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 Christianity Etc › Re: My Problem With Catholism-An Introspection by Enigma(m): 10:49am On Mar 21, 2013 |
lol  The truth is bitter and can be painful; but to those who are strong enough to accept it, it is always good medicine.  2 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Problem With Catholism-An Introspection by Enigma(m): 10:37am On Mar 21, 2013 |
@Ubenedictus I provide some replies --- just because it is you. Ubenedictus: today they are is schism.Hmmm bros, I see say you take style dodge those my questions there. I am not surprised though because once one properly acknowledges the position, role and contribution of the Orthodox (or Eastern Church) in "early" or 'Greco/Roman/Byzantine' Christianity, the false claim that the Roman Catholic Church "compiled" the Bible simply gets "debunked" ---- even irrespective of all those claims about Rome "presiding in love" etc. Ubenedictus: i dont really get this one! Please clarify, are you saying at the death of d last apostle every christian community had the writtings of the apostles as we do today?1. I am saying that even during the life of the apostles some letters that they wrote to particular communities were known to and even sometimes read to and before other communities. I have already pointed to Peter who referred to Paul's letters. Another example would be Paul himself asking that his epistle to the Colossians should also be read before the Laodiceans; importantly, he also asked that a letter that he wrote to the Laodiceans should be read to the Colossians too. 2. Consider this: how come these different people all had copies of various books of the New Testament including the epistles? Polycarp of Smyrna, Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, Papias of Hierapolis, Origen of Alexandria, Tatian the Assyrian etc etc. Notice that I have included the different places where they were based. 2 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Problem With Catholism-An Introspection by Enigma(m): 7:31am On Mar 21, 2013 |
Enigma: . . . . . |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Problem With Catholism-An Introspection by Enigma(m): 2:27am On Mar 21, 2013 |
The letters of the apostles were read to/in various churches and communities --- even beyond the particular community to which they were addressed. There is suggestion of this in the New Testament itself; e.g. we see Peter referring to Paul's writings which some ignorant people 'misunderstood' etc. There is also suggestion that [some of] Paul's different letters circulated as a collection/s at some point. Even later than the time of the apostles, there is at least one clear instance where letters written by one 'church father' to another were read by other communities even before the letters reached the addressee --- which caused (at least partly) some disgruntlement. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Problem With Catholism-An Introspection by Enigma(m): 7:03pm On Mar 20, 2013 |
Ubenedictus: dat is where u get it wrong, d cath church then wasnt for everyone. Simply put the heriticss were not in d churchWhat about the "Orthodox" e.g. Greek, Russian etc? Were they part of "d cath church"? TODAY are the "Orthodox" part of "The Catholic Church"? |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Pope Francis' Inauguration: Pictures & Videos by Enigma(m): 3:36pm On Mar 19, 2013 |
Sursum Corda. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Infallibility Of The Christian Church - A Simple Approach by Enigma(op): 3:34pm On Mar 19, 2013*. Modified: 4:07pm On Mar 19, 2013 |
Ah, let's hope this works today! The Pyguru thing sent me to the coolers for 24 hours when I tried to post this yesterday. Having finally found the hymn "Firmly I Believe and Truly" in the preferred tune of 'Shipston', by Sod's Law it turns out that the very verse I wanted is the one the Choir performing below chose to skip! Anyway, here is the [missing] verse: "And I hold in veneration For the love of Him alone Holy Church as His creation And her teachings as His own" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESKkgR16VZc |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Infallibility Of The Christian Church - A Simple Approach by Enigma(op): 3:23pm On Mar 18, 2013 |
Finally, I find this hymn in the tune I have always wanted i.e 'Shipston' (by RVW, affectionately aka 'fat Ralph'); BUT Sod's law says that the very verse that I wanted is the one the Choir skipped! Anyway that verse is the bolded below. Firmly I believe and truly God is Three, and God is One; And I next acknowledge duly Manhood taken by the Son. And I trust and hope most fully In that Manhood crucified; And each thought and deed unruly Do to death, as He has died. Simply to His grace and wholly Light and life and strength belong, And I love supremely, solely, Him the holy, Him the strong. And I hold in veneration, For the love of Him alone, Holy Church as His creation, And her teachings . . . . Adoration aye be given, With and through the angelic host, To the God of earth and Heaven, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESKkgR16VZc |
| Christianity Etc › The Infallibility Of The Christian Church - A Simple Approach by Enigma(op): 1:22pm On Mar 18, 2013*. Modified: 2:22pm On Mar 18, 2013 |
There is obvious division on many many many many things among various people professing to be Christians! This leads to all sorts of questions about the Christian Church. It also leads to people challenging the claim of "Christians" that they have the Holy Spirit to lead them. Serious as these accusations and challenges may appear, there is a simple straightforward way to trust in the infallibility of the Christian Church and in the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit. The Church is infallible in that even before its Founder departed this earth the Church had already taught and given the fundamental things that a Christian needs ---- infallibly. A. The Faith and The Trust: The WHO?. 1. The Founder and Head of the Church said: "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die" (John 11:25) 2. The people that the Founder and Head of the Church chose to cement the establishment of the Church said: "In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." (John 1:4) B. The Response: What to do? 1. The Founder and Head of the Church said: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37 etc etc; Edited) 2. The people that the Founder and Head of the Church chose to cement the establishment of the Church said: "And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." (1 John 4:21) Those are the fundamental things. Those have been taught to us by the Church and its Head and Founder ---- infallibly Other things are really, in the final analysis, secondary; these things are the true sources of Christian Unity in the very final analysis. They are what defines Christian unity; they are things Christians can hold to in order to defy "the world" when they say Christians are not "united". C. The Holy Spirit: Leading and Teaching 1. The first thing: Christians are required to submit to the Holy Spirit; in any event the Head and Founder Himself said He would be sending the Holy Spirit; therefore Christians should no longer need anyone else to teach them to submit to the Holy Spirit. 2. The Head and Founder said: "the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26) 3. So Christians are to (a)submit to the Holy Spirit, and (b) let the Holy Spirit remind them of what the Head and Founder of the Church said/taught. 4. Well, it is precisely because we do not do this last (3) at all, or well, or well enough that we fall into all sorts of difficulty. Why don't we put Jesus Christ Himself to the test? Anytime, we have questions of faith and/conduct, why don't we start by saying "Holy Spirit, please remind me what Jesus said"! In fact the best way to do it is by conduct; when we do it by conduct we put both Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to an even greater challenge! Why, because we expect them to teach us even without us asking expressly! But how do we do this?  We can do this by adapting and reusing constantly the WWJD ('What would Jesus do'?) into something more biblically accurate! We constantly ask ourselves: What Did Jesus Say? That way, we will be putting to the test the promise that the Holy Spirit will remind us what Jesus said/taught. We may face the challenge "but Jesus did not say anything about xyz topic"! Well, in what he said about Himself and about our responsibility of love to God and to brothers/sisters, we can distill principles to guide our approach to things that were not discussed expressly. Even though we may get things wrong, our starting point should always be "to be conformed to the mind of Jesus". 4 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: C S Lewis "Mere Christianity" by Enigma(m): 12:22pm On Mar 18, 2013 |
@Ihe bros Actually, you are right about "picking fights" as well; you had expressed the point well that members of a family can "fight" and yet retain love for one another. My referring to "gentle/softly" is just in terms of "appropriate tools for appropriate circumstances". Sometimes what is needed and what works is "picking a fight"; at others it is "gently/softly". I know you catch my drift . . . . . |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Cardinal Jorge Mario-Bergoglio Is The New Pope by Enigma(m): 11:42am On Mar 18, 2013 |
^^^ Forgive repetition below of something I posted somewhere else before --- but it is relevant to your point.  See how Christians who are not Roman Catholics understand that expression and why Lutherans, Evangelicals, Anglicans and even some Pentecostals can all say they believe/belong in "one, holy, catholic, apostolic, church." https://www.nairaland.com/1032312/scandal-church#11979108 “Why do we say that we believe in the Roman Catholic Church when we are Protestants?” they ask. The confusion arises because the word "catholic" is not in common usage in English today. Most people hear it used only in reference to the Roman Catholic Church. And so, when they read or hear the word "catholic" in another context, they assume it refers to the Church of Rome. But this is mistaken. "Catholic," in this context, means "universal" and is not a reference to the Church of Rome. 2 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: C S Lewis "Mere Christianity" by Enigma(m): 11:25am On Mar 18, 2013 |
ogeelove: . . . I read the bible and attend church but alas I find that I am at odds with the teaching. ogeelove: . . . . I am afraid to say I am terribly angered that we of this age who do not know what it is to live in perilous times, when speaking out of turn could result in the lose of one's life, who do not know what it means to live in the wilderness and wear camel's hair and eat locusts and wild honey would say that he was jealous of Christ and that was why he lost his head. This was a humble man. I feel that we have taken a sacred thing and defiled it. Surely if he was jealous it would have been mentioned in the bible. Yes it is that important. Many argue that jesus said 'blessed is he who is not offended in me'. But to whom was jesus referring to. And why did he give such accolade to john if indeed he was jealous.I mean why does the concept of dying for the truth seem so strange to us Christians. Did Jesus not say that 'Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity'. I am not a verse quoting person who knows the specific chapter and all that but I do read my bible. When I did try to point out all I laid out above to my study group I was literally panned for speaking jargons and not being led by the spirit. This and other issues just got me thinking. My church is wonderful in terms of love and all that but I am a bit worried about sound doctrine. Am I getting it all wrong? I don't know why but it bothers me. I have tried to reason it their way but it won't go away. I seem to think differently and no longer voice my opinion in our meetings. Help.The one key point I wish to make dear Sis: remain true to your self, your conscience and your truthful and considered understanding of Jesus' teachings. In this case, I believe you are right and the members of your fellowship are wrong. The more difficult bit is how to handle real life relationships with the members of the fellowship; I agree with Ihedinobi; you should not keep quiet and/or suppress what you believe to be the truth simply because they disagree; you may do it gently and softly and with the goal of maintaining the loving and cordial relationship; but to not speak out is to damage yourself and not to help people who may be in (honest?) error. If we are all honest, there are some things done by virtually each church that we are not comfortable with . . . . . . . God bless. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Problem With Catholism-An Introspection by Enigma(m): 11:14am On Mar 18, 2013 |
Reyginus: All christains.Yep indeed. All Christians are catholic BUT not all Christians are Roman Catholic. It was catholic Christians that "compiled" the Bible and, interestingly, the catholic Christians most influential in the "compilation" of the Bible were not Roman Catholics. 1 Like |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Tithes And Offerings by Enigma(m): 6:52pm On Mar 17, 2013 |
^^^ But "the law of faith" does not have to do with justification? That one has to do with tithes? Yeah right. Shioor. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Jesus was Mentioned In Pope Speech in retrospect by Enigma(m): 9:33am On Mar 17, 2013 |
truthislight: lol.Bros, I dey kampe oh! |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Tithes And Offerings by Enigma(m): 8:49am On Mar 17, 2013 |
^^^ Add the below to the 'mix'. Romans 8:2 --- "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Well, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus does not require anyone to "tithe"' it only requires them to give cheerfully as they purpose in their hearts. 2 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Jesus was Mentioned In Pope Speech in retrospect by Enigma(m): 6:21pm On Mar 16, 2013 |
Boomark: If i quote Revelation 3:12 where Jesus was telling us about his God, it will be incredibulu in everyone's eyes how enigma will disappear/bolt away.Not wasting one's time with idiocy and its peddlers is a different matter from to "disappear/bolt away."  |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Jesus was Mentioned In Pope Speech in retrospect by Enigma(m): 5:31pm On Mar 16, 2013 |
Interesting irony going on here. The new RC pope, AFAWK, believes that Jesus IS God. He makes a speech in which he twice mentions the Lord. By "the Lord" the RC pope is clearly referring to his God i.e. Jesus Christ. We now have people who do NOT believe that Jesus is God --- criticising the new RC pope for not "mentioning" Jesus. Incredibilé! 1 Like |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Jesus was Mentioned In Pope Speech in retrospect by Enigma(m): 10:53am On Mar 15, 2013 |
^^^ The Roman Catholic church is just another denomination; one with very serious errors and faults. 1 Like |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Jesus was Mentioned In Pope Speech in retrospect by Enigma(m): 10:19am On Mar 15, 2013 |
Ubenedictus: the luis palau guy seems to have a lot to say about pope francis.I think we should be mindful of the truthful state of all denominations - whether Catholic, Anglican, Evangelical, Pentecostal not to talk of the disgrace that is the "prosperity gospel"! We all have things seriously wrong with us institutionally and of course even as individuals; we all have things wrong with both our doctrines and our practices. Some may get some things right and others wrong and vice versa for others (if you know what I mean). In this light, I concentrate my criticisms to very specific things. I would be the first to say that even with the "prosperity gospel" for which one can employ quite harsh words first used in a different but related context in the 1900 as "the vomit of satan", you will find genuinely committed Christians truly trusting in Christ even amidst the morass of what passes for doctrine and practice. Similarly, you will find many other good things coming out of the "prosperity gospel movement" as a whole even though it remains a disgrace and aberration and I will strongly encourage people to flee from it. Similarly, there are many things seriously wrong with the Roman Catholic Church; it has done many bad bad bad things in its history and is still doing some now; on the other hand the Roman Catholic Church has still contributed immensely to Christianity as a whole. Unquestionably, there are many many many good individual Christians within the Roman Catholic Church and who is to say, without specific knowledge and information, that the new Roman Catholic pope is not a truly devout and thoroughly honourable man? Luis Palau has long had much respect in the Evangelical Christian community, if he thinks well of the new pope, the least those who do not know anything or much about the pope can do is wait and see! Anyway, mentioning "our Lord" twice satisfies (or should reasonably satisfy) the "demand" of the fastidious that he should "mention" Jesus (as if mention is all that matters). @Ubenedictus A little digression but quite related: I noticed your as ever informed comments on that 'Septuagint' thread and thankfully some of the errors and misinformation were corrected. One thing struck me among all you said i.e. your statement that "i doubt that the matter is black and white". It reminded me of something I said elsewhere: "many issues are far far far more complex than the discussions here; in fact, that is why I keep out of a lot of discussions" https://www.nairaland.com/934799/reasons-why-obama-not-christian/14#11031627 (Sorry I have been 'mischievous' to take advantage of my comments/post on this thread for the indirect reference to the other thread). |
| Jokes Etc › Re: Hilarious Photos Of "His Oga At The Top" (NSCDC) by Enigma(m): 1:33pm On Mar 14, 2013 |
tope3x: THIS IS THE REMIX VERSION...WATCH HERE^^^ This . . . right there . . . killed it . . . . completely!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Absolutely brutal . . . . seriously epic! |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Nairaland Christian Singles Thread (no Holds Barred) by Enigma(m): 12:57pm On Mar 14, 2013 |
^^ Water still dey comot my eyes from dat ting! |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Nairaland Christian Singles Thread (no Holds Barred) by Enigma(m): 12:53pm On Mar 14, 2013 |
Idowuogbo: ^meaning?Ah, you don miss oh! Very unlike you to jones at all at all. Quickly 'regulate' that by looking at this thread https://www.nairaland.com/1224567/hilarious-photos-oga-top-nscdc |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Nairaland Christian Singles Thread (no Holds Barred) by Enigma(m): 12:50pm On Mar 14, 2013 |
^^ Daz All! |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Jesus was Mentioned In Pope Speech in retrospect by Enigma(m): 10:58am On Mar 14, 2013 |
frosbel: don't try your 'slimy' play of words with me.Look, whatever your problem is is your problem. And of course, to your type, slandering other people is standard -- even for your "superior" brand of "Christianity". Otherwise, you won't make false accusations about "'slimy' play of words." |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Jesus was Mentioned In Pope Speech in retrospect by Enigma(m): 10:45am On Mar 14, 2013 |
For good measure, a second line from the OP: I ask that you would pray to the Lord to bless me — the prayer of the people for their Bishop. Let us say this prayer — your prayer for me — in silence. . . . |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Jesus was Mentioned In Pope Speech in retrospect by Enigma(m): 10:15am On Mar 14, 2013 |
He might have gone on about The Madonna and all that but in the OP itself we read First of all, I would say a prayer: Pray for our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI ... Let us all pray together for him, that the Lord bless him . . . . . |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Tithes And Offerings by Enigma(m): 9:41am On Mar 14, 2013 |
1. Deuteronomy 26:12 (NLT) "Every third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. In this year of the special tithe you must give your tithes to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that they will have enough to eat in your towns." 2. 14:28-29 (NLT) "28“At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year’s harvest and store it in the nearest town. 29 Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work." 3. Matthew 25: 37-40 (NLT) "37“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’" 1 Like |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Nairaland Christian Singles Thread (no Holds Barred) by Enigma(m): 12:25am On Mar 14, 2013 |
PS (at the risk of digression) I personally will not worry about Uyi --- he will find his way . . . . . eventually. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Nairaland Christian Singles Thread (no Holds Barred) by Enigma(m): 12:23am On Mar 14, 2013 |
^^^ How bodi now? I bin dey see ya hand but I jos chill. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Nairaland Christian Singles Thread (no Holds Barred) by Enigma(m): 12:12am On Mar 14, 2013 |
Idowuogbo: Hehehe...we may all live under the same sky, but we see different horizons."We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." (Oscar Wilde . . . .) 1 Like |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Tithes And Offerings by Enigma(m): 11:01pm On Mar 13, 2013 |
Image123: But the one of these inferred are saints na, aren't they? And Jo is in no way saying that that's the only form of giving. i complained on this earlier and expected zukky who's been following the thread ardently to know better.Bros, I think you mean the "etc" in that post that Zikky quoted; ok. fair enough, I am willing to grant that. But one has to set it firstly against backround knowledge and history of the poster. Second, and even more important, the statement is not a good reflection of what Jesus Christ instructed anyway. The Lord did not emphasise "ministers" at all or make that some kind of "principle". Bros, as for the John Gray quote, you are right jare; but, to a very considerable extent, people do not think or think properly. Atheism per se is illogical fundamentally; evangelical atheism is simply stupidity as Gray tok am. |
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