# Any Christian Dopers . . . any at all?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 12, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823 "2003-03-12T14:32:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 8

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/141 "2003-03-13T23:11:18Z")

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Hello

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**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/142 "2003-03-14T00:00:34Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by gothiebaby \*  
> \*\*quote frome norinew:
> 
> MOTHER! I’m a Baha’i too, remember the retreat???😛 \*\*

In High School, when I was agnostic/atheist, I created this theory I called Chrisism. (Because my real name is Chris, and -ism made it sound religious. I have tried to rename it, “Global Christianity” and stuff like that, but it always comes back to Chrisism.)

I still pretty much believe it, it makes so much sense to me. When I explain it to people they tell me it is very baha’i in nature. My friend (pastor) Jeff calls it “Christianity with Baha’i flava!”.

Now, I haven’t read/studied Baha’i enough to know much about it, and I still firmly consider myself Christian. But apparantly I have a Baha’i streak in me.

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**Author:** ![c\_carol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@c\_carol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_carol)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/143 "2003-03-14T01:43:09Z")

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Yet another Christian checking in, this one of the moderate-Southern-Baptist persuasion. (I’m sure you all desperately wanted to know that.) I look in on Debates threads once in a while, but don’t post there much because if I did nearly all of my posts would be “I agree with what Poly just said”.

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/144 "2003-03-14T03:32:41Z")

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You two Baha’is are cordially invited to _lend a little perspective_ to the interminable debates on mixed theism – I occasionally remember enough of what I learned from the mother-and-son Baha’i friends I had 35 years ago to add in a comment on what the Baha’i perspective on a question under discussion might be, with hopes of not completely misrepresenting them, but it’s a field where I’m effectively clueless (and debates where theism is represented only by Christians and Jews tend to need a bit wider perspective).

**Eggerhaus** , congratulations on your ordination – to the priesthood, I presume? Would you care to put your views into the Spong thread that **Diogenes** started?

> [@](#):
>
> _Originally Posted by **Baker** :_  
> "How many Episcopalians does it take to change a light bulb? (Change, why change? My grandmother gave the church that light bulb!)
> 
> _Originally Posted by **Swampbear** :_  
> The alternative answer is four. One to call the electrician, one to mix the martinis and two to stand around and talk about how much better they liked the old light bulb.

I made the husband half of our married-couple priests break down in helpless laughter after service last week – he’d been speaking of our using trial liturgies as they’re considered before the next round of Prayer Book revision. I went up to him, shook his hand, and said, “Hello. I represent the Society for the Preservation of the '79 Prayer Book.” 😉

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**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/145 "2003-03-14T04:35:19Z")

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\<-- Presbyterian (since 1998). M.T.S. '91 (and president, divinity school alumni/ae association).

I profess a religion that commands me to worship God “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4.24). I have never thought that the “truth” of this commandment meant only the limited truth of revealed scripture. It must mean too the truth of the material universe or of the philosophical realm. Thus the discovery of a mathematical theorem, or a cure for a disease, or an economic principle, can be as much an act of worship and faith as a prayer.

As can a great debate or other intellectual exchange. Another mode of worship can involve testing my beliefs and principles against those from perspectives other than my own and thereby either affirming or refreshing my beliefs and principles, or fortifying, modifying, or replacing them with new and stronger ones. Thus, engaging on this board can be an act of worship.

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**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/146 "2003-03-14T05:05:06Z")

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Another checking in…penecostal free-will baptist

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**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/147 "2003-03-14T05:31:07Z")

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Hey **Screeme** , what’s your theory?

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**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/148 "2003-03-14T07:05:06Z")

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I am a born-again Christian.

Checking in, and very proud of it.

I guess I am a liberal fundamentalist. In practical terms, I suppose that means I believe that the Bible is the true word of God…His word, written down by his disciples. No fudging…He wrote it, they recorded it. But, I also believe very strongly that God gave us a brain and He expects us to use it.

I am a bit disheartened that no one chimed in and said that “Scotticher is a Christian”…clearly, I am not doing all I should be doing. I had hoped that living my faith would show the love of Christ… clearly, I was mistaken.

Well, for anyone who is reading this…I am a Christian, and I am proud of it. I am not a mindless idiot, I actually qualify for MENSA as the OP does.

On the other hand, I don’t expect anyone to change their perception of my faith just because I HOLD that faith. I do what I do because I want to. Or because I feel it is the right thing for me to do. And because Usally both.

In any case, I care about all of you. Some more than others, to be sure. But…I care about you all.

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**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/149 "2003-03-14T07:18:16Z")

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And of course, I hit the wrong button. :rolleyes:

I meant to say that I do whatever I do because I want to. And because I feel that it is the right thing for me to do. And usually because of both of these things.

From there on, you can refer back to the original post. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/150 "2003-03-14T10:47:28Z")

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**Scotticher** , by your actions, you are one of the most Christian of all of us! Of course, from what I’ve seen of you, you’re not only a Mensan, but, like me, a true Hell’s Mensan. Those two are among the highest compliments I can pay a person.

CJ

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**Author:** ![Eggerhaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@Eggerhaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eggerhaus)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/151 "2003-03-14T13:10:20Z")

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**Polycarp** , the priesthood? Eeeeew, no way!:eek:

I am a vocational deacon, through and through. People say, “You know, deacon, you really ought to be a priest…” to which I reply, “I don’t think so!” I then teach them that priests minister to the church gathered and that deacons minister to the church scattered. The priest I work with (God love her) is bogged down in administration and paperwork…sorry, God didn’t call me to ministry so I could push a pen.

The only thing traditionally associated with the priesthood that I do on a regular basis is preach. I **love** to preach, and in our diocese anyone ordained to Holy Orders is licensed to preach.

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**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/152 "2003-03-14T13:40:23Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> _Originally Posted by Polycarp:_  
> I made the husband half of our married-couple priests break down in helpless laughter after service last week – he’d been speaking of our using trial liturgies as they’re considered before the next round of Prayer Book revision. I went up to him, shook his hand, and said, “Hello. I represent the Society for the Preservation of the '79 Prayer Book.”

**WHAT!** Another Prayer Book revision! Why, we’re barely getting used to that new fangled thing they just came out with!

**HUMPH!** Next thing you know they’ll want to change the hymnal again.

Dang reformists! [sub]Just leave them light bulbs alone![/sub]

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**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/153 "2003-03-14T14:06:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Eggerhaus \*  
> \*\ ***Polycarp** , the priesthood? Eeeeew, no way!:eek:
> 
> I am a vocational deacon, through and through. People say, “You know, deacon, you really ought to be a priest…” to which I reply, “I don’t think so!” I then teach them that priests minister to the church gathered and that deacons minister to the church scattered. The priest I work with (God love her) is bogged down in administration and paperwork…sorry, God didn’t call me to ministry so I could push a pen.
> 
> The only thing traditionally associated with the priesthood that I do on a regular basis is preach. I **love** to preach, and in our diocese anyone ordained to Holy Orders is licensed to preach. \*\*

Nice to see someone taking the diaconate seriously as a vocation in itself. I mean it. Deacons are terribly underappreciated, I think, and too many people seem to see them as just “probationary priests”.

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**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/154 "2003-03-14T16:33:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by Polycarp_  
> You two Baha’is are cordially invited to lend a little perspective to the interminable debates on mixed theism – I occasionally remember enough of what I learned from the mother-and-son Baha’i friends I had 35 years ago to add in a comment on what the Baha’i perspective on a question under discussion might be, with hopes of not completely misrepresenting them, but it’s a field where I’m effectively clueless (and debates where theism is represented only by Christians and Jews tend to need a bit wider perspective).

**Polycarp** , I try to check in with Baha’i perspective on things when I feel it to be appropriate. I’ve even been known, on occasion to throw in quotes from our Scriptures. However, in an effort to **not** become known as a one-trick pony on these boards (which I love), I try to weigh in on all sorts of issues, not just religious ones. Also, Baha’is are not supposed to proseletyze, so I keep my information to bare minimum, unless someone asks for more. But, hey, anytime any of you have questions about the Faith, feel free to ask here, or email me. If I can’t answer your questions, I can point you in the right direction!

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**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/155 "2003-03-14T16:36:34Z")

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**More** Prayer Book revisions? Aaagh!

::slinks away, clutching her BCP::

Oh, and thank you very much for the lovely compliment, **Polycarp**. It made my day.

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**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/156 "2003-03-15T02:20:38Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by cjhoworth \*  
> **Scotticher** , you’re not only a Mensan, but, like me, a true Hell’s Mensan.

In my Father’s house are many Mensans…

::_D&R_::

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**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/157 "2003-03-15T02:33:36Z")

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CJ, you are a sweetheart. Slightly delusional (actually QUITE delusional) if you think I am ANYONE’S best Christian, but hey…it was a nice thing to say, and I appreciate it.

Now about this “true Hell’s Mensan” thing…you wanna fill me in? 🙂

Love you, darling!

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**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/158 "2003-03-15T05:31:56Z")

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\<—Fundy Christian checking in…

And like you, **Scotticher,** I guess I haven’t been making enough of an impact around the boards in general, or in GD in particular…maybe I’ll try harder 😃

As far as my “flavor” of fundy…I’m a non-demoninational charismatic “full-gospel” type…I guess you could say Southern Baptist, but with more “sauce.” But I have a few screwy ideas of my own about monogamous marriage and a few other minor things…

oh, well…variety is the spice of life!

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**Author:** ![cadolphin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cadolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cadolphin)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/159 "2003-03-15T05:57:08Z")

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Inactive LDS checking in.

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**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/160 "2003-03-15T07:13:21Z")

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Christian here too, late-comer to the thread. Either no one knows I’m a Christian, I don’t strike anyone as intelligent, or I don’t post enough. Could be any of the three.

Anyway, raised Southern Baptist, now consider myself more of a non-denominational Christian.

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