How about you respond to issues as you see them and stop viewing others who disagree with you as "attacking your church"? Couldn't you by your definition be guilty of the same thing every time you disagree with someone else? Would you be attacking THEIR church? Let's stop acting like we are in a war and more like we are at a round table talking with friends. Can we at least try that?
Honestly, BB, are there no requirements for being a Baptist, Methodist, OP, etc? If there is nothing key to distinguish them, why do they exist as separate entities?
Of course there are "requirements" for joining a local church organization. I would hope the prospective member sits down with a membership committee or board and they discuss such things as the person's relationship with Christ among other things. Only after they are confirmed in their faith are people able to formally join a church's membership. Of course, visitors are always welcomed. As far as separate entities, it comes down to usually things like customs or organizational hierarchy. I guess I could ask you why there are dozens of "Catholic" rites out there.
Aren’t you defending your church when you defend it’s confession, faith, beliefs, etc?
No, I'm not. I am defending what I believe is Scripturally true. As a non-Catholic, I am still catholic, in that I believe in what was always and everywhere believed as the true faith, the orthodoxy as spelled out in the Bible. I do not need to defend why Southern Baptists only baptize people old enough to have made a personal decision for Christ rather than babies. I think that can be proven from Scripture, but I don't get heartburn if others want to baptize their baby to show dedication of the child to God with promises to raise the child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. That child will still need to accept Christ as Savior when he is old enough to understand.
If you can’t identify these and be ready to defend them, then, IMHO, you are not worthy of them, and you shouldn’t be attacking those who are.
Okay, not so sure what you mean by I am not worthy of "them". And to reiterate, I do not attack anyone. I challenge what they personally believe and I talk about why I may or may not agree with what they believe. If a topic addresses something that interests me, I may post my thoughts. This IS a forum designed for exactly that. I do not think anyone should be forced to say anything they do not want to. The Free Republic Religion Forum is not an arm of the Inquisition nor a Gestapo. We should be able to participate freely and without fear. Don't you think?
How about you respond to issues as you see them and stop viewing others who disagree with you as "attacking your church"?
How could you read some of the posts on RF and *not* see it as an attack on the Church?
I'm not talking about all of them of course.
Let's stop acting like we are in a war and more like we are at a round table talking with friends. Can we at least try that?
Love to. I try to measure my response according to the poster;I don't flame, I sincerely attempt courtesy, though I don't always to some posters. I respond mostly in kind to the specific issue and argument.
I respond without vitriol such as "The RCC is a counterfeit church as they reject The Almighty God's Word as The Final Authority and base their 'I'm all yours, Mary' church on man made teachings and idolatry."
And there's much worse on here. If you're after reducing this stuff, you're pointing in the wrong direction.
Okay, not so sure what you mean by I am not worthy of "them".
Worthy of belonging to a Christian Church. We are called to defend the faith, to martyrdom if necessary.
What kind of Christians hides the church he/she is a member of during a debate on a religious forum? Maybe if you belonged to the "Church of the Folks Living in the Red House in the 600 Block of Maple Street in Cleveland, Ohio, 94567."
I honestly can't believe the question has gotten this far and so far afield and off topic when a simple " I belong to a LCMS Lutheran Church" or "I'm a Unitarian Universalist" or whatever would suffice.