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@Chinocorleone13 Persecute the Christians and you will see the cooperation you ask about.
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Because when a religion focuses on "belief", then they tend to consider intellectual assent to be central. If the intellect is central, then the doctrine becomes more and more specific over time. The Protestant Reformation caused a stretching of this (after wars and centuries), but the habit of narrowly defining doctrine is a habit that is hard to break.
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Because when a religion focuses on "belief", then they tend to consider intellectual assent to be central. If the intellect is central, then the doctrine becomes more and more specific over time. The Protestant Reformation caused a stretching of this (after wars and centuries), but the habit of narrowly defining doctrine is a habit that is hard to break.
Many Christians feel that doctrine has become a burden, and it must be lightened. However, now the question becomes WHICH doctrines should be considered less significant? That's the stage Christianity is going though now, and it is a difficult process. Suppose someone took your most prized values and said, "That's not so important." It just doesn't feel good.
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The only perfect Christian was Jesus. The rest of us, thankful for His forgiveness.
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The thing is while all Christians worship the same god they do not all hold the same beliefs. Take Messianic Jews for example they believe that Yesuah(Jesus) was and is GODs greatest prophet but he was not necessarily the Messiah. They read the the Jewish Torah and the Christian Bible but hold different beliefs from me. I for example believe all three of the Holy books who am I to say any of the 'historical' information in them is incorrect. I use the word historical like that because although they are a historical text but it may be 10% fiction or more. To me the holy books are books written by man however the next Christian or other believer may not look at it that way. The way i look at it is that I believe what I believe because I choose to do so, and no man can change my mind.
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They often can. Divisions causing the different denomination are generally for disagreements about smaller theological differences, which aren't hugely impacting on their faith. As long as they're Christians - literally 'Christ-Followers' - they usually get along. As for working together - a few years ago here in Australia there was an interdenominational ad campaign called 'Jesus, All About Life' running. It was a really cool thing to see loads of bumper stickers and tv ads all proclaiming the name of Jesus!
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I'd like to think that the reason is because there is a God for the Christians, and "He" knows how dangerous they would be if they ever united for a common cause.
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worshiping the same God has nothing to do with getting along with other fellow christians. you can be a christian and be a jerk or a s**t or an a*s. not every person carries their religious values on the same plane as their social values.
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I agree with ashleyjw. Recently, I attended mass at a friend's Roman Catholic Church after passing a Methodist Church and subsequently a Baptist Church. Catching myself wondering what was going inside the Baptist Church, I actually wanted to enter but stopped myself because I am neither a Baptist or a Methodist. I am a practicing Roman Catholic...
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I agree with ashleyjw. Recently, I attended mass at a friend's Roman Catholic Church after passing a Methodist Church and subsequently a Baptist Church. Catching myself wondering what was going inside the Baptist Church, I actually wanted to enter but stopped myself because I am neither a Baptist or a Methodist. I am a practicing Roman Catholic...
However, this fact did not stop me when I entered a mosque this summer to dispel many stereotypes I held against Muslims and the Islamic religion.
My answer to putting aside our theological differences and cooperating actively with one another is: relationships.
We do not form relationships as interdenominational faiths, therefore, we do not posses a reason to care about that other denomination and what we do or do not have in common. This, ironically, hinders the spread of Christianity as we road block one another.
Although I am a Christian - a practicing Roman Catholic - I sat down at my Christian university and heard a sermon on why being Catholic is not a 'real religion.' Point blank, we tear each other down instead of lifting each other up!
The solution is tolerance. I have not left that university because of the relationships I have formed among my peers; I attended the mosque because of a former Christian friend of mine who is still my best friend; and I am still a practicing Roman Catholic despite what the President of our university preached my freshman year in college because of the fact I am a cradle Catholic confirmed in her faith. BOOM! Keep it real.
It takes courage to step across into territory that is unknown, and I know it’s hard. I know the first thought that popped into my head as I passed that Methodist and Baptist Church was 'what would my friends think of me?' And I let straight-up vanity get in the way of a perfectly good opportunity to learn about the Baptist faith (which I know little about) and the Methodist faith (which I practically know nothing about).
What divides us alludes me, so how will I understand my Methodist and Baptist Christian brothers and sisters, forming relationships together that could change us both for the better? I know after visiting that mosque my virtues as a Christian - and as a general human being - were affirmed and strengthened. Catholic means universal after all, so it should be no surprise the virtues and moral ethics that we had in common... but the fact that it did surprise me was the scary part. I actually believed we were so radically different. Shame on me…
If you remember anything from what I just said, remember this:
"Life is a gift, you just have to unravel the ribbon," Unknown. Unravel the ribbon with courage in one hand and tolerance in the other. That is my answer - you'd be surprised by what you find out, but that's also the best part.
Have enough tolerance to strike up a relationship with a person from another denomination, although it might be risky to your social status.
Have the courage to act on that relationship fruitfully, asking questions - learning from one another and again, having the courage to share the knowledge we gain together with our respectable communities.
And this will lead Christianity as a whole (interdenominational-ly) into a brighter future.
Game Plan:
Risk. Act. Lead.
Tools:
You left and right hand: courage and tolerance.
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This was the heart of the message of the Taize conference in Chicago. I was lucky enough to be able to attend! One of the sermons that really "got" me was given by one of the Taize Brothers. He said if we are all followers of Christ that are called to be in fellowship with one another, why is that there is a Baptist church and a Methodist church on the same street, in the same town yet neither church speaks with one another? Don't get me wrong, I love my denomination, but sometimes Christian denominations focus in on what makes them different, rather than what makes them the same ( which is Jesus!). I never realized that until that Taize Brother sermonized on it.
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This was the heart of the message of the Taize conference in Chicago. I was lucky enough to be able to attend! One of the sermons that really "got" me was given by one of the Taize Brothers. He said if we are all followers of Christ that are called to be in fellowship with one another, why is that there is a Baptist church and a Methodist church on the same street, in the same town yet neither church speaks with one another? Don't get me wrong, I love my denomination, but sometimes Christian denominations focus in on what makes them different, rather than what makes them the same ( which is Jesus!). I never realized that until that Taize Brother sermonized on it.
The Taize conference was really inspiring for me. I worshiped with Baptists, Methodists, Catholic nuns, Taize monks and we were all drawn together by the same thing: a genuine interest in the life and teachings of Christ.
If you don't know what Taize is, I suggest looking it up. It's a really interesting, inspiring take on what it means to be a Christian. http://www.taize.fr/en_article14013.html
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Because 'Christian' was a term coined by the Romans. The actual church called themselves 'followers of the way' or simply 'disciples' of Jesus. The point being, all Christians do not worship the same god. Many lose sight of the message of the Christ and get their heads stuck up their man-made dogma. Hence the fighting and the absence of love.
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As a Christian, I wholeheartedly agree! But A LOT do. And those that don't aren't being very good Christians ;)
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It basically comes down to the leadership. Martin Luther wasn't setting up a new sect, he was just asking the Pope and the other leaders of Catholicism, at that time just called Christianity because their were no sects, about the Christian views and if they should be changed, not that they weren't the true leaders of his faith. This led to other people, who felt the same way but didn't have the stones to bring up those questions, to start saying that they were being misled, which then led to the Protestant sect. This split triggered the breaking off of all the other sects that we have today, and though they all believe in the same thing, they wont admit it because they don't want to start following a guy who they have believed for their whole life to be wrong.
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As some other responders have said, I think there is actually a fair amount of cooperation with each other. e.g. although there are many different conservative denominations they tend to act as a voting block in elections. Habitat for Humanity was founded by Christians working together (although it's open to participation by anyone, of course). Growing up in a conservative church, though, I can say that a critical issue is the notion of having to "get it exactly right" in order to go to Heaven. So if I believe adult baptism by immersion is the only thing that God accepts for the forgiveness of sins, then the Christians who believe infant baptism by sprinkling are in danger of going to Hell. I know it sounds crazy to outsiders, and I believe that to some extent this kind of thinking may be diminishing, but that's really the kind of thing than divides denominations. For what it's worth, though, the church I go to now, the United Church of Christ, was formed by some denominations combining to create a stronger community. Our particular congregation has often worked with other denominations and faiths. One time we even had an amazing Sunday service where our Christian pastor, a Jewish rabbi and a Muslim imam spoke on their faith's take on the Golden Rule.
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Do all worship the same God? I'm not so sure about that. Is there not a confusion surround God and the son of god?
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Do all worship the same God? I'm not so sure about that. Is there not a confusion surround God and the son of god?
The differences that caused denominations are centered around dogmas and hierarchies and not so much the god concept. As with every other religion, there are sects that divide because of misrepresentation, misinterpretation and dogmas. Every religious person is a religious skeptic - they don't agree with each other.
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