How do non-denominational Christians pick a church?

[PRmerger]

I have made no claim of such a list of denominations.

:banghead:

The 40,000 denomination is being rejected.

Based on what? Because it contains Mormons. And the number seems staggeringly high.

Ok.

So, if you reject it, what do you have to offer?

Show me the “correct” statistic and then we can discuss!

 

[jmcrae]

Maybe that is because Protestants don’t want a relationship with the clergy or the pope. They want a relationship with Christ.

I think the assumption that there is a dichotomy between these two things is foundational to Protestantism as a whole, and that each Protestant organization is simply a variation on this theme.

As Catholics, we don’t see the priest as a barrier between us and Jesus, but rather, as the window through which we communicate with Him.

 

[PJM]

=MyRdmrLvs;6198805]So if a catholic priest teaches a doctrine that doesnt match the official teaching, are they still catholics or are they heratics?

Heresy defined by the Code of Canon Law
**
Can. 751 Heresy** is the obstinate denial or doubt, after baptism, of a truth which must be believed by divine and catholic faith. Apostasy is the total repudiation of the christian faith. Schism is the withdrawal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or from communion with the members of the Church subject to him.

In reply to your comment; it would depend on several factors. [pre] Knowledge, intent, severity of the issue. Frequency also would come into the determination.

One remains a “Catholic” until officially expelled, or freely chooses to nolonger identify themselves as such [even though, by Baptism] one remains at least unofficially a member of Christ One true Church.

 

[Xavierlives]

You do your best and I will do mine, there are things we will agree on and things that we wont. Jesus will judge, but in the mean time we should be joined in condemning the molesting of children not using pedophiles to smear either your faith or mine.

Or they could do as CC do and recognize our Baptism and be happy with that.

 

[Xavierlives]

I think the assumption that there is a dichotomy between these two things is foundational to Protestantism as a whole, and that each Protestant organization is simply a variation on this theme.

As Catholics, we don’t see the priest as a barrier between us and Jesus, but rather, as the window through which we communicate with Him.

Right, and we communicate directly to Him. I find no fault in your way, it just is not my way. I see enough examples in the Bible on how to pray, and none include praying to anything other than God.

 

[tweetymom]

Maybe that is because Protestants don’t want a relationship with the clergy or the pope. They want a relationship with Christ.

:clapping::clapping:

 

[agp2176]

Regard the count of Protestant denominations and even going so far as to consider the rites with the Catholic church as denominations, I must ask this of my Protestant brothers and sisters:

If it boils down to being either Protestant or Catholic, then why are you one Protestant denomination and not the other. Why do you go to say a Baptist church on Sunday, and not the Lutheran church, or the Seven Day Adventists or the Church of Christ. After all, its not Catholic.

Now you may ask the same of me, as to why I as a Roman Catholic don’t go to a Greek Catholic Divine Liturgy or a Maronite Rite Mass on Sunday or if that was closer to my home than a Roman Catholic parish. The answer is that I can, and it a complete and full meeting of obligation with no deviation from the teaching of the Catholic Church.

But, can a Lutheran say the same by going to a Sunday service at the local Alliance church? Can an Presbyterian say that by attending Sunday service at an Assembly of God.

Just a pause for thought.

God bless

Tony

 

[PRmerger]

Originally cited by Dave1988: Therefore, I believe 33,000 is a tragically conservative number of Protestant denominations IN THIS COUNTRY (U.S.) let alone in the world.

Again, not my opinion, but from the resource cited. :sad_yes:

 

[tweetymom]

Regard the count of Protestant denominations and even going so far as to consider the rites with the Catholic church as denominations, I must ask this of my Protestant brothers and sisters:

If it boils down to being either Protestant or Catholic, then why are you one Protestant denomination and not the other. Why do you go to say a Baptist church on Sunday, and not the Lutheran church, or the Seven Day Adventists or the Church of Christ. After all, its not Catholic.

Now you may ask the same of me, as to why I as a Roman Catholic don’t go to a Greek Catholic Divine Liturgy or a Maronite Rite Mass on Sunday or if that was closer to my home than a Roman Catholic parish. The answer is that I can, and it a complete and full meeting of obligation with no deviation from the teaching of the Catholic Church.

But, can a Lutheran say the same by going to a Sunday service at the local Alliance church? Can an Presbyterian say that by attending Sunday service at an Assembly of God.

Just a pause for thought.

God bless

Tony

I can go to any Church where Christ is:thumbsup: and worship Him there.

 

[Xavierlives]

Again, not my opinion, but from the resource cited. :sad_yes:

And a resource that is proven to flaws.

Independents (about 22000)
Protestants (about 9000)
“Marginals” (about 1600)
Orthodox (781)
Roman Catholics (242)
Anglicans (168)

1600 “marginal” which includes Mormons, JW, 7thDA, etc.
1200 Catholic oriented denominations
and 22,000 independent churches.

The last is the most ridiculous number of all because while there might be 22,000 Baptist churches, they are one denomination, but if a Baptist church drops its affliation, it is suddenly a new denomination on your list eventhough nothing has changed in their beliefs.

Your numbers are flawed, you know it. I know it. But you refused to give it up because you want division. You want disunity.

 

[tweetymom]

And a resource that is proven to flaws.

Independents (about 22000)
Protestants (about 9000)
“Marginals” (about 1600)
Orthodox (781)
Roman Catholics (242)
Anglicans (168)

1600 “marginal” which includes Mormons, JW, 7thDA, etc.
1200 Catholic oriented denominations
and 22,000 independent churches.

The last is the most ridiculous number of all because while there might be 22,000 Baptist churches, they are one denomination, but if a Baptist church drops its affliation, it is suddenly a new denomination on your list eventhough nothing has changed in their beliefs.

Your numbers are flawed, you know it. I know it. But you refused to give it up because you want division. You want disunity.

Hit the nail on the head brother:thumbsup:

 

[agp2176]

The last is the most ridiculous number of all because while there might be 22,000 Baptist churches, they are one denomination, but if a Baptist church drops its affliation, it is suddenly a new denomination on your list even though nothing has changed in their beliefs.

May I please ask for some clarification on your statement. If a nothing has changed in the beliefs of a particular Baptist church, then why do they drop their affiliation. Are they no longer Baptist? Or do they call themselves Baptist but stand alone. What happens if they move from being Free Will Baptist to Reformed Baptist – and how and why did these come about? Why would a congregation change affiliation?

I’m not try to pick a fight here, I’m just trying to understand.

God bless

Tony

 

[PJM]

=PRmerger;LOL!! Did you see any of those groups in the list of Christian denominations?

What is listed are groups of Christians who have read the Bible and have formed doctrines they feel are Biblical, and have felt their doctrines are so different from any existing denomination they have found it necessary to start their own church.

Ok. So then the actual count would be 41,340 minus 1200. Still over 40,000.

quote]Do you really want to defend the Mormons as Christian?

I think they have as much a right to be considered a Christian denomination as your church does. They’ve read the Bible and think their doctrines truly speak God’s words.

Which is precise evidence of the ‘I think therefore it is the rule." [Alos known as Secular Humanism and Relativism,"… It’ strue if I say its true an its wrong if I say its wrong, and don’t judge me and I woun’t judge you."

**Sweet, nice,kind, loving, genle BUT nevertheless a Lie that heads a soul towards hell. Oh excuse; I’m not allowed to say that.

Mormans do not believen in God
Do not accept Jesus as God
Certainly don’t accept the Trinity
Do not beleive the Bible is the Inspired word of God [they use the “Book of Mormon”
Do not beleive in either heaven or hell

And yet they are “christians” because you choose to think they are

I am seeking unity. That’s why I’m here!

Even if it means sacrfifcing TRUTH on the altar of “I can beleive anything I want.”

NOW, do you have your source for what you believe is the actual number of Christian denominations, XL?

Friend, I think you just founded another “new” religion? Or has someone all ready started this one?

Love and prayers,

Pat

 

[Xavierlives]

May I please ask for some clarification on your statement. If a nothing has changed in the beliefs of a particular Baptist church, then why do they drop their affiliation. Are they no longer Baptist? Or do they call themselves Baptist but stand alone. What happens if they move from being Free Will Baptist to Reformed Baptist – and how and why did these come about? Why would a congregation change affiliation?

I’m not try to pick a fight here, I’m just trying to understand.

God bless

Tony

Well there was a Baptist Church in our area that shed the Baptist name simply because they felt SBC was starting to have a negative connotation and people were not visiting because of the name. To be a be Baptist, you have to have Baptist in your name (imagine that), so they dropped the name (and the affiliation) and sure enough, their membership started to increase. They didn’t change anything else.

 

[PRmerger]

And yet they are “christians” because you choose to think they are

Pat, please see this post of mine regarding whether I claim Mormons are Christians.

Oh, and this one, too.

 

[PRmerger]

Can’t remember if I posted this already, but here it is…

Mathematically, just taking 21 different belief systems (which is not by any means an exhaustive list), the number of possibilities of different Christian denominations is

[SIGN1]HUNDREDS of thousands. :bigyikes:[/SIGN1]

Originally posted by me on another thread:

No…I think it’s more complicated than that. It’s a factorial equation, written as 21!.

Example: 4! means 4 x 3 x 2 x 1

so 21! means 21 x 20 x 19 x 18 etc etc etc

So, to find combinations when order doesn’t matter, say how many combinations of 3 letters could be made from 10 letters, we use this formula nCr or 10C3.

However, we don’t have a certain # of ways, so we have to do this for all the numbers up to 21…

21C1
21C2
21C3
etc etc etc!!

Mind boggling!

Just what the Devil ordered, in my opinion!

Makes the 40,000 statistic seem quite tame, doesn’t it?

 

[aussie_jaz]

So God can breath life into billions of dead cells(Jesus’s dead body) but Hes unable to breath life into one cell(Marys egg) He can speak the universe into existence, but one sperm something any man can produce by the billions, NOPE God cant do that. Wow you think God is impotent! You think I have a power that God does not have!

i believe i have already explained about this in 1068 , 1074 , 1079. god breathed the soul of god into jesus but didnt have physical imput. when you can breath the soul of god into another person then you can claim such powers

 

[bluelake]

That is indeed, true, and yet, paradoxically, if they are baptized, then they’re never really apart from us. They have an indelible mark on their souls and are our brothers and sisters in Christ–even if they choose to leave His Body.

From the CCC: Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.

Church hopping is an indication that you haven’t spent much time reading the word of God.
Were you catachized in a church? Were you confirmed in a church when you were young?
I hope this is going to the right person.

God bless,
bluelake

 

[jmcrae]

Right, and we communicate directly to Him. I find no fault in your way, it just is not my way. I see enough examples in the Bible on how to pray, and none include praying to anything other than God.

When you get rid of the window, you have nothing but a blank wall.

How do you verify if the voices in your head are God, or something else? Me, I consult a priest.

 

[MariaG]

This is what puzzles me about this entire conversation: I have provided a reference with a detailed explanation of how the Christian denomination accounting has been achieved.

You reject it because it contains Mormons. Ok.

Now you’re proposing that you “believe” you could remove many more? Based on what?

I “believe” I could add many more. In fact, based on the above rationale, I “believe” I’m going to add aussie-jaz’s quasi-Christian belief system to the count and amend the statistic from 41,119 to 40,120.

Someone already provided some numbers based on the information in the flawed study.

It is more than my “belief” and if you were not so committed to this study to prove the wrongness of Sola Scriptura through that study, you probably could see the flaws yourself.