Are we all Christians?

[tGette]

I had no idea what title to give this…so deal with it! LOL!

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Please…do not take any of this the wrong way.*** I was just trying to express this thought and wanted to know what people’s (name removed by moderator)ut is on it.

Someone made a post in a thread today about unity and disunity.

It got me thinking about Christendom being so divided. Granted Christ is the central figure, it is naive to think our theological divisions are inconsequential.

So I guess the thought I got today was:
God is Truth!

Anything that is one iota, one smidgen from this Truth would make it NOT FROM GOD.

So…obviously we cannot all be right.
Trusting in God, I know we are not all wrong either.

So that means someone has to be right…this encompasses all religion too, not just Christianity.

My point is:
In a sense (let me reemphasize that)** IN A SENSE:**
Every religion is evil, except one.
Is that extreme to say?

Because if they teach one thing that is not true, it cannot be from God and anything not from God is evil.

I guess…I was just thinking about the implications of this today.

Is it less startling than I am making it seem?
Or is it even more so than it seems?

 

[Trishie]

Dear Thomas, The Church doesn’t think other religions are evil, but that some have part of the truth but not all. That doesn’t make them evil, partly misled perhaps, but not evil. And there are many Christians, as they follow the gospel of Jesus to the best of their understanding

According to the Dogmatic Constitution of the Catholic Church, LUMEN GENTIUM, solemnly promulgated by his holiness Pope Paul v1 on November 21,1964

"15. The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter. (14*)
For there are many who honor Sacred Scripture, taking it as a norm of belief and a pattern of life, and who show a sincere zeal. They lovingly believe in God the Father Almighty and in Christ, the Son of God and Saviour. (15*)

They are consecrated by baptism, in which they are united with Christ. They also recognize and accept other sacraments within their own Churches or ecclesiastical communities. Many of them rejoice in the episcopate, celebrate the Holy Eucharist and cultivate devotion toward the Virgin Mother of God.(16*) They also share with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits.

Likewise we can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among them with His sanctifying power.

Some indeed He has strengthened to the extent of the shedding of their blood. In all of Christ’s disciples the Spirit arouses the desire to be peacefully united, in the manner determined by Christ, as one flock under one shepherd, and He prompts them to pursue this end. (17*)

Mother Church never ceases to pray, hope and work that this may come about. She exhorts her children to purification and renewal so that the sign of Christ may shine more brightly over the face of the earth."

God bless you, Trishie

The quote is in two paragraphs but I separated them to make it more readable.

 

[TriuneUnity]

It got me thinking about Christendom being so divided. Granted Christ is the central figure, it is naive to think our theological divisions are inconsequential.

Never inconsequential, no.

Anything that is one iota, one smidgen from this Truth would make it NOT FROM GOD.

So…obviously we cannot all be right.
Trusting in God, I know we are not all wrong either.

I agree.

So that means someone has to be right…this encompasses all religion too, not just Christianity.

My point is:
In a sense (let me reemphasize that)** IN A SENSE:**
Every religion is evil, except one.
Is that extreme to say?

Not extreme, no. On the other hand, I don’t divide denominations into separate religions. Any form of orthodox Christianity is in degree truth and so it isn’t evil. Other religions, yes, they are evil because not an iota of them comes from God. With the exception of Judaism; but that has ultimately rejected God.

 

[tGette]

Dear Thomas, The Church doesn’t think other religions are evil, but that some have part of the truth but not all. That doesn’t make them evil, partly misled perhap, but not evil.

According to the Dogmatic Constitution of the Catholic Church, LUMEN GENTIUM, solemnly promulgated by his holiness Pope Paul v1 on November 21,1964

1. The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter. (14*)
   For there are many who honor Sacred Scripture, taking it as a norm of belief and a pattern of life, and who show a sincere zeal. They lovingly believe in God the Father Almighty and in Christ, the Son of God and Saviour. (15*)

They are consecrated by baptism, in which they are united with Christ. They also recognize and accept other sacraments within their own Churches or ecclesiastical communities. Many of them rejoice in the episcopate, celebrate the Holy Eucharist and cultivate devotion toward the Virgin Mother of God.(16*) They also share with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits.

Likewise we can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among them with His sanctifying power.

Some indeed He has strengthened to the extent of the shedding of their blood. In all of Christ’s disciples the Spirit arouses the desire to be peacefully united, in the manner determined by Christ, as one flock under one shepherd, and He prompts them to pursue this end. (17*)

Mother Church never ceases to pray, hope and work that this may come about. She exhorts her children to purification and renewal so that the sign of Christ may shine more brightly over the face of the earth.

God bless you, Trishie

Thanks Trishie, you’re great!
Not like Frosted Flakes though! LOL! (I know, I stole that from Scott Hahn!)
WARNING I EDITED THIS!

 

[tGette]

Never inconsequential, no.

I agree.

Not extreme, no. On the other hand, I don’t divide denominations into separate religions. Any form of orthodox Christianity is in degree truth and so it isn’t evil. Other religions, yes, they are evil because not an iota of them comes from God. With the exception of Judaism; but that has ultimately rejected God.

Yeah…
I think what Trishie said about The Spirit attests to this perfectly!
We are still “fighting” for the same Lord. Though not completely on the same plane, we are being guided by the same Spirit, and somewhat united in prayers.

I’m glad I started this thread.

I thought I was going to get heckled.
**
Thanks you two!!!**

 

[TriuneUnity]

Yeah…
I think what Trishie said about The Spirit attests to this perfectly!
We are still “fighting” for the same Lord. Though not completely on the same plane, we are being guided by the same Spirit, and someone united in prayers.

I’m glad I started this thread.

I thought I was going to get heckled.
**
Thanks you two!!!**

Yes; All people who trust in Christ alone for salvation are part of one body regardless of their particular denomination. Now, of course, we should discuss disagreements in the hopes of reaching unity. It’s kind of like a family with 4 independents, 4 democrats, and 4 republicans. Still family, but they don’t agree. The danger comes when false teaching threatens to destroy the faith of a person in a denomination. So it can never be taken lightly.

 

[Peter_J]

Thanks Trishie, you’re great!
Not like Frosted Flakes though! LOL! (I know, I stole that from Scott Hahn!)

Sounds like Peter Kreeft.

So I guess the thought I got today was:
God is Truth!

Anything that is one iota, one smidgen from this Truth would make it NOT FROM GOD.

I’d like a little more elaboration before I decide to agree or disagree with you.

Not to be a copy-cat, but someone mentioned recently that St. Thomas Aquinas didn’t believe that Mary was immaculately conceived. I don’t really want to get into an argument about how wrong he, measured in iotas or smidgens, but I think we can agree that that’s at least one iota/smidgen from the Truth. So how does that fit with “Anything that is one iota, one smidgen from this Truth would make it NOT FROM GOD.” ? Can we still call him Saint Thomas Aquinas?

 

[tGette]

Sounds like Peter Kreeft.

I’d like a little more elaboration before I decide to agree or disagree with you.

Not to be a copy-cat, but someone mentioned recently that St. Thomas Aquinas didn’t believe that Mary was immaculately conceived. I don’t really want to get into an argument about how wrong he, measured in iotas or smidgens, but I think we can agree that that’s at least one iota/smidgen from the Truth. So how does that fit with “Anything that is one iota, one smidgen from this Truth would make it NOT FROM GOD.” ? Can we still call him Saint Thomas Aquinas?

You have a great point…
…interpretations on whether he truly denied are not always in agreement.

 

[Laurent_LUG]

Strictly based on the title of this thread:

I disagree completely !! Why ??
It’s better to say , are we all human (beings) ??
Besides , there people who do not believe in religion !!

I call myself , actually , we are all humans !!

Salute & Cheers from a NON BELIEVER:
– Laurent LUG (.@…), september 8, 2008

 

[ralphinal]

The problem always starts from one false assumption: that which I accept and you reject is minor, and that which I reject and you accept is major. In other words, to those who leave because of it, there are no minor differences. Now, we are all united by valid baptisms, and we are all united in our understanding that God so loved the world that he gave his only beggotten son that whoever should beleive in him should have eternal life. However, we are divided because of human pride and the weakness of human intellect.

The farther one gets from the Truth, the less Truth one has. When you stand at the top, the things holding people back may seem small. When you are climbing the mountain, they look much larger.

People who are validly baptised and who understand the role of Jesus (who he is and all that) are Christians. How much of the Truth they have varies, but they are Christian.