How many christians accept that the earliest christians had radically different beliefs to them?

Question

They were gnostics, believing in a spiritual embodiment of wisdom rather than a physical man named Jesus.

Very different from the beliefs practised by today's christians.

Do today's christians believe they have a better handle on the truth than the early christians?

Why do so many of them cringe at being associated with the origins of their faith?

Answer 1

They also believed in reincarnation but for some reason a lot of modern Christians don't like being reminded of that.

Answer 2

Not ALL early Christians were gnostic just like they were not all of the Roman catholic variety. There were many different sects in the early church who fought bitterly in the defense of what they believed, as they still do today. But the major rifts with regards to Jesus himself were ended after the council of Nicaea when the final canonized version of the new testament was established. After that time the last of the "HERETIC" stories were removed and the official text was implemented. In other words before that time there were as much as 4 times the books of Jesus being read as there are today. Think about that for a moment. If you only had 1/4 of a textbook on chemistry would you do more harm than good by attempting to produce fertilizer?

Answer 3

every generation believes different things...

I'm more inclined to believe some of the older sects of religion on some matters (none that can be proven false by our new technology/science).
there are more than 66 religious texts, a group of rich men sat around and decided only 66 of those books were valid.
since some books were taken out solely on the fact that the author was disliked (or in one case a female) or the church wasn't painted as all -powerful (gnostic-type beliefs), I don't know if we have all the texts abotu god.

I also know the bible itself has been edited, translated, and changed over the years by more rich men.
at one time there was no need to alter the bible, since those generations didn't read unless they absolutly had to learn how to do so. (thats a lot of power for the people who could read and taught the uneducated)

Answer 4

A) Paul became many stuff, yet a gnostic? Nope. Paul in no way taught, wrote or preached the two ordinary Gnostic ideals, ie, that salvation is something you may desire to earn by know-how of secret issues and that Jesus isn't quite God. B) the fundamentals of Christianity have not replaced. they're completely chanced on interior the Creeds: the Athanasian, the Apostles' and the Nicene. each little thing else is cultural and concern to alter. C) The earliest Christians weren't "many diverse sects". there have been honestly sects, yet calling themselves Christian did no longer lead them to Christian anymore than calling a skunk cabbage a rose might provide the skunk cabbage a delightful scent. the ordinary rationalization for the early councils became to wrangle out merely what constituted orthodoxy and what became heresy. As they, and Catholics at present have faith, Christ gave them that fee whilst He gave the keys of the dominion of heaven and of earth into the protecting of Peter and then informed His disciples to evangelise the gospel (stable information) to all of the international, promising them that the "gates of hell", ie, blunders and lies, does no longer succeed against them. D) it continually comes all the way down to this. one million. Jesus became a liar. He perpetrated the biggest con interest of all time. in case you suspect this, then bypass be an atheist. OR: 2. Jesus became a megalomaniac. A nutcase. extra wholesome fodder for the humorous farm. in case you suspect this, then bypass be a non-Christian believer in another theory of deity. OR: 3. Jesus is who He stated he's, and what He says is going. in case you suspect this, then stick to Him!

Answer 5

Not many.

Most Christians are living in a state of determined ignorance when it comes to the early church. I did the exact same thing for years, because it was nice to think that my beliefs and traditions were exactly the way the apostles and early Christians practiced.

While going through some years of questioning, I actually took the time to read some of the early writings and beliefs and found that they were all quite a bit different. Different from modern Christian beliefs and even different from one anothers. The belief systems varied from town to town.

Most Christians today will deny this, even though it is historically accurate, it is easier to believe that nothing has changed, than to mix up your traditions.

Answer 6

The only early christians I keep up with are the ones in the bible. We believe the same thing the disiples taught. Jesus name baptism and filling with the Holy Ghost, as evidenced by speaking in tongues. We don't know of any other plain given in the bible. But know of a lot of man-made ideas, like trinity and baptising, father,son and Holy Ghost. Taking a spray bottle and baptising, or sprinkling. Christians don't drink, wear make-up, or wear clothing pertaining to the opposite sex either. But thats what the bible says. And that don't fit in with what a lot of people want. Jesus the son, was a man. Just like me. But in him was Jehovah God, of Moses, Abraham, Isacc and so on.

Answer 7

Your source??

I'm pretty sure gnosticism was a different faith that, although ended up mixing with early Christian faith didn't have anything to do with what the early Christians believed. Paul explicitly goes against a lot of gnosticism mixing in Christian faith in his letters, he clearly explains why it is heresy and stuff.

Paz de Cristo

Answer 8

Origins of faith? Adaption? Specialization? Sounds like an evolutionary process to me! Next they will cringe at being associated with the origins of their species.

Answer 9

the bible says that knowledge of gods word would grow, these days we can all read and have access to a bible. in the early days it was mostly word of mouth and ones interpretation following an already existing belief system.

Answer 10

I believe what the writers, such as Paul says. So I believe the way he does. There were other sects in those days that weren't in agreement with main stream Christianity, and I don't follow them.