Logical Fallacy

[lawndartboy]

Is the Churches way of determining truth through ecumenical councils a logical fallacy - argumentum ad numeram or Appeal to Popularity???

 

[rusmeister]

No. Human decision-making is not a mere logical construction, and therefore cannot be a logical fallacy. It may CONTAIN logical fallacies, but not BE them.

I'm reminded of the film version of the first Narnia movie:
-"Battles do not win numbers."
-"No, but I'll bet they help."

What can you do except pray for assistance, and then try to make the best decision you possibly can? There is no choice that is not an act of faith.

 

[ArmyMatt]

if that were the case, there would not have been false councils that were overwhelmingly accepted at the time, but because of a few, were deemed false.

 

[buzuxi02]

if you mean as catering to the majority then no. For example in the Jerusalem council of Acts 15 most christian-jews wanted the gentiles to get circumscised upon joining christianity. This was rejected even though most gentile males never really objected to doing so. The fact is most gentiles looking to convert would of had no problem with judaising and probably would have made everyone happy.

As Army pointed out many false councils represented the majority, also if popularity were the litmus test then why even object to many things? If a specific teaching was popular in one region but not in another why not just let it stand regardless if its right or wrong.