And yes, there's zero way I can come to that conclusion from two church services. I'm aware of that. I'm just in the mood to argue today. It's Monday, it's raining, and I'm hungover.
The Pope vs. Trump
- Thread starter TarHeelNation11
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But Mary doesn't mean anything to us. I mean, she's pretty nonexistent in our services. She's big with those Catholics though. My son goes to Catholic school - not because I cared that much about the religious aspect, I just wanted him away from the dregs that are in public school and away from the liberal indoctrination - but he's taught me a little bit about Catholics. But then again, he's only 9 so I'm not getting but so much.
I will say this; Having grown up in Protestant churches, and a grandfather that strongly forbade alcohol, I was really amazed at a recent local Catholic Church function I attended. A close friend of mine is a classical violinist/cellist. She also plays other stringed instruments and sings. Anyway, their parish was having a "60's Coffee Shop Night" where people from the parish performed live sets. She asked me to play guitar and accompany her for about 6 or 7 songs. The attendance was HUGE! Like at least 200 people! And the booze was EVERYWHERE! That threw me for a loop. There was a bar, a keg, coolers, you name it. I don't drink, but it really sorta took me by surprise because, from my youth, alcohol and church were separated! We eve used grape juice at communions.
The Brethren Church of my childhood, in Hopewell, VA, was/is my only real "church" that I will ever need. My family has long since stopped attending. But, my grandfather help build it and my parents were married in it, my cousins were baptized in it, my Dad's funeral was there. We moved from there in 1974 when I was just 6, but I still remember my youth there. If I ever need to "go to church", I just go back there in my mind. My whole understanding and perception of "God" has evolved, and continues to evolve, to a point that organized religion is no longer something that really serves me. Realizing God is part of me(and all of us), and not separate from me made a huge difference.
The Brethren Church of my childhood, in Hopewell, VA, was/is my only real "church" that I will ever need. My family has long since stopped attending. But, my grandfather help build it and my parents were married in it, my cousins were baptized in it, my Dad's funeral was there. We moved from there in 1974 when I was just 6, but I still remember my youth there. If I ever need to "go to church", I just go back there in my mind. My whole understanding and perception of "God" has evolved, and continues to evolve, to a point that organized religion is no longer something that really serves me. Realizing God is part of me(and all of us), and not separate from me made a huge difference.
I didn't take time to read this entire thread but I will say this on the topic and someone may have already pointed this out but, how can the pope question someone else's Christianity when he's not Christan?
I'm not to judge anyone faith but Christian and Catholic are kind of like basketball and football there both sports but different kinds!
I'm not to judge anyone faith but Christian and Catholic are kind of like basketball and football there both sports but different kinds!
The Devil cannot make anyone do anything, just tempt. On the topic of worshiping Mary, which is one of my major beefs with Catholic religion. Pretty clear all up and down scripture how we are to worship God alone (that includes the Trinity, which Mary is clearly not). So to me, a Hail Mary sanctioned and requested by the Church is a major flaw and I cannot believe it is still done. Since when it was started was when nobody could read the Bible. Now most can, but still do it. So yes, I consider that evil and no, I am not a Baptist.
Secondly, the requirement to confess to another person your sins in order to obtain forgiveness is also clearly against scripture and goes back to the "pay for your sins to get forgiveness" corruption of Catholic Church and major catalyst for reformation movement. There is nothing wrong with voluntary confession, but something seriously wrong with requiring it of a human for forgiveness as a bribe for power. Only God can forgive sin and we have a direct conduit by the Blood of Jesus.
I'll try to make sure and pass that along to the Baptists that I know who believe that Satan "tempts" them. I don't personally believe there's a Satan- in the sense that you and other religious people believe it- so, I definitely don't think Catholics are tempted by him, or it, or whatever Satan is supposed to be to you guys.
"...the great Satan hisself is red and scaly with a bifurcated tail, and he carries a hay fork."
I'll try to make sure and pass that along to the Baptists that I know who believe that Satan "tempts" them. I don't personally believe there's a Satan- in the sense that you and other religious people believe it- so, I definitely don't think Catholics are tempted by him, or it, or whatever Satan is supposed to be to you guys.
"...the great Satan hisself is red and scaly with a bifurcated tail, and he carries a hay fork."
You can believe what you want to believe. Although, one cannot believe in Jesus and not believe in Satan considering Jesus mentions Satan and deals with casting out Demons in most of gospels. So, since you have previously stated on this forum that you believe in Jesus as the Savior, I am not sure how you get around this because it is no small issue.
I think there is some confusion about what defines a Christian. Of all the world's religions only three worship a God know as the God Of Abraham: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Of those three, only one worships Jesus Christ as the Son of God. All three worship the same God but only Christians worship Jesus Christ as the son of that God. Now, Christians are split up into different churches such as Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, etc. but they are all Christians because they worship Jesus Christ.
It's really simple for me. Just like everyone else, I focus on what speaks to me the most. I don't feel compelled to translate and apply Scripture in an absolute, literal context. These words I'm typing are just as much the Word Of God as those in a 2000 year old book. So are yours. I don't restrict, or base, my understanding of Jesus to only what other people have said. Hell- this place of burning and fire with reptile "demons" poking the tortured bodies/souls for perpetuity- is a Christian invention. It's used for coercion and it's fear-based.
And, yet, all 3 manage to hate one another because of the differences in the religions.
And all the various sub-groups of the three manage to hate each other over very small differences.....
Just because you don't agree doesn't imply hate or it shouldn't by the teaching of Jesus, you should love all God's people but pray for them!
You cant be a Christian and trust in the bible and say muslims for example are also right in what they believe because the bible teaches that "Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the father but by me!"
So to say they hate each other is not the way it SHOULD be but I know it happens.
Catholocism was birthed out of byzantine forcing christianity upon the romans as a state religion. What were formerly baal worshippers and priests were force to integrate christianity into their beliefs. Part of Baal worship constituted having a queen of heaven whose son was born on winter solstice and they believed the dead went to limbo. Sounds familiar.
Everyone has their own version of right. And they're just as convinced they're correct as u are. They have a book too and plenty of stories about how their god saved them from a tornado and cured grand ma's cancer and appeared to them in visions etc.
although isn't Christianity the only religion that marks a path through grace not works/becoming enlghtened?
Never knew that. Interesting.
I also find it interesting how people automatically think that Jupiter and Zeus are absurd mythologies, but the characters in the Bible are solid, factual people who did exactly what was written. I dunno why they can't both be right.
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No you can't if you trust in the bible and Jesus as your savior you can not because my Bible and what I believe 100 as fact says "Jesus is the way the truth and the life and NO come to the father but by me"
Not one word in the about Muhammad having anything to do with that!
But being a Christian means that you don't believe in their "version of right". The main tenet of Christianity is faith that Jesus died for my sins and is the one and only God. It doesn't mean that you have to hate them. But it does mean I don't give any merit to their version of right because my lord tells me their version of right is wrong.
God does not tell anyone that. Humans have decided those parameters. Just like nationalism and other forms of tribal barriers and divisions. The true essence of God tells us, in our souls, that we're all part of one larger body. These religious groups were provincial and ways of trying to communicate and understand our true origin, and what makes us eternal.
The Bible, and organized religions, especially Christianity, describes "God" as basically an ancient monarch. King, Lord, kingdom, serve me, obey me. The terminology, the obedience, the need for worship, etc.. It's all very human and humanistic characteristics. The biggest conflict is the notion that love is conditional. God's love is unconditional. God doesn't pick sides or have members-only parties.
It has nothing to do with creative it has to do with what you believe, a true bible believing Christian can not interpret the bible 100% and then say that what it says is not the only way!
It is all about faith not about being open minded you can't have you cake and eat it to. I'm not trying to make you believe like I do but I am also not going to discredit what I believe in 100% because you or anyone else says I should!
I never said you shouldn't believe what you believe. I can't make you and you can't make me disbelieve. If having faith means being close-minded , then we're on different wavelengths.
As far as I know the ONLY thing required to be a Christian is the belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Period. Anything beyond that is something required by sub-groups of Christians. All Christians believe Jesus is the son of God but not all Christians believe in papal infallibility for example or being saved by grace, etc. I think the confusion is coming from people using the term "Christian" wrong
The prob for me is when people claim that its necessary to embrace the bible as the word of god to be christian. Thats just a plain lie.
I sometimes think Jesus of Nazareth was vehemently opposed to religions. His disdain for what Judaism had evolved into was apparent. He was so tuned-in to what God really is that his disciples went ahead with it anyway! Paul was also a big influence on the movement. They made up their own stories and those stories got handed down for 200 years or so and it became more about the religions and less about knowing yourself, and others and God and how it's all one thing. I think Jesus would be a little disappointed, but take it in stride.
It's just words handed down by people who wrote down what they experienced. Just like we do today, every day, all the time.
We are absolutely on differant wavelengths, but that's ok we dont have to agree.
But isn't it funny how he characterized your beliefs in a negative way? That's how the world works now. Christianity is "close-minded", "bigoted", "hateful", etc.
I dread his response to this post.
No, you don't. You're waiting for it.
He's the one that mentioned being close-minded. He said: "It is all about faith not about being open minded." That implies that faith includes being close-minded. I don't believe that at all. I think it's the opposite. Then, you decided to throw in those other adjectives. Religions, or the people in the religions, often encourage people to believe that their way is the only right way. Sometimes overtly, sometimes it's subtle. It's often even well-intentioned. That's going to potentially create a prejudice, and prejudice might create bigotry. I don't think Christians are any more responsible for that result than any other religious club. Some denominations, churches, parishes, syagogues, mosques, are actually very tolerant and welcome the others. The Pope has tried to do that, too, actually. If a person is bigoted, it's because they consider themselves superior- that their behavior, religion, nationality, race, whatever, is right and everyone else is wrong, or inferior. They're not content with the reality that they're neither superior or inferior... they're just different.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils
1 Timothy 4:1
Pretty much says it all!
See? I told you. You were just waiting for a chance to show ignorance. You never disappoint.
If my opinion didn't matter to you, you would never have addressed it to notashelbyfan. You'd have ignored it, but you can't resist me. That's why I love you! Using memes to debate is pretty weak, though.
I don't care if you "value" it or not. I'm the only one that needs to value my opinion.
I have no interest in debating with you. I'm hoping to annoy you to the point that you stop posting or at the least, stop directing posts towards me.
I wish you were the only one that had to read it.
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