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This page will sound odd. Don't take anything the wrong way. Take it the Jon way, it sounds cool and it is better anyway. ;)
I have no denomination. This fact should be taken under a correct context. I have been raised in a baptist church all my life. Not that I disagree with baptists on all counts, or agree with all their doctrines. My father was raised Lutheran, my mother was Methodist.
I don't have any denomination that I know, that I completely agree with. Baptists, if you are staunch, believe there are no jeans allowed in church, at all. No drums, no playing cards, no dancing, no wine. Those things don't matter, ultimately. I enjoy dancing (when no one is looking, of course). I like Euchre, Dutch Blitz, Texas No-Hold-em, and many other card games. I drum on my keyboard, my chest/leg (combo), and I do impressions of drums with my mouth. I know this cool drummer (Tom, you rock.). I never, ever, plan to get drunk. I might have wine someday for Christmas or New Years, when I come of age; but I will never get drunk.
But I do believe what every believer believes: that God created this physical, dimensional plain; sent His Son; His Son, Jesus Christ, lead a perfect life; died for Mankind's sins; Rose from the dead; gave us a counselor, the Holy Spirit; and He will return again.
I don't know what every denomination specifically believes in. I want to make that clear -- even though it can be seen as something that negates the purpose of this rant. But I do want to know some of the differences. There are some that practice sprinkling, instead of complete immersion (for Baptism). There are some that believe you can lose salvation, some that believe you are saved forever. (this may not be denomination specific:) Some believe in "Freewill", some believe there is no choice on our end at all. I know that Lutherans have funny clothing for priests. I know that Methodists pray too much (not necessarily a bad thing...). And in Non-Denominational churches everyone is a heretic. And this is just the Protestant faith alone.
With Seventh Day Adventists, they suggest you don't eat meat. They only have the Sabbath on Saturday. They refer to a book to guide them for interpretting the Scriptures. Etc.
Catholics pray to Mary (who I must plead... she is NOT HOLY!). The catholics believe in sanctified cannabilism (Transubstantiation ... sigh). In history, were allow to pay money to be absolved of their sins. They see the Pope as Holy. They have various rituals which are not Biblical. And they do not encourage personal devotions with reading the scripture. They eat fish and don't think it is meat. : / Read this advertisement I found. It is flippin' hilarious.
Denominations, I believe, are a necessary evil. Yes, they divide the church. Yes, there are major differences. But people are different. If there were no denominations, I bet my friends and I would be making divisions and creating denominations that held specific beliefs -- all done on accident. Such differing beliefs would include how baptisms are done (hopefully, not). Or differing views on predestination. Or perhaps the belief of the "Age of Accountability". Abortion being, right; assisted suicide, right. I hope my friends are smart and know those last two are completely unbiblical... but eh... who knows?
I know it is asking for much... too much really ... But until I find a denomination or church with which my beliefs align, I cannot say that I have any affliation that that of Christ. Not a baptist, not a methodist, not Lutheran, not Non-Denominational -- Instead, a Christian, plain and simple.
Personally, I enjoy having deep, theologically-sound discussions. In fact, at the moment, I am writing this (on paper, currently) because haven't had the luxury of such discussion in a long while. And instead, I am sitting out of Basketball (O, how I loathe the game) and writing this. I feel this way partly due to the fact that none of them (the people I hang with nowadays... the people playing basketball right now) care to discuss this or anything really (unless my brother starts it, and then it is usually good.... but RARE).
Side note having nothing to do with this page: I am tired of being alone. I feel so alone. No one to discuss this with except with people online, and it just isn't the same. I am tired of being alone ... (don't take this the wrong way) I want a woman, that loves me, by my side... I want to discuss things with people. Perhaps with similar thought/logic as mine. Eventually, we'd figure out the world!
Honestly, in theory, the Non-Denominational church would be a perfect candidate for me. It is a harmony of people casting their differences aside and growing together in Christ. Praising God, not arguing over stupid crap. This sounds too good to be true. And the problem with this is me. I think that I have the personality that creates denominations. I feel that if I started regularly attending, and became close to someone that also goes to a non-denom., I would find myself disagreeing, and creating a kind of barrier between us that would be petty, unreasonable, and (dare I say it) ungodly.
I WALKED down the intersection of Preston Rd. and Washington St. -- one of the busiest intersections on campus (if not THE busiest). On one corner, the west side, I saw a Lutheran church -- it had a scrolling marquee saying that they were going to have a guest speaker that converted from his homosexual sin and turned to God. On the other side, the east, I saw a Methodist church -- it had just recently placed a huge banner (bright yellow) saying that sexual orientation is not a human's choice, it is a gift that "I" give "-- God". They are always at it. One says homosexuality is wrong, the other says it is ordained by God. One says support our troops, the other says for us to support them by pulling them out. It is sad to see this. And while it is true that God gives us our sexual orientation, we aren't given an attraction to our same sex. He gives us a natural desire to be with the opposite sex. Anything else that is "natural" about being attracted to the same sex is that of the sin nature. And that attraction is NOT sprung from God, instead, it is our own evil desire. Now, I know that all churches are not the same. So I cannot (and don't particularly want to) condemn all Methodist churchs because this one is condoning and supporting sin. But I believe that this anger I feel against this specific church is a righteous anger.
Verses to remember about denominations:
1st Corinthians 1:10-17
[10] I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
[11] My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
[12] What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
[13] Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
[14] I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
[15] so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
[16] (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)
[17] For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
1st Corinthians 3:Start-end
[1] Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly–mere infants in Christ.
[2] I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
[3] You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
[4] For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
[5] What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe–as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
[6] I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
[7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
[8] The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
[9] For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
[10] By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.
[11] For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
[12] If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
[13] his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
[14] If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
[15] If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
[16] Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
[17] If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
[18] Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise.
[19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”;
[20] and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
[21] So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours,
[22] whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future–all are yours,
[23] and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
Reply to this rant/essay/thing:
I find this extremely hilarious, not entirely sure why though:
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