Do non-Christians label as "other denomination"?

[cloudyday2]

Sometimes I see posts by people who label themselves "other denomination", but the content of their ideas makes me wonder if they are actually non-Christian.

Anybody else notice that or is it my imagination? I suppose there are a lot of people who are gradually losing faith in Christianity yet might be reluctant to go so far as to label themselves non-Christian yet. I don't like thinking of myself as a non-Christian either, but I can't honestly say I believe everything in the Nicene Creed anymore. I would prefer to call myself a Christian though.

 

[Danigt22]

"other denomination" It simply means what it means. Other denomination, most likely a type of protestant.

 

[eleos1954]

Sometimes I see posts by people who label themselves "other denomination", but the content of their ideas makes me wonder if they are actually non-Christian.

Anybody else notice that or is it my imagination? I suppose there are a lot of people who are gradually losing faith in Christianity yet might be reluctant to go so far as to label themselves non-Christian yet. I don't like thinking of myself as a non-Christian either, but I can't honestly say I believe everything in the Nicene Creed anymore. I would prefer to call myself a Christian though.

Denominations were/are created by man. When you look at christian history one can see how God gives new light (new understanding) with every generation. The bible was not available to the common man for a very long time .... so looking back at history we see people as they have grown in their knowledge and understanding as time goes on .... and still the same today .... man is always growing through study and the help of the Holy Spirit. We must always be open to new light ;o)

 

[Occams Barber]

Sometimes I see posts by people who label themselves "other denomination", but the content of their ideas makes me wonder if they are actually non-Christian.

Anybody else notice that or is it my imagination? I suppose there are a lot of people who are gradually losing faith in Christianity yet might be reluctant to go so far as to label themselves non-Christian yet. I don't like thinking of myself as a non-Christian either, but I can't honestly say I believe everything in the Nicene Creed anymore. I would prefer to call myself a Christian though.

I too have wondered about who actually inhabits the non-denom category.

I suspect it's a mixture. At one extreme there are those whose beliefs are Christian but avoid tying themselves to a particular denomination. At the other I suspect there is the odd atheist faking it.

In between I imagine there are those that believe in 'something', vaguely Godlike 'up there', and those who are uncertain about what to believe.

We might need a "There's probably something but I'm not sure what it is" category.

OB

 

[Danigt22]

I too have wondered about who actually inhabits the non-denom category.

I suspect it's a mixture. At one extreme there are those whose beliefs are Christian but avoid tying themselves to a particular denomination. At the other I suspect there is the odd atheist faking it.

In between I imagine there are those that believe in 'something', vaguely Godlike 'up there', and those who are uncertain about what to believe.

We might need a "There's probably something but I'm not sure what it is" category.

OB

"There's probably something but I'm not sure what it is"
You mean agnostic?

 

[Occams Barber]

"There's probably something but I'm not sure what it is"
You mean agnostic?

Not quite. These would be believers but unsure about the nature of the higher power. These might be the group who regard themselves as 'spiritual but not religious'. To be honest I wasn't really serious about a separate category. I think there are some beliefs which defy categorisation.

Agnostic is more of a neutral position of withholding judgement in the absence of clear evidence either way.

OB

 

[Hank77]

I too have wondered about who actually inhabits the non-denom category.

I suspect it's a mixture. At one extreme there are those whose beliefs are Christian but avoid tying themselves to a particular denomination.

This would be me but if I did choose to identify it would have to be Baptist.

 

[Occams Barber]

This would be me but if I did choose to identify it would have to be Baptist.

Do you mind me asking why you don't identify as Baptist? Please don't feel you have to answer.

OB

 

[Tiburon]

Not quite. These would be believers but unsure about the nature of the higher power. These might be the group who regard themselves as 'spiritual but not religious'. To be honest I wasn't really serious about a separate category. I think there are some beliefs which defy categorisation.

Agnostic is more of a neutral position of withholding judgement in the absence of clear evidence either way.

OB

Strictly speaking Agnosticism claims that we cannot know. Though it is more and more being associated with a personal "I don't know" stance.

 

[Tiburon]

Sometimes I see posts by people who label themselves "other denomination", but the content of their ideas makes me wonder if they are actually non-Christian.

Anybody else notice that or is it my imagination? I suppose there are a lot of people who are gradually losing faith in Christianity yet might be reluctant to go so far as to label themselves non-Christian yet. I don't like thinking of myself as a non-Christian either, but I can't honestly say I believe everything in the Nicene Creed anymore. I would prefer to call myself a Christian though.

Is it because they are not gushing about Jesus? I can't say that I've noticed any "False Flag" posts but then I haven't been here that long.

 

[Albion]

Sometimes I see posts by people who label themselves "other denomination", but the content of their ideas makes me wonder if they are actually non-Christian.

Anybody else notice that or is it my imagination?

Yes, I've noticed it...along with three or four other unhelpful choices of religious orientation.

Half the posters use "Christian" which tells the reader next to nothing except that the person is not a Muslim or Atheist. And as has been said before, to choose "non-denominational" can mean either a member of an unaffiliated Christian congregation/church or someone who refuses to be part of any Christian assembly or denomination.

 

[Occams Barber]

Strictly speaking Agnosticism claims that we cannot know. Though it is more and more being associated with a personal "I don't know" stance.

I agree. I think the meaning of the word is actually changing through usage.

I tend to think of the classic ('we can't know') agnostic as a 'hard' agnostic and the 'I don't know' agnostic as a potential convert to atheism.

I think that makes me an evangelical atheist.

OB

 

[Hank77]

Do you mind me asking why you don't identify as Baptist? Please don't feel you have to answer.

OB

The main reason is that I believe there is really one church and one church only and that is the church that Jesus proclaimed and it wasn't divided up into all these different denominations. In the end, it just comes down to whether you believe Him or you don't.
I like a non-denominational community church because most of the people I know in that church believe this too.

 

[Occams Barber]

The main reason is that I believe there is really one church and one church only and that is the church that Jesus proclaimed and it wasn't divided up into all these different denominations. In the end, it just comes down to whether you believe Him or you don't.
I like a non-denominational community church because most of the people I know in that church believe this too.

It must be difficult for a non-denom church to operate without a common doctrine or standard form of worship beyond the most basic set of common beliefs. I'm assuming here that the members of a non-denom church come from a variety of Christian backgrounds.

Isn't there a real danger that, over time, the church will begin to develop its own doctrines, rites and rules and become just another one of the denominational divisions?

OB

 

[Hank77]

It must be difficult for a non-denom church to operate without a common doctrine or standard form of worship beyond the most basic set of common beliefs. I'm assuming here that the members of a non-denom church come from a variety of Christian backgrounds.

I can only speak for the community church that I know. The some common beliefs are the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, and the Bible is the word of God. Preaching and reading scripture by the Pastor. Praying and singing is shared worship.
Yes, there are people from different backgrounds. One couple can over from the Pentacostal church when they were without a pastor, they liked it so well that they stayed after the Pent. church got a new pastor.

Isn't there a real danger that, over time, the church will begin to develop its own doctrines, rites and rules and become just another one of the denominational divisions?

It hasn't happened in our church and it's been here for a least 40 yrs. that I know of but I think that just would depend on the people who go there and especially the Pastor.

 

[cloudyday2]

Yes, I've noticed it...along with three or four other unhelpful choices of religious orientation.

Half the posters use "Christian" which tells the reader next to nothing except that the person is not a Muslim or Atheist. And as has been said before, to choose "non-denominational" can mean either a member of an unaffiliated Christian congregation/church or someone who refuses to be part of any Christian assembly or denomination.

Most of the sub-forums do not allow non-Christians to participate, and I have sometimes wondered if the motivation is to circumvent this restriction.

 

[Hank77]

It must be difficult for a non-denom church to operate without a common doctrine or standard form of worship beyond the most basic set of common beliefs. I'm assuming here that the members of a non-denom church come from a variety of Christian backgrounds.

Isn't there a real danger that, over time, the church will begin to develop its own doctrines, rites and rules and become just another one of the denominational divisions?

OB

If there had been the choice of a Community Church I would have chosen that but non-denominational was as close as I could get.
Here a short description of how community churches began and why.

Community churches have existed in the United States since the early nineteenth century.[citation needed] Small communities did not always have the population or finances to sustain churches of all Christian denominations, so community leaders would cross denominational lines and pool their resources to support a single church. By the early twentieth century, with the ecumenical movement in full swing, community churches were ready to cut formal ties with denominations and to demonstrate Christian unity through diversity. Community churches began to understand themselves as post-Protestant and postdenominational.
Community Church movement - Wikipedia

 

[Occams Barber]

If there had been the choice of a Community Church I would have chosen that but non-denominational was as close as I could get.
Here a short description of how community churches began and why.

Community churches have existed in the United States since the early nineteenth century.[citation needed] Small communities did not always have the population or finances to sustain churches of all Christian denominations, so community leaders would cross denominational lines and pool their resources to support a single church. By the early twentieth century, with the ecumenical movement in full swing, community churches were ready to cut formal ties with denominations and to demonstrate Christian unity through diversity. Community churches began to understand themselves as post-Protestant and postdenominational.
Community Church movement - Wikipedia

Thanks Hank - I've never heard of Community Churches so I learned something. It sounds like a truly ecumenical movement although I'm guessing that there's no Catholic/Orthodox element.

OB

 

[Hank77]

although I'm guessing that there's no Catholic/Orthodox element.

That's true.

 

[cloudyday2]

If there had been the choice of a Community Church I would have chosen that but non-denominational was as close as I could get.
Here a short description of how community churches began and why.

Community churches have existed in the United States since the early nineteenth century.[citation needed] Small communities did not always have the population or finances to sustain churches of all Christian denominations, so community leaders would cross denominational lines and pool their resources to support a single church. By the early twentieth century, with the ecumenical movement in full swing, community churches were ready to cut formal ties with denominations and to demonstrate Christian unity through diversity. Community churches began to understand themselves as post-Protestant and postdenominational.
Community Church movement - Wikipedia

Wouldn't it be interesting if religious gatherings were replaced by mandatory community gatherings and participants had to walk rather than ride?

I am very shy and anti-social, so I would hate something like that, but wouldn't it be interesting? Rather than Christians driving on the freeway to be with like-minded Christians on Sunday, everybody who lives within walking distance would be forced to gather together in a celebration of community.