Hello
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.
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”.
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?
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.” 
<-- 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.
Another checking in…penecostal free-will baptist
Hey Screeme, what’s your theory?
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.
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. 
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
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.
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]
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”.
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!
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.
In my Father’s house are many Mensans…
::D&R::
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!
<—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!
Inactive LDS checking in.
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.