Something I've Always Wondered About....

[joko104]

There are different Protestant denominations, with a governing body - sometimes called the "synod" - and completely independent stand alone churches.

You question is similar to asking why some countries have a dictator, some have some form of legislative body, and some countries are so fragmented that while some central common identity really is only different cities, villages and clans. Religion is even more diverse. You are asking the same as how can countries governments be different from each other and how can people be different from each other in the same country?

 

[Grasshopper121212]

I know next to nothing about religion. So use that as context.

I was on the road last Sunday and one of the things I like about long car trips is picking up small market radio stations on my car's radio. My SIRIUS XM subscription ran out and I'm hesitant to renew it since it is almost impossible to cancel the service after they jack the prices up. You can cancel it, of course, but it takes about 45 minutes of waiting for someone who barely speaks English to come to the phone. Every time I've called them, I've had similar hold times with almost always the same type of CSR...

Anyway, I'm scanning the radio and I hear a news update. They were reporting on what the Pope spoke about from The Vatican. It got me to thinking....the Catholics have the Pope. Why doesn't Judism (sp?) or Islam, or Bhudism (sp?) or other religions have a central "head" figure. Or maybe they do but they don't seem to have the same profile as the Pope.

Any ideas?

At one time, Jews and Muslims had a central figure called a Prophet of God. But, as the people apostatized, they no longer revered their Prophets as leaders like a President. In fact, when Ezra came back to Jerusalem with those who had been carried away, he formed a group of teachers called the Great Synagogue (Assembly). They became the Sadducees and Pharisees we read in the New Testament. This Great Synagogue established the teaching that a Prophet is "merely" a messenger of God. But, he should not teach, lead or interpret that message. That, it's the right and position of the Great Synagogue to interpret the Prophet's message. And, as time passed by, God no longer communicated with His people through Prophets or by any means until Christ established His Apostles, who were prophets, seers and revelators. The Apostles established churches around the eastern areas like Rome, Greece and many other countries. Bishops were called as members of the Priesthood (Either Melchizedek or Aaronic found in Hebrew 7) But, they did like the Great Synagogue did. They soon forgot the Apostles and their teachings and were following their own understandings without the Holy Ghost. Eventually, groups of "Christians" grouped together forming one large church. Roman, Greek, Russian Orthodox... Later, after centuries of control, the people began to be able to splinter off from the large churches and form new ones like Lutheran, Presbytarian, Baptists and so on. Today, there are probably 40,000 different Christian churches teaching their brand of Christianity with no Prophet, Seer or Revelator. No Apostles and so on. The Catholic Church has no Apostles nor Prophet. The Pope does not teach that He is a Prophet. In fact, they say they are not Prophets. They don't receive revelation from God. They have all they need within themselves to make decisions.
Jews are pretty much the same. They have groups large and small. But, no Prophets since Malachi. Muslims the same way. No Prophets since Mohammed. I'm not familiar with Buddhists and Hindues but pretty much at sometime followed the same pattern. People are people. Today, there are a few Churches that claim to have a Prophet. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young is probably the largest one that is world-wide today.