Greetings. I'm trying to do a little bit of philosophical exercise, an effort to have a greater understanding of Christianity and its diverse groups. I am coming here because I simply don't know as much about Christianity and Christians as some of you might. I'm trying to expand my knowledge about the subject.
Christianity in general means followers of Christ. Basically meaning that everyone who is a Christian essentially agrees about one thing, and that is that the teachings of Jesus are sacred.

However, beyond that it seems there are many differences between different churches. I have a few questions I'd like to ask of anyone kind enough to answer. Please only Christians, preferably adults. Feel free to leave blank any answer you don't feel comfortable sharing for any reason. I understand faith is a very deeply personal thing for some, and you need not feel like you're being pressured.

1) What denomination of Christian are you? Or do you consider yourself non-denominational, and simply consider yourself a follower of Jesus?

2) What is it about your denomination that brought you on board vs the other ones? What is it you would say your denomination is getting correct that the others might be missing? If you didn't have a denomination, what's preventing you from choosing one over the others?

3) Were you born into your faith or were you a convert?

4) If you were converted, what did you believe before, and/or what other religions did you look into, if any?

5) What is your age?

6) How do you feel about the death penalty?

7) If you are for the death penalty, how do you reconcile it with your faith? If not, do you believe that there is no crime for which a person should be executed, or is there some other reason?

8) Do you believe all sins are equally bad as far as god is concerned?

9) Do you ever disagree with your church on matters of faith? (this could also mean disagreeing with your reverend/priest, etc) Do you think it's okay for different people to have different interpretations of certain pieces of scripture? Feel free to explain as much or as little as you like.

10) What are your thoughts on the way the United States seems to focus on the religious beliefs of its political candidates? Do you believe it is wrong to exploit faith for political purposes (regardless of which side is doing it or in what fashion)?

11) If you were voting between two candidates, one who talks about his faith in Jesus, and one who never mentions any religion, but whose personal and political actions closely mirror the teachings of Jesus, which do you think you would vote for?

12) Do you believe in Hell (specifically that people get sent there)? Why or why not?

13) What are your thoughts specifically on Mormonism and the Jehova's Witnesses? (If you are one or the other, simply answer about the other and not your own)

14) Was there a defining moment in your life that you would say was either make or break for your faith, or where you had a serious crisis of faith, or that made you specifically decide to go in the direction of a specific faith? If so, and you are willing to, please share a little about that experience.

15) Have you ever experienced anything you might consider to be supernatural, or potentially to be the work of god or the devil? If yes, please describe the experience.


A little about this: I'm just a regular guy who is deciding to ask the questions I've always wished I could get honest answers to, without yelling or arguing. I may ask follow-up questions to anyone who gives me interesting answers. I would like to request that nobody in here take offense to the answers that anyone else might give. This topic is for mature questions and answers only please. Please in your mind agree to this before answering the questions yourself or reading any further to see the answers others have given. I'd prefer you also not reply to the answers other people give in here, since I don't want people to be influenced by the answers other people are giving, or by someone else chiming in agreeing or disagreeing. This isn't about who is right or wrong, it's just your opinion that you are telling me to the best of your ability.

Thank you to all who participate.

1. Covenant
2. This denomination is much different than other denominations - rather than sticking to its "favorite" doctrines, it is open to differing theologies. A good example of what I mean by this is that it supports both baby dedication as well as baby baptism and will do whichever the member chooses for his/ her child. Of course, the church adheres to what it calls it's affirmations (the major creeds of Christianity - Apostle's, Nicene). What is different for this denomination from non-denominational churches, then, is that the denomination acts as a family - each church is in close relationship with other churches all throughout the US and the world. It's basically set up as a very powerful network... and the model works as can be demonstrated by the fact that the Covenant is the fastest growing denomination in the world. The saying is, once you join the Covenant you never leave.
3. Born into my faith. As Scot McKnight would say, I received gentle whispers from God throughout my life.
4.---
5. 22 year old youth pastor
6. I'm against the death penalty. God already created the biggest penalty.
7. Returning evil for evil is never the answer.
8. All sins are equal in the fact that they cause separation between us and God. All sins are not equal in the destruction that they cause.
9. Through all of my studies, I definitely disagree on a regular basis with my lead pastor and church tradition. Some matters that I disagree with: inerrancy of scripture, free will vs. all knowing God, Jesus as the "only way," denying the ordination of women, and literalist views of much of the Bible.
10. I believe in the separation of church and state. Though I support theocracy, the USA is not a theocracy and never has been. I believe in the free will granted by God, which includes the free will to deny him. We cannot mandate something contrary to that free will. However, I also believe that all morality comes from God and that some candidates are more qualified based upon their morality.
11. It depends. Does the candidate who talks about Jesus blatantly contradict Jesus in word and deed?
12. I believe in hell. I also struggle with hell. It's a difficult topic.
13. Heresy - Golden Tablets given to a guy to let him know his word is more authoritative than the Bible? Give me a break.
14. I believe anyone who studies the faith and has deep conversations with educated or competent atheists will struggle with their faith. I have always believed in God - but my knowledge of who God is has evolved and been on the rocks many times.
15. I've seen prayers be answered. I haven't experienced miracles in the sense that the Bible often describes. However, I've seen people be miraculously healed. I can't help but wonder at times if it is coincidence. Good friends of mine have witnessed exorcisms.

This post was edited by Diligence on Jul 5 2012 07:56am

You brought up some very interesting things. I appreciate the time you took to respond. I find it interesting that your church seems to encourage people to study scripture for themselves and try to figure out what it means to them as an individual (that is assuming I read you correctly)

Given your thoughts on Mormonism, how do you feel about the story of the Ten Commandments, the stone tablets, etc? Do you believe the commandments are just good rules to follow, or do you think everything involving them literally happened as described by the stories? I ask because you mention you don't take everything entirely literally.

And finally, exorcisms. I wanted to ask about them, but I know some people might be made uncomfortable if I brought them up. Does your church officially believe demonic possessions happen and sanction exorcisms to remove them? If so, do you know anything about how they are handled? Do they check to make sure it's not just some mental illness, etc?

I just graduated from college with degrees in youth ministry and biblical studies. Studying the Bible is far different in academia than it is within local churches... people aren't afraid to dig deep into unsettling issues. Whereas, in churches, pastors and others can't "go there" because of the possibility that they could be exiled. All churches should encourage people to study on their own - the purpose of a church is to help guide that study. Tradition is valuable (the Creeds.) Scriptural meaning on an individual basis is useless if you are abstracting falsehoods from the text.

I haven't even considered comparing the Ten Commandments to the Book of Mormon... and I won't now either. One particular I was talking about when I mentioned literalism is Creation. I don't believe the universe was created in a literal six days. I don't consider the Ten Commandments just "good rules to follow." They are the rules to follow - and even people who consider the New Testament superior cannot skirt around the Ten Commandments because they are listed almost verbatim within the Gospels. As Scot McKnight says, everything within the Old Testament is found to be more full within the New Testament. Jesus goes BEYOND the Old Testament. The Old Testament simply says thou shall not murder. Jesus takes it a step further in equating anger with murder. (Matthew 5:21-22) All through chapter 5 you can see this point. In verse 27 Jesus equates the physical action of adultery with lust. It's a step further than the Old Testament.

I just began working at my new church. I would say that across the board, all churches believe in spiritual warfare. It's impossible to adhere to the Bible and not believe so. With that said, demonic possessions are far less common in the West than, say, African countries. I'm not sure why, except for the thought that if you're conscious of something you will likely come across it more often. In general, the West doesn't really take spiritual warfare seriously enough to see it. I am not sure how it's handled.

This post was edited by Diligence on Jul 5 2012 01:36pm

That's very interesting. I may have to have a discussion just on this topic at some point in the future. I'd welcome your input at that point. I think you've given me more than enough answers. I thank you for your patience and time.

1) What denomination of Christian are you? Or do you consider yourself non-denominational, and simply consider yourself a follower of Jesus?
Catholic

2) What is it about your denomination that brought you on board vs the other ones? What is it you would say your denomination is getting correct that the others might be missing? If you didn't have a denomination, what's preventing you from choosing one over the others?
I was born and raised Catholic, and I didnt change, because I simply over the years feel at peace, I enjoy the form of worship

3) Were you born into your faith or were you a convert?
Born

4) If you were converted, what did you believe before, and/or what other religions did you look into, if any?
Judaism, simply because it is the closest in my opinion to Catholism, and my ancestors that fled from Hitler, were obviously Jewish

5) What is your age?
16

6) How do you feel about the death penalty?
It is un needed, only the Lord should grant death, and death should not be a form of punishment

7) If you are for the death penalty, how do you reconcile it with your faith? If not, do you believe that there is no crime for which a person should be executed, or is there some other reason?
No one should ever be executed, because that does not make the innocent any less innocent, if that makes sense

8) Do you believe all sins are equally bad as far as god is concerned?
its all relative.

9) Do you ever disagree with your church on matters of faith? (this could also mean disagreeing with your reverend/priest, etc) Do you think it's okay for different people to have different interpretations of certain pieces of scripture? Feel free to explain as much or as little as you like.
I believe the bible, and the matters of faith should be open to individual interpretation, Its okay to think differently, because we all werent born the same so how boring would it be if we all thought the same.

10) What are your thoughts on the way the United States seems to focus on the religious beliefs of its political candidates? Do you believe it is wrong to exploit faith for political purposes (regardless of which side is doing it or in what fashion)?
In my opinion, the Church and State should be separate, but since it is always some how tied together, it is wrong because simply voting for someone only for their religon does not make any sense. as an example, why would you vote for a political candidate that may be inexperienced, but yet your same religon, vs someone who isnt your religon, but does have the experience and the knowledge nessary.

11) If you were voting between two candidates, one who talks about his faith in Jesus, and one who never mentions any religion, but whose personal and political actions closely mirror the teachings of Jesus, which do you think you would vote for?
The second person

12) Do you believe in Hell (specifically that people get sent there)? Why or why not?
I do, and I do not believe that God would send you there, because if your parents love you just as much as God does, and your parents would not send you to hell,
the Lord doesn't, BUT Your actions do send you to Hell.

13) What are your thoughts specifically on Mormonism and the Jehova's Witnesses? (If you are one or the other, simply answer about the other and not your own)
To each his own on their religion.

14) Was there a defining moment in your life that you would say was either make or break for your faith, or where you had a serious crisis of faith, or that made you specifically decide to go in the direction of a specific faith? If so, and you are willing to, please share a little about that experience.
Null

15) Have you ever experienced anything you might consider to be supernatural, or potentially to be the work of god or the devil? If yes, please describe the experience.
Not me personally, but my family who were immigrants hand built a house in michigan, and three times it has burned down.
My family prayed and prayed that this time the house would not be burnt down, and they felt Mother Mary answered their prayers and they saw the sun dance on the horizon.

Very well written responses for someone of your age. I am very impressed. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

No problem, man. If you ever have any questions or want an opinion, just ask. Take care.