Henry, it is very commendable that you have spent time and agonizing effort to try to direct a man to examine his steps and take some personal assessment of what he believes and why. We can all benefit from that principle (of Solomon’s, the “preacher”?) that a man sharpens a man as iron sharpens iron.
I have always tried to live my life with an open heart to at least hear what others have to say to my views, be they doctrine, genuine theology, dogma, etc. I believe that one of the qualities of Christian maturity is the ability to be taught and willingness to challenge our own assertions. If they be of Truth, then they will stand on their own merit. And if they fall; (to the un-alloyed Truth of God’s word rightly divided) then good riddance.
I think we all carry around some baggage of the denomination where we received our teaching and discipleship. I don’t think any of us could honestly say which denomination is the “perfect” one. After all, are not denominations due to man’s design and not necessarily after God’s will. However, we are surely encouraged to judge a tree by its fruit. We are warned to be ware of false doctrine. Denominations who depart from the basic tenets of the faith and wrongly apply traits of divinity to humans have essentially departed from the Faith. They have moved across the line from denominationalism to cultism.
