Why is there such a great schism within the Christian faith, with over 36,000 sects of different viewpoint?

Question

Over 36,000 registered Christian sects in the United States alone. Why the disagreement? Is this just 'Cafeteria Christianity' I.e. selective beliefs, or is there something much deeper and more damaging than that?

I understand that there will be varying degrees of viewpoint, but if the Bible, scriptures, and historical evidence you claim is oh-so clear, then to have so many branches to the faith would seem illogical for one that claims to have evidential supremacy.

I do not mean to be disrespectful to Christians here, I will outline that I am an atheist and do not intend to attack Christianity, I grew up in a practicing Christian household; however, what I find trouble with in Christianity (let alone the problem of other religions with their own numerous sects of belief claiming they are 'correct'), is that there is so much infighting in regards to every aspect of the Christian faith.

Additional Details

The constant inability to read, nay offer a logical answer, from many members of the R&S community astounds me. The point is, for a faith that as a whole represented by lobbies, charity groups, various church networks, and other inter-religious organizations, has claim to being the largest followed faith on the planet and one of being evidently correct (regardless of dispute from outside -- that is not the issue here), there wouldn't be so much infighting if either it was i) Conjoined into the a smaller established network, or ii) Was as clear as it oft claims.

It's not really a sky-high attempt at reasoning though, is it? We apply the same reasoning in every day life. You still misunderstand, and offering a handful of wasteful apathetic opinions as to the differentials between Christian and 'un-' is not really addressing the issue of the great schism, considering your view point is one amongst many unagreeable. The issue is not about 'un-' / Christian, it is about the schism that drives the faith apart. Please, stay on topic, only the asinine mind of a child has such tendencies to wander, and I don't believe you are one.

And again, and I shall word it a little clearer this time, you precede your answer with the question itself. Not an answer, but diatribe, as to why I addressed the wandering gaze of the minds eye in an attempt to lock you back into discussion, one attempt that was obviously misjudged by the 'askee' (form of neologism, of course) given the already limited variability of the answerer. Regardless, thank you very much for your point of view.

By all means do save it; but do not shove your inability to understand or otherwise deduce the meaning of what is, to be frank with you, rather simple English, into the palms of others. It is such reduction fallacy, as well as education (or therein lack of).

Although on the other end of the scale; I do find the abhorrent and frequent use of fallacy from straw man, to guilt by association, to the array of reductions used rather laughable, as well as the total inability to digest basic English (nay us forget mixed in with a good peppering of failure to address the issue, although rather well described by the diversionary fallacy as previously mentioned), in lieu of the ability to comprehend evidential counterstatements that insubordinate your argument on every conceivable level. Ah yes, but they are only the ramblings of a sane person when measured against both infallible evidence offered by the tide on which I stand. It is not I who attempted to reduce this to a bickering (although, as a bat is blind, I suspect you will not quite see it that way, as I am the only one 'bickering' after all -- Suspect of prejudged opinion, 'me thinks').

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

The divisions in Christianity, I think, were in evitable. The early Church spread all the way from the Tigris-Euphrates River to coasts of Portugal and Ireland by the close of the 6th century. The heresies arose in part because of the apocryphal texts of the New Testament being mixed with the authentic texts of the New Testament. These texts weren't sorted out until just after Saint Athanasius--then archbishop of Alexandria--sifted through them and suggested that the apocryphal writings be eliminated. He died in 373 A.D. and this didn't actually happen until nearly a generation after his death. Constantine's first act as the first Christian emperor was convene church council in order to "define" the church's beliefs and establish some kind of order. After this period, the Church was made up up of a myriad of people from all kinds of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Each group had its own particular "understanding" of what Christianity was supposed to be about. Some churches, due to their isolation, such as the Ethiopian Church (founded 340 A.D.) pursued a noticeably different path of development compared to the rest.

Even though the Great Schism of 1054 A.D. marked the first great rift in the Church, the infrastructures of what would eventually become Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy shared more in common than the Protestants that arose out of the Reformation some 463 years later. Unlike Catrholicism and Orthodoxy (and to some degree Protestant Anglicanism), Protestant theologians demanded SPECIFIC interpretations of Scripture. To make matters worse, Protestant theologians tended to "fragment" their understanding of Scripture, by focusing on the "high points" and ideas from various passages of the Bible around which developed theological positions. In doing so, they, in turn, fragmented Chrisitanity even further. There isn't just one Baptist church, for example, but dozens of them. They may be linked by some common thread, such as baptizing adult believers only, by considering the sacraments to be merely symbolic, and perhaps a few other key points, but they differ on many more points than those they agree on. Thus you havew Southern BAptists, Independent Baptists, Primitive Baptists, etc.. Most African American Baptist churches have little in common with their white brthern on a number of key issues--such as women's roles in the church.

So there you have it.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

O', how I am glad a person with historical insight came along. I was close to offering metaphorical pittance upon one of these pour souls. (Of course, I say all of this with satire in mind). Thank you for your answer that shows a face to bias, and I wish you a happy Easter Sunday, religious or not.

Answer 2

the root of it is the pope, more specifically the first one to get a big ego and warp his position as first among equals to universal headship which should belong exclusively to Christ. that is the root of the first schism, as for the rest, heresy leads to much more heresy

Answer 3

Because people lost contact with the unconscious value of these symbols, as Jung would put it.

Answer 4

Have you ever played the game 'telephone' with a large number of people?

Answer 5

This is my view. And of course, can be the wrong one. That's your choice.
We live in a War Spirituality in this World. The war for the salvation of our souls.
There's the Good in one side (God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) and the Evil on the other side ( the Devil himself (Lucifer, Satan, etc.) and his Demons.
So, to win this war, the most terrific religion that is winning the Devil is the Christian Religion. Because it has more power against the Evil.
So Christian religions are the most dedicated enemy that the Devil tries do defeat. Catholicism, Protestantism and Ortodox Churchs, they aren't a problem to the Devil. If you learn about them, they pray to Saints and Sculptures, they pray to Mary. They do everything that goes against God's wish, so they are easy to defeat.
Christians are the biggest problem to the Evil. That's why there are lots of sects of Christian. Do not forgot that the Church leaders are Humans, they are not divinities. And even some Christian churchs, aren't "Christian". It's another strategy to create division, doubts and another way to try to defeat Humanity. Remember that the Devil don't want to win God, the Devil want us, humanity, to survive, period.
We are at War.

Answer 6

Liam,

The first three chapters of Revelation illustrates the divisions that happened almost immediately in our faith very well. Jesus Christ sends a message to each church. Do some simple math. Seven churches. How many does Jesus Christ find pleasing and in no need of correction?

You are getting thrown off by the names men put on their buildings because you are ruled by false pride and subjective truth. Groups of "smart guys" tell you what every word you use means and what is real. Thus you skip the first book off a printing press while you make very poor guesses about it based on your own bias of man-worship.

REPENT!


Added: Do you mind if I save this question? You are rambling and barely coherent. You are showing us why Atheists believe in superstitions 4 times more than anybody else. Because they DO NOT LISTEN. They are too busy babbling in run-on sentences to interact with people that love them. They only listen to enemies.

After reading this, I know you have brought much sadness to your family. What a selfish and godless child. Joining the fad of Atheism babbling non-sense on the internet.

Fix it. Easter is a good time to free your mind.

Source(s):

www.bible.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12217821…

Answer 7

10 Now I exhort YOU, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that YOU should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among YOU, but that YOU may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.

There is only one true religion and this scripture fits them. They are Jehovah's Witnesses.
Please allow your daughter to taste and see that Jehovah is good. His son Jesus gave his life blood so we can have the perfect life that God willed for us in the beginning. That life is soon to become a reality. Do not give up until you have tasted this wonderful banquet of fresh undiluted spiritual refreshment.

Answer 8

It is a mess, but when it comes to the major issues we are mostly the same. Christianity was fairly united for the first thousand years. Different Christians will blame different events, but the reality is that it is all of our fault. In many ways we are still united. Here on YA is not the best place for questions in my opinion because questions often lead to more questions. It is best to get into a Christian discussion board. I'm on Catholic Answers and there we have open minded educated Christians that LISTEN to the others view points. On YA it is more about who can insult who and get people to agree with them. When you talk to educated Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants on Catholic Answers.com you begin to see that we are not really as divided as we pretend.

Source(s):

Anglican

Answer 9

Christians won’t admit that God is split on the Gay issue!

Zeph 2:9
Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely MOAB shall be as SODOM… a PERPETUAL DESOLATION.

==
Zepheniah worships a homophobic GOD swearing that SODOM is a PERPETUAL DESOLATION.

Ezekiel is worshipping a different God swearing the UNCONDITIONAL RESTORATION OF SODOM!

Christians can worship either God, they are both the same.

Zepheniah and Ezekiel use their own FREE WILL describing their God’s attitude on sexual issues, exactly like the powerful CLERGY does today.

Only sworn statements are of any value in the Bible stories.

Heb 6:13
…since there was no one greater for God to swear by, he swore by himself*
(*Jesus and God swear telling the truth all the time, but it is a SIN for Christians to declare anything UNDER OATH –Mat5:34-37. Christians swearing with the right hand on the Bible do it only for political reasons)

Eze 16
:48-49
AS SURELY AS I LIVE, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister SODOM never did what you and your daughters have done*
(*SODOM NEVER DID what JERUSALEM and other Jewish Cities have done! Christianity TOTALLY rejects God’s SWORN statement that JERUSALEM is far more sinful than SODOM -Judg19-21)

”Now this was the sin of your sister SODOM:*
(*sister city)

She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy*
(*Neither God the Father nor God the Son Jesus Christ ever mentioned that the sin of SODOM was homosexuality!)

:53
"However, I* (*God) WILL RESTORE the fortunes of SODOM…*
(*but Zepheniah’s God also declares under oath that it will be A PERPETUAL DESOLATION. Most Christians side with Zepheniah’s God)

:55
And your sisters, SODOM with her daughters… WILL RETURN TO WHAT THEY WERE BEFORE…*
(*Ezekiel’s God is under oath declaring that SODOM will be unconditionally RESTORED! The Sodomites were not perverts! Sodom will be restored soon before the end of the World!)

Gen 18:20-21
Then the LORD said, "The outcry against SODOM is so great… that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."*
(*God was probably too drunk when he destroyed SODOM and didn’t know what he was doing)

==
Jesus is favoring SODOM all along.

Mat 10:15
I tell you the truth*
(*Jesus is NOT BULL CRAPPING)

…it will be more bearable for SODOM… on the Day of Judgment than for that town.

Mar 6:11 (KJV only, not all modern versions say the same)
Verily I say unto you*
(*I swear)

It shall be more tolerable for SODOM… in the Day of Judgment, than for that city.

Luc10:12)
I tell you*
(*NO BULL CRAP)

it will be more bearable on that day for SODOM than for that town.

==
As a Judge, Jesus is too candid and very unethical telling everybody “THE TRUTH” about his future trial proceedings, and especially that SODOM will score much better at the Judgment Day than most Jewish cities!

Mat 11:23-24
And thou, Capernaum shalt be brought down to Hell: FOR IF the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in SODOM, it would have remained UNTIL THIS DAY*
(*”FOR IF” Jesus Christ is confessing that his Father GOD committed an ACT OF GROSS NEGLIGENCE IN SODOM! God knew the kind of works needed in SODOM to help them SURVIVE until this day, but he failed to act, so what kind of a LOVING SAVIOR is this GOD? HE OUGHT TO BE SUED!)

But I say unto you*
(*Jesus swears, NO BULL CRAP!)

That it shall be more tolerable for SODOM in the Day of Judgment, than for thee*
(*Jesus is fixing his Daddy’s error in the destruction of SODOM, he will be MORE LENIANT to the SODOMITES than to the CURSED Jews that he came to save and be their king)

Mat 25:41
Depart from me, YE CURSED*
(*for robbing GOD! –Mal3:9-10)

into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels*
(*only Jews are cursed! God never cursed the Sodomites)

==
Will Christians APPLAUD Jesus for favoring the SODOMITES instead of the CURSED Jews at the Judgment Day?

But wait a minute!

1 Cor 6:2
Do ye not know that THE SAINTS SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD?*
(*Saint Paul KNOWS that Christians will be JUDGING THE WORLD, not Jesus because Jesus is a BASTARD!)

==
A few verses earlier (1Cor5:1-2) a young man was having some wild sex with his own mother and the WHOLE CHURCH was proud of them.

Saint Paul reprimanded ONLY THE ABUSED KID, not the revered Clergy or his horny mom. This same kind of Christians WILL JUDGE THE WORLD!

ALL THE BIBLE STORIES support pedophilia and child abuse.

NO PREACHER EVER quotes a verse in the Bible against child abuse because there isn’t any!

Obviously, the Judgment Day event is a joke to scare Christians into submission to the Clergy!

Saint Paul claims that God is TOTALLY POWERLESS to do anything about GAY AND LESBIAN LOVE, so he gave them up to do all they want (Rom1:24-27).

Source(s):

=God is a very JEALOUS GOD (Exo34:14), but he can’t lure gays!

Christian gays will be RAPTURED, too!

Luke 17:34
I TELL YOU*
(*again, Jesus is NO BULL CRAPPING)

in that night there shall be TWO MEN IN ONE BED*
(*only NON-GAY people sleep on separate beds)

the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left*
(*Jesus is NO BULL CRAPPING about 2 guys in the same bed! Is one of them a CURSED JEW and the other a SODOMITE ready for the rapture? WWJD?)

==
There is hardly any evidence that the Bible stories ever took place, or that God, Devil, Jesus, Moses and so on, ever existed.

In all the contributions that the Jews are making to humanity, sh*t happens!

They also wrote the Bible stories that religious Jews, Christians and Muslims use to bring so much death, war, pain and suffering into our world!