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Marksmomm wrote:

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I wouldn't go as far as to say majority but there are definitely varying opinions which ought to tell you something.



BTW, which Christian denomination to you actively participate in Chick?

Ought to tell me something? I'm not sure what you mean by that but I'll assume it wasn't directed at me personally.
The reason I say the majority of Jews and the majority of Christians don't believe in reincarnation is because the actual percentages say that they don't. Here is some info for you from Harris Interactive, which did a "Harris Poll", in America only.

• The 90% of adults who believe in God include 93% of women, 96% of African-Americans and 93% of Republicans but only 86% of men, 85% of those with postgraduate degrees, and 87% of political independents.
  
• The 84% of those who believe in the survival of the soul after death include 89% of women but only 78% of men, 86% of those without a college degree but only 78% of those with postgraduate degrees.
  
• The 84% of the public who believe in miracles falls to 72% among those with postgraduate degrees, and rises to 90% among women and 90% among African-Americans.
  
• The 82% who believe in heaven includes 89% of women but only 75% of men and falls to 71% among people aged 25 to 29 and those with postgraduate degrees.

On almost all the beliefs that are central to Christianity, there is a general pattern with:

• Higher levels of belief among women than among men.
• Lower level of belief among people aged 25 to 29.
• Higher levels of belief among people with no college education and lower levels of belief among those with postgraduate education.
• Higher levels of belief among African-Americans than among whites and Hispanics.

Other interesting findings include:

• 68% of the public believes in the devil, and 69% believe in hell.
  
• 51% of the public, including 58% of women, and 65% of those aged 25 to 29 but only 27% of those aged 65 and over believe in ghosts.
  
• 31% of the public believes in astrology including 36% of women and 43% of those aged 25 to 29 but only 17% of people aged 65 and over, and 25% of men.
  
• 27% believe in reincarnation, that they were once another person. This includes 40% of people aged 25 to 29 but only 14% of people aged 65 and over.

You see, only 27% believed in reincarnation. That's a minority, which means the majority did not believe in reincarnation.


Here's another quote for you on a Harris Poll and I think you'll find it interesting.

Belief in reincarnation is held by 40 percent of people aged 25 to 29 but only 14 percent of people aged 65 and over.

Link

Click on the link to read the rest of the article. I was really surprised by some of it myself, so I think you will be as well. Now if 40% of people ages 25-29 only believe in reincarnation, that is just a smal chunk of the population, BUT it's a huge portion of that specific age bracket. Interesting, don't you think? I wonder why it is that specific age group. Now that poll was done in 2003 I think, so those people would currently be 5 years older, which places them at 30-34 years of age. Do you fall into that category? Just curious. I have found that there are quite a few people who post on forums that do believe in reincarnation or who aren't sure if it's real or not, but if we consider the fact that the majority of persons who post on forums are between the ages of 25-40, I guess it makes sense that a good portion of them would consider that reincarnation may be a real thing. Forums aren't really that popular among people under 25 years of age, unless they're about gaming or computers, and you don't often see people over 40 on forums either, for whatever reason.

For the 2nd half of your questions, re: my denomination, sorry but this answer will be long. I apologize beforehand.

I prefer not to belong to a specific denomination, because as you and I both know, some denominations teach non-scriptural rituals. I'm not into rituals. I am constantly working on my relationship with God, like any relationship, it has it's ups and downs, but the downs are either my own doing or a learning experience that helps me understand more about His nature, and His compassion for me. Do you know what I mean, MM? I try not to complicate my faith/religion. It's best when I keep it simple. I attend several churches for various reasons. There is an awesome non-denominational women's group that meets at their church, and I just love them. We study God's word, we discuss it, we help one another, pray for one another, and we're so open and welcoming to anybody that wants to join... anybody, any walk of life, any history, any current life experience. We have some women who suffer from addiction, and are still using, attending. We have some women who are couples attending. We have some women who are divorced multiple times, and at least one that is in a very abusive marriage. We want to be a support, and a caring group that helps those who attend feel that they are at home when we are together. It's probably one of the best church groups I have ever been a part of, for me, at least. I also attend a church that believes in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and evangelism. For me, that one is the one I like to go to when I want to feel God's presence really strongly, and when I need to be lifted up, beyond my own experiences in life. I feel God so strongly when I'm there. It's beautiful. But just when you think you might have a grasp on my beliefs (I know you're thinking *fundi* lol), I might surprise you. I also attend a Messianic Church church, because I'm a Jew, and because they teach the way I was brought up. It's full of Jews who accept Christ, and it's like home for me. Lastly, there are two other churches that I love to visit, especially during the winter months, around Christmas time. One is Catholic and one is Lutheran. I love to attend Mass in the winter. I don't know why. I just do. I also love the beautiful sermons given in the Lutheran churches. I find God in all of these churches, and I find Him in those who attend there. But I also see Him in the faces of homeless children, and so, I also like to go to the Salvation Army church, because they have so many homeless men, women, and children attending there. That's the church that I give to the most, because it is the one that helps the most.

My answer to your question is a complicated one and this is why:
I see God everywhere. I see Him when I am alone, in my car, and so my car becomes my church. I see Him when I go for a run and the sun goes down quicker than I expected it to, so much so that I find myself running in the dark, trying to make it home. When I should be afraid, because where I live is not so safe; I'm not a suburbian, but instead of fearing, I feel peace. I feel Him with me. So running becomes my church. The streets become my church. When I'm taking a shower, I like to sing to the Lord. Some are hebrew songs from schooling as a child, and some are songs God gives to me as I am showering. I am a terrible singer, but God loves my voice when I sing, and I know this because He takes away my embarrassment, and fills me with joy as I sing to Him. The shower is my church.

Right now I am sitting in a recliner, typing out this answer to you, and in my heart I am worshipping the Lord because I feel Him. I feel His peace, and His compassion for me. I'm at church.

If my answer is longer than you wanted, I'm sorry. This particular question, for me, is too difficult to answer short form. Sorry too if any of my answers in this thread made me an enemy of anybody here. I don't want to be an enemy. I am a very strong woman... strong opinion, strong in spirit, strong in opinions. I used to be quite rebellious and God had to break me, until I fell to my knees and admitted that I was nothing without Him. I don't expect everyone else to see Him as I do, or to have the same relationship with Him that I do, but I can tell you that I would be lost in darkness, despair, and self-absorbtion, if it were not for my relationship with Him. He is as real to me, as my own parents are. That is why, wherever I go, wherever I worship Him, I am in church.

Marksmomm wrote:

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As for your stats - are those based on polled Christians or polled people from all religions?? I ask because you are using both Christian and PUBLIC interchangeably.

Read it for yourself and find out.

As for age issues - I think younger Christians are less like SHEEP and are more apt to explore the history and cultural context of the Bible and it's traditions. Do a poll on all Christians asking if Christmas was actually on Dec 25th.... I bet you get an age variance on that one.

That's quite a stereotype. It's also not very accurate. Young people are more likely to be sheep than older people. Look around. People in their teens and 20s dress similarly, behave similarly, repeat the same quotes, watch the same tv shows. Older people who've been around the block a few times, tend to say... "eh.... screw it... i'm wearing what i want, i'm eating what i want, i'm watching/reading/doing what i want, and not what anybody else wants me to." I haven't given my own age, and don't intend to do so. I like to keep people guessing. Am I 21,25, 27, 30, 38, 42, 47, 50, 57, 63, 70, 72, 78, 85?

However, the Sheep reference is nothing to be ashamed of, for any Christian, or any human for that matter. For we like sheep have all gone astray, sister Christian.

Marksmomm wrote:

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QUOTE: Being that you don't know what I mean by non-scriptural rituals, I'll refrain from explaining, as it wouldn't make much difference




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I'm asking for clarification because you implied in your sentence we had discussed rituals before....having just met you I was puzzled by your inference. You statement " as you and I both know ...." as if we had discussed it and we were in complete agreement to what constituted scriptually based rituals. I'll ask you again - please clarify what rituals you are referring to.

Oh no hun, I didn't mean to imply that we'd discussed it before. It was more of reference to your own claim to be a Christian. Most Christians that I have met online are aware that there are some churches that take the ritualistic behaviors to extreme. For example: Some churches believe that you MUST be baptised as an infant or it doesn't count. Other churches believe that you MUST be baptised as a young adult, because infancy baptism doesn't count. Some churches believe that if you're divorced, then your salvation is at risk... maybe you're in sin if you remarry. Some churches approve of divorce if there is abuse, adultery, etc., and they have no problem with remarriage. Some churches frown upon interdenominational marriages, like a Catholic marrying a Pentecostal. Some churches actually ritualize the marriage ceremony, suggesting that only the man in the marriage is important, for without him, the woman is not saved, nor is she her own person, apart from him. Other churches recognize that the man and woman are both equal in God's eyes, and while the man is the head of the family, he and his wife are a union before God, equal in all ways.

I could go on and on, but perhaps now you know what I was talking about? Sorry that I wasn't more clear. I just spoke to you in a familiar term, because you said you are a Christian, and I assumed, wrongly, that you might know what I was talking about, without my having to get into a lot of detail. I only shared the details, not to judge any of those churches, but to explain what I meant by the rituals. I'm into simplifying my relationship with God, down to the two of us, He and I. I do believe in baptism but I don't think it matters when you have it done, or where, and I do believe in communion, but I think you can do it in your own home, or in church, or wherever you are worshipping God.

I'll leave it at that.

Quoting you here again:

As for the sheep comment - not meant to be a stereotype at all but younger people in a church ( and we are talking CHURCH here and not Holister fashion ) are more likely to question and not buy into all the doctrines taught in a particular demonination. One only need look at trends in church attendance over the past 20 years to get that.

I still think that's incorrect, but only because imho, it has to do with the individual, and not a group. It is not simply young people who are more likely to question, but rather, independent people who want to find out for themselves, rather than just doing what they were told. I encourage this actually, and it's how I found Christ to be real. Nobody told me that I had to believe in Him. I chose to believe in Him, and I chose to pray to Him, to learn of Him. Now, I know Him, and not as well as I want to know Him. I love Him. He is everything to me. I could not get through tonight without Him. I really couldn't and I'm not ashamed to say it. I'm not a weak minded individual. The opposite actually. I'm very strong willed, independent, and for most of my life I have fought against anybody that wanted to help me with anything. I like to do everything by myself. Nobody can do what I want better than me (that's always been my attitude). It took a lot of time, experiences, heartache, loss, followed by relief, joy, and peace, for me to give it all to God. I'm already His anyway and so it's silly for me to hold on so tightly. That could be a long story, but I'm not ready, or willing, at this point to share it. Not the right time yet. So my point is that I think you'll find that there are many Christians who know Christ on an individual level, and they got there through questioning, through studying, through reaching out to Him, and not by following blindly, or practicing repetitive rituals without a heartfelt desire to be there.

Let me know if you get where I'm at. I'm trying to be more clear.

Edited this to fix the quotes. It sure is difficult to get the quotes to work right here. Must be some kind of scripting issue.

Marksmomm wrote:

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I don't lay judgment on anyone else's use of rituals as part of a mainstream religion*.
As for you disagreeing on my comment of young people - you can disagree all you want. No skin off my bent knees

Neither do I. I'm just not into arguing about the importance of one or the other. Although, I probably wouldn't opt for baptising my son in the river. That doesn't sound very safe. A lake maybe. A pool even. A bathtub's ok too. No rivers.



Quoting you here:

*** No snake holding or freakish skin cutting please.

Err... I vote no on those too, at least for me, personally.