#Christian denominations

[atheostic]

I love how Christians talk about early Christians like they were a monolith

Here's just a handful of early Christian denomination beliefs:

Adamites: Would hold services naked and were not monogamous.

Arianites: Believed that Jesus & God were two separate people, that Jesus was the son of God, and that Jesus didn't always exist.

Bardaisanites: Thought the sun, moon, and planets were living beings, to whom, under God, the government of this world was largely entrusted; and though Man was free, he was strongly influenced for good or for evil by the constellations.

Carpocratians: They believed in reincarnation and were encouraged to experience everything there is in life (sinful and moral alike) so that they wouldn't have to reincarnate to experience what they had missed out on. They believed that going against Jewish biblical law was a serious responsibility because said laws came from evil angels who created the world. They also were of the belief that Jesus wasn't a deity, but rather an enlightened role model people should strive to be like (kinda like the Buddha). (According to Irenaeus of Lyons)

Colarbasians: Believed the whole of truth and religion to be contained in the Greek alphabet; and that it was for this reason that Jesus was called the Alpha and Omega.

Marcionites: Believed the god Yahweh (the Jewish, Christian, & now Muslim god) was an evil, tyrannical deity, & that the god featured in the Hebrew Scriptures was not the Father of Jesus Christ. They forbade marriage and urged celibacy, since bringing more children into the world meant bringing more people into captivity to the evil Yahweh.

Montanists: Allowed women prominent positions in the sect, such as bishops, presbyters, and deacons.

Simonians: Believed that the Holy Spirit was feminine and reincarnated as different women, most notably Helen of Troy.

Valentinianists: Considered the god of the Old Testament as the imperfect creator of the material world. One needed to recognize the Father, the depth of all being, as the true source of divine power in order to achieve gnosis (knowledge). Gnosis, not faith, was the key to salvation.

[counter-culture-christian]

I'm trying to understand why people, "Christians" identify as their denomination and not as Christian. If you're following Jesus Christ, should your identity not be in Him thus you should be calling yourself solely Christian as opposed to your denomination which is a "branch of Christianity". The very thing about their identification of their denomination shows me that that has more weight to them. That their identity is in their church, in their denomination rather than in Christ Jesus. I find that quite amusing.

[cozycryptidcorner]

I believe with 95% certainty that if tumblr Catholics weren’t so goddamn fucking annoying with blazing their “you should be catholic :)” and “I used to be bisexual but god healed me :))” posts then they would have probably won the great schism polls.

Because remember. This is also the weird kink site and priests are pretty high up on that food chain.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

“There is no such thing as a single, unified, global Christianity, but instead many, different, local CHRISTIANITIES, which often do not recognize each other, accept each other, or even comprehend each other.“

-- David Eller

Resulting in many, different, local gods.

If they can’t convince each other, what makes them think we should believe them?

[protestantdenominationpoll]

So since @christian-denominations-poll won’t be doing this, I just might.

[tournamentdirectory]

Ah, baptists. Which denomination bears the best claim to the Best Baptists? @baptist-denominations-poll finds out in this schismatic inquiring.

[fem-fatalist]

If you can't move with the times, then get left behind.

And these same dumbasses wonder why younger people are leaving churches in droves.

[rw7771]

[dogstardigitalindex]

Title: Why Strict Religions Succeed Channel: ReligionForBreakfast (Dr. Andrew Henry) Length: 7:16

Opens with numbers showing liberal mainline churches declining and conservative denominations growing; explores idea that having a higher cost of membership encourages this by screening out less serious members, building community ties, and potentially excluding yourself from non-member society. Such groups are usually better at sharing resources. Talks about the social element of religion and ties this into religious cults.

[theygender]

The more I learn about judaism the more I wonder where tf christianity got all its bad shit. Why is divorce a sin in christianity when judaism has recognized the right to divorce for nearly a millennia and has codified religious laws for it. Why does christianity consider sex to be dirty (to the point where puritans considered it a sin to enjoy having sex with your own spouse) when in judaism it's considered holy and it's a literal mitzvah to have sex with your spouse on the sabbath. Why does christianity consider it a sign that you're faithless if you question your religion when in judaism that's considered an essential part to developing your faith. I'm probably stating the obvious here but I still can't get over the fact that there's no historical basis to any of this shit before christianity started, it's like christians just said "hey guys what if we took the torah and built a new religion around it but this time it was actively hostile to human life"

[traumacatholic]

I've been seeing this more and more recently, so I'm curious what you all think about this.

Feel free to include in the tags why you voted a particular way.

[charlesoberonn]

Saint George Fighting the Dragon is the epitome of Christianity and the 'convert to suffer' mentality.

George could've killed the dragon out of the kindness of his heart and his empathy for fellow human beings, or even asked to be paid for it. But instead he captured the dragon and demanded the entire city convert to Christianity or else he'll unleash the dragon on them.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

It’s nice that at no time in any of this do any of you ever feel the slightest bit self-conscious about what your god thinks of all these religions you keep inventing, nor beholden to knowing what it (supposedly) actually wants.

[protestantdenominationpoll]

Submission Form

I think most of y'all kinda know the drill here. Submit as many denominations as you want (INDIVIDUALLY), but don't spam the form.

This poll is for PROTESTANT denominations and sub-denominations. Do not submit catholicism, JWs, or Mormons. This poll can also include "non-denominational" organizations so long as they have multiple churches and a distinct interpretation of faith. For example, the IBLP and the New Independent Fundamentalist Baptists can be submitted.

You can also submit denominations just because they suck and you want to see them beaten into the ground.

Here's the link. I'll be taking Top 32 make it into the bracket. The submission form will remain open until I feel that response is sufficient (so probably like 2000 responses).

[tournamentdirectory]

Yeah, they’re gonna get smited by God, but it’s a fun poll! @christian-denominations-poll finds the best Christian denomination.

[rabbitprayer]

No desire to convert to catholicism but the desire to kind of pretend that no schisms ever happened.