Religious Off-Shoots

[teresaq]

The interesting phenomenon of religious off-shoots starting with the days of Jesus.

Christianity was an off-shoot of Judaism. Gnosticism was one of many off-shoots of that core Christianity. Roman Catholicism developed into an off-shoot. The various Protestant bodies were off-shoots of R Catholicism and each other.

Off-shoots develop different beliefs than the "parent". Do they develop more biblical or less biblical beliefs? If "they" have the exact same basic beliefs as the parent are they a true off-shoot?

Seventh-day Adventism is an off-shoot of the Millerite movement.

[Overaged]

What on earth are you talking about here?

[phkrause]

I hear what your saying, but I don't believe its exactly the same.

[Nan]

Guess some would see them as following further light and maturing their beliefs, rather than as offshoots.

[Neil D]

Soooo, what's the difference between an offshoot and a maturing of one's beliefs...?

...and is there gonna be a caboose to this thread?

[LynnDel]

By the same reasoning, Protestantism is an offshoot of Catholicism, and if you take this idea to its ultimate origin, every religion, false or true, is an offshoot of the religion taught to the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden. Interesting train of thought that brings up, doesn't it?

However, when a new twist on an old religion takes an entirely different turn, they are severed, or sever themselves, from the main stalk and no longer retain the identifying marks of the parent group. The parent group calls the offshoot heretical, and the "heretical" group does everything possible to distance themselves from their origins by preaching far and wide about the faults of their parent religion.

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Is it possible for there to be a further maturing of SDA beliefs? Do we believe we have the ultimate answers to everything we need to know through the end of this age? And beyond?

[teresaq]

Exactly Nan!

Being an off-shoot is being used in a pejorative manner forgetting that the whole Christian movement was an off-shoot from Judaism,

Forgetting that SDAism is an off-shoot of the Millerite movement.

Now we would say they accepted the light God gave them.

On the other hand we also have the Shepherd's Rod to which we have typically applied "off-shoot". Houteff believed he had "further light" which I don't know one Adventist who would agree. (Interestingly enough they work inside the SDA body holding membership in it.)

I don't see how we can apply "off-shoot" to just anyone who disagrees with our particular point of view but holds the same basic beliefs as the SDA church.

[teresaq]

Wow! Ok. This should be an interesting direction. :)

[Overaged]

Actually; this is a false concept spread by Roman Catholic sources who do not wish people to see that Roman Catholics are the ones who were offshoots of Protestanism; which has existed from Eden. It is clear that Jesus was a Protestant; and no Roman Catholic can deny/prove that their church has departed from Bible truths; to man-made traditions. Infact today; they tout "Tradition" as superseding the Bible.

Of course; it is possible for there to be a further maturing of SDA beliefs; and this is exactly what the GC states in the 28 Fundamental Beliefs book. Now, some Adventists don't like that book, and under the facade of not anting a creed; but only the Bible, they reject all the Biblical counsel in the 28 Fundamentals.

In short; the Roman Catholic Church is the world's biggest offshoot.

[Overaged]

Pejorative is not the right word here. History has shown that *most* times an off shoot is a group with a very negative or sometimes, even deadly impact.

Many of the Shepherds Rods are associated with certain "Militia" movements and have adopted a survivalist mentality as a first response to their dogmas.

Pejorative simply does not fit.

[LynnDel]

That's why pejorative is exactly the right word. It has a negative connotation when that is not necessarily the case, which is the whole point of what Teresa said, if I read it correctly.

LD

[Overaged]

I have no idea what you just said...