Posted on 05/07/2009 9:08:21 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
Do you believe in bringing children up with a strict education, in avoiding sumptuous food and unnecessary expense, and in holding to the values of hard work? If so, you have a good chance of being a Calvinist, according to an online quiz offered by a Dutch newspaper.
The 25-question test on the Web site of Trouw was first launched in Dutch in January. It is now available in English and German and is one of the numerous projects and activities in the Netherlands and beyond to mark the 500th anniversary in 2009 of the birth of French-born Protestant leader Jean Calvin.
Born on 10 July 1509 in Noyon in northern France, Calvin is known worldwide for his role in the Protestant Reformation in Geneva, a once independent city-state which became part of Switzerland in 1815. The religious movement he inspired is often associated with the traits of hard work, discipline and frugality.
Those taking part in the quiz are asked to respond to a statement with an "agree" or "disagree" answer. Each response to a statement leads to more information about Calvinism.
The last question raises what many people would see as a typically Calvinist issue - whether the time used in taking the test could not have been spent more usefully doing other things.
About 2.3 million of the Netherlands' 16 million people are members of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, formed by a union in 2004 of two Calvinist denominations and a small Lutheran church.
More than 70 000 people have taken part in the original Dutch-language test, Trouw reported on its Web site.
Calvinist Quiz: www.trouw.nl/nieuws/religie-filosofie/article2050113.ece
<If you don’t believe the Torah is from Heaven (literally), then you didn’t convert to Judaism.
This is why I don’t participate on the Judaism threads. I converted. I took the lessons, I renounced Christianity, I have the certificate. I keep a Jewish home (books and artwork, I don’t keep kosher - but then as a vegan, I don’t need to) and the Jewish holy days. Personally, to heck w/all the holier-than-thou Jews on the board who only consider orthodox Jews as ‘real’ Jews. Why don’t you bother the Methodists and Lutherans and ask why they aren’t Catholics? Or Amish, for that matter?
I have a c factor of 72%, one wonder why I was chided in my RCIA Class as thinking like a Protestant./Just Asking - seoul62......
Just to add to PM’s reply, radiohead, you mention in your post that there are other resurrection myths. Would you say that there were followers of these other myths that were willing to be martyred?
Calvinism is Christianity. It's a shorthand to set it apart from Arminianism. I don't know any Arminian who wouldn't say Arminianism isn't Christianity.
You're more than welcome to believe that once regenerated by the Holy Spirit you can lose the love Christ has for you from before the foundation of the world. I prefer to agree with Paul in his understanding that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God...
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." -- Romans 8:38-39"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
If an angel can't steal you from the Triune God, how do you suppose you have such power? What God wants, He gets.
It wasn’t your disagreement with Calvinism that led me to call you ignorant, it was what you said - “I fail to see the rational behind evangelizing people to Calvinist anyway. I mean, if your “predestined” to be one its going to happen — regardless.” While I have no problem with Arminians who do not agree with Calvinism honestly, I do have a problem with Arminians who distort and twist Calvinism for their own purposes.
I notice you didn’t deal with Ephesians in your reply. What does “predestined” mean to you? What does “chosen” and “elect” mean to you? These are clearly Biblical concepts so you can’t just ignore them?
In Romans 9, Paul is speaking of individuals, hence the names used (Jacob & Esau). In Romans 11, Paul is speaking of groups of people, notice the names used there (Israel & Gentiles). Trying to blend the two will not work. In short, the Gentiles are enjoying God’s favor now, but there will come a time when God’s favor will turn back to the nation of Israel.
As to 2 Peter 3:9 - “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward YOU, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
There are really only three possibilities here.
1) God is not willing that any man, woman, or child on the planet should perish, and therefore, everyone will be saved - Universalism.
2) God is not willing that any of His adopted children should perish, and therefore they won’t. (election)
3) God is not willing that any man, woman, or child on the planet should perish, but He is powerless to stop it.
The problem with # 1 is that the Bible is clear that there will be more people in hell than heaven, so this must not be the correct interpretation.
The problem with # 3 is that it represents a pathetic, weak God that does not get His way in His own universe. Since Scripture is clear on the sovereignty of God, this can’t be the correct interpretation. - Isaiah 46:9-10 “for I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose’”
What is it about the sovereignty of God that so offends you? I would encourage you to read Luke 4:23-30 and see how Jesus told of God’s sovereignty, and the reaction of the “religious” people who claimed to love God. As in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, is God not allowed to do what He chooses with what belongs to Him? Is He a debtor to man?
lol. That question is regularly asked by the Roman Catholics to an assortment of Christians. Toplady was right. Arminianism is the road back to Rome.
Either we save ourselves by being clever and insightful and prudent enough to choose to believe in Jesus Christ, or faith is first and completely the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, ordained by God from before the foundation of the world. The former opinion bases salvation on men's own inherent ability to believe and be saved, pretty much nullifying the stain of Adam's transgression all by ourselves (with a little help from our friendly Holy Spirit.) The latter acknowledges that everything is ordered by God for His glory, most especially the names of His family. If the former is true, your salvation depends on your own fortitude and wisdom. If the latter is true, our salvation rests on the strength and purpose of Christ alone.
It's always surprising to me that some Christians would rather believe they came to faith themselves than to believe they were brought to the feet of Christ by the Holy Spirit. But that's straight from Rome. "Do this and be saved." Christ told us the only thing necessary for salvation is faith in Him as Lord, King and Savior. "Be not afraid; only believe." (Mark 5:36) And as Paul later explained, faith is a gift of God's grace; it is not of ourselves. We cannot earn grace. We receive it freely because that's how God wants it.
And yes. I believe all things Paul wrote were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Do you disagree with that, like our Romanist friends do? Where have you personally chosen to draw the line?
In contrast, the Catholic Church teaches that faith and works are necessary. Not faith alone, not works alone.
I was predestined to be 100% Arminian but chose to be 10% Calvinist.
Can’t an Arminian work hard?
Can’t a Calvinist have a Hardee’s Monster Thickburger?
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." -- Hebrews 13:5
See, PetroniusMaximus. You have a friend in Rome. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." -- Romans 4:4-5"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
And as we learn also from Paul, faith is a gift of God to His children for their salvation.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." -- 2 Corinthians 2:14-17"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Now since those from Rome and even some Arminians question the words of Paul, let's hear from Christ as to how we are saved...
"...Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." -- John 6:65
Do you agree with Rome, PM, that in the following verses Jesus was only speaking to the Apostles and not to all those who believe in His name by the grace of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit?
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." -- John 15:16
Well as a Catholic I discover that my Calvinist tendency is 69%.
Some of the points the test makes about Catholics, such as Catholics can’t tell the difference between the Old and the New Testament, and do not believe in enjoying sex, were rather silly.
I know that Calvinist Churches include the Reformed Church of the Netherlands, but what churches are ArmHOW ABOUT bAPTISTS AND lUTHERANSinian? From the link I take it that the Methodists are? How about the Baptists and the Lutherans?
Oops!
but what churches are Arminian? From the link I take it that the Methodists are? How about the Baptists and the Lutherans?
Now since those from Rome and even some Arminians question the words of Paul, let's hear from Christ as to how we are saved...John 6:65 is not all that Christ says about how we are saved. In fact, you are skipping some very key commands to us that are right there in John 6, specifically regarding Holy Eucharist.
But hey, it's all about whether one worships God Almighty in the Church He created for us, or in contrast if one worships the little pocket deity created by a megalomaniacal French lawyer named Jean Cauvin.
Sorry, didn't mean to step in a land mine or insult you. You don't have to be Orthodox to be a "real" Jew, but if you are a non-Jew who didn't convert Halakhically you are not a real Jew no matter how many certificates you have. Anyone who converts Halakhically or was born to a Jewish mother is Jewish, regardless. But only "Orthodox Judaism" is Judaism.
I'm a Noachide, btw, and just as Orthodox Jews can't accept the liberal so-called "branches," neither can we.
One can easily renounce chr*stianity without converting to Judaism so there's no need to "convert" to a non-Orthodox "branch." And besides, if you object to "original sin," as I said, you could have converted to Eastern Orthodoxy or even the "Church of Chr*st," since they don't believe in it either.
The Torah is not mythology and to say it is is heresy.
I am a 64% “soft-edged” Calvinist...glad to know there’s a soft edge in there somewhere!
Reform theology has a very, very dark side which hypocalvinst uusally do not want to discuss. But it is just as much a part of Calvinist dogma as TULIP or Predestination or a misguided concept of Sovereignty. The eisogesis of scripture with plain meaning is breathtaking in this Augustinian Reform Theology.
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