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As a Baptist, Baptists don't believe in a Pope, President, or Governing Board of Directors the head our churches. Basically, Baptists strictly adhere to the bible's teaching that Jesus is the head of the church; therefore the head of all Baptist churches.
Baptists would argue that it's not scriptural for any religion to be organized where they have a pope, president, or governing board of directors in charge. Baptist churches are all independently run congregations that are autonomous-with one leader a Pastor shepherding his congregation.
Also, the Baptist church is technically not a denomination, and this may even be a surprise to Baptists when they learn this truth. People automatically think that the Baptist church is a denomination because of the fact that they are not Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Mormon etc., and thus linking them with all of the other denominations.
But, Baptists don't answer to a pope, president or a governing board who decides whether or not they need to build a congregation, or decide what they will study. The Bible is the Baptist church's main guide, and although Baptists use a Sunday School publication to teach Sunday school , those publications are taken directly from bible verses on biblical topics to help their members grown in the knowledge of God, and to help them learn more about their faith. In other words, they don't use any commentaries or publications that would otherwise supersede what the Bible teaches on a subject.
Now many Baptist churches are part of districts and conventions, and there are many Baptist conventions around the world. The Conventions have an elected president over that particular convention, but those conventions function primarily for the purpose of evangelizing, edifying the members, and preaching the gospel to unsaved persons. Some well known conventions in the USA are the National Baptist Convention, The Southern Baptist Convention, and the Progressive Baptist Convention.
With all of this said, the Baptist church has many sects or division within this religion. I can go on about the difference between Southern Baptists, 7th Day Baptist, and Reformed Baptists.
I agree with what Wikipedia says about Baptist churches: Many Baptist churches choose to affiliate with organizational groups that provide fellowship without control.[4] The largest such group is the Southern Baptist Convention. There also are a substantial number of smaller cooperative groups. Finally, there are Baptist churches that choose to remain autonomous and independent of any denomination, organization, or association.[33]
Denomination just means you hold to a set of beliefs so every single faith group on earth is part of a denomination. What they are really talking about is a higher governing body over the local church. We know that was never part of the church so we do not have such. Most Baptist are part of a "Co-operative" group in which churches of like faith work together in common work. Such as you listed! The Roman Church is where the new idea of a governing body would rule other local churches came from. It is followed by many of her sister churches today as well.
As an ex-Jehovah's Witness, I believe they do possess several identifying traits of a cult. For example, they are very controlling and if you do not obey the Governing Body's latest take on their beliefs, you will be disfellowshipped (excommunicated) and shunned by all other JWs including your family. They have their own 'language', like cults do, buzzwords known just to the JW's. They believe they have the only way to salvation.
All religions are "cults", every one of them.
From dictionary.com
cult [kuhlt]
noun
1.
a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2.
an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3.
the object of such devotion.
4.
a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5.
Sociology . a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
There is only one path to salvation and that is through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Anyone who has trusted in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins has eternal life. Anyone who hasn't is under condemnation.
It seems that the Jehovah's Witnesses deny the physical resurrection of Christ. This is an essential doctrine and part of the gospel. If you deny the resurrection of Christ you have not believed the gospel and are not saved.
It seems also that the Jehovah's Witnesses believe that salvation is by works, rather than through faith alone in Christ. This also is an essential doctrine. If you are trying to earn salvation by works then you are not saved.
They also do not believe in the deity of Christ. This too is an essential doctrine. Jesus said, "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins." (John 8:24).
The irony of this thread is the number of folks seeking to be one form of 'christian' or another ... without Jesus Christ! There are at least 100 scriptures that explicitly declare that there is one and only one way to God and that is Jesus Christ. Moreover, "Christ" was not Jesus' last name, but, rather the identification of Him as God's anointed. the 'savior' of mankind.
The deity of Jesus Christ is an irreducible truth and core tenant of Christianity and the Bible. This is the key area where Christians are to "test whether the Spirit is of God; ... stating further that "any Spirit that does not declare that Jesus 'CHRIST' has come in the flesh, is of the antichrist (I John 4:1-4). This is the major sticking point with every JW I've ever spoken with ... and also with the JW's 'green bible' that goes to great length to discount the deity of Christ in John 1 (... 'the Word was with God and was God .... (14) ... 'and the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us').
Therefore, unless the JW's have suddenly changed and no longer reject the deity of Jesus Christ .... and now trust and believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior --- they are definitely a cult and NOT Christians! Simply thinking one is a Christian ... doing good works ... attending a Christian, Bible-based church ... and being of the opinion that 'Christianity' is nothing more than a religious persuasion .... does NOT make one a Christian. God (or more specifically, God's angels) will 'sort em out in the end', BUT, it will be like sorting 'walnuts and watermelons', since ONLY those 'Born Again in the Holy Spirit through Faith in Jesus Christ' ... have salvation and eternal life.
Of course, if one wishes to step outside of God's Word (the Bible) and define their own religion. they can declare any opinion they want to be true (but, of course, simply thinking something is true, does not make it so). --- OK all you 'bible-haters' fire away!
I guess I'd say that if there was any evidence to show that God or gods exist.
As it is, there has never been any evidence whatsoever that any god from any culture throughout history and across the globe has ever existed. None. None whatsoever.
There's plenty of evidence. Do you mean any that you'd be willing to look at?
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However, as I've said many times before, I can certainly understand a person looking at the complexity and diversity of ife on Earth and the grandeur and mystery of the Universe and concluding that there must be some kind of God or Creator or some type of imaginative, intelligent being or force behind it all. I can understand some people declaring that evidence enough for them.
The existence of the universe is the best argument I know of for the existence of God. That's one proof. But if you're closed-minded enough to not consider it, not much I can do.
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It may be that it is the case that there's a god. Whether or not god(s) exist is simply more than any human knows, and there isn't any evidence that it/they actually exist.
I don't know what to think of them. Again, I voted no. They don't torque me because they've never pushed me and the few I've known mind their own business. That thing about 144,000 is bothersome, so why bother? P-A-R-T-Y! The thing about birthdays is weird, too. Why turn down a cake with your choice of flavor at work when your b-day comes around? Make mine chocolate with strawberry filling. I think there are some teachings and ways to process things which differ from the standard New Testament, so I say no.
I believe so as well, I myself am non-denom, though not of the overzealous sort that some associate non-denom churches with.
I am not a fan of any group that has their own "take" on the Bible. It is there written, not to be changed, so to do so in my opinion pushes you further from Christ.
So no, I do not think the JW are true Christians, same as I feel that Catholics are not either. When you are part of a governing religious body that has you doing things that the Bible says you should not, you should run, fast.
Just my humble opinion.
Non-denominationals have their own take on the Bible as well.
Don't most denominations have clergy or the governing body to regulate them like the Catholics (Vatican), JWs (Watchtower), and Baptists and Methodists by their own associations? That's the main reason why non-denominations are more popular right now where people can have a more personal relationship with God.
Ignorant comment. Jesus started ONE church. Do you go there?
There's plenty of evidence. Do you mean any that you'd be willing to look at?
I'm willing to look at any evidence you care to show me that
1. A god or gods actually exist.
2. The god named Yahweh is the one real true god.
Please, feel free to show me any evidence whatsoever. I mean evidence--not "Look at how complex the human eye is! It must have been designed by some intelligent being or force!" That is not evidence.
Also, anything that begins with "The Bible says..." or "According to The Bible..." is obviously not evidence either.
Real evidence. Show me. Believe me, I am open minded enough that I would be more fascinated than anyone else if someone could provide some evidence of the existence of a god or gods.
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The existence of the universe is the best argument I know of for the existence of God.
That is unfortunate because, while I said I understand a person looking at the universe and seeing the work of some kind of god there, it most certainly is not evidence that there was anything supernatural, magical or connected to any kind of invisible deity whatsoever.
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That's one proof.
Nonsense. It's not "proof" of any kind whatsoever. The only thing it is proof if is that it is.
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But if you're closed-minded enough to not consider it, not much I can do.
As I've said many times, I do consider it and have considered it and understand other people accepting the fact that we are here and the universe exists as evidence or proofof a god. But it's not. The simple fact there is life on Earth and the universe exists is in no way evidence or proof of any kind that there is a god, much less any kind of proof that the god named Yahweh is real and created us as put forth in the creation myths in The Book of Genesis. That's ridiculous.
Just as the fact that earthquakes and volcanoes and eclipses happen and ancient peoples attributed them to gods and demons and angels, etc. doesn't mean in any way that because those events take place, there are gods or angels or demons behind them. That's just ignorance.
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He has told us he exists.
Wrong. No god ever dreamed up by any human has ever spoken to anyone. All we have are ancient stories.
You know, in the ancient Hindu scriptures, gods talk to humans all the time. If you are going to make the groundless claim that Yahweh spoke to ancient Hebrews, how can you possibly say that Vishnu or Shiva didn't talk to humans as written of in their lore and holy texts?
Jehovah's Witnesses have always accepted Jesus as our savior...God's anointed son...the prophesied messiah.
Praise the Lord! --- Having been down this road before, however, I'm compelled to ask: Are you referring to the Jesus Christ of whom the Bible declares to be "fully God and fully man", God incarnate (God in the flesh) .... or some other Jesus Christ?
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