Positive proof?

[pErvinalia]

Ok, fair enough.

[Forty Two]

I would have thought theism is a belief system. It's a belief in something taken entirely on faith.

Actually, not necessarily. Theism is a belief - belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in one god as creator of the universe, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relation to his creatures. It's not a system. There are theistic systems.

Also, one need not take a theistic belief entirely on faith. Some theists claim they have proof for a god. What they claim is proof, however, most atheists do not think qualifies as proof. Like, when a theist says that they have seen miracles, and therefore it's proof of god's existence. That's their proof. It's not proof to me, because invariably these miracles turn out to be, at best, mysterious happenings that do not tend to make the existence of god more likely than without that evidence. However, to them, they think they have seen the proof of god.

An example is when someone thinks they actually saw or encountered Jesus. If that actually happened to me, I might view it as proof too. More likely, though, I would suspect myself of being delusional, but I MIGHT view it as proof, if I were convinced.

[Animavore]

...especially belief in one god as creator of the universe,...

I disagree with this bit. Theism is more a belief that god(s) intervene. There could be one or many. All they have to do is answer prayer by suspending the laws of nature. They may not be the creator even if there may be one at the top of the heirarchy who is.
Deism comes closer to a belief in one creator god who may oe may not necessarily have to do shit.

[Forty Two]

I quoted the dictionary definition which is common in all English dictionaries, and yes it could be one or many. One god religions are theistic. Many god religions are polytheistic. Both types are theistic.

[Animavore]

Funnily enough I don't even think that Christianity can be called a belief system any more. Rather it is these days a collection of belief systems, albeit a collection which have some similarities. Some Christians even accuse other Christians of not being Christians.

[Forty Two]

Each denomination would be a system

[Svartalf]

Funnily enough I don't even think that Christianity can be called a belief system any more. Rather it is these days a collection of belief systems, albeit a collection which have some similarities. Some Christians even accuse other Christians of not being Christians.

Nobody will make me believe that Mormons still are under the umbrella

[Animavore]

Funnily enough I don't even think that Christianity can be called a belief system any more. Rather it is these days a collection of belief systems, albeit a collection which have some similarities. Some Christians even accuse other Christians of not being Christians.

Nobody will make me believe that Mormons still are under the umbrella

They're a sub-class, so I would say they are. Just like Christianity is under the umbrella of Judaism, and humans are under the umbrella of monkeys.

[Svartalf]

they've ventured far beyond the pale when they decided to add their own scriptures to the body of belief

[Animavore]

Christians often add their own shit. Look at some of the rationalising behind getting rid of the glaring contradictions in the stories of Judas's death. They have to add in a rope snapping and sometimes a cliff for falling off of after to explan why one scripture says he hung himself and another says he simply fell and burst open. Look at the story of casting the first stone which someone simply added in there. Look at Left Behind, lol.

[Svartalf]

But damn few go so far as to add a third testament to the babble

[Forty Two]

Funnily enough I don't even think that Christianity can be called a belief system any more. Rather it is these days a collection of belief systems, albeit a collection which have some similarities. Some Christians even accuse other Christians of not being Christians.

Nobody will make me believe that Mormons still are under the umbrella

Well, they're big on Jesus Christ, so that gives them a hook to be Christ-ians...

[Hermit]

they've ventured far beyond the pale when they decided to add their own scriptures to the body of belief

Um, half the Pauline epistles were written after Paul's death.

[Svartalf]

I put chretinity at the fixation of the modern Catholic babble... proties choose to use less, but no additions allowed
what you're pointing out is that primitive chretinity was a different kettle of fish

[Forty Two]

they've ventured far beyond the pale when they decided to add their own scriptures to the body of belief

Well, the Catholics have a bible with 5 more books than the Protestants.

The Protestants think the 5 extra Catholic books are bollocks.

In early Christian thought, during the first 3 centuries, folks had all sorts of books included and excluded in the "scripture."

Constantine got it standardized, and threw away a bunch of (to some) canonical books - see Council of Nicae -- Council of Hippo - etc.

Council of Nicae, .e.g -- Nicaean Creed..... We believe God the Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth... etc. The standard Catholic "creed." That was formed, because it was at the time hotly debated. You had some folks thinking there was one god with three parts -- some thought God was god and Jesus was not god -- etc. Constantine's councils decided Jesus was the son of God and God, etc.

So, there have been all sorts of creed differences and Bible differences and added and subtracted scriptures over the years. The Mormons just came up with a new book.