west@sdcsla.UUCP (12/15/83)
<<<void in Utah>>> Dave Norris (uw-beaver!ssc-vax!david) commented: There are a plethora of religions today which profess to be Christian religions, when it is plain that they are not. Comparing the old Gnostics to Christianity is, I think, dangerous; It is easy to find numerous texts that point out Gnostic errors. I certainly wouldn't want to try to defend the Inquisition, who believed they were Christians carrying out the will of God, when any fool even only slightly versed in New Testament Scripture could see otherwise. -------- end quote --- It may be plain to you that those (sub)religions are not Christian, but perhaps to no one else. I don't suppose you've spoken to any sort of "Ultimate Authority" about this, have you? Funny that those carrying out the Inquisition couldn't see themselves as fools... perhaps they just never stopped to doubt... [hint hint]. Later, you suggest that: If we can stick to Christianity's roots (that is, the Bible Itself) we can find a complete definition; after all, most of the Author's quotes can be found there. -------- end 2nd quote --- The Bible is, after all, at best a record of events, and a record which has suffered from heavy editing and errors in transcription, etc. (Or do you feel that the mistakes and revisions were divinely inspired?) And I don't see why you consider it a complete definition. It's more like a journal than anything. But more to the point, why on earth would you believe that this is plainly understood by anyone? Need I point out the huge range of opinions on many major issues in current Christianity? -- Larry West UC San Diego possible net addresses: -- ARPA: west@NPRDC -- UUCP: ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdcsla!west -- or ucbvax:sdcsvax:sdcsla:west