Is Christianity the religion of idolatry?

[Muffled]

Biblical standards are set by people. As they should be.

I believe I do not agree. Biblical standards are set by God.

 

[Muffled]

You realise Paul wrote before the Gospels?

I believe it wouldn't matter. The books were written independently.

 

[Muffled]

Because He is not God only a pure reflection of God like a mirror facing the sun. Christ denies being God or the Father and it is only a wrong interpretation that is at fault here.

I believe that is false. Jesus is God in the flesh as the Bible indicates.

 

[LuisDantas]

I believe I do not agree. Biblical standards are set by God.

So I am told. However, I am told so by people with wildly diverging understandings of what that would mean in practice. And then there are people who say much the same about the Qur'an. Also a few other, less influential groups.

So in practice that does not seem to mean much even if taken for granted.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I believe I do not agree. Biblical standards are set by God.

Again, you are having a hard time facing the fact that actual human beings picked up a pen and wrote the bible.

 

[Estro Felino]

Again, you are having a hard time facing the fact that actual human beings picked up a pen and wrote the bible.

On that we agree.
The Bible was written by men. Inspired by God.

 

[Muffled]

So I am told. However, I am told so by people with wildly diverging understandings of what that would mean in practice. And then there are people who say much the same about the Qur'an. Also a few other, less influential groups.

So in practice that does not seem to mean much even if taken for granted.

I believe standards in the Bible were set for Jews and standards in the Qu'ran are set for Arabs. For me the standard is whatever Jesus says it is and Jesus is available universally.

 

[Muffled]

Again, you are having a hard time facing the fact that actual human beings picked up a pen and wrote the bible.

I believe I have no trouble with that because I am writing the words of God as I speak.

 

[LuisDantas]

I believe standards in the Bible were set for Jews and standards in the Qu'ran are set for Arabs. For me the standard is whatever Jesus says it is and Jesus is available universally.

That is not very helpful, once one takes into account that this is an artificial separation with no support from either scripture nor doctrine.

Besides, people don't really fit so unambiguously and confortably in such separate categories.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I believe I have no trouble with that because I am writing the words of God as I speak.

Get some help.

 

[loverofhumanity]

You are over playing the role of clergy in the splits in Christianity. Christianity was born to be fractured. Christianity, in its earliest form, did not have a formal clergy as we understand it today. The early Christian communities were characterized by a more egalitarian and informal structure. Leadership roles were present, but they were not as institutionalized or hierarchically structured as in later Christianity. Christianity was largely spread by word of mouth, with the resulting miscommunications and mis interpretations that one finds in a game of telephone. The New Testament is a collection of what is effectively ancient world fan fiction. It is the collection of texts (New Testament) that represent the compromises of the groups who survived the earlier Bible wars as started by Marcione.

There are certainly a lot of evils to lay at the feet of the Clergy, but the Clergy is not the source of the schisms until much much later.

Also, being guided by a council of people who study and interpret the text if one's religion is not idolatry. Or if it is, then Baha'i is idolatrous.

The problems arise when interpretations revolve around causing harm to others accompanied with idolising of the interpreters. A concoction for terrorism.

 

[ppp]

The problems arise when interpretations revolve around causing harm to others accompanied with idolising of the interpreters. A concoction for terrorism.

You're describing all of the abrahamic religions including the Baha'i

 

[loverofhumanity]

You're describing all of the abrahamic religions including the Baha'i

We do not have priests or living interpreters.

 

[ppp]

We do not have priests or living interpreters.

You did not say living interpreters. You said "...with idolising of the interpreters."
Do you want to change your previous statement to include the word "living"?

 

[loverofhumanity]

You did not say living interpreters. You said "...with idolising of the interpreters."
Do you want to change your previous statement to include the word "living"?

The situation is that all the major religions have living priests who regularly interpret their scriptures at weekly sermons. Baha’is do not have living interpreters or a priesthood that can interpret for us and we are forbidden from the leadership down to interpret. Hope this clarifies it?

 

[ppp]

The situation is that all the major religions have living priests who regularly interpret their scriptures at weekly sermons. Baha’is do not have living interpreters or a priesthood that can interpret for us and we are forbidden from the leadership down to interpret. Hope this clarifies it?

Judaism does not have practicing priests.
Baha'i is not a major religion.
Buddhism does not have weekly sermons.
All reading and listening is interpretation, therefore all existing religions with texts have living interpreters.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Judaism does not have practicing priests.
Baha'i is not a major religion.
Buddhism does not have weekly sermons.
All reading and listening is interpretation, therefore all existing religions with texts have living interpreters.

Wasn’t it the Jewish high priests who rejected Christ claiming He was not the Messiah according to their interpretation of the Torah? I spent 5 years in Burma a Buddhist country. The monks give regular sermons. Yes we read and understand but then we either accept or reject. But those of whatever religion who idolise their priests, accept their interpretations without question. This is a major problem that many religionists do not independently investigate for themselves.

 

[ppp]

Wasn’t it the Jewish high priests who rejected Christ claiming He was not the Messiah according to their interpretation of the Torah?

You said living. Did you not? Kindly stop changing your story.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Judaism does not have practicing priests.

While our priests do not have temple duties today, since there is no temple, they do still have a specific role, such as the delivery of the priestly blessing on certain holy days.

 

[ppp]

While our priests do not have temple duties today, since there is no temple, they do still have a specific role, such as the delivery of the priestly blessing on certain holy days.

Yep. My apologies. I forgot about that. But in the context of the discussion ...do they currently perform preaching or authoritative interpretation of scripture?