Denominational Differences

[YouthPastor]

Forget - the title of "denomination" it should rather be "belief system".

The more that two people's belief system are alike the less issues they will have when it comes to spiritual issues.

The more diffference there is in two people's belief system the more issues there will be when it comes to spiritual issues.

for example, say one person believes healing is for today and the other does not. When the one who does gets sick or has a problem.... what do you do...your spouse does not believe in healing

or take kids.... of you are from two different churches that have very different belief systems... when kids enter the picture there is a very good chance that BOTH are going to want the kinds raised with the belief system that they grew up with.

etc..

 

[Macrina]

Forget - the title of "denomination" it should rather be "belief system".

The more that two people's belief system are alike the less issues they will have when it comes to spiritual issues.

The more diffference there is in two people's belief system the more issues there will be when it comes to spiritual issues.

for example, say one person believes healing is for today and the other does not. When the one who does gets sick or has a problem.... what do you do...your spouse does not believe in healing

or take kids.... of you are from two different churches that have very different belief systems... when kids enter the picture there is a very good chance that BOTH are going to want the kinds raised with the belief system that they grew up with.

etc..

I totally agree.

I would add that there is a practical difficulty when mom and dad go to separate churches (something I have seen surprisingly often). Where do the kids go? Are they getting the message that families don't need to worship together? I don't understand how that works. I would hope that a couple committed enough to be having children could also work out a way to worship together as a family.

 

[JourneyRain]

This is extremely important to me. I will not marry someone who doesn't share the same belief system as me or even the same worship experience. This is another reason why I refuse to go to another church in order to "find" a husband.

 

[Willtor]

It's an unfortunate product of denominationalism that leads us to quote "unequally yoked" passages in references to people who are not in the same tradition as we are. The fact is, I wouldn't go out with somebody in my own denomination who wasn't serious about Christ. If I meet someone from another denomination who leads a life directed towards God, who am I to judge her tradition? Where does all this "unequally yoked" come in?

Her tradition can't be as bad as all of that if it led her to the where she was when I met her.

 

[Macrina]

It's an unfortunate product of denominationalism that leads us to quote "unequally yoked" passages in references to people who are not in the same tradition as we are. The fact is, I wouldn't go out with somebody in my own denomination who wasn't serious about Christ. If I meet someone from another denomination who leads a life directed towards God, who am I to judge her tradition? Where does all this "unequally yoked" come in?

Her tradition can't be as bad as all of that if it led her to the where she was when I met her.

Excellent point.

 

[intricatic]

Not really. I don't see differences in the ritual end of faith as being altogether that important.

 

[BeautyForAshes]

I don't have a problem dating (or even marrying) another Protestant or Catholic just as long as they hold bible based beliefs over legalistic beliefs. I hope we could compromise by finding a non-denominational church that we both liked.

 

[Willtor]

I totally agree.

I would add that there is a practical difficulty when mom and dad go to separate churches (something I have seen surprisingly often). Where do the kids go? Are they getting the message that families don't need to worship together? I don't understand how that works. I would hope that a couple committed enough to be having children could also work out a way to worship together as a family.

Yeah. This is a good way of looking at it. It's good for a family to worship together.

This is extremely important to me. I will not marry someone who doesn't share the same belief system as me or even the same worship experience. This is another reason why I refuse to go to another church in order to "find" a husband.

Almost all contemporary worship drives me up the wall. It's so theologically empty and it treats euphoria as the only reasonable outcome of salvation. Therefore, it might surprise you to know that I attend a Church that is almost exclusively contemporary worship. This is because I value the preaching and teaching of Christ more than a particular style of worship.

That said, I used to lead worship, now and then, and I'd pick hymns.

 

[YouthPastor]

Not really. I don't see differences in the ritual end of faith as being altogether that important.

Let's say you are pentecostal and your spouse is catholic.... you don't see any "major" issues that are going to arise? Atleast if both people take their faith seriously there will most likely be some major issues to overcome.

 

[somechic06]

I have all ready tryed to date a guy with a diffrent "belief system" well I was engaged to a batist and his family wanted be to covert and he wanted use to do our own thing and it obviously it did not work out so here I am so no I cant change what i belive to make some guy happy and that more than likely I wont evan marry any way
Shalom

 

[intricatic]

Let's say you are pentecostal and your spouse is catholic.... you don't see any "major" issues that are going to arise? Atleast if both people take their faith seriously there will most likely be some major issues to overcome.

Depends. I have serious reservations about the way that some denominations look at ritual as the most pertinent element of a Christian's walk, so I would have to say that it would be a stipulation that whomever I was seeing did not hold this specific ideology. I could care less which denomination they hail from, provided that there is a mutual faith in God and Jesus, and not in ritual.

 

[~HopeFloats~]

I think one ought to be willing to try the church out as long as they had somewhat of the same beliefs.

Just saying you would not trying would be a sign to me that when other issues came up there would be no room for compromise either.

I also agree this would be decided long before the "I do" ever came into play.

 

[Eagle_Wings]

My turn at the "would you date a..." game. Actually, though, I've been wanting to ask this here for a long time. I just never got around to it.

I know the vast majority of the people here agree that Christians should only marry other Christians, and usually that extends to dating or courting, but I'm curious what y'all think about denominational or theological differences in a dating / courtship / romantic networking / marriage relationship. In other words, if you are a Baptist, would you date a Methodist? If you go to an Anglican church, would you court someone that goes to an Assembly of God church? Even if you don't go to church, or don't belong to a denomination (officially or unofficially), have you thought about this issue at all? Would things change if we're talking about marrage as opposed to just dating?

I just want to hear your thoughts about this, but I don't want it to turn into a theological debate, so please keep that in mind.

My Pentacostalism is so much a part of my life that I would find it very difficult to be with someone who didn't share that passion. I've given quite a bit of thought to this, especially lately as I've gotten to know a guy from my denomination, yet we still have theological differences. I can handle some differences, but there are some major points that we have to agree on. I try not to make any judgements on denom alone because that really doesn't mean a whole lot. I know of a family that is spirit-filled yet they feel that God has called them to stay in the Catholic church.

Since I don't date someone that I can't see as potential marriage material, no this wouldn't change.

 

[Llauralin]

A woman should join her husband's church when they get married.


*puts on flame-retardant suit and waits for estrogen-fueled onslaught*

Then I guess I won't be marrying someone from another church... a pity too, since mine's really small.

 

[Llauralin]

I don't have a problem dating (or even marrying) another Protestant or Catholic just as long as they hold bible based beliefs over legalistic beliefs. I hope we could compromise by finding a non-denominational church that we both liked.

The problem being that, for a serious Catholic (and I hope you don't want to marry an apathetic sort of any tradition), that's not a compromise. Anglicanism might be more so.

 

[2LivIsChrist]

Well i go to a Baptist church now and before went to an Assembly of God and before that a baptist again and so on and so on, lol. I don't care about the denomenation as long as they are balanced in their doctrine and what they believe doesn't contradict the scriptures. For instance there were some things that the AOG church taught that I didn't agree with, and there were some things with the Baptist church that i didn't agree with. Hopefully i can find someone who thinks and believes the same way I do. Right now I like a guy who goes to the baptist church I go to, and he went to a pentecostal church before the baptist one. lol.

 

[Blank123]

A woman should join her husband's church when they get married.


*puts on flame-retardant suit and waits for estrogen-fueled onslaught*

or the husband should see that his wife was right in choosing her church and follow her there

Guys have to learn to listen to their wives at some point - might as well start at the church going thing

 

[kaisersoce25]

The majority of religions besides evil ones, all have the same basic principle but have different names for their individual god's, as long as u understand the purpose in life is to turn more souls towards the creator, then find the right one my friend! and don't sell urself short, hehe! no seriously, God is your consciense, it could be the most rewarding thing ever!

Live2Live

 

[Willtor]

or the husband should see that his wife was right in choosing her church and follow her there

Guys have to learn to listen to their wives at some point - might as well start at the church going thing

Well, just so long as you don't think too highly of yourself and your denomination.

The majority of religions besides evil ones, all have the same basic principle but have different names for their individual god's, as long as u understand the purpose in life is to turn more souls towards the creator, then find the right one my friend! and don't sell urself short, hehe! no seriously, God is your consciense, it could be the most rewarding thing ever!

There's almost no part of this I agree with.

 

[Blank123]

Well, just so long as you don't think too highly of yourself and your denomination.

naturally