Which is the one true church?

[_bcspace]

Which is the one true church?

A good question. For if God exists and if God is not a liar or a respector of persons, then logically there can only be one God authorized religion/church/philosophy.

Years ago, the SLC sect of LDS were proud to denounce all other religions as false.

I have no problem testifiying of the Restoration.

But in today's mainstreamed LDS church, feelings like that translate to lower baptisms.

I've found the opposite to be true. Differentiating ourselves and in the midst of opposition we find the most and best converts.

So how does one find the "true" church of God? They will tell you to pray and God will tell you. Yep, that simple.

Read and ponder.

What if you do not get an affirmation in the favor of adding you to their membership roles? Either you are doing the prayer WRONG or "it is not your time to come into the kingdom of God on earth yet."

Sure, why not? It's really the only possible answer for the anti.

And watch it, they will take your precious Bible and attempt to beat you into a corner with it.

A testimony from the other side that the Bible is exclusively LDS in doctrine.

[_Danna]

The choice of 'continuity or restoration' does not solve much

Although the varieties of LDS call the first vision 'The' restoration, there were a number of similar restoration movements, not least of which involved Alexander Campbell. And that was just the US. We had similar movement here, but for some Mormon missionaries, I would have been bought up Ratana.

As for continuity, the Orthodox churches consider themselves as or more of a continuous movement than the Caflicks.

From what I understand of many christian movements, since the relationship the Jesus/follower relationship is established anew for each person, and is individual - not dependant on continuous contact through people having 'authority'.

[_Brenton]

The notion that the Catholic church can trace itself to the original apostles and Jesus Christ is hilarious. It's suppressed history.

There's another problem too ... if you really study pauls writings - he appears to have been gnostic. Alluding that Christianity was originally gnostic

"not dependant on continuous contact through people having 'authority'."
I couldn't agree more there, that's a big mistake people make when approaching Christianity. Each person is their own priest.

[_bcspace]

The choice of 'continuity or restoration' does not solve much

I'd say it solves just most everything because it forces you to compare doctrines. For example, it is easy to distinguish LDS from RLDS because the RLDS have gone liberal Protestant.

[_ludwigm]

The choice of 'continuity or restoration' does not solve much

I'd say it solves just most everything because it forces you to compare doctrines. For example, it is easy to distinguish LDS from RLDS because the RLDS have gone liberal Protestant.

- "to compare doctrines"
If there is such thing.

[_Jason Bourne]

The true church of God has to be ether a continuous stream from Judaism to a belief in Jesus Christ, or a complete restart (the great apostasy). This means ether the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Catholic Church is true. If the church is true, and is doing something that God does not want, like the Hebrews did in the Old Testament, worshiping idols, then God will punish them, but he has not, and will not, say this church is not working, I’ll make it not the true church anymore, I’ll make another true church. This cannot be possible.

I have spent a little time reading on early Christianity. Mostly Bart Ehrman's stuff. Based on his writings it really seems to me that there was not one true Christian Church ever. There were competing sects that all had claims of varying validity. But the proto-orthodox that eventually b became the orthodox was the winner and they wrote the history to make them look like the one true church from the start.

I am skeptical that Jesus even intended to start a church at times.

[_TAK]

BCP

A good question. For if God exists and if God is not a liar or a respector of persons, then logically there can only be one God authorized religion/church/philosophy.

You have a problem in he Mormon god as he is absolutley a "respector of persons"...particulary against blacks, women and gays.

[_msnobody]

I guess, like the evangelicals, the offshoots of the LDS church lost their brains and have joined the other evil brainless bodies like what is described in this FAIR article http://www.fairlds.org/Misc/What_is_Christs_Universal_Church.html. I just happened to read the article right before reading this thread.