What religion do you profess?

[Lovedtodeath]

I am very curious after the "Ask God" thread. I sincerely apologize if your religion is not listed. I could not fit them all.

 

Please keep this anonymous unless you want to explain an other answer. :) I don't want any preaching or arguing, or even some of us judging behind the scenes based on answers.

 

Of course, some members have religious quotes or our religion listed in our sig anyway.

[JennifersLost]

My religion is kindness.

[Chelle in MO]

I voted Christian-Protestant. I'm a Bible-believing, young earth, literal seven-day creationist.

 

Chelle

[st_claire]

I'm an atheist jew.

[ummix3]

I'm a practicing Muslim and was surprised not to find it as one of the choices. I know there are few of us on here, but didn't know that we are considered non existent:leaving: lol....

 

nycmom

[3lilreds in NC]

I'm a practicing Muslim and was surprised not to find it as one of the choices. I know there are few of us on here, but didn't know that we are considered non existent:leaving: lol....

 

nycmom

 

Heh heh - you're not non-existent! We love you! :grouphug:

 

I am a Protestant Christian. Although I'm feeling less proud of that right this minute for Kiran's sake... except I know Jesus isn't the big meanie.

[Sara in AZ]

I just want to say thanks for listing LDS as Christian on the poll. We tend to be misunderstood on that point quite frequently!

[Greta]

I believe there are at least a few Pagans on the boards as well, so that would be a good category to add, as well as Muslim, if there's ever a "do-over". ;)

[Kay in Cal]

I also immediately noticed that there was no "Sikh" option. OK, I am Protestant... but I see a lot of Sikhs here in our area... not sure how many homeschool!

[Lovedtodeath]

I used a list from Wikipedia, and there were categories that I had never heard of, but not Pagan, so I wasn't sure about it.:blushing:

I'm a practicing Muslim and was surprised not to find it as one of the choices. I know there are few of us on here, but didn't know that we are considered non existent:leaving: lol....

 

nycmom

 

Sorry, :grouphug: you were knocked out for the "other" category. I actually had Muslim as one of the ten, and realized that I had to put "other".

[Greta]

I actually had Muslim as one of the ten, and realized that I had to put "other".

 

I've never done a poll before -- are you saying you're limited to ten choices? If so, religion is a tough one to reduce to ten. You did a great job!

[Lovedtodeath]

I just want to say thanks for listing LDS as Christian on the poll. We tend to be misunderstood on that point quite frequently!

 

Thank you! I was so afraid of listing it wrongly and offending. I knew about the Christian part, I mean the parenthesis (parentheses? not sure about that either).

[Lovedtodeath]

I've never done a poll before -- are you saying you're limited to ten choices? If so, religion is a tough one to reduce to ten. You did a great job!

 

Yes, ten is the limit. Thank you so much. I was feeling bad about being called a "meanie".:tongue_smilie:"Other" has a rather high percentage. I thought about making 2 polls with Christian religions on a separate poll, but thought better of the idea.

[Lovedtodeath]

I'm an atheist jew.

 

Did you vote "other" then?

[PinkInTheBlue]

I feel like I'm coming out of the closet, so be gentle. :)

 

I'm an other because I'm an unknown. I don't fit in any of the categories anymore. I would say I'm definitely still a Christian but if I had an honest conversation with my daddy, he'd probably say I'm not.

 

I no longer believe the bible is literally the word of God. I believe it's a good book with many good thoughts and stories but not something God actually created and intended.

 

I definitely believe in God as my maker, creator and, well, God. I don't believe in the Christianity of the church though. I don't attend church and probably never again will. After studying many, many of the details of my previous beliefs, most of them are perfectly intact but now my own. Church attendance, the bible as the book made by God and the extra-curricular teachings of the church about God are the only things that really didn't make it. :)

 

I'm interested in the philosophy behind Buddhism but not the religion branch. I'm interested in the Unity church but can't really get 100% behind that either. I'm now a mutt with nowhere to go. :) lol I can say at this point of my life I don't feel I'll ever be able to attach a title to my beliefs again. I know I'll never give my religious and spiritual teaching, education and thoughts over to one church ever again.

 

P.S. Especially considering you had only 10 spaces to list the major religions, you did great! LOL

[anissarobert]

How funny-I choose "other" and I am almost in the majority. I grew up Christian and I consider myself to be a Christian, but I am married to an atheist. I'm not sure how to classify our home! I teach Bible every day and use Rod and Staff and Apologia, but we don't usually attend church, as Sunday is my husband's only day at home. I guess "other" is the best description after all.

[genie]

Atheism isn't a religion, but I can understand why you included it. :)

[kalanamak]

I voted other.

 

There is an internet term I've taken to: apathist

 

I do not deny or question the existence of a deity, but I am completely uninterested in pursuing something I deem unknowable. I act as if there is no deity, but it is a non-issue to me.

 

I grew up in the Bible belt but was fully 12 years old (7th grade art class...chatting with someone named Cassie) before I knew any modern human believed in a deity. I thought it was all understood to be myth and story, and that people went to church to dress up and sing and see their friends.

[Lovedtodeath]

Jessica, I know that there are others who feel the way you do.:grouphug: It was brave of you to let your feelings be known.

 

I grew up in the Bible belt but was fully 12 years old (7th grade art class...chatting with someone named Cassie) before I knew any modern human believed in a deity. I thought it was all understood to be myth and story, and that people went to church to dress up and sing and see their friends.

 

I think that is very true for some people.

[Stacia]

I can very much relate to JessicaRush's post.

 

As a family, we celebrate Christian holidays (mostly) because of the habit of doing so when growing up & to celebrate with our extended families.

 

However, for years (even before I knew a term for it), I considered myself agnostic (without knowledge). I marked 'other' in the poll.

 

I like this quote from Robert Ingersoll:

"Is there a God? I do not know. Is man immortal? I do not know. One thing I do know, and that is, that neither hope, nor fear, belief, nor denial, can change the fact. It is as it is, and it will be as it must be."

 

:001_smile:

[Book Crazy]

Atheism isn't a religion, but I can understand why you included it. :)

 

:iagree:

 

I clicked Atheist, even though it is not a religion.

[JudyJudyJudy]

:iagree:

 

I clicked Atheist, even though it is not a religion.

Ditto.

[Kate in Arabia]

Another Muslim who voted "other" ;)

[st_claire]

nope, I voted atheist :)

[Anne Rittenhouse]

Let's be fair....if you're going to subdivide the Christians, then you need to subdivide other groups also. Jewish-reformed, Jewish-conservative, Jewish-Orthodox and so on...

 

 

I think there are different flavors in most all religions. So let's use frozen desserts instead. Are you asking if we are ice cream, sherbet, gelatto, granita, or water ice? or Are you asking if we are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or pistachio?

 

And for everyone's information, I would be one scoop of lime gelatto, one scoop of vanilla icecream with strawberries and blood oranges topped with extra pistachio nuts. I don't call myself other.:D

[fivetails]

Let's be fair....if you're going to subdivide the Christians, then you need to subdivide other groups also. Jewish-reformed, Jewish-conservative, Jewish-Orthodox and so on...

 

 

I think there are different flavors in most all religions. So let's use frozen desserts instead. Are you asking if we are ice cream, sherbet, gelatto, granita, or water ice? or Are you asking if we are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or pistachio?

 

And for everyone's information, I would be one scoop of lime gelatto, one scoop of vanilla icecream with strawberries and blood oranges topped with extra pistachio nuts. I don't call myself other.:D

 

The polls only allow for a certain amount of choices - and what do you suppose would happen if the OP had done the various branches of Jewish-ness and then just put "Christian" as one? Somebody would say the same thing in reverse. ;)

 

It's just a poll - a fun thing to click and whatever.....

 

That said - your flavour of ice cream sounds delicious! :D (blood oranges and all - though they're kinda creepy looking...I bought some once and dd11 was interested until I made the mistake of telling her what they were called... she wouldn't touch them. :tongue_smilie: )

 

I'll take pistachio ice cream (a fave that I haven't had in YEARS cuz they don't sell it anywhere anymore, booooo) with some whippy stuff, sliced bananas, and a big red cherry on top. In a waffle cone plz. :thumbup1:

[Prairie~Phlox]

I didn't vote. We are in a non-denominational Christian Church. I don't consider us to be any of those listed, just plain Christian. Dh was raised in a WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Luteran Synod Church) which his whole family is still members of, but we had issues with the fellowship doctrine & left. We are the black sheep in his family.

 

Phlox

[beansprouts]

Let's be fair....if you're going to subdivide the Christians, then you need to subdivide other groups also. Jewish-reformed, Jewish-conservative, Jewish-Orthodox and so on...

 

 

I believe the Orthodox Christians and the Catholics are very similar. The others are quite different.

[Jenny in Florida]

I think, technically, that Unitarian-Universalists are considered Protestants. I mean, that's where you find us in most phone books and directories. However, I, personally, don't consider myself Christian.

 

Hence, the "other" vote.

[Mama Lynx]

I am pagan.

 

There are many, many different types of paganism, but I can't get more specific than that. I used to be Wiccan. After that I wandered for a good while. Now, something is taking shape in my life, but not to the extent that I wish to use the label.

 

Since Christianity is by far the majority on this board, I think it would be fair and interesting to have one poll for the various Christian breakdown, and one for the other major categories. Or, maybe one with simply "Christian" as a category, and then you would have room to include Muslim, etc.

[Lolly]

I was raised Baptist. Converted to Methodist when I married dh. Stopped attending that church due to huge differences with the current minister. Haven't been able to find a church since then. My problem seems to be that I have a Baptist core, but really like the Methodist services. At this point, Baptist services tend to drive me bonkers. Add in that at heart, my beliefs tend to fall more in the Catholic realm. All my life, most of my friends have been Catholic. Yet, I have never lived in an area that had a large Catholic population. I find that odd. Yet, I am at odds enough with some of their beliefs that I would not feel comfortable professing that as my faith. So, for today, I just consider myself a Christian with no brick building to call home.

[Anne Rittenhouse]

The polls only allow for a certain amount of choices - and what do you suppose would happen if the OP had done the various branches of Jewish-ness and then just put "Christian" as one? Somebody would say the same thing in reverse. ;)

 

 

 

 

And I would have written the same exact post in the reverse case. My point is that the OP seems to have confused the broad catagories with specific divisions within those catagories.

 

Christianity can be subdivided into Catholicism, Protestantism, Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy and Nestorianism

 

The Jewish religion has Reformed, Orthodox, Conservative, and Hasidism.

 

Islam has Sunni, Shi'a, Sufism and something else... I can't remember.

 

Hinduism has Shaivism, Saktism, and several others.

 

There are several schools of thought among the folks practising Buddhism.

 

And....then there are the Pagans, who seem to really like adjectives, but are not necessarily recognized as a major classification.

 

Let's not forget the major classifications that were left out of the orginal poll. Islam and Sikhism have been mentioned, but there are others.

 

Here are the top ten major classifications, listed in order of number of followers, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Bahai Faith, Confucianism, Janism, and Shinto.

[Anne Rittenhouse]

I believe the Orthodox Christians and the Catholics are very similar. The others are quite different.

 

Again, with the utmost respect, they are all Christian. Despite the intense and unresolvable doctrinal issues between the various sects, the bottom five choices in the poll fall under the major classification of Christianity.

[elegantlion]

I voted Christian-Protestant. We would fall under non-denominational.

[Country Mouse]

I am another "other" - Unitarian Universalist.

[LisaNY]

Messianic believer

[beansprouts]

Again, with the utmost respect, they are all Christian. Despite the intense and unresolvable doctrinal issues between the various sects, the bottom five choices in the poll fall under the major classification of Christianity.

 

I know that. I wouldn't say any of them are not Christian.

 

I believe the doctrinal differences between the Orthodox Christians and the Catholics are fairly minor compared to the others. But I could be wrong about this.

[RebeccaS]

I'm Christadelphian, so another vote for "other".:)

[Carrie12345]

I voted athiest, but we embrace a lot of Pagan beliefs and celebrate all Christian (Protestant) and some Jewish holidays.

 

We consider ourselves more... tradition than religion.

[Anne Rittenhouse]

Actually, Orthodox, Catholicism, and Protestant are three of the subdivisions of Christianity. Again with the utmost repect, Jehovah and LDS both fall under Protestantism. Protestantism is split even further with sub-sub classifications, such as Methodist, Baptist, LDS, Calvinism, etc. .... And we can see on these boards by posts and signature lines that folks split hairs even among these choices.

 

Let's all be very careful, with the word Christian. One meaning is the "one of the three major Abrahamic religions" the other is a specfic type of Christianity with specific teachings. Often, the meanings are used interchangably and they are not.

[Melinda in VT]

Actually, Orthodox, Catholicism, and Protestant are three of the subdivisions of Christianity. Again with the utmost repect, Jehovah and LDS both fall under Protestantism. Protestantism is split even further with sub-sub classifications, such as Methodist, Baptist, LDS, Calvinism, etc. .... And we can see on these boards by posts and signature lines that folks split hairs even among these choices.

 

Let's all be very careful, with the word Christian. One meaning is the "one of the three major Abrahamic religions" the other is a specfic type of Christianity with specific teachings. Often, the meanings are used interchangably and they are not.

 

Hmm. I don't think Mormons are technically Protestants. They are Restorationists, and Restorationists are considered neither Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox.

 

I think.

 

PariSarah? Oh, PariSarah? What say the scholars?

[Kate in Arabia]

Islam has Sunni, Shi'a, Sufism and something else... I can't remember.

There are a pretty broad range of sects, including Ahmadis, and even Nation of Islam, among others..

 

And within those sects are more subsects.. with Sunnis you have Wahhabis, Salafis, Deobandis, etc.; Sufis have a bunch of different groups, Chisti, Naqshbandi, etc.; and even there are different Shi'a groups, Seveners, Twelvers, Isma'ili, etc.

 

But since this group is so heavily majority Christian, I see the relevance of having subgroups within the Christian main group listed. Or you could have two separate polls, one of main faith group and one special one for subgroups.

[Osmosis Mom]

Muslims do not ask if others are sunni, shia, sufi, ahmadiyya. We pray together, break our fast together, and if you prefer hang out with like-minded people, but I am pretty sure the lines of division are less clear than in Christianity. At least from my experience.

 

 

I am Muslim, btw. In case anyone had missed that!!!!

 

There are a pretty broad range of sects, including Ahmadis, and even Nation of Islam, among others..

 

And within those sects are more subsects.. with Sunnis you have Wahhabis, Salafis, Deobandis, etc.; Sufis have a bunch of different groups, Chisti, Naqshbandi, etc.; and even there are different Shi'a groups, Seveners, Twelvers, Isma'ili, etc.

 

But since this group is so heavily majority Christian, I see the relevance of having subgroups within the Christian main group listed. Or you could have two separate polls, one of main faith group and one special one for subgroups.

[mysticamethyst]

I voted other for the simple fact that I dont' know what I am. I was raised Catholic, but haven't gone to church in my whole married life short of to have my children baptized. Part of me wants to find a chruch for the companionship of others of like-mindedness, but not at the cost of being ridiculed for not believing as deeply as some. I really think that all religions are good if they make you feel safe, loved and part of something greater; no matter which one.:001_smile:

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I voted evangelical. We aren't any specific denomination eventhough we were raised in one. We've attended and have been involved in independent churches in our adult lives!

[dangermom]

Hmm. I don't think Mormons are technically Protestants. They are Restorationists, and Restorationists are considered neither Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox.

 

Yep, that's correct. We don't consider ourselves Protestant at all and aren't related to any Protestant branch; we are Restorationists. Quite a few Protestants won't recognize us as part of Christianity at all. So I appreciate the "Christian" part of the label on this poll!

 

I understand your objection, Anne, but the fact is that this is a board where a lot of people are various flavors of Christian and there aren't a lot of Sikhs. If there are only 10 options, it makes practical sense to break it down and ask people to clarify in posts.

[caitlinsmom]

LDS (Mormon) here.

[Sammy]

I take what good I can find in each and mix in a little of my own ideas. That said, I'm surprised at all the other others. ETA: ok, not so surprised now that I've actually read the thread.:)

[Just Me]

I am a Bible-Thumpin' Baptist :D At least, that seems to be the common classification of us! I had a friend in High-school who said, "Oh, you're one of those praying Baptists!" I didn't realize until adulthood we were considered strange!

 

In all seriousness though, I am a Christian. I worship a risen Savior. I believe in full-immersion baptism as a sign of identifying with Christ, but not as a means of salvation. I believe in the Bible as the literal Word of God, penned by the hands of inspired men. I believe that every story in the Bible is true, unless it was told as a parable. So, for me, yes Jonah was swallowed by a whale, Balaam was spoken to by a donkey, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo survived a firey furnace.

[Anne Rittenhouse]

Thank you. I actually learned something today. Restoratationists include the Mormons, the Anabaptists, and the Quakers and others. Previously I would have lumped these groups in with the "Martin Luther" group. I'm off to read more carefully what defines these as a group in and of themselves.

 

Going off to sample a new flavor of frozen dessert. See y'all a bit later.