Five Misconceptions About Calvinism

[jimmyjimmy]

Below are 5 common misconceptions about Calvinism. Please post either in either pro or anti arguments on any of these 5 misconceptions. (yes, they are all misconceptions)

1. It kills evangelism

2. It is a man-made doctrine

3. It eliminates free will and human responsibility

4. It promotes “easy believism”

5. It makes God a moral monster

 

[ByTheSpirit]

I think I (we) have chased this leash around the tree a few too many times.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I think I (we) have chased this leash around the tree a few too many times.

There are always different angles to look at. As usual, participation is completely voluntary. Use your free will to decide if you will post or not.

 

[EmSw]

Below are 5 common misconceptions about Calvinism. Please post either in either pro or anti arguments on any of these 5 misconceptions. (yes, they are all misconceptions)

1. It kills evangelism

2. It is a man-made doctrine

3. It eliminates free will and human responsibility

4. It promotes “easy believism”

5. It makes God a moral monster

Yes, they do.

 

[Rubiks]

Care to explain those misconceptions in detail, please?

 

[Albion]

Below are 5 common misconceptions about Calvinism. Please post either in either pro or anti arguments on any of these 5 misconceptions. (yes, they are all misconceptions)

1. It kills evangelism

2. It is a man-made doctrine

3. It eliminates free will and human responsibility

4. It promotes “easy believism”

5. It makes God a moral monster

You're correct that those are all false but every one of them is often heard.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

You're correct that those are all false but every one of them is often heard.

Can't spend a day on CF without hearing all 5, a few times over.

 

[Rubiks]

Why do many (i.e. not all) Calvinists say, in their own words, that they don't believe in free will?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Why do many (i.e. not all) Calvinists say, in their own words, that they don't believe in free will?

Can you quote one?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Any takers? The only rule is that you either give an argument for or against one of the 5.

 

[seashale76]

Below are 5 common misconceptions about Calvinism. Please post either in either pro or anti arguments on any of these 5 misconceptions. (yes, they are all misconceptions)

2. It is a man-made doctrine

It is literally named after the man that came up with it.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Why do many (i.e. not all) Calvinists say, in their own words, that they don't believe in free will?

Actually, all will say that they don't believe in free will, but some will also say that they do believe in free will. "Free will" has two possible meanings.

In the context of the debate on Calvinism, free will means that human decisions are beyond God's scope of power, either by fact or by God's choice. The Calvinistic position holds that God can cause anyone to come to faith in Christ, just as he made Paul the Apostle, formerly known as Saul, come to faith in Christ quite suddenly and apart from any willful act on Paul's part. For the Calvinist, free will is an illusion, because faith is a gift from God, and not of ourselves. The "free" part of free will, in this case, means free from God's sovereign power.

Free will can also refer to a person's ability to freely make a choice without force or coercion. A robot has no free will. A man in chains has little to no free will. The paradox is that the second type of free will can exist in spite of the first being untrue. Usually, the debate is with the anti-Calvinist arguing in favor of the second type, and the Calvinist arguing against the first type, and the debate goes round and round in circles.

That's a summary of the matter. Thanks for asking.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Actually, all will say that they don't believe in free will, but some will also say that they do believe in free will. "Free will" has two possible meanings.

In the context of the debate on Calvinism, free will means that human decisions are beyond God's scope of power, either by fact or by God's choice. The Calvinistic position holds that God can cause anyone to come to faith in Christ, just as he made Paul the Apostle, formerly known as Saul, come to faith in Christ quite suddenly and apart from any willful act on Paul's part. For the Calvinist, free will is an illusion, because faith is a gift from God, and not of ourselves. The "free" part of free will, in this case, means free from God's sovereign power.

Free will can also refer to a person's ability to freely make a choice without force or coercion. A robot has no free will. A man in chains has little to no free will. The paradox is that the second type of free will can exist in spite of the first being untrue. Usually, the debate is with the anti-Calvinist arguing in favor of the second type, and the Calvinist arguing against the first type, and the debate goes round and round in circles.

That's a summary of the matter. Thanks for asking.

Calvinists all understand that man has a free will. It's a will which is free to sin.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

It is literally named after the man that came up with it.

He didn't "make" the doctrine. He taught it as biblical truth, whether you agree with it or not.

 

[rockytopva]

I met a girl at work who I thought was right for me. Come to find out she is Baptist... Well, not that big of problem! But... The more that woman talked! Come to find out she sees nothing wrong with mixing the party and sex life with Christianity. On confronting her over this she looks at me and says....

"Are you trying to threaten my salvation?

Apparently she knew enough about the Calvin guy to think that she is eternally secure and immune from any kind of punishment.

John Calvin... I wish the Catholics would have done him in while he was in France!

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I met a girl at work who I thought was right for me. Come to find out she is Baptist... Well, not that big of problem! But... The more that woman talked! Come to find out she sees nothing wrong with mixing the party and sex life with Christianity. On confronting her over this she looks at me and says....

"Are you trying to threaten my salvation?

Apparently she knew enough about the Calvin guy to think that she is eternally secure and immune from any kind of punishment.

John Calvin... I wish the Catholics would have done him in while he was in France!

She's not a Calvinist, so why insult Calvin in your post?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

1. It kills evangelism

Apostle Paul

Martin Luther

George Whitfield

Jonathan Edwards

John Knox

John Wycliffe

Charles Spurgeon

 

[rockytopva]

I believe in the seven churches as ages...

Ephesus - Messianic - Beginning with the Apostle to the Circumcision, Peter
Smyrna - Martyr - Beginning with the Apostle to the Un-Circumcision, Paul
Pergamos - Orthodoxy formed in this time... Pergos is a tower... Needed in the dark ages
Thyatira - Catholicism formed in this time - The spirit of Jezebel is to control and to dominate.
Sardis - Protestantism formed in this time- A sardius is a gem - elegant yet hard and rigid
Philadelphia - Wesleyism formed in this time - To be sanctioned is to acquire it with love.
Laodicea - Charismatic movement formed in this time - Beginning with DL Moody, the first to make money off of ministry

In which the teachings of John Calvin come out of the Sardisean age... And the Lord gives his input on the Salvation doctrines...

4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. - Revelation 3

So, according to Christ Jesus it is possible to have ones name blotted out of the book of life... Which scripture also proves Calvinism false.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I believe in the seven churches as ages...

Yes. We know. Anyone who has been here for more than 5 minutes knows.

 

[rockytopva]

Yes. We know. Anyone who has been here for more than 5 minutes knows.

Too bad more people do not care about doctrine. Most people these days want to go to church to have their ears tickled, and then out to the world to party.