Protestantism

[Robbie]

Is that really addressed to NS?   I have followed the opposite trajectory in my life - in my yoof, I was well into all kinds of daft spiritual stuff, but latterly, I see the natural world as my home, and that's good enough.

But the physical dies.  Isn't that a big problem for many religious?

We in the Western world don't place that much emphasis on it,many were like you being into all sorts of spiritual stuff & political ideas(me included) and then setted down to a conventional life.

Others always crave something else.

Your last sentence about physical death. I don't see it as a problem& don't know many who do but can't speak for others.  I don't see the need for it to be a problem except the natural human fear of the unknown & not wanting to leave what we're used to.Not everyone experiences that but it's understandable some do.

[Nearly Sane]

That is an aim common to many religions NS. Hindus particularly emphasise gradually becoming less wordly so that, in old age, there is a deeper spirituality, calmness and worldly possessions (tho'maybe not wordly comforts  , mean little.

Christians too try to be 'in the world but not of the world' but there's less emphasis in mainstream churches& some people are better at & make more of a point of it than others.

We all have to live in the here and now while we're here though.

Religious communities like Iona as mentioned provide valuable time out from the everyday world which can be refreshing.

Err what has this to do with me or my post on the thread??

[wigginhall]

On the contrary, we believe that in Christ God became flesh. Indeed, that is the main reason why we believe that the OT ban on images no longer applies, hence the use of icons etc. They confirm to us that God became man.

So God, who is invisible, is revealed in Christ, who is invisible. 

[Anchorman]

That is an aim common to many religions NS. Hindus particularly emphasise gradually becoming less wordly so that, in old age, there is a deeper spirituality, calmness and worldly possessions (tho'maybe not wordly comforts  , mean little.

Christians too try to be 'in the world but not of the world' but there's less emphasis in mainstream churches& some people are better at & make more of a point of it than others.

We all have to live in the here and now while we're here though.

Religious communities like Iona as mentioned provide valuable time out from the everyday world which can be refreshing.

-
Yes, Iona 'does spiritual stuff', Robinson - and our worship accentuates our connection with this created earth - but that goes hand in hand with action as well - drug rehab, work with the homeless, asylum seekers, released prisoners, etc - "the least, the last and the lost".
Just spending time in worship and praise might be OK for a week or so, but the community tries to be a lot more than that!

[ad_orientem]

So God, who is invisible, is revealed in Christ, who is invisible.

Er, where did you get that from? Christ is not invisible. That is the nature of taking on flesh. I would have thought that was obvious.

[wigginhall]

Er, where did you get that from? Christ is not invisible. That is the nature of taking on flesh. I would have thought that was obvious.

So where is he?

[ad_orientem]

So where is he?

At the righthand of the Father ruling his kingdom, as foretold by the Psalmist and seen by the likes of St. Stephen Protomartyr.

[Shaker]

At the righthand of the Father ruling his kingdom, as foretold by the Psalmist and seen by the likes of St. Stephen Protomartyr.

Pretty well the absolutely perfect definition of invisible after all, then  We could have got there a lot sooner without all the St Stephen Proton Palmistry twaddle, but that's always been your bag whichever ugly and obnoxious absolute truth and god's final dispensation you've adhered to this particular month, so hey ho; more of the same old same old, last year, this year, next year, yadda yadda yadda, what the fuck ever.

[ad_orientem]

Zzzzzz!. You've crawled out of your pit, I see.

[Shaker]

I wish I could say the same of you ... whichever pit of absolute truth and god's immutable doctrine it happens to be this month, last month, next month, whichever pair of socks it is this time round.

[ippy]

A good demonstration of the complete nonsense of religious belief, discussing things you can't see or produce any evidence that any of its magical, mystical or superstion based parts are worthy of any serious consideration.

Without the magical, mystical or superstition based parts, their's not much left, why bother apart from the social side of the regular reinforcement meetings, in the mildest of terms, it's a bit of an empty collection of ideas, all in the mind.

ippy

[Sassy]

This is Protestantism in a nutshell. It is essentially gnostic and iconoclast. It removes anything physical from its so-called praise, including the creation which God himself created. They should just be honest, go all out and start believing in the demiurge.

You mean it does not worship the creation it worships by thanking the creator?

AO, one day you are going to get an awful shock when Christ tells you, " It was do as I did, not make it up as you go along."

[torridon]

Zzzzzz!. You've crawled out of your pit, I see.

ad hom, the only recourse of people who cannot put up a reasoned argument.

Says it all.

[ad_orientem]

You mean it does not worship the creation it worships by thanking the creator?

AO, one day you are going to get an awful shock when Christ tells you, " It was do as I did, not make it up as you go along."

Eh? You're talking gobbledegook again.

[Shaker]

Eh? You're talking gobbledegook again.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[floo]

You mean it does not worship the creation it worships by thanking the creator?

AO, one day you are going to get an awful shock when Christ tells you, " It was do as I did, not make it up as you go along."

You will be standing beside ad-o, if that is the case, both being told the same thing!

[Rhiannon]

Protestants did that too. Or do you deny it?

Neverthless, the point of this thread was Protestantism's inherent gnostism and iconoclasm, for it seems to neglect the very creation God himself made from its praise.

Isn't praising creation worshipping the created and not the creator? What's the correct term for that? Idolatry? Paganism?

[ad_orientem]

Isn't praising creation worshipping the created and not the creator? What's the correct term for that? Idolatry? Paganism?

Not worshipping creation, rather creation joins in our worship of the creator.

[Rhiannon]

Not worshipping creation, rather creation joins in our worship of the creator.

Oh, so you're an animist.

[ad_orientem]

Oh, so you're an animist.

Nice try but it won't work. Rather lame, if you ask me.

[Rhiannon]

Nice try but it won't work. Rather lame, if you ask me.

So why isn't it animist?

[ad_orientem]

So why isn't it animist?

Because animism sees all things, even inanimate objects, as spiritually alive. I'm saying that God works through his creation and that creation points to its creator. We therefore incorporate that into our worship.

[Rhiannon]

Because animism sees all things, even inanimate objects, as spiritually alive. I'm saying that God not only orks through his creation but that creation points to its creator.

But if creation praises the creator, as you claim, then it has to have some kind of animating spirit.

[ad_orientem]

But if creation praises the creator, as you claim, then it has to have some kind of animating spirit.

No. It points to creatore because the creator made it that way: the seasons, the rising sun which is an icon of the risen Christ etc.

[Robbie]

It sounds very beautiful ad_o & i can see how attractive it is but it;s not necessary for salvation, i dont think any Christian group believes that.

You have committed to the Orthodox church,well and good, but there's nothing wrong with other ways of expressing the Christian faith (except for people who don't believe in it at all& would say it's all bunkum but i'm not addressing them).