[Kolokotronis]

"I thought I learned from personal experience that being called a heretic was not the ultimate insult because heretics are, how shall I say, "partial breakers from a commonality"? :) Muslims are not like this. Being compared or equated to the theology of Islam would be the ultimate insult."

In fact, from a historical perspective, there is a good deal of evidence that in fact Mohammadenism is a sort of Judeo/Christian heresy. The Mohammadens of course deny this.

"I had not the slightest idea that it was a matter of controversy that Jesus claims to be God in the Bible. Of course there are tons of examples in the Bible that show that Jesus is God, but here are some examples of where He says it Himself. I cannot wait to hear the interpretations of these verses: :)"

As a matter of fact, the Christological controversies of the early centuries of The Church were precisely about this issue. Read up on the Arians (let alone the almost innumerable other Christological heresies). But for the 1st Ecumenical Council, we might all believe that Christ was some sort of a demi-god. Arianism, by the way, was very widespread in the West, though it arose in the East, for centuries and it was taught by people who thought they were reading the scriptures quite correctly. They ignored the teachings of The Church.

[Cronos]

Arianism, by the way, was very widespread in the West, though it arose in the East, for centuries and it was taught by people who thought they were reading the scriptures quite correctly. They ignored the teachings of The Church.

Yes, a good place to start is at www.newadvent.com --> seems that the Goths were converted to Arianism sometime in the East (no one knows when or by whom) and reached and conquered the West which was Orthodox-Catholic. However, they were overthrown by the Franks who were CAtholic and so formed the Holy Roman Empire which had a religious unity between the rulers and the population.