me better answers was able to give a though provoking answer.  but here is the follow up, and i guess to "itemize" the question,  while an atheist can act christlike - that is - loving, feeding the hungry, etc.,  can an atheist be christlike, which would hinge on the spiritual "christ is within me"?  i think the previous question was terrific and got a plethora of good answers, so to the inspiration of the question, you've done well! part of being christlike is glorifying god.  so in that respect, no.  christianity contains moral instruction, but that's not all there is to it.  the most important aspect is having the heart and mind of christ.  someone who was not just morally good, but involved in the help and growth of others (in a respectful way).  i think it's relatively easy to be a good person just for the sake of being good if you were raised to think that way, or predisposed (personality wise) to be that way.  it's hard to get people who come from abusive or neglectful backgrounds to turn themselves around.    think about the people jesus hung out with and influenced.  they were not the people who had it all together or made the best choices.  most were caught in sin and knew they were.  those are the ones he came to heal and set free.  from what i can glean from the answers i've read on the site, most atheists don't feel a need to be set free from anything, because they feel they are living good moral lives on their own.  christianity still is for, and appeals to, those of us who know we have a need for god.  through christianity we have the means to overcome hurts, neglect and addictions and as we mature, we are obligated and enabled to help others in need.  i'm not saying that atheists never get in helping professions, but christians are devoted to freely giving as we have been given no matter what career we choose.  i realize it doesn't always happen, but as we heal, we are to help others heal.  is it true that some people come to christ and find that the healing process is too hard?  sure.  do some become interested in changing others before they've made the necessary changes in themselves?  absolutely.  but misuse of any discipline is not proof that the discipline itself is flawed.