Online Ordination

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kay_Cee
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Kay_Cee said:
I’m sure you’re right that this is often the case.

However, I worry about those who would start a church and begin teaching whatever occurs to them, without even checking the Bible.

Don’t you find that scary?
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The Apostle Paul did…
 
wmscott said:
How much do they cost??? I could say some prayers at home and few bible studies, then maybe I can get a tax exempt status 😃
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Some are free, and yet legally sufficient to perform marriage ceremonies. Sad, isn’t it?😦
 
wmscott said:
How much do they cost??? I could say some prayers at home and few bible studies, then maybe I can get a tax exempt status 😃
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Though your answer is all in good fun, I did want to bring up one point as this type of thread comes up once in a while. If a Roman Catholic should choose to be ordained with one of these online sites, say to do a friends wedding, they self excommunicate from the RCC. It apparently is the equivalent from a theological standpoint if being ordained into any Protestant/non-Catholic denomination.

Just in case anyone reading this thread thinks it would be fun…😉
 
Yes I know and it varies by diocese how long it takes but its no cake walk…I was simply stating one does not have to be a priest to preform those duties 😃 of course if that’s your vocation become a priest! we need more of those. I thought you might be married is all.
 
Kay_Cee said:
Well, it sounds like your brother at least is well educated.

I worry, though, about souls being led astray by uneducated ministers. Salvation is at stake here. What was that Jesus said about millstones in Matthew 18:6?
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I agree with you, Kay Cee, but the rest of my protestant family for many years worried about me straying when I was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church. It has led to many, many “discussions” about various doctrines…especially those who believe emphatically that one should be immersed not sprinkled or poured upon… :rotfl:
 
ChurchSoldier said:
Though your answer is all in good fun, I did want to bring up one point as this type of thread comes up once in a while. If a Roman Catholic should choose to be ordained with one of these online sites, say to do a friends wedding, they self excommunicate from the RCC. It apparently is the equivalent from a theological standpoint if being ordained into any Protestant/non-Catholic denomination.

Just in case anyone reading this thread thinks it would be fun…😉
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Good point! You sure you’re Anglican? 👍
 
Kay_Cee said:
I came upon this website by accident and, quite frankly, am shocked.

Apparently, the only requirements to be an ordained minister are:

You must believe in God as the one true God.
You must accept Jesus Christ as our true and holy savior.
You must pray for the forgiveness of your past sins.

And that’s it! No theological training. Not even any Bible reading!

I’m also more than a bit disturbed by the answer given to the question “Can I start my own church once I become an official ordained Minister from the Christian National Church?”

Here’s the link: ministerregistration.org/
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Thanks for starting this thread as there may be people who don’t know this can happen…I think it surprised me when I heard my niece was an ordained minister and I had to read up on what it entailed…
 
From the website:

Q: Will I be able to collect offerings from my congregation?

A: God asks that all faithful Christians contribute to help his work. Whether you run a neighborhood Bible Study or a small town congregation, you will be encouraged to seek financial support from those you lead.

This just opens up for abuse. Allow me to rephrase:

Q: Will I be able to dupe people of their money because of this dubious ‘ordination’ that creates an illusion of authority?

A: Yes. Just start grabbin’.
 
KjetilK said:
This has nothing to do with ‘Protestantism’? And what, exactly, do you mean by ‘Protestantism’?
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sure sound exactly like you need to believe what protestants believe to get your ordination card.
 
KjetilK said:
This has nothing to do with ‘Protestantism’? And what, exactly, do you mean by ‘Protestantism’?
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I guess your description needs some explaining too then What exactly isn’t protestant about Lutheran?
 
The Universal Life Church does not require any Christian beliefs. Their website says they will ordain anyone from any background, Buddhist, Hindu, etc.

So no, it has nothing to do with Protestants.
 
I had heard of online ordinations, but I didn’t realize there were mail order ordinations before that!!! I do find this unsettling and there are many people who walk into neighborhood churches and don’t even ask about what kind of training the minister has or what he has studied.
So the congregation has to rely on how the pastor interprets the Bible.
I do believe there are some people who are disciplined enough to study on their own and are determined to learn how to be good pastors, but it certainly seems to open the door for someone to lead people astray or
to use their position to take advantage of people.
 
ChurchSoldier said:
Though your answer is all in good fun, I did want to bring up one point as this type of thread comes up once in a while. If a Roman Catholic should choose to be ordained with one of these online sites, say to do a friends wedding, they self excommunicate from the RCC. It apparently is the equivalent from a theological standpoint if being ordained into any Protestant/non-Catholic denomination.

Just in case anyone reading this thread thinks it would be fun…😉
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Yes it was strictly for humor, however IMHO, this only serves to fragment the Church even further. Anyone who decides that they know better than everyone else or does not like the theology of a given faith tradition can go out and start their own church and espouse their own personal interpretations as Gospel.

Preacher #1
Divorce - OK
Same sex marriage – OK
Abortion – OK

Preacher #2
Divorce – Not OK
Same sex marriage – OK
Abortion – OK

Preacher #3
Divorce - OK
Same sex marriage – Not OK
Abortion – OK

These are just three examples of disunity and personal interpretations. Christ’s Church involves a lot more than just three issues. The Eucharist, Baptism, Confession, St Peter, the Blessed Mother, a Sacrament, the Mass, and on and on and on……

Christ’s Church is just that “His Church”, not His Churches based on a humans ego and flawed personal interpretations to know that they have the truth and everyone else is wrong so I am going out and start my own church. The danger is that some of these “Preachers” can be charismatic and lead souls into peril. David Koresh and Jim Jones come to mind. I am sure there are more examples out there. I am not saying all are like the afore mentioned but I am sure that the “Preachers” for the most part are operation in error to a great extent.
 
Bran_Stark said:
I don’t think this is an example of “Protestantism” so much as it’s a result of America’s strange legal system that muddles the civil and religious aspects of marriage. People don’t go to this site because they actually want to start their own church - they go to this site because they want to preside over their friends’ weddings and the law requires them to be “ministers” in order to do so.
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A friend of mine informed me several years ago that he had become an ordained minister. I knew him as a practical atheist and so asked him where he had been trained and what changed his mind. It came down to the fact that he wanted to preside over his son’s wedding. That was it. He was no more a believer now than he was before, and, in fact, actually disdains Christianity altogether, something that has caused a lot of distance between us. IOW, it is a total sham.

Peace.

Steve
 
SteveVH said:
A friend of mine informed me several years ago that he had become an ordained minister. I knew him as a practical atheist and so asked him where he had been trained and what changed his mind. It came down to the fact that he wanted to preside over his son’s wedding. That was it. He was no more a believer now than he was before, and, in fact, actually disdains Christianity altogether, something that has caused a lot of distance between us. IOW, it is a total sham.

Peace.

Steve
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I wonder if there is any idea as to the number of people who hold certificates to these online ordinations.
 
" Oh, isn’t Protestantism fun?

Just thank God that you have been lead to the one, true Church.
What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

what an obnoxious response-Universal Life Ministers and their like are not Protestants -they have no spiritual legitimacy -however look one Sunday at the New York Times style section and look at the Wedding stories-these bogus Ministers often predominate in marrying couples -Rabbis seem to be next with Roman catholics 3rd and Episcopaleans 4th ( but second in same sex marriages)
 
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