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Yes, I do not agree with the 33,000 number that is bantered about by my fellow Catholics. And, as you identified, the reason being that if we are consistent in the methodology used, then there would be 200+ Catholic denominations, as you pointed out.

Having said that, don't think for a minute that I endorse the chaos that is Protestantism.

The issue is not the number of churches. The issue is the number of different doctrines floating about, many of which are antithetical one to another...

Personally, I think it is utterly anti-biblical. Did not St Paul say, Eph 4:3 Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 One body and one Spirit: as you are called in one hope of your calling. 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism. 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

Whether the accurate number of denominations is 3, 30, 300, 3000, 30000, or 3 x 10³⁰, any number > 1 is too many.

Please don't take that as a slam, but face it, there are irreconcilable differences. Look, for example at the soteriology of Luther, Calvin, and Arminius. Lutherans, as far as I know, believe in a sacramental economy (with significant divergence from the beliefs of Catholics and Orthodox), but any true Baptist would shudder with horror at the thought.

And, face it, Theo, if you can't agree on the subject so basic as whether Baptism is regenerative or not, there's a problem. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, remember? I'm not slamming your beliefs one way or the other. I'm a firm believer in God's mercy and hope to have the discussion in heaven when we are no longer seeing through a glass, darkly. But you've got to admit...there ain't one faith. And that's not just between Catholics and Protestants...that's among yourselves.

And that, FRiend, is the point that we're trying to get at. I don't agree with the 30,000 denomination meme...but face it, there are plenty out there, no matter what the number is you choose to assign.