High Demand Religions?

[MaxPC]

Another "counter-Kingdom-ism."
A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. Proverbs 14:30

[Josh]

The city I live in and area outside of it I see the Catholic churches thriving. I point that out to my husband as I drive past them and see the parking lots full, and street lines with cars as well. Considering they have several services my impression is they are drawing people.

I'm especially impressed with a young man at work who attends one, in his walk with the Lord. My other coworker is 58 & attends the other, and she is a stronger Christian than most I know- I love to hear things they both share but the 22 year old makes me glad to know he has a real relationship with Christ, and bold in faith. And he has joy!
There's a huge Catholic church in next town that I hear good things about.

Overall, attendance in the area is declining. They keep closing parishes and then merging them. So the few that are left open look like they have stronger attendance.

Out where I live they are talking about closing our diocese (Steubenville) and merging it with Columbus. Who knows how many parishes would close as a result.

I appreciate Max loathing the divisiveness. The other night I heard a really good message on Christian radio, "Unity vs Uniformity" How the Church at large needs more unity!!

Are we sure that’s what’s going on? The Catholic Church claims all other churches are false, and that only they have the doorway of salvation. They have a lot of false doctrines such as claiming that salvation is granted through baptism - including to infants, but that unbaptised infants are not saved. Does that really sound like something we see in scripture at all?

Must we be in “unity” with false doctrine?

[Valerie]

The city I live in and area outside of it I see the Catholic churches thriving. I point that out to my husband as I drive past them and see the parking lots full, and street lines with cars as well. Considering they have several services my impression is they are drawing people.

I'm especially impressed with a young man at work who attends one, in his walk with the Lord. My other coworker is 58 & attends the other, and she is a stronger Christian than most I know- I love to hear things they both share but the 22 year old makes me glad to know he has a real relationship with Christ, and bold in faith. And he has joy!
There's a huge Catholic church in next town that I hear good things about.

Overall, attendance in the area is declining. They keep closing parishes and then merging them. So the few that are left open look like they have stronger attendance.

Out where I live they are talking about closing our diocese (Steubenville) and merging it with Columbus. Who knows how many parishes would close as a result.

I appreciate Max loathing the divisiveness. The other night I heard a really good message on Christian radio, "Unity vs Uniformity" How the Church at large needs more unity!!

Are we sure that’s what’s going on? The Catholic Church claims all other churches are false, and that only they have the doorway of salvation. They have a lot of false doctrines such as claiming that salvation is granted through baptism - including to infants, but that unbaptised infants are not saved. Does that really sound like something we see in scripture at all?

Must we be in “unity” with false doctrine?

When I read David Bercot's Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, their understanding "today" seems to be that of the early Church father's- so with the Holy Spirit guiding the early Church, could the Reformation era which split into many more interpretations although sincere in attempt, be assuming of them being wrong? We won't know for sure until the other side. All Protestants have similar view of Catholics- I remember being a Christian from the Jesus movement era being encouraged to "reach" the Catholics but so many of the Catholics I encountered had great "faith" so I was perplexed.

Only God knows the hearts, I think Catholics can teach us a thing or two. My husband grew up Catholic & left at ,
19 during Jesus Movement but, since learning more via Eastern Orthodox so much of what he misunderstood has come to light.

[ken_sylvania]

The city I live in and area outside of it I see the Catholic churches thriving. I point that out to my husband as I drive past them and see the parking lots full, and street lines with cars as well. Considering they have several services my impression is they are drawing people.

I'm especially impressed with a young man at work who attends one, in his walk with the Lord. My other coworker is 58 & attends the other, and she is a stronger Christian than most I know- I love to hear things they both share but the 22 year old makes me glad to know he has a real relationship with Christ, and bold in faith. And he has joy!
There's a huge Catholic church in next town that I hear good things about.

Overall, attendance in the area is declining. They keep closing parishes and then merging them. So the few that are left open look like they have stronger attendance.

Out where I live they are talking about closing our diocese (Steubenville) and merging it with Columbus. Who knows how many parishes would close as a result.

I appreciate Max loathing the divisiveness. The other night I heard a really good message on Christian radio, "Unity vs Uniformity" How the Church at large needs more unity!!

Are we sure that’s what’s going on? The Catholic Church claims all other churches are false, and that only they have the doorway of salvation. They have a lot of false doctrines such as claiming that salvation is granted through baptism - including to infants, but that unbaptised infants are not saved. Does that really sound like something we see in scripture at all?

Must we be in “unity” with false doctrine?

When I read David Bercot's Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, their understanding "today" seems to be that of the early Church father's- so with the Holy Spirit guiding the early Church, could the Reformation era which split into many more interpretations although sincere in attempt, be assuming of them being wrong?

Yes, I think it is very possible that they sincerely believed the Anabaptists were wrong. I think they were probably fulfilling Jesus' prophecy in John 16:2.

[Judas Maccabeus]

You missed my point entirely. More to my point, every discussion is attacked and turned into an “us vs them” slagging match. The best pastors avoid this tactic but rather instead preach the NT virtues. The worst pastors blame every other Christian group and stir up bias and anger. These latter groups fade and disappear because they do not embrace personal responsibility in the discipleship walk. It is a blame game.

Bitterness is present in every word; no knowledge and sincere listening. Former Catholics do not comprehend RCC teaching. Instead of politely asking questions and listening without attacking, those who are bitter either retreat behind their wall of bigotry or attack to justify their anger. Likewise there are current members who do not comprehend RCC teaching and do not seek understanding. In both camps can be found lives that are distracted and stressed. It is a sad state of humanity that Christian “camp” battles continue.

Jesus’ words remind us about bitterness and angry speech:
Matthew 12:34
34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

I think your problem with me is that I actually do understand the teaching of the RCC and bring out points that you would rather not see the light of day. You CLAIM to be an absolute authority, but there is no proof of that.

You have your safe space where none may criticize.

The error of Papist needs to be pointed out, whenever it rears its ugly head. They are closing 2/3 of the Catholic Churches in my fair city. Maybe that shows something about the actual usefulness of these buildings.

When they have state power, they have ruthlessly abused it. Ultimately, there is no fellowship between light and darkness. Roman Catholicism represents darkness. If you like, I could post the excerpts from the attorney general’ investigation here, but I would likely get a bit of grief from the mods, and rightly so. There is more institutional darkness than one cares to imagine. By their fruits ye shall know them.

The city I live in and area outside of it I see the Catholic churches thriving. I point that out to my husband as I drive past them and see the parking lots full, and street lines with cars as well. Considering they have several services my impression is they are drawing people.

I'm especially impressed with a young man at work who attends one, in his walk with the Lord. My other coworker is 58 & attends the other, and she is a stronger Christian than most I know- I love to hear things they both share but the 22 year old makes me glad to know he has a real relationship with Christ, and bold in faith. And he has joy!
There's a huge Catholic church in next town that I hear good things about.

I appreciate Max loathing the divisiveness. The other night I heard a really good message on Christian radio, "Unity vs Uniformity" How the Church at large needs more unity!!

In Baltimore, they are shutting most of them down. Josh is quite correct, the few that are left look more busy.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/baltimor ... ch-stomach

There is no possibility of unity with falsehood. Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches teach falsehoods, that have no basis in the Bible. Truly they are the commandments of men.

The RCC and Orthodox churches believe they and their traditions are final authority.

The Anabaptist churches teach that the inspired word of God, the Bible is final authority.

These positions cannot be reconciled. Nor should there be an attempt to do this. Choose ye this day, who you will follow.

[Sudsy]

The Anabaptist churches teach that the inspired word of God, the Bible is final authority.

So why do they continue to split more than any other Christian major group over what the scriptures require of us ? One can teach something but do they live accordingly ? I think Anabaptist groups have added to or taken away from what the Bible is saying in their application of what is this 'final authority' so what importance does this statement make ?

[mrbilliam]

Eastern Orthodox with 330+ Million members

40 Day fasts
Fasting Wednesday & Friday
Often head coverings/full coverings
Confession once a week.
Communion once a week (1 entire community shared cup and everybody gets communion from the same spoon)
Relic veneration
Icon veneration
Midnight vigils
Morning vigils
Sunrise vigils
You don't get to "give your opinion" about theology.
Veneration of the priest/bishops hand.
3 kisses on the greeting (Holy Kiss)

Also knowing the Bible, but most of church history.

This is what is on offer. I grew up with these people.

Most of them did little to none of this, but they had really good festivals. How do you think I knew that they did not fast on Wednesday and Fridays? Easy, had lunch with them

Wednesdays and Fridays are their fasting days but it's not totally fasting from food. It's certain foods. It is also not a "requirement" - The Church started those fasting days in the early days of the Church so they would have different fasting days than the Jews. When we were visiting EO they said some are strict about fasting, some are not, it's voluntary and they are not to judge each other about it. But as a Church, those are fasting days if one desires to, their stricter gadts are during Lent and Advent season before Christmas. On Sundays after Church most have fellowship eating together of some kind which is nice.

It can be discouraging to witness how EO still has the deposit of the faith, original teachings and interpretations, etc yet seems to have allowed worldliness to influence the people. Our EO friends who are drivers for the Amish,, do not attend EO church anymore for that reason, they are extremely "plain" EO, their daughters dress are more modest than many Anabaptists (example, sleeves have to be below elbow, no printed material, head coverings "really" cover.)

I forget, you have to spell it out as people do not know of other religions much. Yes fasting from certain foods Wednesday & Friday.
And yes, most EO do practice all of these things.

EO doesn't work like Menno churches in "church standards" sort of ways. All EO Christians really do follow Great Lent and the Nativity Fasts. Cheesefare Sunday (Malenitsa) marks the beginning of Great Lent - churchwide.

[mrbilliam]

I think your problem with me is that I actually do understand the teaching of the RCC and bring out points that you would rather not see the light of day. You CLAIM to be an absolute authority, but there is no proof of that.

You have your safe space where none may criticize.

The error of Papist needs to be pointed out, whenever it rears its ugly head. They are closing 2/3 of the Catholic Churches in my fair city. Maybe that shows something about the actual usefulness of these buildings.

When they have state power, they have ruthlessly abused it. Ultimately, there is no fellowship between light and darkness. Roman Catholicism represents darkness. If you like, I could post the excerpts from the attorney general’ investigation here, but I would likely get a bit of grief from the mods, and rightly so. There is more institutional darkness than one cares to imagine. By their fruits ye shall know them.

The city I live in and area outside of it I see the Catholic churches thriving. I point that out to my husband as I drive past them and see the parking lots full, and street lines with cars as well. Considering they have several services my impression is they are drawing people.

I'm especially impressed with a young man at work who attends one, in his walk with the Lord. My other coworker is 58 & attends the other, and she is a stronger Christian than most I know- I love to hear things they both share but the 22 year old makes me glad to know he has a real relationship with Christ, and bold in faith. And he has joy!
There's a huge Catholic church in next town that I hear good things about.

I appreciate Max loathing the divisiveness. The other night I heard a really good message on Christian radio, "Unity vs Uniformity" How the Church at large needs more unity!!

In Baltimore, they are shutting most of them down. Josh is quite correct, the few that are left look more busy.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/baltimor ... ch-stomach

There is no possibility of unity with falsehood. Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches teach falsehoods, that have no basis in the Bible. Truly they are the commandments of men.

The RCC and Orthodox churches believe they and their traditions are final authority.

The Anabaptist churches teach that the inspired word of God, the Bible is final authority.

These positions cannot be reconciled. Nor should there be an attempt to do this. Choose ye this day, who you will follow.

I don't mean to hurt your feelings but the Anabaptist church was not founded on Sola Scriptura similar to the EO and RC churches. That is protestantism that came in. The EO and RC church teach the Canon (which they voted into the Bible officially) is a manual and guide for faith, but without means to an end. Anabaptists do not believe the scripture is a means to and end either, nor are they sola scriptura.

Also rather than pulling info off a website, look at the live Google map to find active churches. Here's a zoomed in map of BAPTIST only churches.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HURhLYXRtwVxS3xH6

[Josh]

I forget, you have to spell it out as people do not know of other religions much. Yes fasting from certain foods Wednesday & Friday.
And yes, most EO do practice all of these things.

EO doesn't work like Menno churches in "church standards" sort of ways. All EO Christians really do follow Great Lent and the Nativity Fasts. Cheesefare Sunday (Malenitsa) marks the beginning of Great Lent - churchwide.

mrbilliam, I have worked with EOs and at one point was business partners with one in a bar/nightclub. I can assure you there was no fasting going on Wed. & Fri. except right around Easter. That was it. There was also an icon placed by the cash register, for good luck.

Mennonite churches do have one standard: we have a standard against requiring priests country-wide to pray for "victory for Holy Russia" in the war against Ukraine. Half of your purported membership of EOs is the Russian Orthodox Church/ROCOR. Are you really defending that?

[mrbilliam]

The Anabaptist churches teach that the inspired word of God, the Bible is final authority.

So why do they continue to split more than any other Christian major group over what the scriptures require of us ? One can teach something but do they live accordingly ? I think Anabaptist groups have added to or taken away from what the Bible is saying in their application of what is this 'final authority' so what importance does this statement make ?

"If a man pray with his shoulder's unsuspendered it is anathema" - 1 Barabbas 3:32.

Jokes aside, this is a tremendous point. There is barely any unity, but weak cells of randomness. Too busy infighting, and forgetting Matthew 28.