If you want to know what another denomination teaches

Well said GB, I wish I had said it first. The truth to this matter is that in order to refute or disagree with their doctrine you must first know what they believe. You can find that out in a myriad of ways as has already been pointed out. In the final analysis it all must be measured against Biblical truth, not church creeds and preferences.

 

While former members do provide good insight, sometimes I find they can be significantly less objective than outsiders who do not have as much emotional investment in proving their former group wrong.

Excellent points by CBTS and C4K.

 

Trust me, GD. Former members know much more about what goes on in their church than "objective" outsiders.

How can outsiders be objective about something they don't know about?

craig said "Let’s not forget that both the Roman Catholics and the Baptists believe the same orthodox fundamentals but use very different terminology to express those fundamentals. And let’s not forget that both the Roman Catholics and the Baptists have heaped upon themselves new and novel doctrines that were unknown for the first three centuries or longer and therefore could not possibly be Biblical teachings."

Neither of those statements are true.

MR

 

Some baptists seem to have no problem making what they percieve to be objective statements about groups they are not members of, have never been members of and have never read anything written by members of. I would ask them.

 

And you know this because ... ? Strong statement ... where's your proof?

 

Please cite those Baptist doctrines along with the biblical proof that they are new or novel.

 

Please cite those Baptist doctrines along with the biblical proof that they are new or novel. </font>[/QUOTE]I have done that already many times in many different threads.

</font>[/QUOTE]Point to them. Forgive me for not being dedicated fan eagerly anticipating every word of wisdom you offer....

 

You should study their writings and official documents carefully, prayerfully, and objectively. Unfortunatly, some Baptist ministers do not do this. Since I became a member of a Baptist church 14 years ago, I have heard Baptist ministers on the air and at church a few times misrepresent what other denominations believe and then criticize them for it. Having been in other denominations years ago, this misinformation is apparent to me.

This is not to say the ministers intend to not tell the truth. They have heard this so much over the years that they themselves believe it.
The main problem is that they tend to group other denominations into one group rather than search out what the actual different beliefs are.

I once challanged one old retired Baptist minister on such an issue he was speaking about. It had to do with sanctification. He said 60 years ago he was talking to two young ministers from West Virginia and that is what they believed. He didn't know what denomination they were from. Yet he assumed that all denominations with other beliefs similiar to the two young preachers, had this belief. I have great respect for that old retired minister and his integrity. He just never bothered to checked it out.

Unforunately, most people in churches believe what they are told and the bad information is passed on.

One of the things I love about the BB is that the type of people that post here have usually checked out their information. If not, they soon get informed by someone.

This BB has really been a help and inspiriation to me. Thanks.

drfuss

 

Yes,Craig. Please point out what unbiblical doctrines the Baptists have invented.

MR

 

JackRUS: //How long were you a Catholic Craig, and what sense of pride
leads you always to conclude that your method of acquiring
knowledge always trumps everyone else on this board?//

Though this question is made to sliver your nemesis (as a
FLASH DARK - projecting darkness into the light) instead of
producing an instructive answer, I have a Baptist answer.

While 'pride' is the wrong word (and should have been edited out
of your writing before posting IAW the rules), part of the question
is valid:
What leads you to conclude that your method of acquiring
knowledge always trumps everyone else on this board?

The answer is the twin Baptist Doctrines (almost distinctives):
1. The Priesthood of the Believer
2. Soul Competency

1. The Priesthood of the Believer teaches,
You may interact with God personally with the only mediator
being Jesus, The Living Lord and Savior.

2. Soul Competency teaches,
You MUST interact with God personally.
This is especially true when you are receiving instruction
in righteousness from God's Inerrant Written Word, the Holy
Bible.

Thus Brother Craigbythesea has a 'method of acquiring knowledge'
that always trumps everyone else on this board for Craigbythesea.
But let me say this before I leave: I'd rather hear what Craigbythesea,
who is on the BB (Baptist Board), says about his findings in God's
Holy Bible than all the sayings of all the religious quacks i've seen
on TV (prophets for profit, you kinow) put together.

Mcdirector: //I believe, to examine another denomination (or lots of other things
for that matter), that you have to read things pro and con
You have to read things in light of what the scripture says -- no
in light of any preconceived notions you've got. You have to read
the preface and the sidebars. You've got to get a big picture
This would mean that several sources would have to be purused.//

Amen, Sibling Mcdirector -- Preach it!

BTW, I've been a Christian for 54 years come April and my body is
even older than that Here are some denominations i've studied
(they are listed in the order from most to least). NOT included
is various and sundry groups called 'Baptist' cause IR1;
not included is various and sundry groups called 'Community'
or 'Interdominational' cause I don't know which denomination
they are.
Those for which i've attended services are starred (*).
Those which think I'm LOST are marked with a pound sign (#)

1. * # Seventh Day Adventist (SDA)
2. # Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS, also 'Mormon')
3. # THE WORLD TOMORROW was their 'zine
4. * # Roman Catholic Church (RCC)
5. * # Church of Christ (CoC)
6. * Assembly of God
7. # Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (R-LDS)
8. * African Methodist Episcopal (AME)
9. * Pentecostal Holiness
10. * Presbyterian
11. * Harvest Time Tabernacle

 

And you know this because ... ? Strong statement ... where's your proof? </font>[/QUOTE]I heard it stated when I was in seminary and by former Mormons. It is rather well known by those who deal with cults.

 

Huh??? Most of the time I see hate mail from believer to believer, it's Baptist to Baptist. I can't think of a single instance when I've seen hate mail from other denominations.

But, to answer the question of the OP, of course, we should prayerfully, and objectively study and learn about the whole (not a snippet) of other denoms teach. Note the word objectively as well as prayerfully.

You'll find, though, that there is no shortage of Baptists who think themselves experts on all denoms, who see no reason for learning anything about any other denom, who condemn said denoms, and who believe objectivity is unnecessary for condemnation of said denoms.

There is also plenty of tripe and falseity. There is no shortage of websites that claim Billy Graham and D James Kennedy are Masons.

 

Please cite those Baptist doctrines along with the biblical proof that they are new or novel. </font>[/QUOTE]I have done that already many times in many different threads.

</font>[/QUOTE]Point to them. Forgive me for not being dedicated fan eagerly anticipating every word of wisdom you offer.... </font>[/QUOTE]I apologize for getting snippy but my request was genuine. I have not seen you post anything to justify your having lumped Baptists and Catholics together... much less that "Baptists" have developed new or novel doctrines.

And I still haven't seen any since you seem to want to avoid giving proof. A simple list would be fine... and since Baptists tend to be diverse on fine points, just stick with fundamentals as expressed in a widely accepted statement of faith or Baptist confession.

 

And you know this because ... ? Strong statement ... where's your proof? </font>[/QUOTE]I heard it stated when I was in seminary and by former Mormons. It is rather well known by those who deal with cults. </font>[/QUOTE]Passed on information is not proof. We can agree to disagree on this point, until there is proof.

 

I disagree with all of you. The Mormon movement is one of the LARGEST denominations in the USA. People have become Mormons from ALL walks of life and religious denominations. Why? Because Mormons do what evangelical churches fail to do. They go door to door and share their church message and sell their religion this way. It is VERY effective.

It truly amazes me how people can believe that Joe Smith found a so called gold tablet, translated the writing from ancient Hebrew into the King James vernacular using his "special spectacles"? This is better than Harry Potter. Especially, when this so called tablet doesn't even exist today to be examined.

But many of their teachings really are bizarre. Such as God was once a MAN and we all will eventually become Gods, Lording over one's own planet. Darth Vader never was so lucky. How people can swallow this stuff REALLY amazes me.