Quote:
Originally Posted by jay santos
The Catholic Church is not that something. Apostacy from within primarily through hellenization in the 50 - 150 AD time period is the primary cause.
It's not that controversial. In fact it's a feel good/bridge building piece to tell Mormons to take the heat off the Catholics and blame it on something more nebulous.
|
Well, this assumes that the authentic Church existed in substantial numbers and that those members knew and understood various doctrines. Perhaps they did, perhaps they didn't.
I assume a small body of persons actually knew Christ, a smaller body actually understood him and an even smaller body understood, believed and followed him. From this third group, we had various levels of faith and belief.
As the membership branched out, consistency within the doctrines would be difficult, especially in that age, to correlate. Hence a difference of opinions would arise, as on central organization existed in the form which we know of, today. Without the gravitational affect of a central organization, the teachings and principles were bound to morph, if they were ever clearly understood and written down, a fact I doubt.
People understood the Hebraic code, to some extent, as they lived it. Non Jews understood other paths. However, the Master did not live long among the Jews nor did he develop a huge enough following to ensure a broad understanding of all his doctrine. Hence repent and be baptized were central themes. Keep it simple with a short time.
Thus many unanswered questions arose, and thus ambiguity existed.
I don't see some grand conspiracy by Greeks to pollute the pure doctrine.