can anyone tell me the differences between Christian denominations?

[atari]

Im catholic, but I wasnt raised in a religious household.

Im totally clueless about most Protestant denominations especially, and If any would tell me the differences between them, or point me to a site that would help, that would be great. :-)

[Petronski]

I'll just sit back and watch this one. LOL

[mercy]

Well, that's YOUR psychology. There is a time for every season. Sometimes it is necessary to confront ... sometimes better to remain silent. It is never time to agree with evil.

In these politically correct times we are all just supposed to shut up and take it. As one who probably agrees with the FR perspective I would guess you think it is fine to confront Democrats/Liberals in many ways. Perhaps you have even carried a placard at some local freep or event. I know I have.

But it's wrong to be a religious activist? Sorry. Don't buy it. I'm sometimes a religious activist. Sometimes I don't much care and I suppose that Christ's lambs will find their way to the shepherd all by themselves. On this thread I felt like pointing out the wrongness of the RC church.

[Flying Circus]

Eternity can't be much better fi this is the case either as what sort of 'god' is running things?

I think this statement really shows where your spiritual life and relationship to God is. You would rather turn your back to Him than trust in His way unless His way is your way. May God in His mercy let you see the error your attitude.

[Cronos]

In these politically correct times we are all just supposed to shut up and take it. As one who probably agrees with the FR perspective I would guess you think it is fine to confront Democrats/Liberals in many ways. Perhaps you have even carried a placard at some local freep or event. I know I have.

I'm NOT saying one should not oppose what one thinks is wrong, what you should do is:

1. Know that there is a place for that -- this post was atari asking for information, and your FIRST response was post #18: The other weirdos are the cults who claim to be Christian but are not. These include Mormons and Jehovah's Witness. They have violated the Bible by adding to and subtracting from it and creating cults outside the bounds of Biblical Truth. Of course this can be said of the Roman Catholic Church to a great extent as well. They adopted Pagan practices early on and corrupted the True Church. Completely incorrect, with no proof to back it up, just propaganda heard from elsewhere that you're mouthing just like Khalid or Abdullah would.
   
   Instead of telling him what YOU believe in, like the others did on this post (Baptists, Catholics, Orthodox etc.), you tell him what you don't believe in and you launch into a diatribe against the Church. Isntead of pointing out differences from a theological point of view, you launch into propaganda pieces which were refuted (did you READ post #158)?
   
   
2. If you DO want to say something, do research what you are trying to say -- on this board, especially on the religion board, every word, every nuance counts and we DO not tolerate ignorance as ignorance, in even a tiny way can be erroneous (for instance, would you say Christ had one hypothesis or two?)

[Cronos]

There is a time for every season. Sometimes it is necessary to confront ... sometimes better to remain silent. It is never time to agree with evil.

True -- that's why I'm pointing out your errors

My psychology? I'm not the one going around saying "Oh, look at me, I'm anti-Catholic, anti-Mainstream Protestantism, anti-everything, I just like my own little world..."

But it's wrong to be a religious activist? Sorry. Don't buy it. I'm sometimes a religious activist. Sometimes I don't much care and I suppose that Christ's lambs will find their way to the shepherd all by themselves. On this thread I felt like pointing out the wrongness of the RC church.

Nope, it's wrong to be an ignorant religious activist -- one who has no idea about the early church, the early heresies, the teachings of the church fathers, or indeed anything beyond their own perceptions. It's wrong to describe your faith in only the negative sense -- you are NOT Catholic, you are NOT protestant, you are NOT Christian.....

[Mo1]

Go to the source - compare and go in the direction your own spirit, after prayer, directs you

Good post and good advice

[xzins]

So, then, you're suggesting that Mary is not omniscient and does not personally, then, hear the prayers of countless millions of people at the same time -- as does God.

Is that correct?

How does she find out about those prayers if she isn't informed by God?

[Cronos]

So, then, you're suggesting that Mary is not omniscient and does not personally, then, hear the prayers of countless millions of people at the same time -- as does God.

Mother Mary is NOT omniscient -- only God can be omniscient. What I DID said was we Catholics pray to GOD. period.

[xzins]

If you Catholics pray to God period, then you are stating that that is the official Catholic doctrine.

How is it that there is such misunderstanding of this among Catholics.....as well as Protestants, of course?

[Cronos]

How is it that there is such misunderstanding of this among Catholics.....as well as Protestants, of course?

It is official Catholic doctrine that we pray TO GOD ALONE. We may hold Mother Mary and the Saints in esteem as heroes of the faith, but we do NOT pray to them. They are creatures, created by God, not God.

Why is there a misconception? Because people go overboard with their respect and Protestants see one viewpoint, and since they've been led to believe in mariology, they follow it. It's the same as the fabrications of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

[xzins]

Hmmmmm....

I'll think about it. Honestly.

Thanks.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Well im Brethren (u've probably heard of them-first originated in Scotland in the late 1800s).I don't know a lot bout my family tree,though my great grandfather joined the Brethren Church in the late 1930s-till then he was Jacobite.In short I may probably have a tingling of Syrian blood(which is considered a big prestige issue by Orthodox/Jacobite Christians here) or maybe Im 100% Indian, but I really don't care 2 hoots about that.

The Brethren in India are pretty unique-do not use ornaments,no specified priests or church hierarchy(it's more a network of independent but cooperative local churches)-doctrines are not too different from the the various evangelical denominations(closest to Baptist doctrine).I do have a lot of Marhomite relatives(don't know bout their family tree either!!)

[Vicomte13]

Sirach 8:3 - Dispute not with a man of railing speech, heap no wood upon his fire.

Sirach 8:16 - Provoke no quarrel with a quick-tempered man, nor ride with him through the desert

[Gamecock]

I went to my first Presbyterian service a week ago and the person who led us in prayer prayed for the Iraqis but not for our troops. Big turnoff.

You probably attended a Presbyterian Church(USA) church. They are very liberal, typical for most mainline denominations

Try a Presbyterian Church in America, Orthodox Presbyterian, Bible Presbyterian, Associate Reformed Presbyterian, or an Evangelical Presbyterian Church. You won't find any such nonsense there!

[NYer]

I would recommend a detailed "word study" of the word ROCK in the scriptures that Y'shua used. It will not support the roman church's position.

"We know that Jesus spoke Aramaic because some of his words are preserved for us in the Gospels. Look at Matthew 27:46, where he says from the cross, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ That isn’t Greek; it’s Aramaic, and it means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’

"What’s more in Paul’s epistles, four times in Galatians and four times in 1 Corinthians we have the Aramaic form of Simon’s new name preserved for us. In our English Bibles it comes out as Cephas. That isn’t Greek. That’s a transliteration of the Aramaic word Kepha (rendered as Kephas in its Hellenistic form).

"And what does Kepha mean? It means a rock, the same as petra. (It doesn’t mean a little stone or a pebble. What Jesus said to Simon in Matthew 16:18 was this: ‘You are Kepha, and on this kepha I will build my Church.’

"When you understand what the Aramaic says, you see that Jesus was equating Simon and the rock; he wasn’t contrasting them. We see this vividly in some modern English translations, which render the verse this way: ‘You are Rock, and upon this rock I will build my church.’ In French one word, pierre, has always been used both for Simon’s new name and for the rock."

[WhiteGuy]

As my Dad once told me................

Basically the division comes down to those who can enjoy having a good time.................

and those who don't like anything that's any fun.

[WhiteGuy]

How does she find out about those prayers if she isn't informed by God?


e-mail?

[bert]

As a general rule, Baptists don't dance, Methodists don't drink, and Presbyterians don't put cushions on the pews.

[Vicomte13]

"So where to go for a dyed-in-the-wool protestant who loves the tradition and the sacraments?"

The Orthodox Church is your answer.
Greek Orthodoxy, American Orthodoxy, even Russian Orthodoxy, but Orthodoxy.
They have all of the sacraments and all of the tradition.
It is the complete Church you are looking for, if you just cannot stand the thought of submission to Rome.

There is none other, if you refuse to accept the Pope, that has all the traditions and all the sacraments, in full apostolic succession, that Orthodoxy.

So, if that is what you truly seek, then get thee to an Orthodox Church.

[hobbes1]

How does that assertion square with Can 246§3.?

The veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, including the marian rosary, mental prayer, and other exercises of piety are to be fostered; through these, students are to acquire a spirit of prayer and gain strength in their vocation.

Or is the Rosary, not praying ?