Vatican convenes summit to fight the "threat" of alternative faiths!

Actually there is only one plan of salvation found in the Bible. John 3:5 says it all. It's Jesus's own words, so dispute it all you want, but I follow my saviour's teachings because God is my Father and King. Any, "religion", that doesn't follow that plan of salvation is not saved. But I don't need to say that, the Bible already does, "No can enter the kindgom of God unless."

God is the final authority. We broke away when man started adding and taking things away, watering it down for his own convience. My church stays true to Christ's teachings. We don't pick and choose like mainstream Christianity does. Christ said to preach to all nations, therefore, that is what I, as a child of God, am doing. People don't want to hear the message he gave of true salvation and that's fine. You don't have to accept it. It's not rejecting me, it's rejecting God. I've wasted too many years trying to please man, the only one I need to please is my maker.

When it comes to Christ, there is only one way. Call it close minded if you want, but Jesus said what the one way was himself.

I've never seen someone getting slapped on a forehead, sorry.

 

"There is only one way."

I don't know.

If you are to tell me that a book that, at first was handed down by word of mouth for generations (old testament), then written down after Jesus' death and re-issued once more with Constantine of Rome(new and old testament, supposedly adding his own twists to it), but still holding absolute truths, maybe you are right. The odds though that the "Way" is clear is unlikely.

I won't tell you what to believe. I won't try to. This is what I understand as true, however, and am expressing it like you. Perhaps there really is -the- "Way" in the Bible, but after roughly 2000 years I believe it's long been stained and painted over with the thoughts of the millions who have passed it down.

I do not support the Catholic church, but I'm not actively against them. I admit Christianity has done both good and bad throughout the ages, but it's so elaborated and broken off its original path, at least the way I saw it as, it has little left to it. Catholics are frozen with tradition.

But, you know what I believe? Love, hope, faith in mankind, in pure spirituality... Just being a human and part of a spiritual whole, Earth, the Universe. I'll tell you now, I don't believe in heaven or hell, nor am I interested much in going to either places. I'm not lost, unhappy, or empty. I'm very much a growing human being, without "The Way" of the common Church and bible.

Walk your path, and I'll walk mine.

 

I dont think it matters what denomination you are, I think we are all going to heaven eventually (after purgatory ) However, I beleive the Catholic Church IS the true faith. This is backed up by the bible, tradition, and the early church fathers and their writings.
Epiphany, most people who are religious beleive theirs is the true one. You can believe that and not be a close minded bigot. You brush off every fact I provide. I tell you we do not add or take anything away, but it does not make sense to throw away traditions the apostoles and early church fathers used BEFORE THE BIBLE WAS COMPILED---BY MAN almost 400 YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF CHRIST.

Plus, your bible is incomplete, the Apocryhal books were in the original bible, at the Synod of Hippo in 393 AD, and your "bible" based church chooses not to include them. You are teaching people with a false superficial bible. How hypocritical is that...I beleive there is a passage in the bible that says not to take away or add anything to this book. King James, the founder of your bible, was a political figure, not a religious one, and thus had no ecclestial basis for taking out books that had numerous Catholic doctrines in them. Oh and I am still waiting for you to prove the bible is the sole way to follow Christ's teachings, considering your doctrine of "sola scriptura" is not even biblically based, nor was it a tradition either, so you are kind of S.O.L. in that department.

 

To address a few points.

1. It's sad that a religion feels the need to attack other religions, rather than improve themselves. It seems that the latter would be a better way to get converts. An equally tricky thing to do, I know.

2. As far as the argument between Epiphany and Jozak, I think you're both too stuck on your religious allegiances, the bible and the RCC, respectively (not to say the RCC ignores the bible). When youve placed your trust in something that comes of man (scripture or traditions), you're just going to get confused and angry. The fact is, there's all kinds of contradictary stuff in the Bible (evidenced by the fact you can both support your differing positions with the same book), and it just becomes divisive. I'm not a christian anymore (used to be Catholic), but it seems to me if I was going to follow anything, it'd be the simple teachings of Jesus, and nothing else. Everything Paul and Peter wrote after that has little value to me, I don't see why they get to carry so much weight in your religion. Didn't Jesus (a god, according to you) get it right on his own?

3. As far as the church's "military mindset," it seems ridiculous that a religio-spiritual organization would be able to hold such a position. Spirituality should be working to end that. Be a light unto the world, not a disease. Military mindset, even against Satan, is counterproductive and actually it would serve Satan. He wants anger and hate, according to christians, right? Wouldn't it work better to be like Jesus, and just be a good person, lead by example, kindess, love, etc. None of this "fighting for the faith" stuff?

 

You've done an excellent job of explaining the fundamental difference of 'religion' vs. 'spirituality'!

Religion=politics=deception and confusion

spirituality=individual salvation=truth and clarity