I think that the "Oh,
they're not
true Christians!" line is meant far more for non-Christian consumption and for political purposes.
We've seen it used repeated in creation/evolution discussions where the creationist will counter an opponent's pointing out that other Christians believe differently with "yes of course they would, but that's because
they're not true Christians!" It's just the old "not a true Scotsman" argument used to discount evidence that contradicts their claim -- classic formulation: "No Scotsman would put sugar on his oatmeal." "Well, Angus over there puts sugar on his oatmeal and he's a Scotsman." "But obviously he's not a
true Scotsman!". Thus to support their narrow interpretations, those creationists need to also narrow the definition of "Christian" to include only those adhering to their own beliefs, thus artificially defining other Christians out of existence.
We'll also see it when different sects are competing with each other, wherein one sect will smear the other as not being "true Christians."
Of course, certain sects will teach that other sects are in error and why, especially within sects that consider themselves to be the "One True Faith". That makes some sense, though very few outsiders will witness that. Nor should most members witness it, since most sects' teachings are affirmative (consisting of their particular interpretations and misinterpretations of specially-selected biblical passages and other theological meanderings), instead of being totally negative by simply being a listing of what other sects have gotten "wrong".
You know, like creationism (as in the false theology of "creation science") consists of absolutely no positive evidence nor claims, but rather solely of negative claims of "science has it wrong" -- all of which are lies and deceptions. Quite a difference in approach taken by a class of sects and the false theology that they have spawned and actively support.
Edited by dwise1, : No reason given.
{When you search for God, y}ou can't go to the people who believe already. They've made up their minds and want to convince you of their own personal heresy.("The Jehovah Contract", AKA "Der Jehova-Vertrag", by Viktor Koman, 1984)
Humans wrote the Bible; God wrote the world. (from filk song "Word of God" by Dr. Catherine Faber,
No webpage found at provided URL: http://www.echoschildren.org/CDlyrics/WORDGOD.HTML)
Of course, if Dr. Mortimer's surmise should be correct and we are dealing with forces outside the ordinary laws of Nature, there is an end of our investigation. But we are bound to exhaust all other hypotheses before falling back upon this one.(Sherlock Holmes in
The Hound of the Baskervilles)
Gentry's case depends upon his halos remaining a mystery. Once a naturalistic explanation is discovered, his claim of a supernatural origin is washed up. So he will not give aid or support to suggestions that might resolve the mystery. Science works toward an increase in knowledge; creationism depends upon a lack of it. Science promotes the open-ended search; creationism supports giving up and looking no further. It is clear which method Gentry advocates.("Gentry's Tiny Mystery -- Unsupported by Geology" by J. Richard Wakefield,
Creation/Evolution Issue XXII, Winter 1987-1988, pp 31-32)
It is a well-known fact that reality has a definite liberal bias.Robert Colbert on NPR
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