moreperfect:
A serious and fair discussion would involve both parties being transparent. I still, after all these years, do not know which type of Protestant you are. I pinged Gamecock in this thread out of courtesy and respect because he and I have had discussions before and he was honest and open enough to indicate that he was I think, a Baptist with some Reformed theological heritage [I think that is accurate and he can correct me if I am wrong]. So at least when I was having a discussion with Gamecock, I new the theological foundations from which he was making his points.
I don’t know anything other than you are against Catholicism. Fine. but again, you did not come up with your theological world view in a vacuum. There has to be some theological tradition from which you have as a starting point.
So I will be honest, I have been here years and many of the FR Prots will jump in together in a thread and I can detect that many of these same Protestants have world views on some issues that are world apart yet when there is a Catholic, they all jump in and ping the manure out of me and I have no idea if one is Reformed, Lutheran, Baptist, Pentecostal, or any variation of those traditions, etc.
“A serious and fair discussion would involve both parties being transparent. I still, after all these years, do not know which type of Protestant you are. I pinged Gamecock in this thread out of courtesy and respect because he and I have had discussions before and he was honest and open enough to indicate that he was I think, a Baptist with some Reformed theological heritage [I think that is accurate and he can correct me if I am wrong]. So at least when I was having a discussion with Gamecock, I new the theological foundations from which he was making his points.”
If you read what I write, you will know exactly what I believe. I am not hiding anything I believe. If it brings you comfort, you can always ask what I believe about a particular topic. I will do my best to answer, if it is in any way relevant.
“I don’t know anything other than you are against Catholicism. Fine. but again, you did not come up with your theological world view in a vacuum. There has to be some theological tradition from which you have as a starting point.”
I am certainly not against every Catholic teaching. Just the ones made up out of thin air, the ones that are pagan in origin and they ones that do not pass the test of Scripture. Everything else I am supportive of. So we have some things in common.
“So I will be honest, I have been here years and many of the FR Prots will jump in together in a thread and I can detect that many of these same Protestants have world views on some issues that are world apart yet when there is a Catholic, they all jump in and ping the manure out of me and I have no idea if one is Reformed, Lutheran, Baptist, Pentecostal, or any variation of those traditions, etc.”
I haven’t pinged anyone. I don’t blame you for not liking dealing with that scenario. I think the best thing to do in that case is ignore those you weren’t in a conversation with. I often experience a similar thing. I respond to one poster and they don’t respond to prove their position, but three others jump in who I wasn’t talking with.
“Fine. but again, you did not come up with your theological world view in a vacuum.”
For background, I was born into a RC family, served as an alter boy. Was never molested. Began to read the Scriptures for the first time in my life my freshman year in college. Came to faith in Christ through the Word of God. The next 15 years were a time of slow growth and solidifying what I learned. I eventually went to Seminary, where I read thousands and thousands of pages of Church History, as I mentioned up thread.
The most valuable thing I was required to do was outline every book of the Bible and then make a chart of every single book. With that foundation and a continuation of exposition of every book, I also spent hundreds of hours on the development of Christian doctrine from the beginning through our age. I should add I spent a year and a half in translation of the NT also, which taught me several valuable lessons about theology.
After I graduated, I spent the next decade thinking through all I was exposed to, all I learned and putting it together - and frankly, rejecting what I came to believe was not accurate. I don’t know everything. No one does. No one has to for any reason.
I do know what I believe. I know the basis upon what I believe it. I know what areas are my opinions, my beliefs and my convictions. I intend to keep learning based on that foundation.
Since you asked, that is where I am coming from.