Hello to All Posters!

[RND]

Hello to all posters!

My name is David and I'm from Victorville, California, about 90 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

I am a Seventh-day Adventist Christian that believes in the Godhead of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

I'm looking to have some lively yet extremely respectful debates and information exchange. I'm sure I'll get to know many of you in a good way and make many new friends.

Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD:

Shema!

[McCulloch]

And to answer your question as succinctly as possible: The Love, Mercy, Grace, Kindness and Caring of the one true God of Heaven and Earth, His Son and His Holy Spirit.

That's what is special about my religion.

That's absolutely amazing! No other religion has that. In the whole confusing chaos of nominally Christian churches, sects and denominations, none of them make mention of God's mercy and grace. They universally ignore love and kindness. They all reject the One True God of Heaven and Earth. None of them follow the Son of God or the Holy Spirit. Where have you been hiding all this time?

[RND]

That's absolutely amazing! No other religion has that. In the whole confusing chaos of nominally Christian churches, sects and denominations, none of them make mention of God's mercy and grace. They universally ignore love and kindness. They all reject the One True God of Heaven and Earth. None of them follow the Son of God or the Holy Spirit. Where have you been hiding all this time?

McCulloch I can't tell if you are being genuine or sarcastic. So I'll just ask. Are you being serious here?

[McCulloch]

That's absolutely amazing! No other religion has that. In the whole confusing chaos of nominally Christian churches, sects and denominations, none of them make mention of God's mercy and grace. They universally ignore love and kindness. They all reject the One True God of Heaven and Earth. None of them follow the Son of God or the Holy Spirit. Where have you been hiding all this time?

McCulloch I can't tell if you are being genuine or sarcastic. So I'll just ask. Are you being serious here?

I'm sorry. I forgot the [sarcasm][/sarcasm] tags.

You were asked about what you considered special about your chosen religion which you had identified as being Seventh-day Adventist Christian.

Your answer floored me.

The Love, Mercy, Grace, Kindness and Caring of the one true God of Heaven and Earth, His Son and His Holy Spirit.

That's what is special about my religion.

Every church that I have ever been associated with, had attended or had any dealings with would answer that they preach, practice and believe in God's love, mercy, grace, kindness and caring. Without exception, they all believe that they worship the One True God of Heaven and Earth, along with His Son and the Holy Spirit. I fail to see how you can say that making these claims is what is special about your chosen religion.

[RND]

I'm sorry. I forgot the [sarcasm][/sarcasm] tags.

Evidently.

You were asked about what you considered special about your chosen religion which you had identified as being Seventh-day Adventist Christian.

I was.

Your answer floored me.

The Love, Mercy, Grace, Kindness and Caring of the one true God of Heaven and Earth, His Son and His Holy Spirit.

I did say that.

Every church that I have ever been associated with, had attended or had any dealings with would answer that they preach, practice and believe in God's love, mercy, grace, kindness and caring. Without exception, they all believe that they worship the One True God of Heaven and Earth, along with His Son and the Holy Spirit. I fail to see how you can say that making these claims is what is special about your chosen religion.

McColloch, do you understand the difference between a "denominational" belief and a "religion?"

In the Fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist church you will find the general explanation of the "Christian Religion."

I am a Seventh-day Adventist by denomination I am a Christian by faith. Your attempt at sarcasm was only missed in your failure to read with understanding.

[/quote]

[McCulloch]

McCulloch, do you understand the difference between a "denominational" belief and a "religion?"

No, I don't. The taxonomy of religion and religious beliefs is far too complex for me to try to keep straight.

In the Fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist church you will find the general explanation of the "Christian Religion."

I am a Seventh-day Adventist by denomination I am a Christian by faith. Your attempt at sarcasm was only missed in your failure to read with understanding.

So the list of positive attributes applies to your religion of Christianity. In context, I think that the original question from Zzyzx was meant to query what was special about being Seventh-day Adventist rather than what is special about Christianity in general.

[RND]

No, I don't. The taxonomy of religion and religious beliefs is far too complex for me to try to keep straight.

May I suggest a dictionary then?


Main Entry:
de·nom·i·na·tion
Pronunciation:
\di-ˌnä-mə-ˈn�-shən\
Function:
noun
Date:
15th century

1: an act of denominating
2: a value or size of a series of values or sizes (as of money)
3: name , designation ; especially : a general name for a category
4: a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices


Main Entry:
re·li·gion
Pronunciation:
\ri-ˈli-jən\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English religioun, from Anglo-French religiun, Latin religion-, religio supernatural constraint, sanction, religious practice, perhaps from religare to restrain, tie back — more at rely
Date:
13th century

1 a: the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion> b (1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness
4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

So the list of positive attributes applies to your religion of Christianity. In context, I think that the original question from Zzyzx was meant to query what was special about being Seventh-day Adventist rather than what is special about Christianity in general.

That might explain then why I presented the 28 Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist church for his consumption.....and your apparent "lost" sarcasm.

[McCulloch]

No, I don't. The taxonomy of religion and religious beliefs is far too complex for me to try to keep straight.

May I suggest a dictionary then?

I can read and use the dictionary. My problem is with the difficulties with religious taxonomy. Are trinitarian and non-trinitarian Christians different religions or just a division within one religion?

[RND]

No, I don't. The taxonomy of religion and religious beliefs is far too complex for me to try to keep straight.

May I suggest a dictionary then?

I can read and use the dictionary. My problem is with the difficulties with religious taxonomy. Are trinitarian and non-trinitarian Christians different religions or just a division within one religion?

I'm sorry, I thought you were looking for an overall generality, my bad.

Man, what a difficult and heavy category you've chosen to explore. First off, I can really only speak for myself in that I have -zero- authority in this case. I don't consider myself a "trinitarian" frankly but I believe in the Godhead of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Trinitarian can lead to all sorts of theocratic problems because some identify the Mother of Christ as part of the Trinity.

But, off to you point. Whether one believes in the "Godhead" or not my understanding is that as long as the confess the name of Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God they are saved. Hence, that would make them Christian.

[McCulloch]

I don't consider myself a "trinitarian" frankly but I believe in the Godhead of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Trinitarian can lead to all sorts of theocratic problems because some identify the Mother of Christ as part of the Trinity.

But, off to you point. Whether one believes in the "Godhead" or not my understanding is that as long as the confess the name of Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God they are saved. Hence, that would make them Christian.

Your turn for the dictionary.

Trinâ‹…iâ‹…tarâ‹…iâ‹…an
–adjective
1. believing in or adhering to the doctrine of the Trinity.

Trinâ‹…iâ‹…ty
1. the union of three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) in one Godhead, or the threefold personality of the one Divine Being.

[RND]

I don't consider myself a "trinitarian" frankly but I believe in the Godhead of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Trinitarian can lead to all sorts of theocratic problems because some identify the Mother of Christ as part of the Trinity.

But, off to you point. Whether one believes in the "Godhead" or not my understanding is that as long as the confess the name of Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God they are saved. Hence, that would make them Christian.

Your turn for the dictionary.

Trinâ‹…iâ‹…tarâ‹…iâ‹…an
–adjective
1. believing in or adhering to the doctrine of the Trinity.

Trinâ‹…iâ‹…ty
1. the union of three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) in one Godhead, or the threefold personality of the one Divine Being.

Others may consider themselves a "trinitarian" and that's just fine. I'm a believer in the "Godhead." BTW, did you notice this in the definition you provided: "the union of three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) in one Godhead."