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

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

I wish I could completely agree. Of *course* we "pray" to Mary. I "pray" to judges when I appear in court before them. No joke--half of the motions I file end in a "prayer clause" that says something like this: "Wherefore the Defendant prays that the Judge grant this Motion for the reasons heretofore stated."

To "pray" is simply to "request" or "ask."

[NYer]

Do you consider God and Jesus to be equal? You nailed it. No. We do not see them as being equal.

Joseph Smith, Mormonism’s founder, taught the doctrine of a "plurality of gods"—polytheism—as the bedrock belief of his church. He developed this doctrine over a period of years to reflect his belief that not only are there many gods, but they once were mortal men who had developed in righteousness until they had learned enough and merited godhood.

The Mormon church uses the term "eternal progression" for this process, and it refers to godhood as "exaltation." Such euphemisms are used because the idea of men becoming gods is blasphemous to orthodox Christians. Needless to say, Smith encountered much hostility to these doctrines and so thought it wise to disguise them with unfamiliar terminology.

>According to Morman teaching, at one point in the eternities past, this man-become-God, or "Heavenly Father," begat the spirit body of his first son. Together with his heavenly wife, the Father raised his son in the council of the gods.

Before the creation of this world, Jesus Christ presented to his father a plan of salvation which would enable the billions of future human beings the opportunity of passing through mortality and returning to heaven, there to become gods of their own worlds. At the same time, another son of the Heavenly Father and brother of Christ offered a competing plan. When Christ’s was chosen, the rejected Lucifer led a rebellion of one-third of the population of the heavens and was cast out.

In time, Mormans believe, the Heavenly Father came to earth and had physical, sexual intercourse with the Virgin Mary. Rejecting both the testimony of Scripture (Luke 1:34-35) and the constant teaching of the Christian Church, Mormons believe Christ was conceived by the Father, and not by the Holy Spirit. (Journal of Discourses 2:268.)

Moreover, Mormans teach that Christ is a secondary, inferior god. He does not exist from all eternity. (Nor, for that matter, does his Father.) He was first made by a union of his heavenly parents. After having been reared and taught in the heavens, he achieved a certain divine stature. Through carnal relations with her Heavenly Father, the Virgin became pregnant with this lesser god.

And, NO, I am NOT a Mormon. I am a Catholic. These are their teachings. The fact is, they don’t hold to the essentials of Christianity. Gordon B. Hinckley, the current president and prophet of the Mormon church, says (in a booklet called What of the Mormons?) that he and his co-religionists "are no closer to Protestantism than they are to Catholicism."

[maui_hawaii]

When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and dglory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

This is what Joseph Smith saw. At this very moment the restoration of the original gospel started. This very event laid to rest notions that God can be everywhere at once or that Jesus and the Father are one in the same physical being.

As far as Acts 20:28 goes thats referring to Christ.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

Roman Catholicism is but one of many Christian denominations, and did not come into being until the 3rd or 4th century. >>

Yeah, tell us next that nobody went to heaven between the death of the last Apostle and the nailing of the 95 Theses.

Please.

Roman Catholicism IS Christianity; all other forms are mere derivatives. (This is not to say that even the Catholic Church can't be corrupt. God knows it has and does, and is, particularly here in the US these days.)

[MEG33]

I was on a thread that made me cringe with the hateful accusations being flung.Accept that my opinion was perhaps colored by that.I told my family today what a community of believers exist on Free Republic.

[Gone_Postal]

The disciples of Jesus were concerned over a man casting out a demon in the name of Jesus, and told him to stop since he was not part of their group. Modern translation: he didn't go to their church...they didn't agree with his doctrine...he didn't give to their ministry...any or all of the above. But what did Jesus say? He said, "DO NOT TRY TO STOP HIM."

The war within the Body of Christ. I will open a can of worms today that is LONG OVERDUE and needs to be said. One of the things that grieves the heart of God more than anything else is the war within the Body of Christ. It is a prayer of our Lord, just hours before going to the cross that we find in John 17:21, that has yet to be answered.

An unsaved friend of mine once shared with me that over the years, he has been approached by many of the cults in addition to Christians. He said that if 10 members of the same cult talked to him, they always said the same thing. However, if 10 Christians talked to him, they were each more interested in "selling" their particular church and had reasons why the other churches weren't as good as theirs.

The wars, the way we have found to divide ourselves as the people of God are endless.
Music.Some people think that Contemporary Christian Music and Christian rock and rap are of the devil.
The Bible. Some people say that you should only read the King James Version, others say that you should only use the Old Testament, while yet others say you should only use the New Testament.
Race and ethnic origin. Too many churches are still segregated by race and ethnic origin.
Ministries. Para church ministries that specialize in every kind of need imaginable that people have.

The name on the church building that you go to can not save you, only faith in Jesus can. There are people sitting in the pews of any Baptist church that are lost, just like there are people sitting in the pews of any Catholic or Assembly of God church that are lost. Their church membership can't save them, ONLY faith in Jesus can.

You see my friend, when you die, there will only be two lines, one for the lost and one for the saved. There will be no line for Protestants and another for Catholics. There will be no line for Methodists, and another for Presbyterians. There will be no line for blacks and another for whites. There will be no Asian line and no Anglo line. When you die, the ONLY thing that will matter is whether you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

[maui_hawaii]

A lot of your post is good. Some parts are questionable.

I can't claim to be an authority on obscure books and all that.

Gordon B. Hinckley, the current president and prophet of the Mormon church, says (in a booklet called What of the Mormons?) that he and his co-religionists "are no closer to Protestantism than they are to Catholicism."

This is true. There are 3 divisions. Catholic, Protestant, and Mormon. There are a lot better quotes than that saying the exact same thing.

In the book "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder" it has an excellent passage on this very topic.

Protestantism or Catholicism is not the standard by which one should judge what is or isn't Christian.

When Christ was around there for one, wasn't a Protestant Revolution. Hence no Protestants. Some would even argue the same regarding Catholicism.

Catholics can easily say things about Protestants, because Protestants were once part of the Catholic church. Catholics can easily claim that Protestants are not Christian merely because they weren't following "historical precedence". Protestants on the other hand have no room to talk on this matter.

Historical records of other churches isn't the standard to determine who is Christian or not.

[maui_hawaii]

In other words, no one has first dibs.

Just because one has existed longer doesn't make one righter.

The Jewish religion was around far longer than Christianity.

I am however not Jewish.

[sirchtruth]

As far as Acts 20:28 goes thats referring to Christ.

You are being TOTALLY intellectually dishonest and I don't even think you realize it. The term for God used there is the SAME term used for God, The Father.

Now we can sit and debate this all you want, but when dishonesty enters the debate you can not have a dileberation...It's fine for you to use the same scriptures as I do, but you can not honestly mix and match the meanings of words when you want it to fit your context.

I suggest you get a concordance and a lexicon and start researching these words so you can have at least some idea of what's going on.

I suppose you're gonna tell me Isaiah 45:23 and Phillipians 2:9-11 that we confess to God the Father and Jesus? And if Jesus is Lord what does that make God the father? Less than Jesus, when you pointed out...

"...for my Father is greater than I." John 14:28

[restornu]

Maui What many don't understand is that context can only take us so far and with out revelations one's discernment could be hinder!

So many are grounded in the physical world and know little about exercising faith!

Conversations sometimes can get confusing and losted for many times those who are in bondage to this earth can not go beyond it boundaries to receive the thoughts of God!

[Pahuanui]

Roman Catholicism IS Christianity; all other forms are mere derivatives.

Yawn.

Dog, meet manger. Manger, meet dog.

(Cue fraternity rush scene from Animal House) "What, you two have already met? Great! Then you'll have lots to talk about."

[sirchtruth]

I told my family today what a community of believers exist on Free Republic.

I know...it's amazing. We're so fotunate to be FREEPERS...

Thanks Jim!

[MEG33]

Indeed.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

Not at all. I never said that non-Catholics don't go to heaven. All I'm saying is that it's the Church that Christ founded.

[Pahuanui]

Not at all. I never said that non-Catholics don't go to heaven.

Nor did I ever say that you said that.

All I'm saying is that it's the Church that Christ founded.

No, quite clearly that's not what you said.

[RobbyS]

you die, the ONLY thing that will matter is whether you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Which begs the question of HOW one comes to know Jesus.

[Gone_Postal]

Which begs the question of HOW one comes to know Jesus.

MAKE the time each day to talk with the Lord and to read the Bible.

Second, let your "light" shine in your daily life. Never forget that how you live your life, day in and day out, is the most powerful witness to others that you will ever have. Every day you will have opportunities to share the love of Jesus with people that you meet, even if it just in a kind word or a patient ear.

Lastly, ask God each morning to show you ways that you can serve Him during that day. God will honor that request and use you to be a blessing to others. The greatest satisfaction that we can have at the end of a long day is to know that we are in an intimate relationship with the Lord, and that He used us that day to share His love with someone else.

[Gone_Postal]

Good for you! "Being," or "believing" any particular (fill in the blank) and being a "true" whatever, (choose from a long list, including "conservative" does not prevent anyone from being genuinely disgusting!!!

in my best Brooklyn accent.......What... I'm disgusting???

[sirchtruth]

When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and dglory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

Let's first get to a point using something we both agree is authentic and not some contrived drivel written by someone who claimed to be a prophet of God and yet failed at his basic prophecies...You do know a true prophet of God has to at least show his prophecies to be true?

"Hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land, which is the land of Missouri, which is the land I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints. Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the court-house."

Doctrine and Covenants, Section 57:1-3 Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, July, 1831.

Where's that temple going up again ole Joe?

What's amazing is he had the audacity to repeat this so-called prophecy in 1832 and again in 1833!

I'm sorry three strikes, and you're out!Believe me, there are many things he said and wrote that have have never come true not even by the slightest imaginations...Now if you believe that he was a true prophet of God then you can not believe God has a standard for true prophets.

[maui_hawaii]

The term for God used there is the SAME term used for God, The Father.

Me being dishonest....huh. You can't even read what I write. I have answered this VERY question several times just on this thread.

Its just YOU chose to ignore it.

I have said it. I have explained it. I have explained it again. I will not explain it again to you because you will ignore it again and again.

I don't know WHAT the hebrew word is, and I don't care. But even if what you are saying is true regarding that word it fits perfectly with what explained earlier on this thread regarding how Christ can be considered God. In ways He CAN be considered the Father because He is the Creator.

If GW Bush assigns a staff member to organize a new agency who is the creator and father of that agency? Is it the President himself or the staff member that was assigned?

He is still not His Father, but He is the Creator and hence can be in some ways considered the Father of this world.

There is no mixing and matching. Go back about 20 posts and re read my post about how the creation took place. Then hopefully you will yourself be honest, and at least see my point. Hopefully you will see that in the scriptures some use the same terminology to refer to BOTH, but it depends on context as to what it actually means.

Until you honestly grasp that concept, there is no need for you to reply.