I have some questions about other branches of Christianity (since my knowledge extends to orthodox/catholic and somewhat protestant).
I don't understand the Baptist Church. Are they branch of Christianity or just an extension of Catholic branch?
Do Baptists answer to Pope? If not, then to whom?
Who are New Born Christians? Is that, a denomination by itself, or when you come ''new born Christian'' do you pick a denomination?
Also some info on Quakers, Jehova's Witnesses, and other interesting denominations.
Which are the really influential Christian denominations in America (since thats where they appear to be most active)
Do you have Quakers in America?
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في هذا العالم ثلاثة أشخاص أفسدوا البشرية : راعي غنم , طبيب و راكب الجمال , و راكب الجمال هو أسوأ نشال و أسوأ مشعوذ بين الثلاثة
Baptist is a branch of protestantism so they do not see the pope as having any ecclesial authority. Generally the baptists churches are arranged into ministry organizations such as Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The SBC alone has some 16.3 million members. That makes them the 2nd largest denomination in the US behind Roman Catholicism. But of course there are other baptist organizations and beyond that all of the other protestant and orthodox demoninations.
I believe you're referring to "born again" Christians. That's a somewhat generic term used to refer to recent converts. It invokes a passage from the bible where Jesus tells Nicodemus that to enter the kingdom of god one must be born a second time. The first birth being from the physical womb and the second of the holy spirit (which grants salvific grace).
I don't know very much about the Quakers. There are definately quakers in America though. They're generally considered to be on the fringe of Christianity. Some of them even calling themselves universalists.
The Jehova's Witnesses have a stereotype of going door-to-door proselytizing and annoying people. I see them going around my neighborhood from time to time. They're also considered to be more of a Christianlike sect rather than a denomination of orthodoxy.
If I had to pick just one I'd say the SBC. There's also the National Association of Evangelicals but that's more of a ministry agency than a denomination unto itself.
Baptists are Protestants...they have very little Church hierarchy...mostly convention style meetings. They are traditionally very conservative and becamse associated with the evangelical movement in the 1920s.
They're more often called "Born Again." Its a group of protestants, usually evangelicals that have a second baptism, people who have a second discovery of God in their life.
Often they belive that only those who have been "born again" are saved. They tend to be associated with the most conservative interpretations of Protestantism, including Baptists.
We had Quakers at one point, I don't think they're around anymore.
As far as influental demoninations, the "born again" evangelical movement is causing issues because its basiacally tearing down the seperation between church and state (which is historically ironic in the US) and judging candidates based on their Chistianity. These conservative evangelicals also vote pretty much exclusively (or so it seems) on social issues...homosexuality, abortion, etc...
Thats a real oversimplification...I can expound if you like.
Yes, this is perhaps another way "born again" can be used. And it's almost always evangelicals (which is more broad than a specific denomination, but generally includes southern baptists) who do more than one baptism. They're always credobaptists as well (as opposed to paedobastists like catholics or prebyterians, etc.)
There's actually a quaker community not too far from where I live. There are probably more quakers in the UK though.
Yeah, sorry, ''born again Christians'' is who I meant.
So Born again Christians then go on to convert other christians.
So, are those the ones which bomb abortions or however else it goes, threatening that everyone is going to hell?
Is any denomination evangelical or is that a particular type of Christians, ie, do Catholics go around converting people, or however the evangelical things work.
I am trying to understand the influence of not-so-nice Christian groups in America.
Alliance, feel free to elaborate. You too Ytse, you all seem to be well informed on Christianity in North America.
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في هذا العالم ثلاثة أشخاص أفسدوا البشرية : راعي غنم , طبيب و راكب الجمال , و راكب الجمال هو أسوأ نشال و أسوأ مشعوذ بين الثلاثة
Well, any Christian is supposed to spread the gospel. But "born again" is a vague term at best. It really doesn't refer to anything other than one's salvation.
No mainstream Christian group supports such a thing. The only kinds of Christians that bomb abortion clinics are criminals. Vigilantism (taking the law into one's own hands) is condemned in the bible. And so is murder of course.
Well, the language is tricky here.
Evangelism is witnessing to non-believers. All Christians are called to do this in one way or another.
Evangelicalism is what most people mean when they say "evangelicals." Here's a good definition:
A massive, popular Christian movement that grew out of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British and American revivals. Its chief distinctive is preoccupation with the individual conversion experience. It often neglects or downplays the objective authority of the entire Bible, the centrality of doctrine and theology in the church, and God's law as an abiding ethical standard for man. For most evangelicals, Christianity is chiefly an experience and morality, not a doctrinal confession of faith.
No i know a born-again christian he's a nice man who tries to show people who commit crimes the path of god.Mainly just hands out leaflets and bumper stickers.The people who bomb abortions are extremist christians.
The bible is a bit vague on vigilantism, Jesus himself commited it (Throwing the money changers out of the temple) and he was without sin.Its vague on alot of wrong-doing only the 10 commandments are set in stone.Anything else its quite vague on hugely wrong things like incest.
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Free to wreak havoc
Last edited by {{QS}} on May 16th, 2007 at 08:56 PM
Baptists derived from the Anabaptists which grew out of the Reformation. The term "anabaptist" comes from the practice of baptizing individuals who had been baptized previously, often as infants. Anabaptists believe infant baptism is not valid, because a child cannot commit to a religious faith. Some Mennonites came from that denomination also. Mennonites and Amish are kinda similar in their beliefs and yes we have many of them here in Michigan. Quakers aren't around much here, but I believe they are more in Pennsilvania and they are know more for their furnature for some reaon....lol...The Amish are kinda cool, though very old fashion with their horse and buggy's and hats. They don't believe in any electricity and many don't believe in having pictures unless it's scenery in your home. Early in the US history it was the Baptists that suggested that we have our government based on their denomination. Most believe that Catholics are not Christians and not following gods word. Baptist spawn fundamentalists such as Pentecostals. As far as JW's they are more in the category of earning your salvation through "works." But again the Catholics believe in rituals which stem from older pagan believes which btw the protestants carried on. Catholics usually don't try to convert others as much as protestants do, but more help the needy without a price of "OK, now you need to come to our church and get involved." Catholics baptise babies also which some protestants picked up on also like the Lutherans.
As far as "Born Again" that is a protestant belief and usually means that you need have the Holy Spirit. Some believe the proof is that you speak in tongues, some believe it is just to believe others see it as being baptised but showing a change in your behavior. Catholics as far as I know don't use the word "Born Again."
I believe the most influencial sect of Christians are the Baptists.
Last edited by debbiejo on May 17th, 2007 at 12:05 AM
What is your principle belief? Why do you call yourself Jehova's Witnesses? (by that I mean, were you literaly ''witnesses'' or does that stand for a metaphor of some kind?)
Are you a branch of Christianity?
Do you guys have special churches and/or priests or pastors?
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في هذا العالم ثلاثة أشخاص أفسدوا البشرية : راعي غنم , طبيب و راكب الجمال , و راكب الجمال هو أسوأ نشال و أسوأ مشعوذ بين الثلاثة
Born Again is the real strong conservative evangelical movemetn in the US right now. I don't actually know stats on which groups bomb most, but yes, Born Agains are much more likely to support such actions.
Ytse's defenition is a little too warm and fuzzy.
Evangelicism can be a liberal movement, especially in historically black churches. I personally think the movement is more headed in this direction with more attention to social responsibility, stewardship of the environment, anti-death penalty, and much more focus on the broad, main tenants of Christianity.
However, If i remember....about 2/3rds of people who are evangelicals describe themselves as conservative. Thier MAIN platforms are social issues, god, guns, gays, and abortions.
Evangelicals aren't a specific sect...its a broad term, but they often organize together, which has given them strong political power in the US, especially in the South (the "Bible Belt" or so it is called). I don't know if their main goal is conversion, but some definately like to shout at you and spend their afternoon on a streetcorner, moreso than other religions.
Evangelicism's decentralization makes it less doctrinal than other religions (as I said it was more a class, than a sect) but faith is still an important issue, despite Ytse's definition. Morality is based on faith, and the faithless are immoral. Evangelicism is not a "doctrinal" confession of faith (as Ytse's def suggested) but it is a confession of faith.
Why do you say they're more likely to support murder than any other Christian movement? I think you're being a bit unfair because they're the far right of Christianity.
What about looking at actual cases? Firstly there's Paul J. Hill who killed two doctors working at an abortion clinic. He was presbyterian! And Eric Rudolph, the anti-abortionist whose bombs killed three people and wounded 150, was part of the Christian Identity movement. Neither of those individuals were associated with evangelicals.
Politically I'd say most evangelicals are pro-gun (ownership). I too am pro-gun but it has nothing to do with my religious beliefs. I'm not sure why most evangelicals tend to be pro-gun.
They would be anti-gun control. They feel this is a constitutional right...
My theory is that these sects usually just don't vote...they remove themselves from the system. However, the Republican party increasingly associated itself with "traditional" values and so when a born again cadidates came in George Bush...an alliance was only natural. However, a lot of evangelical groups have become disillusioned with the Republican party. I think we will see what (little?) power they have decrease...at least on the national level...next election cycle.
For some reason there is a greater instance of hypocrisay in conservative Christians...they wont kill non-humans in the womb, but they'll kill anything as soon as it comes out of it.
As I mentioned, I did not look at any statistics, but thank you for proving my assumptions.
Secondly, please pay attention to what I write and what I say. Subtlety is important in such discussions and i won't tolarate responses from people who make up things for me to say.
I said BORN AGAINS were more likely to support such actions, not evangelicals. That may also be true, but since evangelicism is a much broader movement, I didn't feel comfortable making that assessment.
Born Agains tend to have a very strong "literalist" interpretation of the Bible and tend to be conservative, anti-choice. Christian Identity movement is one of the most conservative Christian cults that I am aware of. Please don't forget that Hill was excommunicated from the Presbyterians church. There is an increased incidence of such violence among conservative Christians. My point is valid for born agains, it is alos likely valid for conservative evangelicals as well.
Maybe they are other factors involved...like *gasp* HISTORY.
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May 16th, 2007 02:19 PM
