"I'm not 'XYZ', I'm just..."

[Gnarwhal]

Is it possible that the rejection of any labels or classification by some groups of Christianity is really just a repackaging of the "non-conformity" trend in post-modern Christianity?

For example, I remember identifying myself as a non-denominational Christian for a season, and how invigorating it felt to announce it (in some cases in appropriate situations, in other cases not so much) but for me the rush came from feeling like I was in rebelling against the norm in a self-righteous way. I look back on that understanding that for me personally, I had an ax to grind other established traditions and so I refused to conform to them by choosing non-denominationalism.

So what are you thoughts? Is this Christian non-conformity at work? This isn't something exclusive to non-denominationalism, but in some cases all labels are rejected without exception.

 

[God's Word]

I've already shown you what "denominations" are all about on another thread.

http://www.christianforums.com/t7643088-2/#post60094781

You're free to embrace them, but I willfully reject them...and not for the reasons which you stated. Beyond that, I have nothing more to say.

 

[Gnarwhal]

I've already shown you what "denominations" are all about on another thread.

http://www.christianforums.com/t7643088-2/#post60094781

You're free to embrace them, but I willfully reject them...and not for the reasons which you stated. Beyond that, I have nothing more to say.

Alright then, nighty night.

 

[yanno the meek]

I think you're giving people too much credit. Many would have you believe that they are standing on principle when in fact they just don't like anyone who is different. I've run into a lot more people who are xenophobic than people who stand on principle.

 

[Noxot]

I like to take the good and leave the bad. I just don't have hope in myself or human beings anymore. they always accidently stab me or I bite their hands off. it gets messy. it is one of my vices, that would be cool if I found a church that did not want to just place chains on my wrist and force feed me food from the muck. i do that well enough on my own. and God forbid I think for myself or have anything worth asking or saying.

the last church i went to, they proceeded to help me followed by leaving me forsaken and saying that i'm fine and i'm lying to them now. i blame my pride and the other peoples pride. but I wish for once they would be better than me, and love me more than themselves. cause i'm a very scared person. a person that needs lots of help but thinks that there is none. yeah i just don't have the courage to find a good church. i'm scared of what I will find. and so many people judge me for being scared to find a good church, that helps a lot. but I don't want chains on my arms, why do you look down on me for not wanting to be enslaved by the various beliefs of different groups of people? I would rather be enslaved with my own beliefs, i can take those chains off easier because i would not be chained to 40 other people.

 

[yanno the meek]

Noxot,

Since I'm Catholic I'm probably not the person to recommend a church which may help you in your walk in faith. However I wasn't always Catholic. I grew up in a very small town and there weren't a lot of choices for us as far as where to go to church. Ultimately we settled on something we could live with without rolling our eyes too much and just enjoyed the fellowship. The funny thing is most of the people who went to the church did the same thing.

Given the vast fragmentation that God has allowed in Christianity, I think Christianity is less about what you believe than what you do with that belief.

 

[Tzaousios]

Nah. I think "I'm not XYZ, I'm just..." is usually employed as a copout both to justify one's own ecclesiological choices and to create a pietistic, spiritualized, seemingly irreproachable platform from which to snipe at other churches that one does not like.