Christian group vandalizes ancient Mexican archaeological site

[Bengalzona]

(06-30-2016, 04:30 PM)GMDino Wrote: OK, I remember saying that.  I don't remember it being required to be a Christian.  Given the different sects (something we weren't taught in school btw) I can see it not be the cornerstone of some other group.

In your case, stating the creed was required for you to become a Catholic. Hence, it was required that you accept trinitariaism under your faith for you to become a Christian. It is the same with Orthodox's and with Protestants.

Actually, my post might have been a little misleading when I said "all Protestants" believe in the Nicene Creed. The Baptists are non-creedal (they don't require confessions of faith, which is funny because one Baptist church required me to recite John 3:16 before they would let me join... story for another day). But, they still believe in everything that is in the Nicene Creed (although they tend to cringe at the statement about "..holy, catholic and apostolic church...", mainly because many don't understand the use of the word "catholic" in the context does not mean the actual Catholic Church). Walk into any Baptist Church, tell them you are a Baptist but don't believe in the Trinity and see what happens. I guarantee you will start a very lively conversation on how you are wrong with most, if not all, the people there. 

Belief in the Trinity is probably the third strongest belief in Christianity, behind belief in the divinity of Christ (#1) and belief that Christ died for the sins of the world (#2). This creed was established very early in the church following the creation of a sect around 150 AD known as Arianism that taught essentially that Jesus was the son of God, but was subordinate to God and did not always exist, and that there was no Holy Spirit. This was considered anathema to the mainstream belief and Arianism were judged apostasy. Wars were fought between the Arians and the Nicenes over it. Obviously, the Nicenes won. This was one of the reasons for the creation of the Nicene Creed, to define Christian belief and have all Christians state that this is what they believe. 

Other non-trinitarian sects that claim to be Christian have arisen over the years and disappeared. As is the case with Jehovah's Witnesses (which started in Brooklyn in the 1870's), they claim they are Christian. But mainstream Christianity does not accept their claim because the don't accept some aspect of the Nicene Creed (or because a group adds additional scriptures, as is the case with the Mormons).

I suppose it is similar to the way mainstream Islam feels about groups like ISIL, although that rejection is based more upon interpretation/misinterpretation of scriptures rather than rejection or addition of scriptures, to my understanding. Most mainstream Muslims would be offended if you said ISIL represents Islam (yes, I am aware that the latter statement happens all of the time... even  on this Board). It is the same with with mainstream Christians when you say that Jehovah's Witnesses represent Christianity. It is felt that it is a misrepresentation.