The Church was not persecuting. They did their best to convince them to return to the Faith because the Church was afraid for their very souls. What lengths would you go to to stop another from going over to satan?
“The Church was not persecuting.”
Innocent VIII’s crusade against the Waldenses wasn’t persecution?
I’d like to see your dictionary definition of what persecution is and see whether a murderous crusade would fit.
“What lengths would you go to to stop another from going over to satan?”
Prayerfully, only those Christ taught his followers. Try as I might I don’t find killing ANYONE allowed and if you do you haven’t said so yet. Is there a reason?
The Church was not persecuting. They did their best to convince them to return to the Faith because the Church was afraid for their very souls. What lengths would you go to to stop another from going over to satan?
So by this reasoning the Catholic Church killed them to save them from losing their souls only by killing them they ensured their damnation if they really thought they were heretics.
BIBLE BELIEVING Christians pray for those that they see are heading to damnation they DON’T kill them to make sure they are damned . Oh and many BIBLE BELIEVING Christians also spend hours trying to point out to those they think are in err and in danger of being damned the error of their ways on threads just like this. You see the difference is BIBLE BELIEVING Christians don’t think like the world does.
Oh and BIBLE BELIEVING Christians don’t force conversions either because if you don’t come and surrender your life to Christ willingly your NOT one.
John:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
What did Jesus do in the NT?
How does God do it today?
How did the Roman Catholic church historically do it?
Like this???
Inquisition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisition
God doesn't force anyone to believe. The church, ANY church, can never be justified in taking any other stand.