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#1
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![]() [ QUOTE ] Interpretations aside, they share the identical scripture. [/ QUOTE ] Those interpretations are huge. Things like purgatory, mortal and venial sins, going through a preist for forgiveness and not directly to God etc etc. Most Catholics also think you get to heaven by works, and not Jesus. Catholocism in general seems focused on cerimony, and not scripture IMO. That being said I know a few Catholics that are definately christians. |
#2
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"That being said I know a few Catholics that are definately christians."
Isn't a "christian" just a follower of Christ? Isn't any other attempt to define it really only an attempt by one cult to make itself feel superior to another? Who is to say who is christian or not? Personally I don't think any "christian" interpretation has got it right yet, and Jesus would be ashamed at what his teachings have turned into. |
#3
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Most Catholics also think you get to heaven by works, and not Jesus.
Not entirely true. Catholicism says one achieves salvation through faith in God *and* good works. To me (and again, although I grew up in the RC tradition, I am not a believer), Salvation by Faith Alone sounds like a cheap cop out. Ignoring the fact that I find it offensive to think that any loving God would *require* worship as a condition of salvation, why are deeds irrelevant? Sounds to me like most Christians think that if they show devotion (and be sincere about it), they need to do nothing else to be worthy. What ever happened to the concept that actions speak louder than words? going through a preist for forgiveness and not directly to God The similarity if the direct connection with God to Islam is not lost on me. Catholocism in general seems focused on cerimony, and not scripture IMO. Catholicism is much more ritual-oriented, but scripture is hardly ignored. I guess my general antipathy to religion stems from the judgmental nature of practitioners. The "I'm right. you're wrong" mentality. As if salvation (if there were such a thing) would be dependent on accidents of birth and mindless minutiae. Long before Abraham, Lao Tzu wrote "The Way that can be named is not the true Way." Later, The Buddha said "There are many paths to the top of the mountain." Spiritually, not only have we not improved on these bits of wisdom, but we've gone way downhill. |
#4
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It all starts with being born again. Catholics and many Christian denominations differ from true Christians in how this is accomplished. Catholics believe priest-baptized infants are born again. This is false. Any religion that baptizes infants and declares them born again is false.
You need to be born of God to be a child of God and a Christian. There are many who try to follow certain philosophies of Christ. There are few who are His kinsmen. |
#5
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[ QUOTE ]
It all starts with being born again. Catholics and many Christian denominations differ from true Christians in how this is accomplished. Catholics believe priest-baptized infants are born again. This is false. Any religion that baptizes infants and declares them born again is false. You need to be born of God to be a child of God and a Christian. There are many who try to follow certain philosophies of Christ. There are few who are His kinsmen. [/ QUOTE ] When I read mindless, evil, hateful crap like this, I start thinking that human society will only move out of our infancy when all religion is purged forever from this planet. Then I remind myself that as a libertarian I believe that even idiots like this have the right to believe their silly little fairy tales. |
#6
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Excellent point on infancy.
Some of you guys have been scared into your beliefs. Have you ever asked yourself the question, "What would I believe in if I was born in Japan or India?" |
#7
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That's what got me to drop Christianity [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
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#8
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Not only those born in a place where christianity is preached can hear from God. Only those who seek truly find, not those who sit in church services.
It's a pity an issue such as your place of birth would make you lose faith in God, I think it's a proverb that says something like, if you fall apart during crisis there was not much of you to begin with. |
#9
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When I read mindless, evil, hateful crap like this, I start thinking that human society will only move out of our infancy when all religion is purged forever from this planet. [/ QUOTE ] There have been some notable attempts to implement the suggested purge. - Pol Pot : banned religion (Kampuchean constitution chapter fifteen article twenty) - USSR : the state imposed severe restrictions on religious activity, banned many churches, and persecuted religious leaders. The results speak for themselves. Wether you are an atheist or a theist you may find the argument against religion in society somewhat more complex than it at first appears. |
#10
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You forgot China [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
The results speak for themselves. They do, and I did add the libertarian part afterward. I would never support such measures, but when I get angry, the evil part of me comes out. Wu v. Wei and all that. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] |
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