Posted on 02/20/2008 11:03:10 AM PST by NYer
| "Since Your Majesty and Your Lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer.
Unless I am convinced by Scripture and by plain reason, and not by Popes and councils who have so often contradicted themselves, my conscience is captive to the word of God. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot, and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me." |
>>AN UNBROKEN HISTORY<<
Yeah.
From Spurgeon’s sermon, “The Standard Uplifted
in the Face of the Foe” No. 718. Isaiah 59:19.
In 325, Emperor Constantine, for reasons of state
craft and subtle policy, made Christianity the national
religion, and thus struck the most fearful blow at
the vitals of Christianity. The union of church and
state is a fatal blow to true religion. The king’s
hand wherever it falls upon the church of Christ
brings the king’s evil with it. There never was a
church whose spirituality survived it yet, and there
never will be.
Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, and if we
try to marry the church of Christ to a worldly
kingdom, we engender innumerable mischiefs.
So it happened that when the church became
outwardly glorious she became spiritually debased.
Her communion table glittered with gold and silver plate,
but her communion with Christ was not so golden as
before. Her ministers were enriched, but their doctrine
was impoverished. For every ounce of outward gold which
she gained, she lost a treasure of grace. Her bishops
became lords, and her flocks were famished. Her humble
meeting-places were exchanged for grand basilicas, but
the true glory was departed.
She became like the heathen around her, and began
to set up the images of her saints, until at last, after
years of gradual declension, the Church of Rome
ceased to be the church of Christ, and that which
was once nominally the church of Christ actually
became the Antichrist.
Black darkness covered the lands, and the dark ages set
in. Instead of pardon bought with the blood of Jesus, false
priests made merchandise of souls, and pardons were
hawked in the streets. Instead of deacons and elders
adorned with holiness and purity; monks, and nuns, and
priests, and even popes became monsters of filthiness.
Instead of justification by faith, men proclaimed justification
by pilgrimages and by penances. The crucifix took the place
of Christ Jesus, and a piece of bread was lifted up as a god,
and men bowed before it, and said, “These be your gods, O
Israel, that redeemed you from the wrath to come.”
The "Constantine imposed erroneous doctrines on the Church" canard can be easily refuted by a cursory examination of the early Church Fathers. All the "errors" supposedly introduced by Constantine may be found in the patristic writings long before Constantine was born, let alone exercising his supposedly sinister statecraft.
The 17th century, just for example, was far more brutal, benighted, and violent than the "dark ages".
“The one thing you fail to understand is that your own religion may not be the correct one.”
And what you fail to understand is that, notwithstanding as many “mays” as you wish to conjure up, the fact is that Christianity is true.
Selah.
“From Spurgeon’s sermon”
I hadn’t seen that before. I begin to understand where people get those whacked out ideas.
Not exactly because as your logic dictates... your ancient ancestors lived by the sword, you die by the sword.
That is an opinion not a fact.
Christians apparently do not believe that sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
And now their descendants are finding a new way.
All fine and dandy for you for others who expect concrete answers, "trust the invisible man who lives in the sky," is insufficient to their needs.
CzarNicky apparently believes that the son is guilty for the sins of the father and that two wrongs make a right. Christianity is not for you.
No it isn't, I put away childish things a long time ago.
Your hatred for Christians is now fully exposed.
Other than gloating about your perception of Christians being persecuted and exposing your contempt for them (which is actually against FR posting rules, you may want to look into that), Uhm... what was your purpose of posting in this thread?
Hatred is a strong motivator eh?
revel in your persecution complex all you wish. I do not hate groups merely individuals.
Other than gloating about your perception of Christians being persecuted and exposing your contempt for them (which is actually against FR posting rules, you may want to look into that), Uhm... what was your purpose of posting in this thread?
My purpose was that I noticed the irony of a religion that displaced practitioners of other faiths, very much likely to their dismay, is now whining about being similarly displaced in the here and now. As for any violation of posting rules there is an abuse button you can select if your feelings are hurt.
Hatred is a strong motivator eh?
I guess having an opinion different from someone else counts as hatred now. Of course not voting for Obama counts a racism so I don't put much credence in words bandied about by someone in a rage.
Which is totally silly. Why translate part of the word into Latin and part into English? Does someone think we don't know Ares is the Greek god of war? (We watched "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," after all ... :-).
It's like "Oedipus Rex."
It means the Greek Supreme Court.
In modern Greece?
Not all who wander are lost, but in this case they are.
Straw man. Or, in this case, straw god.
Deriding a religious belief suitable for a child of 6 proves nothing with respect to mature Christian faith.
The whole point of Christianity is that God is no longer invisible. He humbled himself to become man and suffered and died for our salvation - mine, and yours too. That is the concrete answer.
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