Actually there was a group that practiced Christainity before the Catholics, they were known as Christians. Imagine that. the name even fits. gee wally. :dis: gosh beav... :dis: the only way the catholic church can trace anything back is from Catholic propagandists. Historical documents say there is no basis for accuracy. Makes for a smurfy tale though. Little kids and ignorant heathen will no doubt be in awe. I think grown ups might find an error or two if they are honest with themselves.
What a convenient point you argue from. Anything that supports my arguments is propaganda, but anything that supports yours is history. Must be nice. Why do you take such a spiteful condescending tone? It doesn’t strengthen your argument. It just shows the lack of historical support your beliefs have. I would advise you to re-read 2 Tim 23-26. For someone who holds the Bible in such high regard you do not follow its model for rebuke.
Why would a diety produce a holy book that is not unequivocal? Holy books requiring interpretation by a shaman tends to move cash from the flock to the "holy man".
It is somewhat of a contradiction. You need to understand the issues of contemporary Christians who are bound by law, works, etc... and miss Jesus entirely. People read the book of James and listen to the sermons of the priests, pastors, and preachers -- and get beat up daily in church about what they did or didn't do. It becomes performance based... and gosh darnit we Christians can't seem to perform up to par due to this thing called flesh. It leads to a bunch of people in bondage and not living the life that Jesus wants us to live becuase of misunderstanding of the true New Covenant. "Freedom in Christ" is something not taught or even understood in the Church. It's more than just the doctrines of the Church I disagree with.. it's that they turn out disgruntled believer after disgruntled believer due to not teaching what Jesus wants to be in and through us.
That claim can be made of any Christian denominations. You can say the Church doesn't teach that, but I would disagree very much. Millions of prtestants convert to Catholicism every year because they feel their respective denominations don't do it for them spiritually. Also many protestants leave the faith entirely. Disgruntled beleivers are not exclusive to Catholicism. Look at the story of the rich man who asked Jesus what it took to be saved. He was all about salvation untill he found out he would have to give up his worldly belongings. He left Jesus disgruntled and sad. It just goes to show you can't please everything.
That paragraph looks and reads a lot different out of my original context.... You're right. Some people need to be beaten up spiritually and made to observe religious rites and traditions. Doesn't mean it's the Biblical New Covenant though.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians and admonished them because of their sexual immorality, how can it not be Biblical?
Religious rites, tradition, Jesus+works... etc - extra biblical. The Bible is very clear on those who continue sinning after being in a state of grace... cut them off from the church body until they repent. And this is not about people who occasionally sin of fleshly temptation either.. it's about those who sin with a hardened heart attitude. Although repenting isn't a condition or requirement of salvation... it's a matter of admitting to God that what was done was outside of His will and thanking Him for the forgiveness that has already been given at the Cross.
Correct. That's what I believe. I'll let somebody much smarter speak for me on this issue. John 10:25-29 If no man can pluck them out of Father's hand, that includes us.
