these christians believe those christians are wrong and hell-bound, etc....
If the NT/bible is the source of absolute doctrine, which applies in all instances, then why do so many peope interpret it in so many different ways? Doesn't this render it useless?
2007-02-20 06:19:34 · 14 answers · asked by Samurai Jack 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because there are so many contradictions in the Bible. Various sects are based largely on which direction you go with certain contradictions.
2007-02-20 06:22:13 · answer #1 · answered by Contemplative Monkey 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends on how you're looking at it.
Although many christian sects have different beliefs, you need to look to the bible to determine what is right. Even then, many argue that the bible is full of contradictions.
Many of these 'contradictions' in the bible arise from looking at different time periods. In the old testament, before Jesus was crucified for our sins, things were different. At that time, the Godly religion was that of Judaism. They had their own rules by which to abide, and their own doctrine.
After the crucifiction, God formed a new covenant with man, rendering many of the old testament's belief systems obsolete. These differences can be seen by reading the new testament.
Because the new and old testament are often found in the same book, many people interpret the bible as contradictory. The new testament represents God's current will for mankind, and trumps the old testament.
As far as christian sects go, you must be careful what you consider christian. For example, Mormons consider themselves christian, however they believe some things that are never even mentioned in the bible. These beliefs include that God physically impregnated the virgin Mary. They also believe that Jesus wasn't always God, but that he started off as one of us, and acheived godliness. These beliefs have no biblical basis. They are from later, Mormon-authored works such as "The Pearl of Great Price," and the "Book of Mormon."
Basically, a christian has no need to choose a 'sect.' They need to read the bible, and follow what is said therein. No minister, priest, or clergyman has any authority whatsoever over the bible.
In my opinion, what you might consider the 'Fundamentalists' are currently the closest to what the bible actually teaches. That's why they are called 'fundamentalists.'
2007-02-20 14:35:37 · answer #2 · answered by jsprplc2006 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer comes down to the basic fact that MAN is involved in the process. MAN interprets the original Hebrew and Greek a million ways. MAN decides that certain parts of the Bible are obsolete, when really none of it is. Everything in the Bible is there for a reason. Humanity has taken the Word of God and interpretted it, dissected it, rearranged it, and that's why you have the different "sects" of Christianity.
2007-02-20 14:27:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is only one true church. Ask anyone in each of the thousands of them.
I was struck by the description of people in hell that was written by C. S. Lewis. People who quarrelled with their neighbors went off and built a new house some distance away, with the result that there were miles upon miles of near-empty streets stretching into unimaginable distances.
I suspect that upon disagreeing with one's fellow-Christians on some obscure point of doctrine, one goes off and builds a church of one's own in much the same way.
I recall driving about a half-mile on a road in Oklahoma City. During that half-mile, I counted four different Christian churches, each of which, I'm sure believed itself the only true church.
2007-02-20 14:27:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No Christian believes that another Christian is going to hell. But there are many churches that claim to be Christian that are not. I think you are grouping us all together when we don't group ourselves in with them. To most people, all religions that claim they are Christian are, but to us who are, we can see that many are not. And as far as differences go between real Christian churches, it is a matter of interpreting unimportant matters differently. And that's ok as long as we all agree on the gospel.
2007-02-20 14:25:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is useless unless you have a community of like-minded people around you to sycophantically tell you that you know better than the church across the street. In those moments, you can use it as a weapon of mass delusion.
2007-02-20 14:23:12 · answer #6 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All the sects originate from from conflicting views. They split apart revealing the contradictions
2007-02-20 14:22:49 · answer #7 · answered by hot carl sagan: ninja for hire 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most people don't read what the Bible says, but project their own ideas into the Bible.
Like the people who think we can persist in our sin without repenting, show up to Church once a week, and be saved.
2007-02-20 14:22:53 · answer #8 · answered by koresh419 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you want the short answer, sin would be it. Christians still are sinful and therefore approach the text with sin clouding their hearts and minds. Therefore it is what causes confusion and misinterpretation of the text.
2007-02-20 14:28:59 · answer #9 · answered by Solafide55 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ego, Pride, Greed. Also fear. man dose not want to face the truth of his own guilt... so, he trys to make his own rules to excuse himself.... but God has no interest in man's invented "denominations". There is only One Church... and only those of The Church will enter Heaven and it will not matter one bit what denomination one was a part of in the mortal life.
2007-02-20 14:26:03 · answer #10 · answered by idahomike2 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋