(June 20, 2015 at 9:58 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: These kinds of fundamental differences on the basics of your religion is why there are over 40,000 sects of Christianity alone, and one of the reasons why we scoff at the idea that any particular flavor is actually the right one. That there is so much difference in opinion on how the trinity works, how god judges (good works more important than belief and obedience?), the nature of hell, etc. really only highlights how vague the source material actually is.
Kevin-
You make an excellent point...one I am accustomed to arguing about with Protestants in another forum
Jesus only promised to build one Church upon Peter, the Rock (cf. Mt. 16:18-19)
And with the exception of the Orthodox (who separated themselves from full communion with Rome for political reasons in the 13th century) and a smattering of heretical groups which were condemned at various Church councils down through the centuries, there was only one Christian Church, the Catholic Church for 1500 years.
Then Martin Luther proposed a number of theological novelties including the doctrine of sola scriptura (the Bible Alone) and the absolute right to private judgment (about what the meaning of scripture really was). And with that, Protestantism was off and running. Even within Luther's lifetime, he bemoaned the explosion of denominations that sprang up in the absence of God-given authority embodied in the magisterium of the Catholic Church.
So, it's not that the true Church is fragmented; it's that those who separated themselves from the true Church have continued to splinter to the almost unbelievable degree to which you made reference.
