(November 22, 2009 at 6:56 am)fr0d0 Wrote: That you are 'saved' or get to life life to the full.
Yes, but how do you have to behave to be saved? What do you have to do? Ideas vary enormously. Catholics believe that good deeds are counted, others that they are not. (The new testament says both).
Calvinists believe that you are either pre-chosen, or not; nothing you do can make any difference. Others say you can only be saved by grace if god does it for you, others that you can choose faith by yourself.
Catholics say that you can only be saved through the sacraments of the church administered by a valid priest (extra ecclesiam nulla salus), protestants basically need no priest for salvation.
These are enormous, vital differences. If I were a christian, I should want to be pretty darn sure I'd got it right, otherwise I could waste my whole life on god and still be damned.
Only sheep need a shepherd.