If we are dividing religions into sects / denominations, are we strengthening it or weakening it?

Question

If we are dividing religions further into sects / denominations, are we strengthening it or weakening it?

Take Christianity for example:
There are, within its branch => Roman Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah's Witness, Church of God, Evangelists, Born Agains, etc.

Take the Islam religion:
It has been divided into Sunnis, Shiites, etc.

And, not but not least, Judaism:
There are the Conservatives, and the Reforms...

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_religion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity

Answer 1

It depends. I think that for current day it weakens it. However, if you go back to the origins of the divide, it usually strengthened religion. In most cases it occurs during a period where the church has become more liberal or gained too much power and strayed from the message. In those cases it was good. In others its bad. Today it just causes confusion.

Answer 2

Potentially strengthening it. It may seem like needless division on the surface, but there's a reason for denominations and sects. Not everybody receives a message in the same way. Some people might appreciate a very postmodern approach, while others wish to follow a religion steeped in ancient tradition. You can't pitch the ball the same way to everybody, and that's why we have denominations. I don't see denominations as a problem, but rather, as many different ways of understanding spiritual concepts.

Answer 3

sadly religion tends to be heretic by nature. It does in my opinion weaken Christianity as a whole . I think Judaism is the least affected in my opinion. To say that the idea of divide and conquer is not a concept that is lost on Satan would be dumb.

Answer 4

It shouldn't matter. The purpose of religion is not to be a strong political force. Religion should be a personal matter and you follow what you believe. You shouldn't follow a sect because that's the way it is, just follow that sect if you truly believe its tenets. Since there are many beliefs it makes sense that there are many sects.

Answer 5

The many denominations should not exist.

Notice what 1 Corinthians 1:10 says;"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

Jesus prayed for such unity in John 17:20-21.

Why do we have so many divisions? Men are not satisfied to all speak the same thing. Men are not satisfied to teach only the word of God. Men are not satisfied to only speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent. Men are not content to do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names. Too many wish to add their own desires and teach their own doctrine.

Notice 2 Timothy 4:2-4.
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

We should return to the Bible as our authority and only guide book. We should have a "thus saith the Lord" for everything we teach and do as a church. (Colossians 3:17)

The Bible teaches that the church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23) and that there is only "one body" (Eph 4:4).When the church first began, there were no denominations.

In Acts 2, we see that about 3000 all heard the same message, all understood it the same way, all believed it the same way and all obeyed it the same way. The result was they became Christians - nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. At this point, God added them to His church (Acts 2:47).

There is no authorization for Christians to "join the church of your choice", but they were added to the church Christ built and purchased! (Matt. 16:18, Acts 20:27)

After they became Christians they continued in one accord in fellowship and together in the apostles doctrine. (Acts 2:42-47) They had the type of unity Christians should have.

Today, if we read and understand what they understood, believe what they believed, and do only what they did, without adding any man-made doctrine, we will become only what they became - Christians!

This is the goal and plea of those who meet together under the name "church of Christ" today. We only want to be the church you can read about in the Bible.

Jesus said He has "all authority" and the apostles were to teach the things He had commanded. (Matthew 28:18-20) We want to follow that authority by following the things Jesus and the apostles taught. If we follow the teaching (doctrine) of men, then Christ does not have all authority in our spiritual lives. Those who are "teaching as doctrine the commandments of men" have form of worship that is "vain" or useless in God's eyes. (Matt 15:9)

Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22-23), therefore we have no "headquarters" on Earth that oversees the local congregation, but each congregation goes directly to the Bible to see what should be taught and practiced.

A denomination is larger than the local congregation, but smaller than the universal church. Since the church of Christ congregations are autonomous, only governed by local congregations, with no regional, national, or world-wide "headquatrers" they are not a denomination. There is no man-made organization in between the local congregation (which is not a denomination) and the church as a whole (which is not a denomination).

We only want to follow God's word in our name (Rom. 16:16), method of worship, organization, and teaching (doctrine). The word of God is sufficient for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction. Using it in this way, we can be completely furnished with everything we need, and there is no need to add any man-made doctrine. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

I invite you to examine the Church of Christ by a comparison with the scriptures! If the things we teach are scriptural (things found in the Scripture), then accept them. If the things we teach contradict the Bible, then reject them! (See Acts 17:11)

Any church that claims to follow the Bible should not object to such a comparison to scriptures. In fact, they should encourage it!

Answer 6

The difference with Islam is regardless of the different sects, they still share the same temples. Also, in both Islam and Judaism, you don't see the mega churches where a pastor is making big bucks, driving fancy cars, and living in multi million dollar houses.

Answer 7

Jesus Christ did not found the Christian congregation to propound negativisms against any specific religion, but to preach the "good news" of the Kingdom. The bible's judgment message is not against just one particular religion, and it would be a mistake to pretend otherwise.

(Matthew 24:14) And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations

(Luke 9:6) They went through the territory from village to village, declaring the good news

(Acts 5:42) Every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.


In fact, at Matthew chapter 13, Jesus explained that all of self-described "Christianity" (true and false) would perform a service over the centuries in matters regarding bible translation, continuing respect for the bible, and in laying the groundwork for the ingathering prophesied to occur in "the conclusion of the system of things".

(Matthew 13:47-49) The kingdom of the heavens is like a dragnet let down into the sea and gathering up fish of every kind. 48 When it got full they hauled it up onto the beach and, sitting down, they collected the fine ones into vessels, but the unsuitable they threw away. 49 That is how it will be in the conclusion of the system of things: the angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the righteous


Note that it is not humans but angels who primarily perform the separating work. Of course, only Jesus and Jehovah make the final judgment regarding each individual.

(John 12:48-49) The word that I [Jesus] have spoken is what will judge [a person] in the last day; 49 because I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment

(John 8:16) if I do judge, my judgment is truthful, because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me

(Matthew 12:36) They will render an account concerning it on Judgment Day

(John 5:22,27-30) [The Father] has committed all the judging to the Son... 27 And he has given him authority to do judging, because Son of man he is. 28 Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out... I judge; and the judgment that I render is righteous, because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

(Acts 17:30-31) God has overlooked the times of such ignorance, yet now he is telling mankind that they should all everywhere repent. 31 Because he has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man [Jesus] whom he has appointed

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/article_03.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20041201/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20020715/article_02.htm

Answer 8

I think that we are just going thru another period of awakening. People are thinking for themselves and questioning the things that just aren't right. We uncover lies that have been told to us that we just don't want to hear any more.
Knowledge is always power and we should always ask questions- there is a difference in faith and robot like, going thru the motions faith.

Answer 9

weakening. Its just splitting hairs over the exact same subject, but giving us a reason to fight and segregate.

Answer 10

depends on which sect.

Join Catholicsm or Anglican or Episcopalian....weakening. compromising with society and sin.

Join a SDA, JW, Assembly of G-d or Messianic Jew...strengthening...pure word of G-d.