JCSx2 wrote:"I personally feel that the biggest downfall of Christians is that we argue amongst ourselves and fight amongst ourselves over nothing. (we feel it is something but in the scheme of things it is nothing)
Yes exactly JCSx2 well put
well many may disagree tho. Honestly, over the past few months i been struggling with idea of denominations. when i came to this forum first i thought its all catholics christians WHATEVER makes no difference. but then i seen the differences and i got scared. Yes it is happening and it is SAD that christians fight each other and argue over denominations. Religions fight betwen themselves but equally bad christians fight due to their denominations. there are apparently some extreme ones such as "my denomination says if u are different one then u go to hell" no offense thats NOT openminded at all. Religions are criticized for being so; now if a denomination states that then bad!
Traditions is one thing but another major is views such as contraception, transubstantiation, Holy Communion, confessions etc. E.g. catholics we say "we have confessions you dont how do you want God to forgive you?!" but then others say "well God knows my sin then why go thru priest?". Now i am a catholic; i been doing what i been told from birth then later i questioned it. Does not going to confessions mean i am more evil or less likely to be saved? Dont know.
Another big issue - Catholics we believe committing mortal sin and dying unconfessed (unrepented) = hell. Well big issue!! Not small ones. traditions dont matter but this is serious. We believe that OSAS is not true since if u can sin mortally and dying, living 90 yrs of good godly life and at 91 killing and saying "cant be bothered whatever" and dying from heart attack for example from being murdered by someone who was defending the guy we killed (extreme example!) means hell as the person had no time to confess and repent. Also, we believe that when someone is to die then we are to call in priest, who gives confession and HC and then he dies in peace. that if one dies unconfessed he goes thru purgatory and so dying confessed is ESSENTIAL or at least very important.
Then transubstantion. what an issue! i personally see no point in the argument. symbolic or not; it is HOLY and makes u change ur life. It is a sacrement; but i persoannly believe we shud want to be like JC then we'll be so and not acording to how many times we took HC. It is supposed tio help us grow in faith etc but does it matter whether it is a change in substance or not? I dont think so. Tho, catholics put lot of pressure on it - we must be confessed (then sacrilege results); also one must believe in TS before he can take it etc. Protestants are more open and say its symbolic. However, probably if i argue with strong catholics they gonna say i cant take it etc so i better believe in it.
Did God specifically say how to take it? DOnt know. Another issue - saved by works or faith? Well, i been to baptist service twice in my life last time they talked about what it means in their terms. yes; faith saves u BUT if u dont do works then means u have no faith. fair enough; catholics believe u have faith but its dead so same thing i think. Or not? Then we sort of believe there are "levels" of heaven and that the better we were, the more good we did the happier we will be, same with hell.
I believe salvation is free gift from God BUT one must also be willing to cooperate; it is also down to US.
Another thing is going to church. Ironically, while catholics' missing sunday is a deadly sin, protestants see it as not so bad but lost something they could've gained. Yes, catholics missing church (mass) is considered bad and very necessary. hence, why go to church? because we dont want to sin, or because we loev God? Good tricky question. Irony is that once we catholics have gone for morning service, we sort of "have done it" and dont bother going again (we got rid of sin of not going so why go again??"
) but i know baptist people here they go on both! looks like the attitude of it matters regarding to whether we do it not to sin outta obligation or showing we love God.
So, as if to say that when we do something out of love we are more likely to do it than out of fear of sin and punishment. (intersting tho... do we obey God because we love Him OR out of fear?) I dont know how harshly God will look whether we been to mass or not. As i am catholic i just MUST go; there is no option. missing mass is a sin we confess of. Then, if theres one God and He comes to judge us what then??
ALso baptism... catholics we do it after birth; we are criticized saying it's invalid then we argue with others saying it is ESSENTIAL for salvation. Then we have Holy COmmunion, confession, Confirmation etc and believe these are sacrements which help us grow and "free gifts". Then those arguing against say "christianism is a religion of how much GOD HAS DONE FOR US; NOT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO EARN GOD'S GRACE". SOme say these are works and lists of do's and donts' rather than thanking God simply for giving us free gift of salvation. Non-Catholicism just seems simpler to me... do less things; say it's all from God all we do accept JC we are saved all comes automatically (good works) and if they dont then we never believed truly. Catholics more complex and are rather unsure of salvation (certain but unsure - we may get angry do mortal sin forget God die and then...
).
Contraception - catholics we against it others why not wrong? Bible cant say anything on it since 1000s yrs ago it didnt exist. same as some drugs etc.
Sex outside marriage... i believe Bible speaks against it; i am arguing with one strong non-believer and who argues that if they both consent "no harm is done" then its not sinful; thats its a mere convention set up... Any proofs againt it?
Catholics are criticized for having Virgin Mary as someone who's meaningful; others say it's bad because we are to pray to JC only. And many other things... honestly, i think these arguments are ridiculous and make christians weaker rather than a strong FAMILY as JCSx2 out it
Then arguments on this forum are not what one believes but rather what his denomination believes. If one were to hold purely personal beliefs so much less struggle!
Then, do we have to belong to denominations? As u put it u prefer nondenominations. Fair enough
but then what one follows? reads the Bible and makes out something out of it? Thing is, there are arguments over what is literal, what is symbolic (such as TS catholics vs protestants - besically arguing over 1 or few verses whether JC meant it literally or metaphorically) then can one truly know what's right?
Heard some ppl say "I hate the idea of religions; but i am a christian". Some hate the traditions and the doctrines; hence they make up their own sets of ideas. ANything wrong with that?
Does God judge us acording to how we obeyed our denomination or how much we loved Him?
ANyway this was rather long but felt like had to write it down. Denominations make us blind and close-minded. Not to say all are like that; but some people can ONLY see blindlu what they been said and then arguing with them is of no point since they each believe "my denomination is right and u are wrong"...
Lately i been quite skeptical of my denomination - i believe in it follow it - but am not necessarily someone blind who believes something just because denomination says so. Yes, overhere there are more denominations and religions than at home (either catholic or atheist) and often views conflict. I even heard if im catholic then going to baptist mass doesnt count! Well, does GOD mind??!