[fortheDeclaration]

***But Calvinism was never intended to make sense, it was to serve as substitute for Romanism and their rituals, hence their final appeal to mysticism and the 'secret will' of God.*** To quote your post, "utter nonsense!"

Calvinism, by taking away the rituals of Romanism, had to replace it with something else the people could find confidence in.

Instead of the Bible, Calvin went to Augustine's philosophy and stated that you do not need rituals, you are one of the 'elect' (if you persevere).

Calvinism does not believe you need the Cross to be saved, but are saved without the Cross before you believe.

That you happen to believe afterward is a secondary issue.

Thus, election not faith in Christ is the central tenet of Calvinism and serves as a substitute for the Romanist rituals.

As a Calvinist you cannot say you were saved by faith in Christ, you were regenerated before you believed anything, thus, you were saved by election not faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[drstevej]

By grace through faith which is the gift of God.

Your understanding of the origin of Calvinism is amusing at best and your understanding of the content of Calvinism is a caricature at best.

Try again.

[wai-ming]

Calvinism does not believe you need the Cross to be saved, but are saved without the Cross before you believe.

This does not sound like Christianity to me.