What Denomination Are You?

I'll second that!!! We who have been purchased by His blood, death, and resurrection are baptised into one body---His body. We have become His hands, feet, and voice here on the earth. If we love Christ then we will become one of His followers (disciples), and if we are one of His followers then we are a Christian---Plain and simple.

I love St. Patrick's morning prayer it is one of my favorites right after St. Francis of Asissi's (and I'm not Catholic).

Peace,
Be God's and be blessed,
Roisin

I was baptized and raised Lutheran. In the Upper Midwest of America, the Lutheran churches were split up into denominations derived from the nationality of the emigrants who founded the church. I was baptized in a Finnish Lutheran church, attended a Norwegian Lutheran church for confirmation and was a Boy Scout in a German Lutheran church. Eventually, most of the churches united into one Lutheran denomination, but there were petty political fights all along.

I attended Sunday School, worked as a altar boy, sang in the children's choir and earned the Lutheran religious award in Boy Scouts by writing a hstory of the Lutheran churches in the area and their mergers splits and fights. While I was in college, my parents, who had been on the church council and taught Sunday School, joned with a group of dissidents who wanted to get rid of the pastor of the church. They eventually went into "exile", attending another church until the bishop stepped in and the pastor took a transfer to a different church.

All this politicking left a bitter taste in my mouth and I stopped attending church for years. I was still religious, but did not attend or join another church for several decades. I married a staunch Roman Catholic girl and agreed to raise our children in the Roman Catholic tradition. I have not joined the Roman Catholic Church, because of a minor theological point. I attend mass regularly, not joining in all of the Catholic sacraments. I chaperone on youth trips. I go to my parent's Lutheran church a couple of times a year.

We have reached a stable balance. My wife and I are active in the local Catholic church. My parents and brothers are active in their Lutharan Churches. One of my brothers married a lapsed Catholic, who joined the Lutheran church, so we balance.

Well I am non denominational, I was raised pentacostal and we used to go to many different churches. I searched the whole Bible trying to find where Jesus talked about denominations and never found any, of course I knew I would not. I believe we are all part of one family and divisions are made when people take sides or pick certain groups to associate themselves with. I believe people subconsciously judge others by their affiliations and this can adversely affect their views. I beleive what I beleive and that is what counts.

I belong to the body of Christ. I think denominations only serve to separate us. I don't like it when, say a baptist puts down a pentacostal or any other person, because they don't believe the same way as the they do. (Im not against baptist, it's just an example) To me that's judging. I love all christians and to me they are all my brothers and sisters. The most important thing is that we all believe in Chirst. I've seen it done, and I've done it in the past it's so wrong.

I totally agree with you, aklassie! we are all one in Christ!

In my heart of hearts, I am a Christian, forever in awe of a Creator God who not only made this beautiful world but found a place in it for me to live & love & be of service to others as well as Him.
My allegiance is to Jesus Christ. But as a little Southern gal I do attend a Baptist church in my town. The pastor preaches from the Bible and is good at showing how the scriptures are relevent to our lives, but the Baptist denomination in general tends to be a bit narrow-minded in some areas... overall the good outweighs the negative, and in principle it seems to be in line with the scriptures. About the worst I can say regarding my own church is that a LOT of those people think you're not a Good Christian unless you're there every single time the door is opened! My God and I got that issue cleared up looong ago, and He has plenty of work for me to do in many places... guilt trips from church people rolls off my back like water off a duck. Quack quack!

Organized religion gets a bad rap these days, but it has its purpose: to be a place where believers can get together & encourage & support each other.

Hey S. Blues...Here, here! I couldn't have said that any better.

Agreed. I have seen Christians breaking up into little sects and fighting over the littlest things.

However, the most common reason for breaking away is that the main group is seen as having drifted from the "True Faith". As long as churches teach that there is only one "True Faith", there will be factionalization.

I was raised Lutheran and did some church hopping when I was a teenager. I found myself gravitating back to the Lutheran denomination. I don't think that it matters what church you attend. The whole purpose of the churches is to bring believers together as a family to support and help each other and to support missionary outreach so that all may know the word.

My wife's old Nazarene church was the same way. And someone basically said to me that I should be in church on Sunday night and Wednesday night as well.

So I said , "Does that mean if you sit in my garage you're a car?" Then I followed it up with "If we're supposed to be in favor of family values, doesn't it make sense that I do things to spend time WITH my family, not away from them?"

This seemed to upset the other person. Huh. Guess some people are funny that way.



Erik "Don't mess with me, I'm a Philosophy major" Deckers

I was raise avery strong Roman Catholic. I know what believe. I was homeschooled for six years and then I went to private Christain School, which was mostly Catholic. I am now about to graduate from a very Catholic College. I am still Catholic....sort of. I know what I beleive. I will fight to the death for my faith. I have stopped going to Church. Where I live right now I hate the Churches. They priests are terrible and so are the people. I have been condemned to Hell (to my face) for doing things they think are evil - I like Harry Potter = evil, I want to work in Hollywood to make good movies not preachy movies = evil, I show public displays of affection (a kiss, or hand holding) to my boyfriend = evil, I watch R rated movies= evil.... Ya'll get the point. I think once graduate and move out of here and find a church that I like I will pobably become a full practicing Catholic agan. I love my faith, but there can be so many people who make it easy to understand why there are so many non-Cathlics. I'll tell you!

That surprises me Celiastar! I was a Catholic for 25 years and I always found my church to be much more liberal than that. I am not doubting you, but just thought the Catholic church had changed. I guess I am wrong. I am a protestant now and there are those who are very legalistic and some of us........like me..........who are much more tolerant of others and their beliefs. However, there are things about the Catholic church that I really do love and miss. I miss the worshipful masses. I am so sorry to hear that you are experiencing a very bad time with your parrish right now.

I have a very strong Christian friend who is an aspiring actress in Hollywood. It is possible. Do what your heart tells you. I am sure that God is with you whatever path you take.

Just Christian. In Antioch, the followers of Christ were given the name in scorn, but received it with joy because it means simply "little Christ". Though I do not presume a great likeness to Christ, that is my goal and hence I consider it my denomination.


Leslie

Raised as a Methodist Christian (not by choice) , but currently practicing Agnostic.

My ancestors were Presbyterian. I was raised Pentecostal, but now I attend a Church of Christ. I love their approach to faith. It is Christ centered, realistic, and not overly legalistic and preachy.