Christian Doctrinal Understanding

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May 1, 2016
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#1
One question that should be elaborated and asked to many many people in this room that will probably cause a bit of a stir is why do so many people refuse to see non protestant Christian sects as Christian Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches I have all seen flippantly referred to apostate pagan religions on here and been compared to Scientology or Mormonism with no accurate basis can some one please try to explain this faulty frame of mind
 
Nov 12, 2015
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#2
I can try. I can give my thoughts on it.
We have come to believe that some kind of false "perfection of doctrine" determines if a man is saved and walks with God.
No one has perfect doctrine because no one knows God or His mind perfectly.

Even Paul said in a place, I give my opinion here and I think I have the mind of God in this matter.

We don't know everything about even our spouse. How is it that we think we know everything about God? If we can't completely know an imperfect human, how can we completely know a perfect God??

Sometimes it seems we have changed the verse from: by this everyone will know you are My disciples - that you love one another, to: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples - that you agree about everything.
 
May 1, 2016
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#3
I can try. I can give my thoughts on it.
We have come to believe that some kind of false "perfection of doctrine" determines if a man is saved and walks with God.
No one has perfect doctrine because no one knows God or His mind perfectly.

Even Paul said in a place, I give my opinion here and I think I have the mind of God in this matter.

We don't know everything about even our spouse. How is it that we think we know everything about God? If we can't completely know an imperfect human, how can we completely know a perfect God??

Sometimes it seems we have changed the verse from: by this everyone will know you are My disciples - that you love one another, to: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples - that you agree about everything.
honest question what does this have to do with anything no offense but what does this answer?
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#4
It's easier to hate, than try to understand.
 
Nov 12, 2015
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#5
Hmm...okay, let me try it this way. :)

I believe the reason people call other denominations of christianity unsaved is because they do not agree with everything the accusing denomination believes.
 

Locutus

Senior Member
Feb 10, 2017
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#6
Because the earth is Westrocentric....:p
 
Nov 12, 2015
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#7
Or I could try it this way too. When God says one day soon, Come out of her My people, they won't be coming out of just protestant denominations. There will even be some catholics believe it or not. I've met some dead men through their writings who were catholic. They believed some things I do not think are true. They believed some teachings of their church I do not believe. But by their writing, I could tell they knew God and communed with Him by the Spirit.
 
May 1, 2016
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#8
Or I could try it this way too. When God says one day soon, Come out of her My people, they won't be coming out of just protestant denominations. There will even be some catholics believe it or not. I've met some dead men through their writings who were catholic. They believed some things I do not think are true. They believed some teachings of their church I do not believe. But by their writing, I could tell they knew God and communed with Him by the Spirit.
wait what?
 

GuessWho

Senior Member
Nov 8, 2014
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#9
When God says one day soon, Come out of her My people, they won't be coming out of just protestant denominations. There will even be some catholics believe it or not.
Even catholics?! You don't say!
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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#10
It may be because they add to or take away from the revealed written Word of God, things others believe are essential. For instance, JWs do not believe that Jesus is God when Scripture plainly states He is. When speaking on this matter to the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus said, "If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." So while it may seem harsh to say certain sects are not truly Christian, telling them as much is an act of love in the spirit of evangelism, for we wish for them to know the truth and be set free from their error, because we do not want them to die in their sins.
 
May 1, 2016
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#11
It may be because they add to or take away from the revealed written Word of God, things others believe are essential. For instance, JWs do not believe that Jesus is God when Scripture plainly states He is. When speaking on this matter to the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus said, "If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." So while it may seem harsh to say certain sects are not truly Christian, telling them as much is an act of love in the spirit of evangelism, for we wish for them to know the truth and be set free from their error, because we do not want them to die in their sins.
and what is it that is "added or taken away" and what is the evidence of this
 
May 1, 2016
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#12
and I wasn't referring to JWs so what JWs believe for the sake of this discussion is irrelevant
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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#15
not an appropriate one as nothing about this question relates to JWs at all
I see. Are you implying that you are completely unaware of how the RCC has added to or taken away from the revealed written Word of God? There are plenty of threads on the subject. Have you checked any of them out? One was started by the owner of this site.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#16
One question that should be elaborated and asked to many many people in this room that will probably cause a bit of a stir is why do so many people refuse to see non protestant Christian sects as Christian Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches I have all seen flippantly referred to apostate pagan religions on here and been compared to Scientology or Mormonism with no accurate basis can some one please try to explain this faulty frame of mind

there are.. mountains of posts about Catholicism and heresy in this forum's archives. there's even a massive sticky. so i don't want to go into any kind of detail.

but suffice to say that there are very well reasoned, extensive arguments to declare the RCC to be institutionally, theologically heretical. not to say each individual under the banner of the RCC shares this or is culpable, but that some of the official doctrinal positions of the RCC itself are false. that's a general, possibly understated way of expressing a common view shared by the site ownership and the majority of the membership. what you'll find on this website may over-represent some of the parameters of Christianity as a whole.

so, "protestant" churches in Christianity are so-named because they were "protesting" something: heresy in the orthodoxy. naturally, then, protestants, believing that RCC doctrine includes heresy, do not accept them. other orthodox branches are not as common in the USA & i can't speak for other locations, but i think that in general, protestants here tend to associate them with the Roman Catholic church, and so perceive them in the same way.
 
May 1, 2016
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#17
I see. Are you implying that you are completely unaware of how the RCC has added to or taken away from the revealed written Word of God? There are plenty of threads on the subject. Have you checked any of them out? One was started by the owner of this site.
I am asking for what it is and why people seem to think this and why historically this didn't seem to be an issue until the 1500s I mean logically that doesn't add up with the amount of educated clergy men that where in the church for the nearly 1500 years between the beginning of the church and the reformation there is bound to have been someone to have noticed this very early on
 
Nov 12, 2015
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#18
If someone in a catholic, eastern or orthodox church believes Jesus died for them and receives the Spirit, any falsities they've been taught will not keep them from Him or Him from them.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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#19
I am asking for what it is and why people seem to think this and why historically this didn't seem to be an issue until the 1500s I mean logically that doesn't add up with the amount of educated clergy men that where in the church for the nearly 1500 years between the beginning of the church and the reformation there is bound to have been someone to have noticed this very early on
It was an issue long before Martin Luther came along; he just happened to have his face and name put to the cause.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#20
I am asking for what it is and why people seem to think this and why historically this didn't seem to be an issue until the 1500s I mean logically that doesn't add up with the amount of educated clergy men that where in the church for the nearly 1500 years between the beginning of the church and the reformation there is bound to have been someone to have noticed this very early on

basic literacy levels and the availability of scripture in a commonly spoken language in Europe probably has something to do with why the reformation happened where it did, when it did, and not sooner, on so large and organized a scale.