I was in my 40's the first time I heard the word, "Arminian" in a negative way. I was talking to a woman at church when she loudly blurted out, "I hate those Armenians!"
"Whatever have Armenians done that you hate them?"
No, she said "Arminians, not Armenians!" They believe in free will! Then the dear woman dove into a long soliloquy (I use that word because after the first few sentences I stopped listening). I had heard a lot about Calvinism, but this was my first time hearing about Arminians.
My husband and I have been BLESSED to be in good Bible teaching churches where we studied the BIBLE and not one man's view of it.
Honestly, I think following other flawed human beings as if their understanding of God's truth is God's truth
is DANGEROUS.
In the years since that conversation, I have heard fellow believers YELL at each other as they debated Calvinism and Arminianism. Both groups use Bible verses like arrows as they argue back and forth.
I wonder if the Bible has anything to say about that?
"For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men?
1 Corinthians 3: 3b-4
Listen, I am not a theologian. However, I have studied the Bible for over 40 years. That's why I know both things are Biblical. God choses us. We have free will. You don't have to take my word for it, but you ought to take the Bible's!
For those of you interested in more on this topic, here's a link to someone who is a theologian: