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1. 

   Darwin
   Member

   I've noticed that many fundamentalist Protestants on these forums seem to consider them true christians, dismissing Catholics. Why is this?

   Posted 2 years ago #
2. 

   Custador
   Moderator

   All Christians do it. It's almost endearing. They regard themselves and people who believe the *exact* same way they do as Christian, while anybody else is NoTrueScotsman (TM)

   Posted 2 years ago #
3. 

   Jeremy
   Member

   Among Christians it's an extremely popular past-time to decide who is going to join them in heaven and who will burn forever in hell. It ranks up there with singing terrible songs and being rude to restaurant staff.

   Posted 2 years ago #
4. 

   Huxley
   Member

   I know several ex fundies who were of the Baptist persuasion in JesusLand. As baptists they didnt consider catholics to be Christians as they follow papal authority and not the authority of the Bible.

   But they also had reasons to dismiss pentacostals or whoever as not being true christians. I find the whole thing hilarious. Most did not accept Mormons as Christian in any shape.

   Posted 2 years ago #
5. 

   Kodie
   Member

   True Christians believe they are interpreting the bible correctly, they are picking the parts you are supposed to focus on and disregarding or dismissing other parts as false or not important. Other True Christians do the same thing with other parts. They are following what they believe to be correct. Everyone else has been led astray, attracted to a false concept, focusing on the wrong things.

   If god exists and he's unknowable, this is for the atheists -- how anyone can be sure they are doing what god intended, while excusing themselves from other things the bible clearly instructs, are full of it. So they are all True Christians and none of them are at the same time. It's all based on "knowing" you are doing it right because it "feels like" the right way. A lot of people can examine their religion and think they were taught wrong and go looking for one that feels a lot closer to what they think god "intended." They seem to have confidence that god will let them stop looking when they've found the right one because it will feel better to them. Not really brilliant, where do they think the non-True Christians got the idea they were correct? Easy answer, they don't know god, they have too big an ego to make room for god or perhaps pulled off the path by satan.

   Catholics in particular seem more materially sacred in their decoration, nonsense rituals like confession and communion and penance and recitations, and trinkets like rosary beads and silky costumed priest figures - it is very much a show. This is attractive to Catholics and off-putting to other Christians as silly magic compared to their beliefs. Also they are fond of the "not a religion but a relationship" phrase, and so think Jesus is their friend all the time, the comparative religion of Catholicism is demonstrating faith through arbitrary motion as led by a priest. "True Christians" have a lot less of what they think of as ritual and more conscious awareness... I think that's what they mean. Adhering to the rituals is "religion" in a negative way, while having Jesus in your heart as a consultant at all times is a "relationship." However, the dogma makes it a religion all the same, and we've seen Christians who slip when it's convenient and use the "forgiveness" loophole later.

   Posted 2 years ago #
6. 

   Brian M
   Member

   Huxley:

   I think it is hard to define the Mormon faith as "orthodox" in any way. It's quite "different".

   Not that I have a horse in that race. (LOL)

   Posted 2 years ago #

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