Who are the Catholics: The Orthodox or The Romanists, or both?

Me

[the_conscience]

I just witnessed a couple of Orthodox posters get kicked off a "Catholic Caucus" thread. I thought, despite their differences, they had a mutual understanding that each sect was considered "Catholic". Are not the Orthodox considered Catholic? Why do the Romanists get to monopolize the term "Catholic"?

I consider myself to be Catholic being a part of the universal church of Christ. Why should one sect be able to use a universal concept to identify themselves in a caucus thread while other Christian denominations need to use specific qualifiers to identify themselves in a caucus thread?

[Cronos]

True, but the Vedas are not the guiding principle in modern-day Hinduism. Vedic Hinduism died out with the arrival of Mahavira and Gautama. Modern hinduism revolves around the avataras of Vishnu: Krishna, Rama, Narasimha, etc. and around contemporary Shaivite beliefs including the worship of Ganesha.

[Cronos]

true, but narrowly speaking, the Jews DO worship the God of Abraham and they DO deny Christ.

[RnMomof7]

interesting, so to clarify, do you believe that God created evil?

Evil is not a tangible created THING..it is disobedience to God. It is the flip side of goodness and holiness. When man rebelled against God evil /sin entered the world..But because God is sovereign He has authority over evil ...like everything else it can not do its work without Gods permission

God does not need to force men to do evil, he simply has to remove His restraining hand and men will do the evil that is in their hearts.

Amo 3:6 — Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done [it]?

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all [things] for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

[Cronos]

All those verses talk about pre-knowledge, not the predestination idea of a puppet being pulled by the strings of it's master.

4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."

7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you

God says that he appointed Jeremiah. Now J says he doesn't want to do this and argues against it. God then INSISTS. If this was predestination and God was the master puppeteer, then God would not need to insist, God would just control. He doesn't do that


In a similar vein, we have Samuel searching out Saul, who was clearly predestined for kingship, as well as David. Could they refuse?

They COULD, yes and some did try to run away. But they finally took it up, reluctantly at times, it was not that God took control of their strings and moved them to do this or that.

[Cronos]

Che altro può un uomo semplice come voi o me fare, eh?

[Cronos]

In my opinion, it is good because God wills it.

[Cronos]

Evil is not a tangible created THING..it is disobedience to God. It is the flip side of goodness and holiness. When man rebelled against God evil /sin entered the world..But because God is sovereign He has authority over evil ...like everything else it can not do its work without Gods permission
The first part is fine, it's the second that can be troubling as it signifies that God permits evil, doesn't it?

[NoGrayZone]

"That's easy! They do it to irritate you."

No answer?

[stfassisi]

“”We think of our local churches as families and we’re pretty good about doing the fellowship thing””

As a former protestant I tend to agree with this statement on a LOCAL basis ,but on the larger scale there is a problem with theology because you don;t have enough concrete teaching in matters of faith and morals. The local group gets together and decides from their interpretations of the Bible what their professions of faith should be etc.... Also,they decide whether they allow women ministers,approval of members to join freemasonry, gay issues etc....

The Southern Baptists Convention says the following about confession’s of faith ....
http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfmpreamble.asp

“(3) That any group of Baptists, large or small, have the inherent right to draw up for themselves and publish to the world a confession of their faith whenever they may think it advisable to do so.”

This leaves the door open to many error’s IMHO.

That said,the Baptists I know are some of the finest loving people who would give you the shirt off their back

Hope all is well with you and your family,dear brother,it’s been awhile.

I have limited time to post this week.

[NoGrayZone]

"Evil is not a tangible created THING..it is disobedience to God. It is the flip side of goodness and holiness. When man rebelled against God evil /sin entered the world..But because God is sovereign He has authority over evil ...like everything else it can not do its work without Gods permission"

"The first part is fine, it's the second that can be troubling as it signifies that God permits evil, doesn't it?"

1 John 5:19 - And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

[Quix]

Good points, imho.

[Natural Law]

Hindus hate Christianity for the very reason it destroys their caste system. Equating God's election with the law of karma is unbiblical."

It may be unbiblical in origin but in practice it is no different than the election theology advocated by Calvin and his derivative followers.

[Natural Law]

Hindus hate Christianity for the very reason it destroys their caste system. Equating God's election with the law of karma is unbiblical."

It may be unbiblical in origin but in practice it is no different than the election theology advocated by Calvin and his derivative followers.

[Quix]

MUCH AGREE.

[Natural Law]

"Yet it also says that when they speak of something with ungodly attributes, the something of which they speak is not God."

Yet, for whatever the motive or reason, mischaracterizing God does not change God.

[Quix]

“The devil is the prowde spirite. He cannot endure to be mocked.”

= = = =

I’ve noticed that . . . and some of his buddies hereon reflect that fact most doggedly.

It’s an excellent way to ‘call out’ his mentality.

[Natural Law]

"Amen! Rome's denial of that fact resulted in the Reformation."

Rome is an ancient, now defunct empire. Now riddle me this. If "sola" means sole or only, how can their be five solas? Must one have all five solas for salvation or does one only have to score 20% on the practical exam?

[Quix]

What I know they say is “Allah is greater!”

The question is greater than whom ? YHvH ?

Allah by his attributes describes the Evil One.

shalom b’SHEM Yah’shua HaMashiach

########

INDEED.

[Natural Law]

"No answer?"

We bow to the pope out of respect. We kiss the ring because it is the symbol of the office which is greater than the man.

[Quix]

Allah by his attributes describes the Evil One.

shalom b’SHEM Yah’shua HaMashiach

########

It struck me recently . . . a photo of a big mosque . . . I forget where . . .

Looked like it was surrounded by . . .

what were they called in the OT . . . Asherah poles . . . phallic symbols . . . all the minerets.

The whole religion sure seems obsessed with that as a major focus.

. . . . God made clear His attitude toward such centuries ago. Hasn’t changed. ALL the minerets will be coming down.