Posted on 10/11/2014 8:36:27 AM PDT by Gamecock
Question: If one thing is clear, it's that there is one, single, visible Church that Jesus founded. This multitude of competing, conflicting denominations is no sign of God's work; therefore, it must be the work of the Evil One. Somewhere in the midst of these 30,000 denominations, there is one true church, and the rest are in sin and rebellion.
Answer: The "thousands-of-denominations" argument is very often employed to prove all sorts of things. Here are some citations from letters received from other Catholics:
How can all these denominations claim to follow the Bible yet all come to different conclusions? How can I possibly know which one of those above teach the truth when they can't even agree on what the Bible says? The Bible alone has created so much havoc in this world.
If there is only one Church, why are there so many Protestant denominations? Possibly many thousands throughout the world, as compared to only one Catholic Church? I do see it as a sign of God's judgment that there are close to 30,000 Protestant denominations.
The Bible alone can be dangerous. In fact, the Bible alone IS dangerous. Look at Protestantism: 100,000 different interpretation of the Bible, 100,000 contradictions, 100,000 different denominations claiming to have the key.
Peter said that no prophecy of the Scripture is for private interpretation. This is why you have 30,000 different Protestant denominations that all believe differently from one another. This alone should give you a clue that Protestantism is not the true Church of Jesus Christ.
So, the existence of many Protestant denominations supposedly proves that the Sola Scriptura is dangerous, that we should not try to understand the Bible for ourselves, that the church of Rome is the one true church, and of course, all the other churches are false.
Elsewhere I have written on the significance of the heterogeneity among Christians. (See That They May Be One and Disagreement among Protestants). Here I simply want to make one important addition, namely, that the allegation so often repeated by Catholic apologists that there are 20,000 to 30,000 Protestant denominations is simply FALSE . . . not to mention the double standard employed, for the Roman Church is not exactly united. There are untold factions and divisions, and diverse understanding of doctrine within Catholic groups and by different Catholic theologians and individuals.
In an article entitled "30,000 Protestant Denominations?", Evangelical apologist Eric Svendsen exposes the falsehood of this fabrication. Briefly:
Svendsen shows that the source of this figure is the World Christian Encyclopedia (David A. Barrett; Oxford University Press, 1982).
Barrett cites a figure of 20,780 denominations. However not all of them are Protestants. According to Barrett, Protestants account for 8,196 (and incidentally, Roman Catholics account for 223).
However, even this figure of eight thousand Protestant denominations is misleading, for Barrett defines "distinct denominations" as any group that might have a slightly different emphasis than another group. The distinction is made on the basis of jurisdiction, rather than differing beliefs and practices.
Barrett breaks down the Protestant bloc into twenty-one major "traditions" which are much closer to what we usually mean by the word "denominations." It is interesting that Roman Catholics are subdivided into sixteen such "traditions."
Svendsen concludes, "In short, Roman Catholic apologists have hurriedly, carelessly - and, as a result, irresponsibly - glanced at Barrett's work, found a large number (22,189), and arrived at all sorts of absurdities that Barrett never concluded."
First, John & Charles Wesley did not found the Methodist Church. As an ordained Methodist Minister, I’ve heard this before, but it simply isn’t factual. John & Charles Wesley never broke from the Anglican Church. During the Revolution era, when the Anglican priests had for the most part abandoned the colonies, they ordained a bishop for the purpose of ensuring communion was offered to the people. Even then, they didn’t call for a “Methodist” denomination.
Second, Peter possibly founded churches in Antioch Syria, since he is mentioned there very early in Christianity by the Apostle Paul. In Antioch we were first called Christians, and in Antioch, that church claims Peter as their first bishop.
Obviously, the first church founded was in Jerusalem which still exists today.
Mankind created religion, and - perhaps - the achievement of a peaceful prosperous society is a measure of its understanding. So, in this case, islam fails while most others succeed.
I’m surprised at your stance on the RCC, since you both have the same eschatology (Amill).
Don’t you interpret Rev. 20 the same, you are supposed to be ruling with Christ on thrones during the present and ongoing millennial? Which interpretation, by the way, gave the RCC the authority to burn thousands at the stake. They are supposed to be ruling now on thrones, you know.
I just saw a car with a democrat bumper sticker in a Catholic Church parking lot. There is also a raffle for a car at another Catholic church in town. Who needs casinos anyway? There are 30,000 different groups of doctrines held by a billion Catholics.
I have said it but a few times, it needs to be said a thousand times more...to counter all the false "the Roman Catholic Church is the original church" claims we are constantly flooded with around here. You've got it backwards, it is YOU...and "salvation," et al, that need to come up with something original.
“I just saw a car with a democrat bumper sticker in a Catholic Church parking lot. There is also a raffle for a car at another Catholic church in town. Who needs casinos anyway? There are 30,000 different groups of doctrines held by a billion Catholics”.
I just saw a car with a democrat bumper sticker at a Baptist Church parking lot. There was also a raffle for another car at a Baptist church in town, or was that Lutheran? And let’s not forget all those bingo games where you win MONEY! Who needs casinos anyway? There are 30,0000 or more different groups of doctrines held by a protestants, because every protestant is their own little authority of the Bible. They’re all right, just ask them.
There is one doctrine of the Catholic Church. If you care to read it’s called the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Jealousy of big brother is a hard thing for some.
Religion is man’s attempt to reach God.
Jesus was God’s success in reaching man.
Did Peter wear opulent, flashy robes? Did he wear a tall hat? Did he carry a blinged out, gilded shepherds staff?
Did the other Apostles wear gold and jeweled rings as a symbol of their positions/offices?
At any time did Peter or any of the Apostles kiss dessicated severed body parts from corpses?
Are you really sure the Catholic church of today is the “original, true Church” of Jesus?
Blah, blah, blah. Can you come up with anything original.
Sure!
You claim Peter as “the first pope.”
Did Peter wear opulent, flashy robes? Did he wear a tall hat? Did he carry a blinged out, gilded shepherds staff?
Did the other Apostles wear gold and jeweled rings as a symbol of their positions/offices?
At any time did Peter or any of the Apostles kiss dessicated severed body parts from corpses?
Are you really sure the Catholic church of today is the “original, true Church” of Jesus? Are your actions, behaviors and traditions similar to Jesus’ during his Earthly ministry?
How about the silly pictures of cereal boxes, LOL!
All of the protestant denominations are offshoots of the Catholic Church. Regardless of whether they claim to represent the true interpretation of the Bible, they do not have a historical link to the early church other than through the Catholic Church. During the early centuries, they did not exist side-by-side with the Catholic Church; the Gnostics were not proto-protestants.
Did Peter know he was Pope? Even Roman Catholic researchers have conceded that he did not. Would Peter have been horrified at the prospect of being claimed as Pontifex Maximus, the very title of Nero, Caligula and all the other Roman heads of their pagan state religion, the one that killed him?
Christianity is not a religion. Catholicism is a religion.
Get serious
I am. Catholics on FR claim their traditions come from the early church and what Peter taught.
I don’t care if a pastor wears a suit or bluejeans as long as the teaching is firmly within scripture.
The Bible doesn’t lie. I’ll go with that.
And it may explain why Christendom cant see itself in mystery babylon...
Jesus said many shall come in my name and deceive many, they are not preaching a false messiah some of them are just deceiving many.
If I can not believe the Bible there is nothing what so ever to believe in and I would not even want to.
LOL! The Bible IS part of the history. Jesus founded the Church on the Apostles, the first Bishops, when he breathed on them and gave them the power to forgive or bind sins.
It IS in the Bible.
Thanks for proving my point.
And Peter was MARRIED. That was good enough for Jesus but not the Catholic Church.
There will be born again Catholics in heaven. There will be born again Protestants in heaven too. None of these organizations will save anyone. Only Jesus can save us.
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