# Dumb Christian arguments

Christians *frequently* argue over relatively small lifestyle elements while forgetting broader issues.

- Expect [disagreements](people-5_conflicts.md) when the Bible doesn't address an issue or has 1 verse that *might* apply.
- Petty disagreements are the most frequent cause for [a church split](history-church.md).
- Ironically, most of the issues serve little practical benefit for anyone's [spiritual journey](spiritual-exercises.md).
  - If there *are* any advantages to one side or another, that will be sorted out with a more significant issue.

The concept of free will:

- On one end, Bible verses show how God has set up everything into a plan, even evil people who will go to hell ([Proverbs 16:4](https://biblehub.com/proverbs/16-4.htm), [Romans 9:11](https://biblehub.com/romans/9-11.htm)).
  - God has also called an elect to serve Him ([Romans 8:28-30](https://biblehub.com/bsb/romans/8.htm), [Ephesians 1:4-6](https://biblehub.com/ephesians/1.htm)).
- At the same time, God sent His Son to save the *entire* world ([John 3:16](https://biblehub.com/john/3-16.htm)).
- We must philosophically reconcile that God knows everything and that we can make independent [decisions](people-decisions.md).
  - Calvinism - God has complete knowledge of absolutely everything, and we have no free will.
  - Arminianism - God has limited knowledge, and we have total free will.
  - Molinism - God has complete knowledge, including of alternate realities, but people can still freely accept or reject it.
- Every growing Christian swings back and forth on their views of free will.
  - People who believe humans have no free will usually have a severely undervalued sense of [humanity's worth](humanity-christian.md).
  - People who believe God doesn't know ahead of time invalidate Scripture.
- Most mature Christians are aware of the strange paradox that [God is three *persons*](god.md), so they eventually come to [understand](understanding.md) (or at least [sense](mind-feelings.md)) the entire discussion is irrelevant because God/Jesus has [more than one will](god-will.md).

Political views mixed with faith:

- This is *far* more common in [cultures that give people the right to vote](politics-systems.md).
- Advancing a political agenda can have potentially good qualities:
  - Conservatives want to align the nation more with [God's will](god-will.md).
  - Liberals want to give more [freedoms and protections](people-boundaries.md) for the oppressed.
- Whether you're a Christian is determined by [*your* relationship with God](identity.md), not someone else's.
  - However, politics can define other people have *their* relationship with God.
- The most significant factor about whether politics are worth pursuing is *why* you endorse it.
  - Protecting legitimately suffering people (e.g., unborn children, orphans) is a Christ-like endeavor.
  - However, make sure you're not simply receiving indoctrination talking points from political [influencers](power-influence.md).
- Take a stand on [clear ethical positions](morality.md), and ask Him for wisdom for difficult ones ([James 1:5](https://biblehub.com/james/1-5.htm)).
  - Be careful, though, since it's easy to fall into a secular political cult (see below).

Lifestyle and [cultural](people-culture.md) decisions:

- Triumphalism - God's Kingdom is taking over, so Christians must urgently conquer everything for Jesus.
- Mariology - The Virgin Mary has significance in our daily lives and rituals.
  - This is strictly a Catholic value system, with a few Protestants keeping it.
  - Much of it comes from [the Gospel of James](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_James), which was later rejected by Pope Innocent I in 405 and later by the [Gelasian Decree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelasian_Decree).
- Veneration - We can pray for saints to intercede and pray for us.
  - While it's *possible* the saints are actively praying and interceding for us, there's nothing in the Bible that indicates we should pray *to* them.
- Triclavianism - 3 nails were used to crucify Christ (the Catholic Church declares it was 4).
- Other cultural matters:
  - Individuals' choice in music or media.
  - Whether [pastimes](fun.md) or [rituals](spiritual-exercises.md) or acceptable or profitable.
  - [Power dynamics](power-types.md) and [politics](groups-large.md) inside churches.
  - Whether certain holidays (e.g., Christmas, Easter, Halloween) are right to practice and how.

Since Jesus is both God *and* man, there are disputes about His will:

- Monothelitism - Jesus only has one will.
- Dyothelitism - Jesus has both a divine and human will.
- Trithelitism - Jesus has a divine and human will, but also a will through the Holy Spirit.
- Trinitrithelitism - Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit all have separate wills.