# Any Christian Dopers . . . any at all? **URL:** \ **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:** 9
**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, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/161 "2003-03-15T07:19:20Z")
Well darling. There appears to be a lot of that going around! 🙂 How is your beautiful baby doing? ---
**Author:** ![dogchow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@dogchow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogchow)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/162 "2003-03-15T07:29:42Z")
I’m a quiet Episcopalian. I haven’t really gone to the Great Debates board much cause I’m not a particually great debater/witness. I really need to improve on that. As for the board, I’ve haven’t felt really unconfortable being a Christian. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/163 "2003-03-15T08:09:07Z")
Just jumping in here to say that I’m an Evangelical Christian (and have been all my life). I’m not perfect in the faith at all, and generally tend to stay out of the GD / Pit threads about Christianity. I’m afraid my views on certain things wouldn’t hold up in a debate, and I’m not the debating type anyway. Just because you’re a Christian doesn’t mean you’re perfect… I have MANY shortcomings! But count me in. F\_X ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/164 "2003-03-15T09:03:08Z")
Copper\_moon, In my 45 years I have learned that there are really only two types of Christians. Those that recite what they are told to believe but can’t really explain why they believe it, and those that believe what they do and can tell you why. I find that most of the Christians on this board are of the second type. I don’t post much here, mainly because I feel so intimidated by the great wit and great minds. Even though I am a Mensan, too, and am currently involved in another board in which **I** am considered the “great wit”! The intelligence on thisboard is amazing. When I first started posting on this board, I was very conflicted. I believed in God and that Jesus was my savior, but I seemed not to have the relationship I was told I was supposed to have. I could not picture God as being my “father” or that he could possibly love someone like me. I found that I was completely unable to be a “good” Christian per the churches I have belonged to. I also felt extremely guilty because I kept going from church to church to church and found them all to be…boring. How could something as exciting as God and salvation be boring? I remembered when I was saved over 30 years ago, we were told that as baby Christians, we would be fed milk, and that later as we matured we would be fed meat. Well, after 30 years, I felt like I was still only getting milk! I really knew nothing more about God, Jesus, the Bible, faith, doubt, etc. than I did 30 years ago. What was wrong with me? I felt so unworthy to be called a “Christian”. From this board I found the Pizza Parlor. Frankly, I didn’t stay long because I found it to be poplulated heavily by the first type of Christian I mentioned. I kept wanting to shake my monitor! But I learned so, so much in the few months I was there, and even more here. I found out that there indeed was much more to Christianity than what I was (not) learning at church. To be honest, some of the discussions were completely over my head, but with those discussions and Google on my toolbar I forged ahead. Someone suggested CS Lewis and I bought all his books. I’m sure my Pentecostal grandmother would have a cow but I have finally become comfortable with “my” brand of Christianity. This board and The Pizza Parlor taught me more in a year than the churches and the Christians in them did in 30 years. I am no longer conflicted. Oops, I guess I hijacked…the point I was trying to make is that contrary to your first impression, I think this board is a very good place for learning and growing and fellowship, which all Christians need regardless of their particular flavor. PS…Polycarp, I wish I had one-tenth of your knowledge! God bless you! ---
**Author:** ![Meros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Meros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meros)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/165 "2003-03-15T09:17:02Z")
**PolyCarp** I just caught a thread you were involved in which was cited in the Pit. Any chance you could send a bit of that eloquence my way? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/166 "2003-03-15T12:50:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Let’s not forget to mention the learned and wise Christian dopers, the loud and obnoxious Christian dopers, and the crazy deluded Christian dopers too. I try not to focus on denominational differences… Regards, Shodan “Mere” Christian here, although I belong to the Lutheran church (ELCA). “Lutherans - three religions with a common pension plan.” - **Coldfire** ---
**Author:** ![Copper\_moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@Copper\_moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Copper_moon)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/167 "2003-03-15T15:42:34Z")
Wow, lorinada, what a mouthful! Or screenful? You’re right about a lot of Christians being surface Christians. I’m glad you found some depth to your beliefs. I can’t help but think that Christianity should be a mind bending experience. Blind faith is a shallow one. The faith should be a journey that is never ending except when God takes it and makes it perfect. To sit on stagnant beliefs and hurl them at others is unacceptable and gives Christianity a bad name. I’m also happy to meet a fellow Mensan. I am brand new at it. In fact I just qualified and my membership is still being processed so I haven’t been to any meetings or anything. But I’m chomping at the bit to be involved. Okay, I’m hijacking my own thread. Reading through all the different strains (I hate the word denomination) of Christianity I wonder where all the names come from. I used to be Catholic and don’t even know what that name means. “Lutheran” I assume comes from Martin Luther and the reformation. Anyone want to pipe in and explain how the name of their church identifies them? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/168 "2003-03-15T16:27:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Okay, I’m hijacking my own thread. Reading through all the different strains (I hate the word denomination) of Christianity I wonder where all the names come from. I used to be Catholic and don’t even know what that name means. “Lutheran” I assume comes from Martin Luther and the reformation. Anyone want to pipe in and explain how the name of their church identifies them? Good idea, and it happens I’ve done a series of posts that together try to answer that, focusing on origins of denominations, over on PP. With your permission, and the Mods.’ OK, I’ll start a thread that does that – probably in GD to allow for discussion, though it’s technically a GQ. I’m confident that others will have comments about why their denomination’s name is important to them. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/169 "2003-03-15T16:35:39Z")
**Copper\_moon** , “catholic” is a word with several, meanings, “broad ranging”, “universal”, or “whole” are some of them. So the term “Catholic Church” comes from a time when it was indeed the only “denomination” as such. I’m an Episcopalian, in the creeds we say we believe in “the one holy, catholic and apostolic church”. Here “catholic” is used to mean the universal church, or the church as one body of believers, whatever the flavor. But the term can be used in a secular sense. I have seen it like this “he had a catholic tastes in literature and learning”, meaning the person in question had a broad range of interests. And Lutheran does come from the name of Martin Luther, initially used to distinguish them from those still sticking with Rome. In the movie \*A Man For All Seasons \* Thomas More, in speaking to his future son-in-law, refers to him as “a passionate Lutherer” ---
**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 15, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/170 "2003-03-15T17:01:21Z")
“Anglican”- church of English people. We never have any fun, and we’re very polite. 😉 “Mennonite”- sect of the Anabaptists, named after a man named Menno… somethng. Don’t remember. They’re against infant baptism and they’re also pacifists. There’s a Grant African Methodist Episcopalian church up my street. I’d go, but the length of the name kind of scares me. Also a St. Francis National Evangelical Spiritual Baptist Faith Archdiocese of Toronto. I think I’ll save the other explanations for **Polycarp’s** thread. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/171 "2003-03-15T18:21:07Z")
I keep waiting for this thread to turn into an Emo Phillips routine, but so far I’ve been disapointed. ☹ 😉 > [@](#): > > _Emo Phillips_ > I was in San Fransisco once, walking along the Golden Gate Bridge, and I saw this guy on the bridge about to jump. So I thought I’d try to stall and detain him, long enough for me to put the film in. I said, “Don’t jump!” and he turns… You’ve heard of the elephant man. He was kind of like that, he had a, well, you could say he had the head of a horse. And my heart went out to him. I said, “Why the long face?” > He said, “'Cause all my life people have called me mean names like horses-head or Flicka or chess-piece or Trigger…” > I said, “Well, don’t worry about it, Ed. It can’t be that bad.” > He said, “My girlfriend’s suing me!” > I said, “For palomino?” > He said, “Why was I put on this Earth?” > I said, “My friend, anywhere else you wouldn’t stand a chance.” > He said, “Nobody loves me.” > I said, “God loves you, you silly ninny.” > He said, “How do you know there’s a God?” > I said, “Of course there’s a God. Do you think that billions of years ago a bunch of molecules floating around at random could someday have had the sense of humor to make you look like that?” > He said, “I do believe in God.” > I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?” > He said, “A Christian.” > I said, “Me too. Protestant or Catholic?” > He said, “Protestant.” > I said, “Me too! What franchise?” > He says, “Baptist.” > I said, “Me too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?” > He says, “Northern Baptist.” > I said, “Me too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?” > He says, “Northern Conservative Baptist.” > I say, “Me too! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist or Northern Conservative Reform Baptist?” > He says, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist.” > I say, “Me too! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Eastern Region?” > He says, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region.” > I say, “Me too! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879 or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?” > He says, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.” > I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/172 "2003-03-15T18:35:49Z")
**Wierddave** , others have said this before, but you just made me snort coke all over my keyboard! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/173 "2003-03-15T18:36:52Z")
That’s **Coke** of course, not what I actually wrote. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/174 "2003-03-15T19:09:25Z")
Baptist Union of Western Canada here. I even assist in Kidzone. In fact, I just got home from helping to supervise all the grade Five to Sevens in a sleepover at the church. (Yes, exhausted, thanks !🙂 It’s a very open church. We don’t have anything like a dress code, (they’ll pry my black leather jacket off my cold, dead…no, wait! Their gonna bury me in it!), and the music is more rock than holy roller! We do a lot on community stuff, especially for the more troubled people in our area. We host food bank, AA, Me and Mom’s and hold community dinners as well as support the local Crisis Pregnancy Centre. Literaly anyone can walk into one of our services and grab a free coffee, sit down and join in. I love it! As for my own faith, it isn’t something I was raised with. I didn’t become a Christian until my mid-thirties, so I knew what I was doing. I don’t “witness” much, and you’ll seldom find me in a debate, but my faith is very important to me. Any other non-SB Baptists around? I think we’re kind of a minority up here. ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/175 "2003-03-15T19:12:25Z")
**Scotticher** , I wanted to address your post in this thread. I hope this is not wholly inappropriate, especially as not being a Christian (and not being eligible for Mensa 😛 ) I fear that I’m interloping in this thread. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Scotticher_ > > 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. Speaking personally, I try not to mention anyone by name in a thread unless they have posted already in that thread. I have failed at this, to be certain, but I do have my reasons for wishing to adhere to this. I hope this is not skirting my own lines, but there are many Christians on this board, both those who have posted here and those who have not, that I think of solidly in the category of “Christian” by their words and their conduct. **lorinada** , I also came from a point of believing also in God and Jesus as savior on an intellectual level, but didn’t feel God’s love at any level. It seems like I knew more of Christianity when I was saved (as a child, even) than I ever did in the following years, but I’m trying to re-learn things. However, because I am not yet to a point where I can accept the major tenets of Christianity (or at least those I consider to be necessary for Christianity), I feel it is more honest to label myself as a non-Christian. **Copper\_moon** and **Polycarp** , I love the idea of denominational origins. I sure hope some of our non-denominational friends will also chime in! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/176 "2003-03-15T19:13:44Z")
[New thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=169888) started as promised, over in GD. (Thanks, **Coldie** , for the prompt response!) ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/177 "2003-03-15T20:44:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scotticher \* > **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.** I thought surely you must have been mentioned - it must be a case of overlooking the obvious if you don’t know already, you’re one of my examples of living my faith and showing the love of Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/178 "2003-03-15T21:54:42Z")
> [@](#): > > ## [sub] quote: > > ## Originally posted by Scotticher 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. > > [/sub] > I thought surely you must have been mentioned - it must be a case of overlooking the obvious > > if you don’t know already, you’re one of my examples of living my faith and showing the love of Christ. Ditto, Scotti. Happy ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/179 "2003-03-16T02:56:46Z")
My thanks to the two of you. This is something I struggle with, as it happens. I am not an “in your face” kind of Christian. I have always believed that living my faith was the best kind of “witnessing.” But now and then I struggle with whether or not I should be more vocal. And sometimes I say something, and it often comes out wrong. So then I go back to trying to just live it. And then a thread like this comes up, and I get to second-guessing myself again. I expect this isn’t the last time this will happen, but I am humbled that you feel the way you do. It means that I am not doing EVERYTHING wrong…and that you see beyond my sometimes cranky posts here and know my heart. I appreciate that, VERY much. And once again, my thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823/180 "2003-03-16T03:58:56Z")
**Scotti** , you do it _right_! 🙂 Please see the “Say Something Nice” thread for my comments on you, and accept my shamefaced apologies for not mentioning you here – I have an unparalleled capacity for not seeing what’s directly in front of my face; ask Barb! :o [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-christian-dopers-any-at-all/160823.md?page=10)