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To: Star Traveler
Thus there’s several things here. One is that you’re not a Christian based on any church you go to. It has nothing to do with any church you go to. No church membership counts for ANYTHING in being a Christian. Thus, that’s one reason why I don’t emphasize church membership - unless someone really wants to know - then I tell them.

I 100% agree with you! I feel the same way and when asked what "religion" I am, I answer "Christian". What happened to you on this thread when you were queried about what your denomination or whatever religion you followed is a typical question that mostly comes from one "specific" religion represented by those who are acting the most hostile to your comments here. I won't name it, but I think you probably know what I am talking about. It is an ongoing tactic whose sole purpose is to "pigeonhole" and label people. If you say you are a Presbyterian, for example, you will soon be met with a truckload of all the things wrong with the Presbyterian church and all the scandals are trumpeted because you may have at one point or another commented about that "specific" religion's like problem.

No matter how open we are to talk about our beliefs on ANY topic of Christianity, the revelation of our church's "label" will be used to parse whatever we may have to say. This is the main reason why - though some of us have been hounded and harassed to identify said label - we refuse to do so. This is NOT because of shame or any other reason other than we do not identify as Baptist or Presbyterian or Lutheran or Methodist, etc. primarily simply because we see ourselves as Christians who worship and fellowship with "...." Church. Usually, not jumping to every question about denominations is looked at by them, or at least intimated, as being "ashamed" of our denomination. Which is NOT the case at all and is simply because we want to avoid being lumped into a pot with a label on the outside that can then be used to paint everyone with the same brush. Refusal to identify is met with derision, usually, and often met by accusations of the silliest nature all in the quest to badger you into answering.

They seem to not understand that we would rather be considered as Bible-believing Christians first, who are capable of discussing doctrines of our Christian faith free from canned statements of faith or creeds that may or may not fully define our exact views. Those of the "specific" faith claim that every one of them all believes the same things, yet we know that even then there are nuances and various "interpretations" of dogmas that don't always match with everyone else. And that the professed and boasted UNITY isn't all that unified.

Just be aware that, because you have identified the name on the sign outside your chosen assembly place, you can expect some people will use it against you in whatever way they can. They are simply incapable of separating the believer from his chosen place of worship and do not, or will not, engage on discussions of doctrines as individuals. I really do think some cannot imagine anyone is able to know not only what they believe but WHY they believe it. They only know they believe what they are TOLD to believe and they have no freedom to examine other sides. It makes it difficult, sometimes, to dialog on the Religion Forum because disagreement with "specific" church's doctrines is seen as personal insults - as has already been evidenced on this thread. Not all are like this, of course, there ARE some who can engage respectfully and agree to disagree when it comes to it.

1,239 posted on 07/05/2012 9:07:23 PM PDT by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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To: boatbums
I won't name it, but I think you probably know what I am talking about.







1,299 posted on 07/06/2012 9:06:31 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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