John Calvin, Michael Servetus, and the Charge of Murder

[SirJamsalot]

@Dan Clarkston,

Rather than derail the eschatology discussion with epithets and demeaning charges, I’m moving your claims about Calvin and Servetus here so we can deal with them directly.

You’ve made several specific accusations:

1. That Michael Servetus rejected both Catholic and Calvinist “heresy.”
2. That both Catholics and Calvinists were trying to kill him.
3. That John Calvin personally “put the hit out on him.”
4. That Calvinism is a cult.
5. That Roman Catholicism is a cult.
6. That Calvinists and Catholics do not have the Holy Spirit and do not know the Lord.
7. That both groups advocate for “their father the devil.”
8. That Calvin effectively ruled Geneva as a kind of mob boss who had people killed for disagreeing with him.

Those are serious historical and theological claims, so this thread gives you the opportunity to establish them.

Let’s begin with the history.

Please explain who Michael Servetus was, what he actually believed, why he was already being pursued by Roman Catholic authorities, why he was living under assumed identities, what happened at Vienne in 1553, how he escaped custody, why he subsequently appeared in Geneva, what legal authority John Calvin actually possessed there, who arrested and tried Servetus, who imposed the sentence, and what role Calvin actually played in the proceedings.

Then we can move from the history to your theological claim that Calvinism itself is a cult whose adherents do not know Christ.

I’m happy to examine Calvin’s conduct critically. I have no interest in pretending he was infallible or defending something simply because Calvin did it.

Interested in getting the history right before we start handing out mob nicknames? Or is this disciussion going to immediately plummet to slander and name calling?

Please be civil and state your case.

In His Grip
S.J.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

Hilarious! Let's do this... you are an advocate for calvin's false doctrine so all you got is falsehoods.

Feel free to go study the history all you want. Calvin spoke highly of his involvement of having people whacked in his own writings and said he had no regrets and would do the same all over again if he had the opportunity

He had murder in his heart and did not have the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ because he was demon possessed.

Bottom line here is calvinist and catholic doctrines are both demonic. Enjoy!

 

[SirJamsalot]

Waiting patiently for you. Take your time, I'm in no hurry.