cults and sects

[jimmybob479]

Ya, they always bring me down in my faith and mood and confuse me. Why are there so many cults and sects, it seems like we're just in a giant ocean of beliefs. Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, JW, Mormon, and thats all supposedly within Christianity (in the broadest sense possible - i know we usually dont put JW and Mormon in it). I don't understand why God couldn't just help us out and keep us from getting so confused. I mean, even besides all these "Christian" cults and sects, we have all the other world religions from the beginning of time...... how do you guys deal with all of this? I mean, so far I just follow the advise of godandscience.org that talks about look at the basic claims, and then other ecumerical writings for between orth/cath/protestant beliefs and reconcilliation between them, but often times it looks a bit hopeless for finding the truth....... or the absolute truth.... I guess I agree with C.S lewis then with the statement "at the centre of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice." But, this is a thread open to everyone to comment on and share how they deal with things. I know a crash course in a apologetics would help and also understanding the important differences compared to the unimportant ones.

[Rayado]

You know what they say: Always practice safe sects. :teeth:

[David_A_Reed]

Ya, they always bring me down in my faith and mood and confuse me. Why are there so many cults and sects, it seems like we're just in a giant ocean of beliefs. Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, JW, Mormon, and thats all supposedly within Christianity (in the broadest sense possible - i know we usually dont put JW and Mormon in it). I don't understand why God couldn't just help us out and keep us from getting so confused. I mean, even besides all these "Christian" cults and sects, we have all the other world religions from the beginning of time...... how do you guys deal with all of this? ...
JimmyBob, the true God revealed himself to the first humans, Adam and Eve, but they rebelled against him. Several generations later (as listed in Genesis) He revealed himself to Abraham. The Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions (and their offshoots) all agree on this history. But many among mankind chose to worship "gods" of their own making, whether idols of wood and stone, or imaginary beings. If you read the first few books of the Bible, you'll see this history, too.

Have you read the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament? That would be a good place to start.

David

[jimmybob479]

JimmyBob, the true God revealed himself to the first humans, Adam and Eve, but they rebelled against him. Several generations later (as listed in Genesis) He revealed himself to Abraham. The Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions (and their offshoots) all agree on this history. But many among mankind chose to worship "gods" of their own making, whether idols of wood and stone, or imaginary beings. If you read the first few books of the Bible, you'll see this history, too.

Have you read the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament? That would be a good place to start.

David
yes, i read the Bible (I try to every thing), and it definitly is a good place to start. I still dont really see how this exactly ties in with the post though.

[David_A_Reed]

yes, i read the Bible (I try to every thing), and it definitly is a good place to start. I still dont really see how this exactly ties in with the post though.
Well, you asked why there are so many religions, and the Bible provides a history -- the only such history preserved for us -- of how the world went from one religion (when everyone living knew who the Creator was) to many religions.

[roboticist]

Ya, they always bring me down in my faith and mood and confuse me. Why are there so many cults and sects, it seems like we're just in a giant ocean of beliefs. Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, JW, Mormon, and thats all supposedly within Christianity (in the broadest sense possible - i know we usually dont put JW and Mormon in it). I don't understand why God couldn't just help us out and keep us from getting so confused. I mean, even besides all these "Christian" cults and sects, we have all the other world religions from the beginning of time...... how do you guys deal with all of this? I mean, so far I just follow the advise of godandscience.org that talks about look at the basic claims, and then other ecumerical writings for between orth/cath/protestant beliefs and reconcilliation between them, but often times it looks a bit hopeless for finding the truth....... or the absolute truth.... I guess I agree with C.S lewis then with the statement "at the centre of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice." But, this is a thread open to everyone to comment on and share how they deal with things. I know a crash course in a apologetics would help and also understanding the important differences compared to the unimportant ones.


I think what JimmyBob is trying to say--and forgive me if I've misunderstood--is that he is having a little difficulty knowing which denomination to follow specifically and is therefore frustrated. This is understandable (I went through the same thing). The main thing I would say, JimmyBob, is to be patient: stay regular in your daily Bible study and prayer, and regularly attend a variety of churches while deliberately praying for God's leadership. The most important thing is that the church must be somewhere which holds God's Word in high honor, and helps lead people to Christ. But as you continue to grow in your faith, if you sincerely desire to do what is right, God will lead you to the appropriate place.

[Hitch]

Ya, they always bring me down in my faith and mood and confuse me. Why are there so many cults and sects, it seems like we're just in a giant ocean of beliefs. Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, JW, Mormon, and thats all supposedly within Christianity (in the broadest sense possible - i know we usually dont put JW and Mormon in it). I don't understand why God couldn't just help us out and keep us from getting so confused. I mean, even besides all these "Christian" cults and sects, we have all the other world religions from the beginning of time...... how do you guys deal with all of this? I mean, so far I just follow the advise of godandscience.org that talks about look at the basic claims, and then other ecumerical writings for between orth/cath/protestant beliefs and reconcilliation between them, but often times it looks a bit hopeless for finding the truth....... or the absolute truth.... I guess I agree with C.S lewis then with the statement "at the centre of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice." But, this is a thread open to everyone to comment on and share how they deal with things. I know a crash course in a apologetics would help and also understanding the important differences compared to the unimportant ones. Somewhere in the above I lost your question...

[jimmybob479]

Somewhere in the above I lost your question...
essentially the question is "Why does God allow so many cults/sects(denominations) to exist within Christianity?"
I guess essentially the answer I always hear about cults is that satan leads us astray, etc. But with sects, i see so many verses in the NT talking about unity, etc, yet in practice it seems there is absolutly none. "Christians" differ on everything from the most significant (ex. salvation) to the least important (should women wear jeans, etc).

[furay]

Is the Body of Christ divided?

[Hitch]

essentially the question is "Why does God allow so many cults/sects(denominations) to exist within Christianity?"
I guess essentially the answer I always hear about cults is that satan leads us astray, etc. But with sects, i see so many verses in the NT talking about unity, etc, yet in practice it seems there is absolutly none. "Christians" differ on everything from the most significant (ex. salvation) to the least important (should women wear jeans, etc).Because God is an Artist.

The entire creation is comprised of little bits, variously arranged, and the result is all that is seen and heard. The densest stone if made of millions of interlocking chrystals and some of those same elments are found in a hummingbird. Just as some of our cells become hands and eyes and blood vessels. God knits together as He chooses and we cant fathom it.

We would prefer conformity.We would prefer less of all this messy choosing. We even hire other prople to choose for us, in extreme cases we give nearly all our individualty to others, the state in particular. We not only prefer having fewer choises to make our selves we dont like other folks to have too much freedom either. Our nature and the nature of our enemy is totallitarian. Nothing but the enlightement, the image we know of God through the life and death and resurrection of Christ, grants us the ability and the willingness to yearn for real freedom for ourselves and others.

Then we can begin to grasp a little bit of what the Artist is doing.

Take care

H