What's so illogical about Christianity?

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In the 2000 years since Jesus Christ was born, many heresies have sprung up regarding the “one true faith.” It didn’t take long for people to misuse and misunderstand the message of the Messiah. Isn’t that why there are so many denominations these days?

The most common answer is to use 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 to answer that question. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”

These days, though, it seems that there is a vast sea of denominations. Add in the non-denominational churches and you’ve got a veritable chaos of Christianity. At least it makes me confused.

To paraphrase George Orwell, “All Christians are equal, but some Christians are more equal than others.” What I’m trying to say here is that though Christians start off saying all denominations are equal, but they will invariably tell you why their denomination (or lack of denomination) is best. How can one denomination be better than the others if they are all “equal”?

I guess the most illogical thing about Christianity is this: If I were to ask ten Christians of different denominations what the basic tenets of Christianity are, I would get ten different answers (especially if you include the “universal” Catholic faith).

Why should I believe anyone over anybody else?

Comments

My Take

[cloewen.livejournal.com]

As an individual who has woked in eight different denominations before finding his home in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, I have come to a conclusion about denominations by understanding the difference between dogma and doctrine.

Every denomination that holds to some form of orthodox Christianity holds to the basic fundamantals of the Christian faith that I find wrapped up the Apostles' Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. The third day He arose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Denominations, except those who have become heretical and deny any of these rather basic tenets, differ in doctrine which is a matter of emphasis or preference.

Evangelical Lutherans and Baptists adhere to the same dogma, they differ over the doctrine of baptism, but I would never call either group heretical. Presbyterians emphasize a certain form of church government. Pentecostals and charismatics are into the Holy Spirit. Methodists (before the majority went liberal) had a unique methodical method of Bible study.

Now admittedly there are those who elevate doctrine to the point of dogma, but that's their ballywick.

By the bye, I'm not saying doctrine isn't important. Dogma covers salvation issues (what C.S. Lewis would call "mere Christianity"), but doctrine puts the flesh over the bare bones and determines how we live out our committment to Christ.

Re: My Take

[thanoslug.livejournal.com]

Cloewen said what I was thinking and probably did it a lot better than I would have done. I have attended services and several different denominations and, at heart, they all believe the same basic tenets as outlined by Cloewen. Where they differ is on the "disputable matters" (have a gander at Romans 14).