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Post by yikes on Sept 26, 2007 19:54:28 GMT -5
I was visiting with a worldly friend the other day, and he asked me that ''dreaded'' question. ''What is your religion?'' Ya , I know the easy way out is to say I joined up with the ''----'' group down the road a piece... but this was a down to earth inquiry about what I believed in!!! So I tried my best to comply and answer as best as I could... ''I do not like the word religion, because it is fraught with misunderstood concepts, and all.....and frankly Jesus never came to bring a religion to the world, He came to preach the Truth, and that is what I believe....no not a religion as religions serve NO truth, but are a system unto themselves, each one claiming to be a truth, but all deny the power of the Truth....as the Truth will set us free from all the worldfly bondages that the world can manufacture save NONE, well, I did get his attention, so we'll see where this leads.....ha
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Post by wanttobewithGod on Sept 26, 2007 19:56:43 GMT -5
Well you sure as heck served to confuse the poor bugger, anyway, it sounds like. hehe. Just kiddin' ya. M.
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Post by yikeS on Sept 26, 2007 20:02:30 GMT -5
Well you sure as heck served to confuse the poor bugger, anyway, it sounds like. hehe. Just kiddin' ya. M. I wanna have some fun with this thread.....thanks!!! What do you think I should I have said, HUH???
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Post by wanttobewithGod on Sept 26, 2007 20:06:58 GMT -5
Well, of course you should have told him all about meetings and where he could find one, what they were like, and invited him to gospel meeting. Did you? But good on ya for engaging him anyway. M.
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Post by yikes on Sept 26, 2007 20:12:11 GMT -5
Well, of course you should have told him all about meetings and where he could find one, what they were like, and invited him to gospel meeting. Did you? But good on ya for engaging him anyway. M. Is that the way they do that in Wisconsin, USA.? . Hey, if he wants to know what I really do believe, then I better tell him in my own words, HUH/ ? Well, I tried to anyways>. thanks
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Post by wanttobewithGod on Sept 26, 2007 20:15:19 GMT -5
Maybe that's the way they should do it....but I never did either. And yeah...at least you tried. M.
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Post by cool on Sept 26, 2007 20:20:25 GMT -5
Maybe that's the way they should do it....but I never did either. And yeah...at least you tried. M.
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Post by CherieKropp on Sept 26, 2007 21:31:53 GMT -5
The question you were asked was" "What is your religion?" Broadly speaking "Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life." So if you're a professing 2x2, the correct answer is "Christianity." [You're sure not any of the other groups below...] Christianity is the largest RELIGION in the world, making up approximately one-third of the world population. Broadly speaking, the Major Religions of the world are: Ranked by Number of Adherents; (Sizes shown are approximate estimates) 1. Christianity: 2.1 billion 2. Islam: 1.5 billion 3. Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion 4. Hinduism: 900 million 5. Chinese traditional religion: 394 million 6. Buddhism: 376 million 7. primal-indigenous: 300 million 8. African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million 9. Sikhism: 23 million 10. Juche: 19 million 11. Spiritism: 15 million 12. Judaism: 14 million 13. Baha'i: 7 million 14. Jainism: 4.2 million 15. Shinto: 4 million 16. Cao Dai: 4 million 17. Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million 18. Tenrikyo: 2 million 19. Neo-Paganism: 1 million 20. Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand 21. Rastafarianism: 600 thousand 22. Scientology: 500 thousand From: www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.htmlThe next question they will likely want to know is: “What denomination (or branch/family) of Christianity are you?” According to Wikipedia, there are over 38,000 Christian denominations. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominationsA Denomination typically refers to one of the many Christian groupings. Catholics, Lutherans, Baptist, Methodist, Church of Christ, Presbyterian, etc. Today, there are many ways of classifying the Christian faith groups: By 3-8 meta-groups (e.g. Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican ...), By "wing" (e.g. conservative, mainline, and liberal), By denomination (From the Amish to The Way) By theological belief system (Calvinism, Arminianism, etc.) By religious family, (Baptist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, etc.) Which faith groups are Christian? Some Christians commit a great deal of energy debating precisely which of the 1,000 or so North American faith groups are Christian and which are either sub-Christian, quasi-Christian, non-Christian or even anti-Chrisitan. There are probably hundreds of lists of valid Christian denominations in existence -- all different. What is a cult? www.religioustolerance.org/cultintro.htm
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Post by wanttobewithGod on Sept 26, 2007 21:47:13 GMT -5
Hehehe. Well, I think I know what the poster was getting at...something a bit more non-scientific. But...not bein snaggy...just sayin. M.
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skippy
Junior Member
Posts: 79
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Post by skippy on Sept 26, 2007 21:47:14 GMT -5
Wow, thank you Cherie for including the religions of the world. That was incredibly interesting.
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Post by a believer on Sept 26, 2007 22:49:11 GMT -5
I was visiting with a worldly friend the other day, and he asked me that ''dreaded'' question. ''What is your religion?'' Ya , I know the easy way out is to say I joined up with the ''----'' group down the road a piece... but this was a down to earth inquiry about what I believed in!!! So I tried my best to comply and answer as best as I could... ''I do not like the word religion, because it is fraught with misunderstood concepts, and all.....and frankly Jesus never came to bring a religion to the world, He came to preach the Truth, and that is what I believe....no not a religion as religions serve NO truth, but are a system unto themselves, each one claiming to be a truth, but all deny the power of the Truth....as the Truth will set us free from all the worldfly bondages that the world can manufacture save NONE, well, I did get his attention, so we'll see where this leads.....ha So why didn't you just say your religion is Christianity. Simple as that!! I thought the 2x2s considered themselves Christians - or do they belong to some other religion? Or do you think he was refering to what is your church?
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therose
Junior Member
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
Posts: 135
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Post by therose on Sept 27, 2007 1:04:50 GMT -5
Wow, cuz - you have really done your homework!
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Post by jh62 on Sept 27, 2007 8:35:31 GMT -5
I remember feeling uncomfortable anytime someone asked me which religion I belonged to. I was once told by a worker that the reason we didn't have a name was because it's hard for people to argue with you when they don't know about your religion. That seems slightly deceiving to me now, but I suppose there could be something to it. Of course when a person says their religion doesn't have a name, so many people automatically assume the worst...it's a cult. Also, when people can't associate a name with a group, their imaginations run wild. I can remember laughing about some of the things others thought 2x2's did.
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Post by Church on Sept 27, 2007 9:24:22 GMT -5
We attend a Christian Fellowship that is Christ centered and chooses to have the smaller services in the individual homes of the followers of the fellowship. The ministers are itinerant and are supported by the followers. The elders of the homes preside during the weekly service. The larger gatherings are held in rented facilities or on private property. The costs of the gatherings are underwritten by the followers.
Tell me about your church?
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Post by diet coke on Sept 27, 2007 11:37:53 GMT -5
yeah, it's a simple question, expecting a simple answer. The details and personal theology will come out if the questioner really is curious.
"I'm just a Christian, I go to a little home meeting for fellowship on Sundays and Wednesday nights".
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Post by Officially on Sept 27, 2007 12:21:41 GMT -5
The form that was used by George Walker to verify "conscientious objector" eligibility for WWII draftees stated that the 2x2s official name with the government of the United States is "Christian Conventions".
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shushy
Royal Member
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Post by shushy on Sept 27, 2007 12:37:30 GMT -5
I remember as a child feeling extremely uncomfortable when this subject came up at playtime. I would either leave on pretext of going to loo or sit there squirming. I never could understand how relaxed the other children were who went to mainline churches/catholic/presbyterian/methodist/anglican. I wanted to be like them. Unashamed or afraid. They loved to talk about what they learned in Sunday School. It is beyond me why the workers never thought this acceptable. That in itself is enough to stir up the old anger over all this. Simply because my younger children went to Sunday School and have loved Jesus Christ ever since. That cant be taken away.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2007 15:43:12 GMT -5
To Yikes. I am interested in your aversion to the use of the word "religion " when speaking about your faith . Do you think this is rooted in your professing background ? I too used to hate the word and would claim "religion" was a term to embrace all the other ways of faith which were all false. The "Truth" was not a religion. This was part of my 2x2 mindset.
Now that I'm a little older and hopefully wiser, I don't have a problem at all with the word.
James used the word "religion" or its equivelent translation as a term embracing the proper faith.
JAMES 1:26 " If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
My past aversion to the word "religion" and "religious" was definately a product of my immersion in 2x2ism and its accompanying terminology. I realise the group's distancing themself from this term in the past was really just another "Irvinism" used to separate themselves from the "religious" world in general.
I have no problem with just separitism. However, the use of the word "religion" to mean "false religion" is clearly wrong.
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Post by Will on Sept 28, 2007 9:23:19 GMT -5
Notice in these answers that reference to Christ appears in only one word (Christian) and the majority of the answer is about worship and ministry format.
Wouldn't it be appropriate to describe our religion as Christians by mentioning how we believe Jesus died for our sins and we are saved by our faith in him? Should that not be our primary (25 word or less) response?
Now, if somebody asks about our denomination, then it would be appropriate to describe some details about ministry, worship, liturgy in lieu of or in addition to the denomination's name.
My point is that with most 2x2 folk, the format is key and Jesus is secondary.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2007 12:07:02 GMT -5
When I am asked, I simply reply,"I am one of a world wide body of those who believe in Christ who's members are known only to themselves and God -- are you one of us?" When asked where I meet and fellowship, I answer:"When and wherever possible that I'm able, wanted, welcome and joined with one or more -- want to worship together right now?" The responses are sometimes devout, sometimes amusing, and always revealing.
DJ
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Post by my2cents on Sept 28, 2007 17:37:41 GMT -5
Just a thought: Could it be that this is an awkward question because folks in the truth have this feeling that they are special (as in the only way is our way) but at the same time they don’t want to come across as boastful. I think it is very important for friends and workers not to come across as braggarts or as arrogant.
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Post by weall doit on Oct 1, 2007 13:30:47 GMT -5
There is a huge problem with word usage and what is originally used to mean.....religion is not the only word that is used improperly in todays world. I can think of several words that if we read what the bible says, and how we use the word today, the semantics are hilarious, even if we know what was the intended meaning. Although the word ''religion'' is used in the bible....it is very unclear of its pureity in true thought to the reader of the passage, as it is for certain that the useage was not in the context of meaning ''what is your belief'' but more to do with what does your actions say about the belief you confess to believe....PURE religion is to visit the fatherless and the widows IN their ''afflictions''.....that says something about the truth and heart of the believer...his actions do speak louder than any religious creed that he might stand under [understanding thereof]. In another case the word gay also is mentioned in the bible, and it refers to a type of clothing or dress that a person might choose to wear...hmmm, but that is another discussion that I refuse to persue at this time.
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Post by and then on Oct 17, 2007 17:23:47 GMT -5
I was visiting with a worldly friend the other day, and he asked me that ''dreaded'' question. ''What is your religion?'' Ya , I know the easy way out is to say I joined up with the ''----'' group down the road a piece... but this was a down to earth inquiry about what I believed in!!! So I tried my best to comply and answer as best as I could... ''I do not like the word religion, because it is fraught with misunderstood concepts, and all.....and frankly Jesus never came to bring a religion to the world, He came to preach the Truth, and that is what I believe....no not a religion as religions serve NO truth, but are a system unto themselves, each one claiming to be a truth, but all deny the power of the Truth....as the Truth will set us free from all the worldfly bondages that the world can manufacture save NONE, well, I did get his attention, so we'll see where this leads.....ha Now he is trying to tell me that the bible says that the gentiles need to tythe their incomes. I said that is baloney ....unless you are a Jew living in the old covenant law days.... Now what else is he going to say??
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Post by selah on Oct 18, 2007 0:45:57 GMT -5
New-life disciple of Christ here.
Blessings, Linda
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Post by Sylvestra on Oct 18, 2007 12:38:19 GMT -5
When I went to meetings, I would never have taken the hazard to answer "Christian". It would have been like admitting that *I* was one of *them*. I seemed to find it necessary to let them know that I was different. I should have just told them I was a "don't do". You know, we don't dance, we don't smoke, we don't, we don't (cough! cough!) E
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timber
Senior Member
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Post by timber on Oct 18, 2007 13:29:10 GMT -5
"I am a follower of Christ"
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Post by Piper on Oct 18, 2007 14:24:45 GMT -5
John Piper would say: I am, like Paul, a boaster in the cross of Christ. That would lead to John handing him a book that explains what Paul meant when he said that. Book recommendation "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper.
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ecarg
New Member
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Post by ecarg on Oct 18, 2007 17:21:11 GMT -5
Hey YIKES. How did you know this person you encountered was "worldly"? What exactly does that mean? Your attitude towards this person is more of what I question, than the importance of what you call yourself. Just courious. Thank you.
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