Has organised Christianity been detrimental?

[TevashSzat]

I agree with the Don about man having a negative impact on Christianity. If I were a believer in the Christian God, I would recognise that Christianity is inseparable from the church, meaning that Christianity was organised from the onset. If I was a believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and that Jesus Christ was his only begotten in the flesh, I would believe the Bible being a true record of how God told his people to live and worship.

My memory of world history might be a bit rusty, but didn't Jesus not formally organize Christianity? Isn't it his disciples who did it after his death so in a sense, Christianity would be a religion created by man. Its principles may be based off of (supposedly) divine principles, but Jesus was considered a Jew until his death.

Thus, in a sense, Man can't have a negative impact on Christianity if it was first created by man

[Don Corleone]

My memory of world history might be a bit rusty, but didn't Jesus not formally organize Christianity? Isn't it his disciples who did it after his death so in a sense, Christianity would be a religion created by man. Its principles may be based off of (supposedly) divine principles, but Jesus was considered a Jew until his death.

Thus, in a sense, Man can't have a negative impact on Christianity if it was first created by man

I think the jury is out. Jesus did ordain a church. He speaks of it several times as his bride. When he changed Simon's name, it was to Peter (Aramaic for 'rock') to be the rock upon which he would build the church.

That being said, even reading the Acts of the Apostles, it's clear that an organized practice, even among the disciples themselves, didn't happen until the Holy Spirit descended upon them when they congregated in the upper room, after Jesus had ascended. So whether "the Church" Jesus spoke of has ever existed upon this earth remains debatable. I would say no, but much as a parabola approaches an asymptote, we can approach the goal.

Now, when you add in the Trinity, that the Holy Spirit doesn't act alone, but is one in nature with Jesus Christ,

The point I was trying to make is that regardless of whether Jesus instituted the Church directly or indirectly, the moment he left it alone, it was corrupt, because it was comprised of men, thoroughly corrupt beings who cannot maintain the perfection Jesus instituted. But that's okay. It's all part of God's plan, and if nothing else, the Bible is meant as an extended volume of anecdotal evidence of how God can and does use man, even in his weakened and imperfect state, to bring about His Will.

Think about it. The most reviled human being who ever lived, the betrayer of the savior, the evil one, Judas Iscariot, did God's will in doing what he did. Almost like God knows a few things we don't.

[Lemur]

Almost like God knows a few things we don't.

That, good sir, will get you a loud and hearty "AMEN!"