GREAT X-MAS POLL! What religion do you follow?

PHXnews ^ | 12/25/03 | PHXnews

[AZ Righty]

We already know how we feel about Bush, Gore, Hillary, Dean and the all of our worthless politicians, but how do you feel about God?

On PHXnews they are asking an interesting question this Christmas day. SHARE YOUR VIEWS BY VOTING.

POLL QUESTION: What religion do you follow?

Christian

New Age

Catholic

Mormon

Hare Krishna

Jewish

Islamic

Scientology

Sikh

Hindu

Siek

Atheist

Bahá'í

Buddhist

[MSBassSinger]

Saying that Roman Catholicism goes back to Peter is like saying that Southern Baptists can trace their denomination back to John the Baptist!

Roman Catholicism is but one of many Christian denominations, and did not come into being until the 3rd or 4th century. Its doctrine is often at odds with Scripture, and its history shows little of the fruits of the Spirit. However, therein lies the difference. Mainstream Christianity holds the Scriptures to be the highest authority we have. Roman Catholicism holds that both Scripture and the Church are the highest authority. This parallels the error of the Jews of Jesus' time, where the oral traditions (of whichever rabbinical school) were as authoritative as the written Torah (think Pharisee, Sadducee, etc.) Jesus taught otherwise - that He came to fulfill the Law. In several places (Sermon on the Mount being one example) He stated that "you have heard it said", then proceeded to teach what the written Torah said.

Roman Catholicism struggles with the baggage of its past - an oral tradition of men, which is often in conflict with Scripture.

I have no doubt that a person who worships as a Roman Catholic can be a Christian. But the conflict within where Scripture teaches one thing and Catholic tradition teaches another must be difficult to bear. It would seem to me that such a person would eventually leave Catholicism for a Protestant fellowship, or else compromise their faith to the point of carnality (not in the sexual sense) and accept the false teachings of the Catholic church.

As to another post in this thread, Mormonism (as well as Jehovah's Witness) is not a Christian denomination. They deviate from upholding the Scriptures as the only authoritative and complete written word of God, and they do not hold to the concurrent full deity and full humanity of Jesus when He lived on the earth. Mormonism, as do many pseudo-Christian religions, borrows much from Christianity.

[Az Joe]

Fascinating.

Too bad Protestants have failed, as compared to Catholics, in bringing many souls to Jesus Christ.

In other words, talk is cheap.

[Cultural Jihad]

Mainstream Christianity holds the Scriptures to be the highest authority we have.

And who had the authority before Scriptures were written? And who had the authority to determine which writings were a part of Public Revelation and which were not?

[sirchtruth]

Fine. ...you used scripture...before I continue this I am going to tell you that you must be prepared to be shocked at what you are going to see from the word: This is the subject...Jesus and God of scripture are the not same person.

Is this what we are debating, and are you absolutely sure you want to defend, from scripture, that Jesus and God are a different personage?

Ok, who had to be sacrificed and die to cleanse us from our sins?

Give a reference though please so I can see what exactly you are referring to.

John 8:58-59 reference the "I AM"... That is specific to the same "I AM" that God refers to himself when he told Moses to tell the Israelites who sent him. You can not refute the Hebrew reference...nor the greek.

[Cultural Jihad]

Roman Catholicism struggles with the baggage of its past - an oral tradition of men, which is often in conflict with Scripture.

Needless to say, there are humanists who equate Holy Scripture with 'baggage of the past.' Catholics, on the other hand, do not feel encumbered or burdened in the slightest by Public Revelation, which encompasses the traditions of the Apostles as well as Holy Scripture.

[maui_hawaii]

God the Father created everything and everyone spiritually first before they ever came here.

After the spiritual creation, and under the direct direction of Heavenly Father and through the Father's power, Jesus Christ created this world and everything on it.

Afterwards Christ himself came down to be born of mortal man to Atone for the sins of the world.

I should add to this section of what I posted..."After the spiritual creation, and under the direct direction of Heavenly Father and through the Father's power, Jesus Christ created this world and everything on it." He also had the pre-mortal Jesus Christ administer the gospel to the people of the earth.

The person who gave Moses the 10 commandments was Jesus Christ. Jehovah of the old testament is the spirit of Jesus Christ before Christ was born to Mary.

We believe very much so in a pre-mortal life. Not just for Jesus, but for all of us.

God created all things spiritually first in heaven.

[maui_hawaii]

Who is the "our" referred to in Genesis 1:26?

[sirchtruth]

The person who gave Moses the 10 commandments was Jesus Christ. Jehovah of the old testament is the spirit of Jesus Christ before Christ was born to Mary.

Are you saying God's spirit is Jesus? Ok, does that not make Jesus, God?

Of special interest is the usage with respect to the name of God. He revealed Himself to Israel through Moses by a new name (YHWH: Yahveh, or Yehovah) - the nature of which would be shown by His manifestations on their behalf. The name of God was therefore not a mere word, but the Divine manifestation, the character of God as revealed in His relations to His people and in His dealings with them. The "name of Yahveh" was proclaimed to Moses on Mt. Sinai, "Yah, Yahveh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth," etc.

That's not Yashua, that's YHWH...Incidentally a side bar. When Pilot had that epitaph written above Jesus..."Jesus of Narzareth King of the Jews" The acronym in the Hebrew (reading right to left) spells YHWH...Hmmm, do ya think Pilot knew what he was writting, especially when the Jews wanted him to reword it?

GENESIS 1:1 Elohim. Do you know what the word Elohim is?

[sirchtruth]

Who is the "our" referred to in Genesis 1:26?

Do you understand the whole of what you are referencing? I don't think you especially do after you figure out the hebrew context of what 'im' is, or rather are, or technically "is-are."

Maybe it's God and the angels? ;-)

[sirchtruth]

I just thought of something I need to ask you;

Do you consider God and Jesus to be equal?

[Salvation]

Visiting my daughter and son in law and two grandsons in Phoenix right now.

And voting

Catholic!

[Salvation]

**Oh yes they are. Start with Mary.**

Are you saying that as a Protestant you do not believe in Mary being the mother of God? The mother of Christ? The first intercessor with her Son, the Lord, Jesus Christ? ]

Why should we not ask her to intercede for us with her Son, Jesus Christ? And yes, we also pray directly to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. So don't go off on that tangent.

Have you ever asked anyone to pray for you?? OK, then you have done exactly the same thing.

[Salvation]

**If you are really interested in learning the truth about Catholic or Orthodox practices, then go talk with a Catholic or Orthodox priest.**

Very well said!

[Salvation]

Where is the breakout for Catholics and other Christian denominations there -- the 82%?

(BTW, all those other Christian denominations came LLLOOONNNGGG after the Catholic Church!!!!!!!!!)

[Salvation]

**Saying that Roman Catholicism goes back to Peter is like saying that Southern Baptists can trace their denomination back to John the Baptist!**

Are you sure about this??

Check out Acts of the Apostles!

[maui_hawaii]

You are not really reading my posts.

Here it is:

God the Father, long before there was a Jehovah, or a Jesus, or any of us, created many spirits in heaven. The First Spirit that God 'created' was that of Jesus Christ aka Jehovah.

God the Father is Jesus/Jehovah's Father.

If you had a son, it would be you, then your son. Same thing.

God the Father then directed the spirit of Jesus (otherwise known as Jehovah) to create the world. (And later on administer to it) Before Jesus was born mortally, He was known in the old testament as Jehovah or the variations of the name whatever the spellings may be. You could say Jesus/Jehovah is the Father's helper.

Many times people refer to Jesus as THE one and only person in charge of everything. That by itself is incorrect. However to refer to Him as "God" both is and isn't correct depending on how one uses it. He IS God of the world because (under His Father's direction) He was the one one out there doing the work to create the world. He is not God in that He is not The Father.

In that sense, Jesus/Jehovah is the creator of this world and in a sense "God".

His Father though, who is a different person is really THE God. Jesus has someone higher up to answer to.

Its kind of like this: if President Bush tells his chief of staff to do something, he does it. The chief of staff has authority of the President to do whatever. The chief of staff is still the chief of staff and the President is still the President.

Its the same relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is acting under the authority and power and direction of His Father.

Jesus Christ is God in a sense, but He is not His Father. Jesus/Jehovah is the 'chief of staff' and His Father is 'President'.

We do not pray to Jesus. We pray to His Father in the name of Jesus. Jesus is second in charge. Is that clear enough?

Jesus and His Father though are in perfect harmony.

[maui_hawaii]

Do you consider God and Jesus to be equal?

You nailed it. No. We do not see them as being equal.

[maui_hawaii]

Extremely high on the totem pole, as in 2nd in command, but not equal.

[sirchtruth]

You nailed it. No. We do not see them as being equal.

Ok, Thanks...give me a couple of minutes. Go back 4 or 5 posts and answer the question can you explain what Elohim is. Tell me what you think.

[maui_hawaii]

We do not pray to Jesus. We pray to His Father in the name of Jesus.

We do this because Jesus Christ is the mediator between us and The Father.

He came down here so we have the chance to go back up there.