Roz Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 http://www.gordonconwell.edu/resources/documents/StatusOfGlobalMission.pdf We're past mid-2014, so by this estimate we should have 45k+ different teachings of the 1 true word of the 1 true god. Congratulations guys, by 2025 we're estimated to have 55k+ different denominations! Keep up the good work on creating a very coherent religion ya'll! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pratt Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 there is only one true god, so 45k+ less one denomination MUST be correct, and it was the Methodist in the 80s and Charismatics in the early 90s,,,,,, i know because i was a Methodist then,,,,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 And the odds of entering heaven -- according to their book -- can't improve regardless of the number of denominations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydisplayname Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 It's their other imaginary friend, the devil, causing all of this confusion of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miekko Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 How many of these are separate only due to geographical or organizational reasons? I know loads of churches are counted separately simply because of that kind of reason - which makes the number quite exaggerated. Mind you, not defending Christianity here, I JUST FUCKING THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE'RE USING HONEST AND ACCURATE ARGUMENTS. (Consider, for instance, the five Scandinavian Lutheran Churches and the Estonian one. These are only separate churches due to Lutheran theology traditionally preferring that the highest organ of any given denomination be on a national level - thus they agree on pretty much everything, have slight practical differences in how they do, agree on basically all theological things - clergy can transfer from one to the other). In addition, each and every one of these iirc have an independent 'sailors' church' that has congregations around the world, which essentially is a branch of their parent churches but for a variety of organizatory reasons counted as separate denominations. So there, what's essentially one church with a baroque organisation suddenly gets counted as twelve denominations in lots of statistics.) In Finland, there's also a separate, independent Lutheran church whose only difference is that the services are in German, and the clergy have to know German too - similar situations probably obtain in the other Scandinavian countries, because Germans are a large enough minority in all of them. Yes, there are Lutheran groups that do not accept other lutheran groups as valid - I hear the Missouri Synod is pretty strict - so some should probably be counted as genuinely separate denominations. The method used for this, though, would count Canadian Missouri Synod Lutherans as a denomination of its own with no relationship to the US Missouri Synod Lutherans. If you fail to see just how that is a problem for the 45k+ argument, you should probably sit down and think really hard about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenstar Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 The point is there IS division..much, much division... and that is not what the Bible said would happen. Then again it is seen in the very earliest letters of the gospels. They have NEVER been united - which negates the entire holy spirit myth. You see it here in the Lion's Den… each and every one who comes in has slightly different beliefs… and they all believe they are right. I would posit that each INDIVIDUAL religious person has their own version… which would make it more like 7 Billion versions. Human psychology being what it is.. it's not surprising though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overcame Faith Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 The point is there IS division..much, much division... and that is not what the Bible said would happen. Then again it is seen in the very earliest letters of the gospels. They have NEVER been united - which negates the entire holy spirit myth. You see it here in the Lion's Den… each and every one who comes in has slightly different beliefs… and they all believe they are right. I would posit that each INDIVIDUAL religious person has their own version… which would make it more like 7 Billion versions. Human psychology being what it is.. it's not surprising though. That is precisely the point. I have sat in a Southern Baptist church and heard it said in all seriousness that Roman Catholics are going to hell, along with everyone else who does not accept Southern Baptist theology. The divisions are great, though the number of denominations can be misleading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miekko Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 The point is there IS division..much, much division... and that is not what the Bible said would happen. Then again it is seen in the very earliest letters of the gospels. They have NEVER been united - which negates the entire holy spirit myth. You see it here in the Lion's Den… each and every one who comes in has slightly different beliefs… and they all believe they are right. I would posit that each INDIVIDUAL religious person has their own version… which would make it more like 7 Billion versions. Human psychology being what it is.. it's not surprising though. Where does the bible say it won't happen? Jesus does pray that it won't happen, but even in the letters the implications are clear - there will be false believers: For jthe time will come when they will not kendure lsound doctrine; but mafter their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away theirears from the truth, and nshall be turned unto ofables. Now athe Spirit bspeaketh expressly, that cin the latter times some shall ddepart from the faith, giving heed to eseducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; For I know this, that after my departing shall hgrievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also iof your own selves shall men arise, speaking kperverse things, to draw away ldisciples after them. Your turn - where's the Bible say Christianity won't split? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 Yes Miekko, the bible did say that. But the important thing to realize is that all the denominations think that THEY have it right, and that the others are somewhat lacking. The catholics think they're the true path, but the baptists say otherwise. The adventists think that all the other sunday christians are going to persecute them someday for 'being the remnant church,' while the mormons think they're the only ones who can stand before jesus, joseph smith, and elohim on judgement day. Yeshitwa did give his church signs for the 'true remnant' church in the 'last days' (here are they that keep the commandments of god and the faith of jeshit) but hell all the separate categories of christians claim they're the one true church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeCycle Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Wait, wait, wait? So have we concluded what the bible means when it uses the term "virgin," yet? I mean, a lot is pivoting on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Even though Southern Baptists and Catholics believe the other is going to hell, they have become partners in an effort to elect Republicans to office. Go figure. If there is a hell I think both of them will go. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator buffettphan Posted September 3, 2014 Super Moderator Share Posted September 3, 2014 Even though Southern Baptists and Catholics believe the other is going to hell, they have become partners in an effort to elect Republicans to office. Go figure. If there is a hell I think both of them will go. bill Yep, those two groups fighting Roe V Wade together makes for strange bedfellows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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