Protestant vs. Catholic vs. Orthodox

[Mortimer]

Protestant vs. Catholic vs. Orthodox

I think the orthodox understanding is that you need to go to church, to get communion, to be in communion with the church on earth and church in heaven, with the saints, with jesus christ himself. Protestant Christianity is so materialistic not spiritual, you just read the Bible, and post some quotes, you DO NOT LIVE CHRISTIANITY. But my Priest said "The Church, the Liturgy is the place to know and meet God". "Where there are 2 or 3 of you Im there". "On THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH". And the Bible is nothing without the Church, because the Church is the Bible.

 

[Meriweather]

Going back to the original time and culture provides some understanding. It is always about power and wealth. Back in the day of the Protestant Reformation, power and wealth were owned by the State and the Church who traditionally ruled together and formed a kind of check and balance on the other--which did not always work--especially not when the younger sons of the wealthy joined the priesthood.

Martin Luther was a useful idiot to those who wanted to grab power. The State had the army, so why not attack the Church, divide it. This is not to close our eyes to the fact that the Church was indeed in need of some reformation, a reform some worked at without trying to divide.

Could the Enlightenment and the age of more Democratic rule come about without a split in the Church, one of the sources of wealth and power? I doubt it. Could the Church, especially with younger sons of the State infiltrating (for lack of a better word) stand against an increasingly the powerful and wealthy elite to speak out for the poor and subservient and insist on lifting them up?

Martin Luther had a tough life, and his heart was in the right place. He thought one break from the Church would be the end. He was devastated to see break after break occur in the church he founded. He did not understand the politics of the day and how it worked in the populace and thereby the members of his new church.

My question: Can Christianity unite once more? If each Church could come together with the one closest to it in Doctrine (i.e. Catholic and Orthodox) and work one careful step at a time, a growing unity might come about--and the Church would again be One as Christ prayed that it would remain.

 

[Likkmee]

Protestantism has the least idolatry. Jesus church was outside.

 

[Meriweather]

Protestantism has the least idolatry. Jesus church was outside.

Oh, really? Growing up I knew a lot more Protestants with lucky rabbits feet than Catholics.

 

[JoeB131]

Martin Luther was a useful idiot to those who wanted to grab power. The State had the army, so why not attack the Church, divide it. This is not to close our eyes to the fact that the Church was indeed in need of some reformation, a reform some worked at without trying to divide.

Actually, Luther was a guy who realized how corrupt the church was (and still is). The problem is, the notion that there isn't a magic fairy in the sky never occured to him.

 

[Mortimer]

Protestantism has the least idolatry. Jesus church was outside.

If God became man, flesh and blood, then there is no such thing as idolatry to portray him, or something, that is a jewish belief, protestantism is the most jewish and atheist belief. Thats why they love Israel so much. The jews believe you are not allowed to portray God but they also dont believe that God is the son. That is idolatry to them, the problem is the Protestants are judaisers and also atheist leaning.

 

[Meriweather]

Actually, Luther was a guy who realized how corrupt the church was (and still is). The problem is, the notion that there isn't a magic fairy in the sky never occured to him.

Martin Luther was more complex than that. He had a rough childhood which herded him into trying to be a perfectionist--and since this is impossible, pushed him into bouts of depression. If one beats oneself up for a lack of perfection, everything else takes a beating as well. There were many working to reform the Church from within. Luther could have easily joined in as there were others who disapproved of the Pope at that time as well. Between his own internal forces and outside forces, Luther faced Herculean struggles.

 

[Meriweather]

If God became man, flesh and blood, then there is no such thing as idolatry to portray him, or something, that is a jewish belief, protestantism is the most jewish and atheist belief. Thats why they love Israel so much. The jews believe you are not allowed to portray God but they also dont believe that God is the son. That is idolatry to them, the problem is the Protestants are judaisers and also atheist leaning.

Jewish belief is a little more complex than that. First, is the belief that God cannot be portrayed--He is beyond our comprehension. Second is the firm belief that no man can be God. They cannot perceive the Trinity as One, especially not when one of the Trinity was also human. Third is the commandment against believing the likeness of anything conveys its power onto the owner of the image.

Jews are not just the embodiment of the Jewish faith--they are a nationality. This means some are people of faith and some are atheists.

 

[there4eyeM]

No religions have so missed the intentions of the person upon whom they were supposedly built than those that claim to be the universal Christian churches. The message was so distorted that even reformations of them missed the mark. The materialism rampant in the world has not been refuted by these organizations, to their shame.

 

[ESay]

My question: Can Christianity unite once more? If each Church could come together with the one closest to it in Doctrine (i.e. Catholic and Orthodox) and work one careful step at a time, a growing unity might come about--and the Church would again be One as Christ prayed that it would remain

What for? To adopt another one doctrine in addition to already existing ones? There should be only one doctrine - treat others in a way you want to be treated. All other things - rites, names, buildings, and even prayers for the most part - are complete nonsense.

 

[ESay]

If God became man, flesh and blood

Of course not. It is just ridiculous to assume.

 

[Meriweather]

What for? To adopt another one doctrine in addition to already existing ones? There should be only one doctrine - treat others in a way you want to be treated. All other things - rites, names, buildings, and even prayers for the most part - are complete nonsense.

There is no need to adopt anything, but to return to what Christ envisioned. This goes beyond treating others as you wish to be treated. It goes to each individual heart to do away with the seeds of sin in oneself before they can even take root. This love of oneself, creating the best individual possible, expands into a true love of others not a token gesture towards others hoping for a quid pro quo. Do people fear unity?

 

[JoeB131]

Martin Luther was more complex than that. He had a rough childhood which herded him into trying to be a perfectionist--and since this is impossible, pushed him into bouts of depression. If one beats oneself up for a lack of perfection, everything else takes a beating as well. There were many working to reform the Church from within. Luther could have easily joined in as there were others who disapproved of the Pope at that time as well. Between his own internal forces and outside forces, Luther faced Herculean struggles.

every historical figure is complex.

Heck, after reading Mary Trump's book, I realized even Trump is more complicated than what we see.

But Luther was a result of centuries of corruption of the Catholic Church.

They were selling indulgences, Popes were fathering children and starting wars...

 

[ESay]

What for? To adopt another one doctrine in addition to already existing ones? There should be only one doctrine - treat others in a way you want to be treated. All other things - rites, names, buildings, and even prayers for the most part - are complete nonsense.

There is no need to adopt anything, but to return to what Christ envisioned. This goes beyond treating others as you wish to be treated. It goes to each individual heart to do away with the seeds of sin in oneself before they can even take root. This love of oneself, creating the best individual possible, expands into a true love of others not a token gesture towards others hoping for a quid pro quo. Do people fear unity?

You cant take away the seeds of 'sin' before they take root. Because we already born with these seeds in us. And we should decide themselves whether we will follow the call of the flesh or spirit.

This goes beyond treating others as you wish to be treated

Of course things go beyond this. That is virtually the beginning. Not seeking any material benefitions from that is another step forward.

 

[Meriweather]

But Luther was a result of centuries of corruption of the Catholic Church.

They were selling indulgences, Popes were fathering children and starting wars...

Where would faithful Catholics be if all of us kept our eyes focused on Judas instead of Jesus. There are about 1.2 billion Catholics in the world, which means if we follow the original statistic of 1/12 of Jesus' apostles were corrupt, then there are a hundred million corrupt Catholics out of that 1.2 billion Catholics.

Most indulgences were better used than you credit, but that is neither here nor there. The fact is, Catholics are aware of the Judas' in our midst. Keep in mind that 11/12 of us have our eyes focused on Christ and his ways and he--not Judas--is our priority. It is worth noting that the Catholic Church has never had two bad popes in a row. This is another indication of eyes on Christ. As imperfect as we are, there are more saints than Judases in our midst.

Think of your own situation, Joe. Isn't your priority your focus on a clueless, unkind nun?

 

[JoeB131]

Where would faithful Catholics be if all of us kept our eyes focused on Judas instead of Jesus. There are about 1.2 billion Catholics in the world, which means if we follow the original statistic of 1/12 of Jesus' apostles were corrupt, then there are a hundred million corrupt Catholics out of that 1.2 billion Catholics.

Most indulgences were better used than you credit, but that is neither here nor there. The fact is, Catholics are aware of the Judas' in our midst. Keep in mind that 11/12 of us have our eyes focused on Christ and his ways and he--not Judas--is our priority. It is worth noting that the Catholic Church has never had two bad popes in a row. This is another indication of eyes on Christ. As imperfect as we are, there are more saints than Judases in our midst.

Actually, I'm not seeing why Judas was a bad guy. He and Jesus were Jews. Under Jewish law, what Jesus was preaching was outright heresy...

The point is, the Church was and is notoriously corrupt, whether it be a Medieval Pope selling indulgences or a modern one hiding massive numbers of pedophiles..

 

[JoeB131]

Think of your own situation, Joe. Isn't your priority your focus on a clueless, unkind nun?

Naw, my focus was on a system that created her.

First, the bitch was obviously a fucking lesbian. If you gave her some practical shoes, scented candles, and let her date other Chicks, she'd have definitely been a much happier person.

Instead, you dress her in a nasty habit, tell her she is a sinful person to her core, put her into this regimented lifestyle and then inflict her on small children, whom she obviously hated and resented.

My focus is never on squishing a single cockroach, it's on cleaning up the garbage that breeds the cockroaches.

The garbage theology of Catholicism is what needs to be cleaned up.