What's The One True Christian Sect

[connermt]

There are many, many, many sects of christianity in the world.
People are told there's only 'one truth' (whatever that means). So which truth - which sect, is the 'one' with 'the truth'?
Surely if there was only 1 truth, there would be one sect that has all of its beliefs falling in-line with the '1 truth's' parameters. Any deity worth mentioning should be able to provide the one truth to its chosen people (and yes I'm more than comfortable with setting parameters for said deity - get over it...after all, someone needs to do so).
So which christian sect/group/denomination is correct?
Which one has the 'one truth' that humanity needs?
Or do they all produce the 'one truth' or none?
Or is there no 'one truth' so the 'chase' doesn't matter?

[connermt]

[Replying to post 2 by Tired of the Nonsense]

Another way of saying this is, if there is a god, it's made approximately 40,999 mistakes in its own belief system

There are going to be an awful lot of very surprised and disappointed people come judgement day.

I would say there are currently a lot of very surprised and disappointed people even today, considering the approximately 41K brands

[connermt]

[Replying to post 5 by 1213]

pquote[In my opinion people should rather be disciples of Jesus than part of some sedition or heresy...[/quote] That would make sense, however, it would be truly difficult being that there are various (sometimes differing) stories of the same jesus - some which aren't included in the catholic canon/bible/book

[connermt]

[Replying to post 8 by bjs]

As long as they hold to these central truths then they are within the parameters of the 1 truth that our Deity has been able to provide to its chosen people.

So, it's fine as long as you adhere to 'some' of the meaning of 'the 1 truth'....?

That sounds like modern thinking which is to say, erroneous in that if there's 1 truth, one would need to follow all the tenants of it. Otherwise, they aren't 100% and if you're not 100% christian, you're not christian. After all, jesus (according to the bible) wasn't 99.9% in to god's plan for salvation - he was 100% in it.

[connermt]

[Replying to post 9 by dianaiad]

One has the most.

So as long as you're playing the % and get the highest %, you're fine....
I understand now
Or is it, like land mines and hand grenades, it's the proximity one gets to the goal - 'the 1 truth' that counts.
99.9% works....?

Mine.

Would that be the part of the magic stones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seer_stone ... ay_Saints)) or magic underwear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_garment) that make it more right?

As to whether I can prove to you that my own belief system is 'truer' than yours?

Nope, I can't do that.

Of course not. Does this mean, then, that we should all be free to pursue our own individual belief system without unwanted outside interference from other opposing belief systems?

[connermt]

[Replying to post 10 by Realworldjack]

The point is, a good number of these many, many, denominations, have no difference at all.

If that were true, there wouldn't be so many differing sects.

Many of the others who may have minor differences, agree on the essentials...

So saying '...good number of these many, many, denominations, have no difference at all." is indeed, not true?

[Realworldjack]

[Replying to post 10 by Realworldjack]

The point is, a good number of these many, many, denominations, have no difference at all.

If that were true, there wouldn't be so many differing sects.

Many of the others who may have minor differences, agree on the essentials...

So saying '...good number of these many, many, denominations, have no difference at all." is indeed, not true?

It absolutely is true, as I demonstrated, there are as far as I can see 29 different Reformed Denominations listed by Wikipedia, look for yourself! I will help you out here. Wikipedia lists 20 Presbyterian, this is all the same exact denomination, the only difference being, they are in different countries. Here is the list.

Presbyterian Church of India
Presbyterian Church of Mozambique
Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
Presbyterian Church of Pakistan
Presbyterian Church in America
Presbyterian Church in Canada
Presbyterian Church in Chile
Presbyterian Church in Honduras
Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Presbyterian Church in Liberia
Presbyterian Church in Malaysia
Presbyterian Church in Singapore
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Presbyterian Church in Sudan
Presbyterian Church in Uganda
Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin)
Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong)
Presbyterian Church in Korea (TongHap)
Presbyterian Church of Wales
Presbyterian Church (USA)

All of these are Presbyterian, just in different parts of the world. This means as far as the listed denominations, you can subtract 19 right here!

It also list 8 Reformed Presbyterian, all the same, just different parts of the world.

Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly
Reformed Presbyterian Church " Hanover Presbytery
Reformed Presbyterian Church of Australia
Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland
Reformed Presbyterian Church of Malawi
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States

So now you can subtract 7 more, and we are just getting started!

There are 5, Evangelical Presbyterian.

Evangelical Presbyterian Church (United States)
Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales
Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Australia)
Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Malawi
Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ukraine

All the same just located in a different part of the world. Subtract 4 more! There are 4 Free Presbyterian.

Free Presbyterian Church (Australia)
Free Presbyterian Church of North America
Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster

Subtract 3 more. There are 18 Reformed Churches.

Reformed Church in America
Reformed Church in Austria
Reformed Christian Church in Croatia
Reformed Church of East Africa
Reformed Church of France
Reformed Church in Hungary
Reformed Church in Latvia
Reformed Church in Romania
Reformed Christian Church in Serbia
Reformed Church in Transcarpathia
Reformed Church in the United States
Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)
Reformed Churches of New Zealand
Reformed Synod of Denmark
Reformed Churches of New Zealand
Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria

Subtract 17 more. I could continue, but I hope you get my point! Add to this that all of these Presbyterian, and Reformed, Churches, would be Reformed in their theology, and have very little if any difference at all! This should absolutely demonstrate that the number is extremely exaggerated, on top of the fact that the differences between most denominations, is so minor, that they consider each other as Christian. If the differences were that great, then certainly they would not consider each other Christians, or brothers, and sisters in Christ. Lets think about it, if you have some members, within a particular Church, that believe and teach the sleep of the dead, while others were convinced this was in error, and were teaching the exact opposite, to keep away from confusion in the Church, you may agree to split, but this does not in any way mean, that you consider each other outside of the Faith! This is why I say, if you were to be able to get down to the realistic number of denominations, this still would not tell you how great the split was. I am not Baptist in my theology, however if the only Church in town was Baptist, I would have no trouble worshiping with Baptist. There are but minor differences. The same would go for, most, Methodist, Presbyterian, Advent Christian, Lutheran, and Reformed Churches!

As I have said, the number is extremely exaggerated, however, if you would like to continue to believe, that there are, 41,000, different sects within the Christian Faith, and all of these 41,000, different sects are teaching, and believing something totally and completely different than all the others, then by all means continue to do so, but it is surely not the reality!

[Elijah John]

connermt [/quote] "Would that be the part of the magic stones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seer_stone ... ay_Saints)) or magic underwear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_garment) that make it more right?"
[quote]

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[bjs]

[Replying to post 8 by bjs]

As long as they hold to these central truths then they are within the parameters of the 1 truth that our Deity has been able to provide to its chosen people.

So, it's fine as long as you adhere to 'some' of the meaning of 'the 1 truth'....?

That sounds like modern thinking which is to say, erroneous in that if there's 1 truth, one would need to follow all the tenants of it. Otherwise, they aren't 100% and if you're not 100% christian, you're not christian. After all, jesus (according to the bible) wasn't 99.9% in to god's plan for salvation - he was 100% in it.

Actually, this goes back at least as far as the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, and the same basic idea was hinted at before in the writings of Augustine of Hippo and other Church Fathers. It is in no way modern thinking. It has been an explicit part of Christianity for more than 1,500 years. The ideas is that if you agree 100% with these central beliefs then you are 100% Christian.

[Zzyzx]

.

The ideas is that if you agree 100% with these central beliefs then you are 100% Christian.

Perhaps the "percentage Christian" is a worthy concept. Many of my Christian friends appear to be at the fifty percent level -- accept some dogma and literature but not others.

What would a 100% Christian life be like? Live as Jesus lived? Give away possessions to the poor? Love everybody? Worship constantly?

[Baconsbud]

[Replying to Realworldjack]

I do agree that these denominations are the same on paper but we can not really know for sure if they truly are. I have know people within a church that will have different enough views to say they have slightly different religions from each other. Unless you have evidence that they aren't different then you really can't say they are the same.