People in other countries are REALLY far off.
There are a lot of misinformed people out there.
(Sources: http://www.adherents.com/maps/US_denom_cong.jpg, http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/412/422174/05fig01.gif, http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html)
31 comments:
Interesting. Let me ask you a question:
Would you say that "Christian" should mean that the particular, organized religion follows the teachings of Christ? In other words: Puts Christ first?
I'm not sure I understand your question.
But I'm sure that Baptists, Presbyterians, and Catholics (for example) would each tell you something different for what "Christian" should mean.
Anyway, WHICH teachings of Christ? The ones where he says "Blessed are the peacemakers," throws the moneychangers out of the temple, and tells people not to pray in public? Or the one the Christian Right worships?
Damn, that came off pretty badly. My point is that people on both sides of pretty much every issue believe that they're following Christ's teachings. Pat Robertson and Al Sharpton both consider themselves Christians. Jimmy Carter and George Bush both consider themselves Christian.
Yeah, I should have made that question a little more clear. I look at the list included under the heading "Christianity" and I have a problem with some of the religions presented there.
LDS? The Bible is secondary to the Book of Mormon
SDA? They follow the teachings and suggestions of Ellen White more than Christ.
It just seems like that pie chart would look a little less unbalanced if the Christianity portion was modified a little...
Well, sure, there's always going to be a debate about who's really a Christian, Jew, whatever. I know that a lot of "born again" Christians don't consider even Catholics to be Christian.
I think the safest way to go is to let people self-identify. Here's just the table of contents for wikipedia's List of Christian denominations.
# 1 Catholicism
* 1.1 Catholic churches accepting the primacy of the Roman Pontiff
* 1.2 Catholic churches closely related to, but not accepting the primacy of the Roman Pontiff
# 2 So-called Nestorian churches
# 3 Non-Chalcedonian Churches
* 3.1 Oriental Orthodox Communion
# 4 Orthodox Christianity
* 4.1 Eastern Orthodox Churches
o 4.1.1 Greater Eastern Orthodox Communion
* 4.2 Other Eastern Orthodox Churches
* 4.3 Western-Rite Orthodox Churches
# 5 Protestantism
* 5.1 Protestants before Luther
* 5.2 Lutheranism
* 5.3 Reformed and Presbyterian Churches
o 5.3.1 Reformed churches
o 5.3.2 Presbyterian churches
* 5.4 United / Uniting churches
* 5.5 Anabaptists
* 5.6 Brethren denominations
* 5.7 Baptists
* 5.8 Charismatics
* 5.9 Friends (Quakers) and Their Offshoots
* 5.10 Methodists
* 5.11 Pietists and Holiness Churches
* 5.12 Pentecostalism
* 5.13 African Independent Churches
* 5.14 Neo-charismatic churches
* 5.15 Messianic Judaism
* 5.16 Other movement churches
# 6 Anglican/Episcopal Church
* 6.1 Independent Anglican and Continuing Anglican Movement Churches
# 7 Swedenborgianism
* 7.1 Episcopal
* 7.2 Congregational
# 8 Restorationism
* 8.1 Restoration Movement (Stone-Campbell)
* 8.2 Millerites and Comparable groups
* 8.3 Mormonism/Latter Day Saints
# 9 Gnosticism
# 10 Nontrinitarian
What's amazing to me is how many of them believe that they are the one true religion.
See, Gnostics were delt with in the Bible as being heretics because of some of their "sinless perfection" doctrines.
I'm non-denominational. In case anyone was curious.
What's amazing to me is how many of them believe that they are the one true religion.
Yeah. *sigh* It makes it really difficult to understand "unity" in the body of Christ....
Sadie Lou said: Yeah. *sigh* It makes it really difficult to understand "unity" in the body of Christ....
It makes it easier for me to be an atheist...
I don't blame God for our lack of unity--I blame mankind's inability to have faith that God, alone, is worthy of our praise...
There is an episode of Southpark wherein a large group of people are being inducted into hell. Many of them start complaining that they shouldn't be there, because they were Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, etc. Finally, someone asks which religion was the one true one. "The Mormons" is the answer.
Heaven has always sounded boring to me - who wants to hang out with a bunch of whiny puritans 24/7, singing stupid hymns and trying not to lust after the wrong person, lest one get kicked out?
Hell, on the other hand, sounds more promising: a lot of party people are supposedly going there for the whole gambling, boozing, whoring, dancing, card-playing orgy scene. Toga! Toga! Toga!
I always thought that if I ended up in Hell... all of my friends would be there and at least it would be warm...
...singing stupid hymns and trying not to lust after the wrong person, lest one get kicked out?
...and this would be YOUR version of Heaven, of course, because someone who has actually read the Bible, wouldn't paint such a gross misconception.
:)
Sadie Lou said: ...and this would be YOUR version of Heaven, of course, because someone who has actually read the Bible, wouldn't paint such a gross misconception.
:)
I think that in order to be Heaven... it'd have to be individually tailored to the person - just like Hell.
Also - I didn't think the Bible went into much detail regarding Heaven?
Actually, my view of heaven is the ONE TRUE HEAVEN and you are damned forever if you don't believe it.
So there.
Genesis 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.
So, it sounds to me like heaven is full of fire and brimstone...
I think that in order to be Heaven... it'd have to be individually tailored to the person - just like Hell.
Why did you quote what I said to make this point???
Also - I didn't think the Bible went into much detail regarding Heaven?
There is enough said about Heaven to know what it isn't.
Sadie Lou said: Why did you quote what I said to make this point???
Because you mentioned 'versions' of Heaven... So I said....
Sadie Lou also said: There is enough said about Heaven to know what it isn't.
OK - So what "isn't" Heaven like? I'm guessing that it's open to interpretation? I don't think I'd like it much if it didn't have any cats in it...
Well, "july al" said:
"who wants to hang out with a bunch of whiny puritans 24/7, singing stupid hymns and trying not to lust after the wrong person, lest one get kicked out?"
Christians know that Heaven is our final destination. We know that being in Heaven with the Father, means that our sanctification and glorification is complete.
In other words: Nobody is going to have to "try" not lust--Sin is an earthly struggle/ not a Heavenly struggle.
July Al,
I don't think that you really have anything unique to add. You just like to argue. I am curious. What do you do for a living? Do you work or just hang out at the local bar using their internet connection?
You don't have a blog for us to refer to so I am just curious who we are dealing with here.
Cyberkitten,
Hell is filled with cats. Everyone knows that as well as that you cannot trust a single man who lives with cats.
Sadie Lou said: In other words: Nobody is going to have to "try" not [to] lust--Sin is an earthly struggle/ not a Heavenly struggle.
So, are you saying that in Heaven my mind and heart would so altered that I wouldn't have lustful sexual desires? Yikes! Send me to hell, please!
Does this also mean that there is no "free will" in heaven to do things like lusting? If that is so - if there is no need for free will in heaven - then doesn't that annihilate the argument that free will, and the evil that comes with it, are somehow important? (Revelation 21:4 - "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.")
I mean, we are told that without evil we would not appreciate good - so, in heaven, we won't be able to appreciate good, because there is no evil there.
I did find a couple of other interesting things about Heaven in the bible:
1. Revelation 14:1-5: The population of Heaven is composed of 144,000 virgin men who sing. (I assume they are singing hymns, and not the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil".)
2. Revelation 22:14: There are no dogs or lovers in Heaven. "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
2. Revelation 22:14: There are no dogs or lovers in Heaven. "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
correction: Rev. 22:15
if anyone cares.
Oops, you are correct.
But I'd still like to know why we have to have evil on earth is evil is unnecessary in heaven...
JA,
Free will to sin in Heaven? Yes. It's been done before after all - "Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell" and all that. Presumably those with a propensity to sin will have been sifted out before they get that far. Revelations 22:14 talks about those who love lies BTW, not those who love, full stop. Pity about the dogs though.
DOGS IN HEAVEN
...forwarded from the Dog-Rescue list
An old man and his dog were walking down this dirt road with fences on both sides, they came to a gate in the fence and looked in, it was nice - grassy, woody areas, just what a 'huntin' dog and man would like, but, it had a sign saying 'no trespassing' so they walked on.
They came to a beautiful gate with a person in white robes standing there. "Welcome to Heaven" he said. The old man was happy and started in with his dog following him. The gatekeeper stopped him. "Dogs aren't allowed, I'm sorry but he can't come with you."
"What kind of Heaven won't allow dogs? If He can't come in, then I will stay out with him. He's been my faithful companion all his life, I can't desert him now."
"Suit yourself, but I have to warn you, the Devil's on this road and he'll try to sweet talk you into his area, he'll promise you anything, but, the dog can't go there either. If you won't leave the dog, you'll spend Eternity on this road."
So the old man and dog went on. They came to a rundown fence with a gap in it, no gate, just a hole. Another old man was inside.
"Scuse me Sir, my dog and I are getting mighty tired, mind if we come in and sit in the shade for awhile?"
"Of course, there's some cold water under that tree over there. Make yourselves comfortable"
"You're sure my dog can come in? The man down the road said dogs weren't allowed anywhere."
"Would you come in if you had to leave the dog?"
"No sir, that's why I didn't go to Heaven, he said the dog couldn't come in. We'll be spending Eternity on this road, and a glass of cold water and some shade would be mighty fine right about now. But, I won't come in if my buddy here can't come too, and that's final."
The man smiled a big smile and said "Welcome to Heaven."
"You mean this is Heaven? Dogs ARE allowed? How come that fellow down the road said they weren't?"
"That was the Devil and he gets all the people who are willing to give up a life long companion for a comfortable place to stay. They soon find out their mistake, but, then it's too late. The dogs come here, the fickle people stay there. GOD wouldn't allow dogs to be banned from Heaven. After all, HE created them to be man's companions in life, why would he separate them in death?"
I don’t believe in god or devils, but I DO believe in dogs.
Shlomo Leib said: I don’t believe in god or devils, but I DO believe in dogs.
Cool story. I've stolen it for a Pet chat forum we have at work.
See this article for the origin of the story. It was also used in an episode of the original Twilight Zone TV series.
http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/stories/s1463021.htm
Culled from http://fusionanomaly.net/twilightzoneepisodes.html
Twilight Zone episode "The Hunt"
First aired: 1/26/62
"An old man and a hound dog named Rip, off for an evening's pleasure in quest of raccoon. Usually, these evenings end with one tired old man, one battle-scarred hound dog and one or more extremely dead raccoons, but as you may suspect that will not be the case tonight. These hunters won't be coming home from the hill. They're headed for the backwoods of the Twilight Zone."
Summary: Hyder Simpson and his dog Rip dive into a lake after a raccoon. Only the raccoon emerges. He and Rip awaken the next morning next to the lake. When he gets home he finds that no one can see or hear him, not even his wife - they all think he's dead. He finds a fence beside the graveyard and follows it to a gate. The man at the gate tells him it is the gate to Heaven, but dogs aren't allowed. Hyder takes Rip and leaves. Further down the road he meets an angel. The angel explains that the gate was actually the gate to Hell, and Rip wasn't allowed in because he could have smelled the brimstone.
"Travelers to unknown regions would be well-advised to take along the family dog. He could just save you from entering the wrong gate. At least, it happened that way once - in a mountainous area of the Twilight Zone."
I did a post on Heaven today.
Awesome, Sadie - I'll check it out.
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